Rain is Coming

Leaning on these words today.  Grasping really.  Clinging to the hope they bring because: Rain is coming.

Being in a complete desert for 5 years is exhausting.  Perhaps the drought has at times been self-induced... very self-induced... but then sometimes, we just live in a fallen world and droughts, and all the devastating hardships they bring with them, are simply inevitable.

But FIVE YEARS?

I can't even imagine 40.  That's just beyond comprehension for me and pray ... BEG this drought will not last 35 more.

My parents and I do a Bible study every summer (well at least, we have done a bible study together now for the last 3 years...) and I just love it.  I love the idea of studying God's Word together as a family.  I can't wait for the day when my entire family will join in.  May it be so, Lord!

Anyway, as much as I loved studying with them this summer, I totally flaked out on it!  I was in it for 3 solid weeks, then the last 3 or so weeks of it, I don't even know what happened!  So weird because the material was so good and readily applied to daily life... but I flaked.

So here we are, weeks after the study was supposed to be over, and I finally watched the last 2 videos by myself.  God's timing in the midst of my flakiness just awes me though.  Maybe there's more to it than just our flakiness.  The God of the universe will use anything to get our attention in His time I guess!  And this reminder: Rain is coming, could not be more timely.

In my little kindergarten class, we had a unit this past week on "All About Me."  This unit is always so fun because the kids are at the age where they are really becoming aware of who they are, their family, and their environment.  I gave my students their first take home project I called, "All about My Name."  They were supposed to research different aspects of their name, like how many letters and syllables it has, its meaning, and why their parents picked that name.  I modeled this project for them using my own first name: Stephanie.  As a kid, I never really cared for my name.  It kinda sounds twangy, very 80s, and while it was super popular in 1982 (I graduated high school with about 5 other Stephanies that I can distinctly remember), let's be real: no one names their kid Stephanie anymore! 

As an adult, my name has kinda grown on me though.  There's this man named Stephen in the Bible.  And he died for his belief in Jesus and in fact, was the first known martyr for Him.  Even more, the Bible says Jesus STOOD UP from His throne when that happened.  Whoa.  Ok, sharing a name with someone like that, that's pretty cool.  Not that I was named after him.  My parents actually 'found' my name when looking at the names of the ballerinas in a playbill of a ballet they attended while pregnant with me. I love that my name is shared with someone as beautiful and graceful as a ballerina and another as strong and mighty as a martyr for Jesus.

Further still, the meaning of Stephanie: crowned with victory - those words could not be more beautiful to me.  As I shared the meaning of my first name with my class this week, the drop from Heaven I felt was unmistakable.  As if Heaven Himself hugged me for a moment, giving the approving nod of this promise:  rain is coming.  I will be crowned with victory.  Mercy DOES triumph.

As we wait out our time in the desert, let's not give in to the grumblings of our heart and mind.  Let's certainly not give up and quit this race.  Let's promise to look for that one small cloud in the sky.  Even if we have to look 7 times or 70 times before it appears.  Just remember, with that small cloud: Rain is coming.

"After a long time, in the third year..... ... the famine was severe in Samaria....  And Elijah said to Ahab, 'Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.' So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.  'Go and look toward the sea,' he told his servant.  And he went up and looked.  'There is nothing there,' he said.  Seven times Elijah said, 'Go back.' The seventh time the servant report, 'A cloud as small as a man's hand is rising from the sea.' ... Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling..."  1 Kings 18:1-2, 41-45

Question 2.0

For one part of my New Year's resolution, I asked the question: What do I believe?

I have broken down that list into more specific topics that I will be researching this year. I'm not going to put a time line on each, rather I will research until I am satisfied with the information.

My topics (as of right now):
1. The Bible
- accuracy
- God-breathed
- inerrancy
- infallible
- authority

2. God
- existence
- Trinity
- providence
- prayer

3. Creation
- evolution
- soul
- man
- sin

4. Jesus
- existence
- soteriology
- miracles

5. Holy Spirit
- existence
- role
- authority

6. The Church
- church

7. Afterlife
- Heaven
- Hell

8. Spiritual world
- angels
- demons

9. Uniqueness of Christianity
- other major world religions: Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, etc.

This is quite an extensive list to be researched in just a year so I know I won't have all the answers by the time 2012 comes around. Since I've been raised in the church, I do have ideas on each subject, but I long for depth! Further up and further in is what my goal will be this year. Ok, here we go!

New Year's Resolutions 2011

Happy New Year!

I love this time of year. It just seems like people are so hopeful, optimistic, and ready for something new. I love that attitude. I'm looking forward to 2011 and accomplishing the goals I set for this year. So, without further ado, here are my 2011 New Year's Resolutions:

1. A project: I want to get involved with an organization to raise money to help people in need. I want to raise funds by running some kind of race. I'm being vague with this one because I'm still researching races and organizations. I definitely have some ideas going, but if any of you (I know, all 2 of you... if that many...) can point me in a certain direction or have any thoughts or ideas, I would love any help!

2. A question: If you know me at all, you know that 3/6ths of my family have felt the faith and turned to atheism/agnosticism. So, with that, I am going to ask: What do I believe? I want my faith to be strengthened and I don't want to take any of it for granted. While I know I will never have all the answers this side of Heaven, I want to know as much as I can, so I intend to focus my attentions on as many questions and topics regarding my belief system. I am so excited!

3. A quest: My quest will help in my research of what I believe. I am going to visit both the Creation Museum and the Smithsonian's Human Evolution Exhibit. (Special thanks to the Relevant Magazine, again, for that idea!) It should be very interesting!

What are your New Year's Resolutions?

Too excited...

Ok, I seriously need to be better at blogging. I am so much better taking the time to decorate my blog than actually writing in my blog. Go figure. But, 'tis the time for New Years resolutions and I am just so stinking excited about mine that I simply had to tell you that I'm stinking excited about mine. I have to wait until New Year's Day to reveal everything, though... Right? I hope I can wait that long...

If you're struggling for some inspiration, check out Relevant Magazine's Rachel Held Evans and her 7 tips to a less boring NY Resolution. My resolutions are thanks to that article.

Ok, ok, let me just give you a hint so I can go to sleep!

My New Year's Resolutions involve:
1. A project.
2. A question.
3. A quest.

Oh man! I'm so excited. Are you planning your New Year's resolution(s)?

do something

I just want yall to see this. Because sometimes when we see, we remember. And sometimes when we remember, we do: we pray, we give, we go. Please do.

Kisses from Katie's blog

Adoptionbug.com

Adoptionbug.com is a wonderful site where families can raise money to help fund their adoptions! The site is loaded with awesome t-shirts and precious faces of orphans and families. Here's one t-shirt I ordered:


Love it!! Help bring an orphan home to his/her forever family!

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." John 14:18