::Being Transformed::

Coming Home!

Hey everybody!

I can't believe it's actually here: I have a short visit to the US and am pretty excited about it.

I arrive in Montgomery Monday night

I will be in Birmingham on Wednesday-
So if you B'ham folks want to meet up, I am gonna hang out there for the day and would love to see you... Come by Panera between 12-4... I can't wait to see you and all those babies that have been born in the past year!

I will be in Huntsville Thursday -Saturday to be the maid of Honor in the lovely Miss Susan Dennis' wedding and join in all the festivities.

I will be in Montgomery until I fly out of Birmingham on Nov. 4... TENTATIVELY will be in AUBURN November 2...

So, all that to say I can't believe this is my first time back in 16 months and that I get to see some of your faces!!!

email or facebook me if you can meet up!! I can't wait to see everyone and share the stories of His faithfulness in Hong Kong! He is doing so much here.
LOVE,
Katie

Read More 0 comments | Posted by Katie B |

Passion HK!

We had an awesome time at Passion. It was surreal to share this with our friends, and also somewhat of a closing to a chapter of our lives as people spread out again. I will definitely miss our teammates who return to America. It definitely won't be the same without them. What a journey this has been!! Many of these students will return to Mainland to start life and jobs there. Some will try to stay in HK to find a job- pray for them as they try to obtain employment (we really want them to stay!!). I know this event was truly meaningful to us all and we really encountered the Father in a fresh way.

Continue to pray with us for the Awakening to His love and grace and glory to happen in this city!!

Read More 0 comments | Posted by Katie B |

Purpose.

“Finding one’s purpose with God can be a strange and mysterious journey. Or it can be as plain as asking God for a task and then watching your desire for that task grow within you. Problem is, most of us forget to ask God to fill us with a fervent spirit to serve Him. Then years later, we wake up and realize we had our life. We made our small choices...our safe choices. But somehow we missed the richness of following our God down an uncharted path.” – Hudson Taylor

As I type this the emails are going out to those of you who have subscribe to my updates- there is big news in those and so if you want to receive that update as well, just shoot me an email- (katie@gracecampus.net) then this post will make a little more sense.

I never would have guessed that this year would turn out this way- it's totally different, but God remains the unchanging one! The only way I know how to describe it just that uncharted, strange and mysterious journey that is walking by faith in the Holy Spirit's leading. Surprises are around every corner. God is present all along the way. I am excited to step into this new season as I join in with Watermark Church. We have had some great meetings to plan for outreach, community groups, and worship for the new church. I would truly appreciate your prayers as God works in and through us to plant among the people in the West Island District of Hong Kong. (Sheung Wan/HKU/Kennedy Town for those of you more familiar with HK geography).

I look forward to sharing more with you guys, but for now I have to get ready to meet my friends at the Passion HK World Tour Event... more to share tomorrow hopefully!

Read More 0 comments | Posted by Katie B |

a few of my favorites...

In case you were wondering, YES, I did make it back from the Philippines...

I have had to "catch up on life" as I often call it and still am just now catching my breath. The things that are happening here are more than exciting as Father carves out our next steps just in time. I feel like I am constantly holding my breath, and then I remember to exhale the temptation to doubt and ask too many questions, breath in His Spirit, and walk forward with Him.

So, for now, enjoy a little photo album of one of my favorite weeks this year: our trip to share with the Christ Gospel Fellowship Ministries crew in Philippines. What a precious group of friends!! Sadly enough, there is one brother (in Philippines, called "Kuya") who passed away the week after we left. He was the kindest servant of God, determined to be a part of His work in the city. I know he will be missed by many. It just reminded us again how precious each day is, and how we desire to live each day unto Him- recognizing the story that He is inviting us into is one not to be taken lightly, but one to be lived abundantly! We do not want to miss God in this story and we don't want to settle for a story that requires little or no faith. The life of faith brings about many unexpected turns and is challenging, but I wouldn't trade it for anything! It's a supernatural thing when we trust Christ to do what He wants in and through us: "...The life I live in the body I live by FAITH in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20 When you are trusting that Christ is living in and through you, you experience the blessing of Christ's abundant life as your own! There's no greater adventure!

We had the privilege of being loved on by this amazing community and getting to join in their work in several places. People heard truth, children were fed, fellowship and laughter was had. What more could you ask for?!

Read More 0 comments | Posted by Katie B |

What's next...

WE ARE HEADED TO THE PHILIPPINES TOMORROW!!

Here's the team (we won't be taking our party hats- even though that does represent our craziness sometimes... this is just the only picture I could find of the four of us!) and we will be serving a community in Bulacan.

Please lift us up this week! I can't wait to share what we see and what happens!

Read More 0 comments | Posted by Katie B |

God Speaks.

In the most unexpected ways, He speaks and reveals Himself.  

There's nothing like sharing His Word with someone who is hearing for the first time, but even more amazing is that I can read it for the millionth time and it speaks into me in a fresh new way...

Sitting across the table from a dear friend, talking about Mark chapter 1, it hit me.  God spoke into my circumstances through looking at the life and work of Jesus.  Here's how it goes: John the Baptist came out of the wilderness, fulfilling an age-old prophecy, and preparing the way for the Messiah.   "God in flesh" gets baptized himself and the Spirit of God and audible voice of God affirms Jesus' identity as God's Son.  Jesus' "out front" ministry was about to begin!  

And then...

Mark 1:12-13 

The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.  

And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan...

Just when He was about to carry out His work!?  He had people to save and a Message to share, yet the Spirit of God sent Him away, alone, into the wilderness.  The Lord DOES work in mysterious ways.  Over wontons and spring rolls He spoke clearly to me in this.  When the rest of us would think it was time to "get straight to work" and "get the job done", maybe Jesus, in His humanity was ready to do the same, yet the Spirit DROVE him out!  He obviously was obedient in that but I wonder what He thought when He knew what was to come and to what He was called.  The Spirit drove Him not to the garden, to a place of comfort, but to a place of discomfort and suffering to prepare Him for what was about to begin.  It doesn't make sense to the legalist in us, who wants to work for our worth, or to the humanist in us who tells us to do what's comfortable.  or to the independent in us who wants to do what he or she wants to do, whatever that may be... 

 6"Seek the LORD while he may be found;

   call upon him while he is near;7let the wicked forsake his way,

   and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,

   and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.8For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

   neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

   so are my ways higher than your ways

   and my thoughts than your thoughts.    

(Isaiah 55)

Looking at the life of Christ, the redeemer of the World, who walked through all  of suffering and discomfort and even appearances of failure to the foolish mind, I can fellowship with Him there.  I can appreciate a unique path to a greater goal that I could not fathom had he not taken me into the wilderness.  I praise Him today for that!

I remain humbled today and am reminded it's all about Him:  His name being made famous and His glory.  This reality orients my thoughts and life in such a way that I know I cannot find true rest and peace until I align my entire being this this truth.  I am so thankful to be His!  I do not deserve it, I did not earn it, I am nothing apart from Him, who, in His great mercy and grace, rescued me and made me new!!

 26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. 

Not many of you were wise by human standards; 

not many were influential; 

not many were of noble birth. 

27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; 

God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 

28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—

and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 

29so that no one may boast before him.

30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, 

[WOW!!!]

who has become for us wisdom from God—that is,

our righteousness, holiness and redemption.  

31Therefore, as it is written:

"Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

 (1 Cor. 1)

Who am I Lord, that you are mindful of me, and that you would speak to my heart?

I am your beloved daughter, favored and treasured in your eyes and you, in your grace, speak to me.

Thank you.

Read More 2 comments | Posted by Katie B |

pray.

^{Matthew 9-}

³⁵And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷Then he said to his disciples,

"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest tosend out laborers into his harvest."

__________________________

I'm longing for the gospel of the kingdom to be known-

I am overwhelmed by compassion for the precious souls around me... a bit more today than usual, and praying against any obstacle that is not of Him that keeps those ready and willing to serve from doing so.

Lord send workers and Lord bring clarity and make a way for those who long to serve you but don't know the details yet... I think of many who are ready and willing and are unsure of your next step... May any fear or accusation fall to the ground in light of who Jesus is in us and on our behalf. Raise up this generation to live in light of grace for the glory of your name!

Join me in praying that He will raise up the strongest movement yet...

for His Glory

Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Katie B |

perspective.

2 Peter 3 (NLT)

 8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.  

(...puts waiting in perspective...) 

10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.

 11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames.  

(...puts eternity in perspective...)  

13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.

 14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.

(...puts the hope & the present in perspective...)  

 15 And remember, the Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved... 

 17 I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. 18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of 

our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

   All glory to him, 

both now and forever! Amen.

------------

We are in no hurry, yet there's urgency.
Making the most of everyday is unto the Lord and not unto man.
We can let time and timing keep us in bondage or we can surrender to the funnel, which is His hand shaping our lives, and an all-wise Sovereign God orchestrating a beautiful story. He is so much bigger than our best and worst day put together.
We can lose hope when it seems that things aren't just right (lose secure footing by formulating our own circumstantial hypothesis) or look to Christ to grow in grace (supernatural life of Christ living in us) and knowledge of our Lord to move us forward as He builds His kingdom here and now and that He is surely coming again!!!

Read More 0 comments | Posted by Katie B |

celebrate.

It's amazing what a few birthday hats, some Winnie the Pooh party horns, and some yummy Szechuan food will do to make a birthday party really special.

(See the birthday boy on the far left!)

I am more than blessed to be a part of the lives in these pictures- I am confident that none of us are the same after knowing each other, and I am praying that this year in Hong Kong will be a year we will all never forget, because it shapes who we are and where we are going... We are all being transformed one day at a time...

------------------

No two days are the same here.

Everyday just about turns out differently than planned.

Tomorrow will be no exception... I experience day to day:

Many plans are in a man's mind, 

but it is the Lord's purpose for him that will stand (Prov.19:21)

This is life in these days and this is life led by the Spirit,

who is not bound by our rules, schedules, or opinions...

He graciously meets us where we are,

and doesn't leave us unchanged.

(He actually doesn't leave, period.)

Hallelujah!

Accordingly God also, in His desire to show more convincingly and beyond doubt to those who were to inherit the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose and plan, intervened (mediated) with an oath.

This was so that, by two unchangeable things [His promise and His oath] in which it is impossible for God ever to prove false or deceive us, we who have fled [to Him] for refuge might have

mighty indwelling strength and

strong encouragement

to grasp and hold fast the hope appointed for us and set before [us].

(Hebrews 6:17-18)

HE is trustworthy. HE is our constant, in this ever-changing, fast-moving, mind-blowing, dynamic beautiful story that always points back to HIM...

GLORY.

Read More 0 comments | Posted by Katie B |

do so!

The other side of "say so" is "do so." When that pang of humanity hits, whether it be your shame, your fear, disillusionment, your big or small questions, He is INVITING you to CHOOSE LIFE. (And He IS "the way, the truth, and THE LIFE.") It's His life that is made available to us! Daily it happens: you sense a need, you must grasp onto something, and that's ok! Do not let the enemy convince you that it's bad to be in need. We ARE human and we NEED God! Living this life makes us aware, and as a child, we have a Father who meets us in our need.

So, what do you do when you are at the point of exposure?

DIE. (For I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live... Gal. 2:20a)

On the other side of the cross, (meaning after we receive Christ as our Savior) we aren't just forgiven but we are raised to new life. That means that we reckon our old self, our way of life apart from Christ, dead. When the need to protect, hide, cling to anything other than Christ, arises, we must crucify that need in order to experience THE need-meeter. In sharing his story, Steve McVey says "I tried everything I could think of to experience victory, but all to no avail. I didn't know that it was by my dying, not doing, that victory was possible." Trying to live the Christian life through your old sinful patterns is like carrying 2 ton weights around while attempting to win a race.

MISCONCEPTION:

The more I do, the more I try, the more I beat myself up or train myself to be 'better' the "more better" I become and the closer I get to Christ.

Let me say no, no, NO! Galatians 3:3 says Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected bythe flesh?

There is Good News here! Romans 8:3: For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Please don't hear this as a "good kid/bad kid" issue- hear this as a my resources or His resources issue. Which is better?! We can't. He can. He CAN- IN US- when we walk according to the Spirit, the life of Christ in us! In Colossians 1:27 Paul says, "To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles (Gentiles = us) are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Nothing compares to this type of riches. (Galatians 2:20...Christ lives in me...)

TRUTH:

The more I reckon my own strength insufficient and RECEIVE the sufficiency of Christ's strength, HE becomes my LIFE: The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me... (Gal. 2:20b) When we receive eternal life, whose life do we receive? CHRIST'S LIFE! This is not ignoring or putting to death the unique ways that He has made us as people, but allowing Him to work in and through those qualities and illuminate them in a way that only He can do. True freedom lies in living in intimate fellowship with Christ who imparts to us all things we need for life and godliness. The specific "hows, whys and whens" come as we walk moment by moment with Him.

2 Peter 1:3-5: His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Read the entire chapter here.

May grace (God's favor) and peace (which is perfect well-being,

all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears

and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you

in [the full, personal, precise, and correct] knowledge

of God and of Jesus our Lord.

2 Peter 1:2 AMP

Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Katie B |

Say So.

Psalm 107

¹Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,
         For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
    ²Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
         Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary...

From time to time, my roommates and I have told one another to "just say so!" Implying the freedom to "be right where you are at" (no judgment here!) and the empowerment that comes from approaching life from the victorious position of being redeemed. (1 John 5:4-5) We have been bought back, brought out of death into life, and set free to live life as He intended: in fellowship with our God. When we hide in our own selves, there is no fellowship. For us to speak what is true about ourselves and God is to speak from the position of being the redeemed children of God. We stand acceptable and accepted because of Christ! Who told you to be ashamed or that you had to have it all together?! It is the "adversary" or the enemy who tempts us to believe this and he has been defeated--powerless towards the people of the Lord. We must remember the Voice that matters most. When we forget we are redeemed and forget to "attend to the steadfast love of the Lord" we feel vulnerable, exposed (experiencing the reality of our not being in control), and afraid to say anything at all. When life isn't seeming line up quite right or the circumstances are unsure, or at the slightest relational discomfort or lack thereof we are quick to forget what He has done on our behalf and who He has made us to be and how He pours out His love into our hearts by the power of His Spirit alone. This is what makes the DIFFERENCE! In these days of our sanctification/transformation into the likeness of Christ we have the choice to LIVE in that reality or to try to live this life in our own feeble resources until the day He returns and completes this beautiful work He has began in us at the moment of salvation. May the reality of our redemption and new life in Christ fall afresh on us:

1 Peter 2

²⁴He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,

that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

By his wounds you have been healed.

²⁵For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned

to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

FREEDOM to "say so" comes from believing and receiving for yourself that you are redeemed, first and foremost. There is no way to earn or lose the love and acceptance which God freely gives us in Christ. This experience also happens in loving community. As we work out the reality of our salvation "with fear and trembling" He moves from our head to our heart what that really means. Healing comes as we move through this process by faith, acknowledging our fears and feelings, allowing the grace of God to penetrate our faulty beliefs, often through the gracious response of others towards us. Powerful. Supernatural. True freedom comes in taking off the mask of having to have it all together or be independent of God(dying to sin) and being who He has created you to be: a dependent child on Abba, Father (living to righteousness).

I was meeting with a friend this past week and it seems she has discovered what many of us know, but few of us admit. We wear a "protector" around our lives, keeping people and even God at arm's length. She knows she needs to take it off, but it's not easy. Our souls crave to be known, our Spirits cry out to drink deep from the Living Water, yet we choose to stay in what we've been deceived into believing is "safe." The TRUTH? Our God longs to BE our protector! Our Safety! Our refuge! Our HOME, but we must die to the old way of "safe" living, which is not really living at all. Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, came to this earth with the gospel message: "I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly." When we operate out of the riches and wealth of Spirit that comes from standing on these realities our life IS different! He satisfies us (Psalm 63) in this dry and weary land of the world. The Spiritual reality becomes our reality and we live in the paradigm of the life of Christ! When we stop searching for a formula and live IN CHRIST we find what we were looking for in the beginning...

Psalm 107

⁴³ Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD.

Colossians 2

...to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding

and the knowledge ofGod’s mystery, which is Christ,

³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Our direction, our step-by-step, our wisdom and knowledge, if you will comes as we seek Christ and allow His Spirit to be the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls and respond in faith to Him. When we walk as redeemed children in freedom, healing and wholeness, we WILL shine Christ brightly for the glory of His name. I pray that more and more we are a community that "says so" for the sake of His glory and that more may step into a life in Christ.

Read More 0 comments | Posted by Katie B |

Catching up [Part 2] Wrapping up our First Semester here...

new years eve:

Beth and Jason did a great job of capturing the evening. I have left my camera at home lately... but it was truly a blessing to bring in the new year worshiping our King and reflecting on what we are truly thankful for as we look back over what has happened since this time last year.

end of semester thoughts:

The question was asked... what have you seen God do this semester? It was a beautiful thing to go around the room and hear and celebrate all He has done. Matt did a great job recording the words spoken at that meeting. For me, it has been different than I thought. From the get-go I have felt 'at home' here and it's hard for me to separate the 'before' and 'after' of my life in HK. I still feel I have simply stepped into what He has called me to do and be. I am far from perfect at it but know I am growing towards fulfilling more deeply role He has called me to play in His grand story. All I can think is it's...

-His Invitation-

As I look back over this semester I am more and more happy about accepting it. There's something special about responding to that which the God of the Universe invites us into, and it starts when He invites us into His very life by our faith in Christ. As the song in the video below states: "...And this is grace: an invitation to be beautiful..." So there's not really an ending point here, but I remain on a journey- of sanctification, or, in other words, being made more holy, more like Jesus. Not just performing well or doing the right thing but growing in the GRACE of God. Trusting Him more. Trusting Him to be ALL I need. Trusting Him to illuminate my person to make Himself known in this world. HE IS all that is beautiful... and receiving His redemption for myself, for my failures, for where I feel I am lacking, and letting Him fill me is all I know to do--simply receive, and declare that message of reconciliation to those around me.

The promise is, "come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." He, as I surrender, will do this. Not my own independent effort but His own strength in and through me. This is true life. In knowing Christ we have something to INVITE others into. There's something in the human soul that God has mades us to desire and respond to this invitation. Ultimately from Him, but through vessels of love like us.

I pray we all discover what it is to live by grace, moment by moment, and respond as the Shepherd leads us one step at a time. He won''t lead us too far ahead (even when we get anxious to MOVE) from where he intends or keep us in the same place unless he feels its best. He is good. He knows us well and He lead us in His perfect timing. I pray you can trust the Shepherd and hear His invitation to simply 'follow...'

sentimental.
most of you probably won't watch this lovely 4 minute video, but that's ok.... i made it more for my own record anyway. For anyone that is interested- it's 4 minutes long and has one of my favorite songs by Sara Groves. (Lyrics below- full of my favorite words for today: invitation and grace...) It ties together all things and that which I desire strongly to see Him do in our world today. The value of the people God has made in His image- they need to know their worth, their purpose, and drink deeply of the GRACE He so freely gives...

Add To The Beauty

We come with beautiful secrets

We come with purposes written on our hearts,

written on our souls

We come to every new morning

With possibilities only we can hold,

that only we can hold

Redemption comes in strange place, small spaces

Calling out the best of who we are

And I want to add to the beauty

To tell a better story

I want to shine with the light

That's burning up inside

It comes in small inspirations

It brings redemption to life and work

To our lives and our work

It comes in loving community

It comes in helping a soul find it's worth

This is grace, an invitation to be beautiful

This is grace, an invitation

YOU are INVITED!!!!!!

...

Read More 2 comments | Posted by Katie B |

Catching up [Part 1] Christmas in HK

Thankfully the rest of my team is good about blogging regularly. I, obviously, am not, but enough about that... here's the Christmas rundown:

::Hong Kong's production of the Nutcracker ballet- so neat, yet they cut out the part with Mother Ginger. No one asked me, maybe they will next year. I thoroughly enjoyed the rest!
::Chinese Dessert post Nutcracker... nothing says yummy like red bean ice cream and a mango pancake with mango pudding...
::LOTS of shopping and trying to AVOID shopping because the whole of China comes out to be in the hustle and bustle... but for what end? You start to think about it and try not to get too depressed... the task is overwhelming but knowing that a few lives here have awakened to the fact that Christmas exists because of our Saviour redeems those moments...

::Baking party- Growing up I went to the Mancil's home each Christmas to decorate sugar cookies with colorful icing. Well no worries folks, we did that here and our girls LOVED it, but not as much as the LOVED making Christmas cards and ornaments. Especially those cards. Then, of course the guys on our team came by later to eat the leftover cookies and icing...

::ELF - What is Christmas without the movie elf? We had a "special showing" at our home... Jason even made tickets!

::Christmas day: Maik and I met some students at our church for the Christmas service. Some of them heard the entire story for the first time. It was great to alternate between the reading of the story and singing carols that go right along with it. The reality of what it means for this "GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY THAT SHALL BE FOR ALL PEOPLE" sunk in my heart as the scriptures were read in Sri Lankan, Indonesian, Tagalog, Hungarian, Spanish, Chinese, and English. These languages represent a minute percentage of the languages on this earth, many of which STILL have not heard about God's love for them and His reconciliation with them through Jesus who came not to condemn the world but to SAVE it. If you want to know more about this you can read here or here. There are 2200 languages without the Bible in their native tongues, totalling hundreds of millions of people. Then there are people groups who have no knowledge of Christ or are hostile towards the gospel or too remote to have access, or, for one reason or another, have never heard. PLEASE PRAY for God to raise people up to reach these people- 41% of the Earth's population fits in the category. Staggering, yet true...

::After church we went to the Deans and had delicious cinnamon rolls and a secret santa gift exchange. It was really fun to share in that time and receive our "stockings" (ok, upside down santa hats) of goodies! Thanks, Deans!!

::Then came another really special part: Celebrating Christmas with several students for the first time and with friends who may be the only Christian in their family or away from their family. We gave gifts, sang some carols, and read Jesus' story from the book of Luke. It's so neat how when the Father is present you truly feel like a family! Oh, and just for a little culture, look at this link to see a picture of how we had dinner: RACLETTE! It's an indoor grill common in Switzerland, so of course Maik had a couple lying around where we could sit around and eat a LOT! It was a BLAST! If you ever come across one, buy it and have a party- it's like BBQ and FONDUE all together. Yeah!

::I finished the day by skyping with Mom, Dad, Jack and Grace... and even my sweet Grandad who just couldn't believe that I was still in Hong Kong if he could still see my face on the screen. Technology is amazing I tell you.

So all that to say, Christmas was awesome here. It was hard to register that it was actually December 25, yet it was nice to really focus in Him and not being caught up in the world's Christmas, but simply caught up in Christ, the burden of others to know Him in the midst of a materialistic city, and for them to see that HE is the treasure more than anything we obtain here on earth. When I grasp that truth, I find such freedom to be surrendered to Him. I pray this freedom is yours, too!

Read More 2 comments | Posted by Katie B |

yum chai//tea house//dim sum//hong kong

Here's a little clip of Mom and Dad's most cultural experience... take 2 minutes and check it out :)

Read More 0 comments | Posted by Katie B |

FOUND it...

I can honestly say I have found His true, abundant life! When my focus is here:

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

This verse from Matthew 16 came tonight as a relief and comfort after saying bye to Mom and Dad after an awesome 10 days together. It was great to share my world with them and watch them experience it all. It doesn't make it any easier, but it does anchor my soul with a hope that is indescribable. It allows me to see THROUGH any sadness and difficulty even if I don't move immediately out of it. What can else can one do in response to this but FOLLOW? It doesn't make sense to the world that we (my parents, brother, sister, and I) would live to far apart, but what if he has us apart to ultimately draw more into the family for ETERNITY?! Is it WORTH it?! YES x 100000000, YES! What if our TRUE family (TRUE meaning that which is of the Sprit, that which LASTS) looked like this:

or this:

If what we are ultimately going towards is THIS:

9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” (Rev. 7)

Then why not live it now- this is THE bigger story that all our lives are being woven into. THIS is what He has made us for: WORSHIP!

Revelation 14:12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

This is God's economy...

Matthew 19:

28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Thanks, Mom and Dad, Jack and Grace, for enduring and for blessing me to go and praying for me to return... it means so much to me! Thanks for promising to trust Him in the meantime- IN HIS PRESENCE IS THE FULLNESS AND WHOLENESS THAT COMES FROM HIS JOY!!!

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Aren't they cute?!

This is Mom and Dad's first visit to the Avenue of Stars on their first night here they are jet lagged but still look great! We have also visited the most crowded place in Hong Kong (Mong Kok), the highest point in HK (Victoria Peak) and ridden every type of public transportation! We are having a great time. More to come later...

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And the adventure begins...

Mom and Dad have arrived. After terrible weather that prevented them from getting to Atlanta on time, to the merciful staff that opened the gate back up for the Tokyo flight, a little Ambien and decent amount of stress they have made it with smiles on their faces. (Who would want luggage anyway...) I am kicking myself for not taking a picture of the arrival but the moment was sweet.

What will we do today? See the area "nearby" where I live life everyday... and possible make it downtown to go "bus carolling" with our church. IF the jet lag doesn't take over.

Not sure if this link will work... but worth a try-
Bus Caroling with ECC last year...

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A special day...

Happy Birthday MOM!

I am so happy you are coming here so I can tell you in person!

(Mom is being really brave, facing her fears, and flying for 14 hours to visit and I'm so excited. Dad's visiting too, but it's not his birthday nor does he have to face as many fears... Ya'll pray please! )

I am sure we will have much to share about our adventures- this will be the first time we've seen each other for 5 months! Can't wait to report back on the experiences...

So here's a theme passage for that lovely trek across a bajillion timezones... it's amazing what God gives us when we trade in our fears for praise.

Psalm 34

¹ I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise.

² I live and breathe God;

if things aren't going well, hear this and be happy:

³ Join me in spreading the news;

together let's get the word out.

⁴ God met me more than halfway,

he freed me from my anxious fears.

⁵ Look at him; give him your warmest smile.

Never hide your feelings from him.

⁶ When I was desperate, I called out,

and God got me out of a tight spot.

⁷ God's angel sets up a circle

of protection around us while we pray.

⁸ Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—

how good God is.

Blessed are you who run to him.

(from the MESSAGE)

Lord give me the grace to RUN...

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A Prayer for Today...

I have to acknowledge in these days that all I can conceive or do or dream about is so
small compared to Him and what He desires to do. I don't wanna settle for living out
of my "natural" talents or abilities for this is self-reliance that eliminates my
relationship and need for Jesus, even if I do it for the "right reasons."

I don't want to be deceived into living a life independent of God based on my
virtuous talents. The risk in that is that it would be meaningless or in vain-
it would be of a substance that is not Him. I want to die to myself, and
bear fruit that lasts, and the only fruit that lasts is that born of the Spirit.

Each season I learn a new facet of this- I AM being transformed- which is what all this is about, that, from glory to glory, we would be made into the likeness of Christ- magnifying God and making Him famous. This is not self betterment, improvement, or perfecting what I already have "going for me." No, this is death and turning from my attempts to be the Lord of my life and surrendering to Him, receiving from HIm, and living IN HIM.

These days are full of evaluation, planning, dreaming, executing those
plans and dreams, and all that comes with it. I pray that ALL that we do is
born of the Spirit- with an eternal quality that blesses the heart of God
and makes the Bride increasingly more pure and beautiful.

(inspired by Watchman Nee's Normal Christian Life and Tozer's Knowledge of the Holy )

...and of course there's a song to go with it...

Trade our human dreams/For what we cannot see

What our hands can hold/For eternal things

Give our moments for/Endless glory

’Cause we wanna be the ones who follow where You lead

We are believing there is more that we've not seen

So lead us on, lead us on

To light and revelation

Lead us on, lead us on oh Lord

Lead us on, to Your heart

Your purpose and Your passion

Lead us on, to Your heart oh Lord

‘Cause we wanna be the ones who follow where You lead

‘Cause we wanna be the ones who hear You when You speak

We are believing there is more that we've not seen

-Kristian Stanfill

Living in the hope that only Jesus can bring...

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