Kate[Marie]Heroff

Heartbroken, but Hopeful

Posted on June 19, 2013 by Kate[Marie

My heart broke when I woke up at 4:00am to a soft whimper outside my door. As I held this sweet little girl in my arms, she leaned her head on my shoulder & gave her tear filled eyes a rest which immediately drenched my shirt. Her eyes looked up at mine, begging me to help her hurting leg in some way, & my heart broke all over again. However, I’m hopeful, because I know that my God is the ultimate Comforter. So I prayed.

My heart broke as I was brought into the small brick house that my sponsor child shares with eight other family members. As they took out their finest hand woven mat, they encouraged me to sit down & told me about a crucial surgery that the Father needs in order to survive. My sponsor child looked away from me, afraid that if we made eye contact I would see how scared he was, & my heart broke all over again. However, I’m hopeful, because I know that my God is the ultimate Healer. So I prayed.

My heart broke as I sat with this beautiful woman who was breastfeeding her young baby. As she proudly told me the names & ages of her five children, she then quietly shared that their father left them just a week ago & ran off with another woman. She took a break from speaking, trying to hold back the tears welling up in her loving eyes, & my heart broke all over again. However, I’m hopeful, because I know that my God is the ultimate Lover. So I prayed.

My heart broke as I attempted to feed this precious little girl (a survivor of attempted child sacrifice) a bottle of thick, milky porridge. As I brought the bottle close to her mouth, she opened up & desperately tried to get food out the best way that she knew how to. She soon gave up with a deep sigh, her stomach still not nearly as full as it should be, & my heart broke all over again. However, I’m hopeful, because I know that my God is the ultimate Restorer. So I prayed.

My heart broke as I talked to a young man in the coffee shop who sat down at the table next to me. As I told him about the work that I’m doing, he looked down while shaking his head & quickly put in his input. “There’s no point in believing in any of that, because God is not real & He cannot hear your prayers.”, he told me, & my heart broke all over again. However, I’m hopeful, because I know that my God is the ultimate Savior. So I prayed.

I’ve said it before, & I’ll say it again: Africa is exhausting. In every way. Physially. Spiritually. Emotionally. These are all things that I’ve seen & experienced in the past few days, & these are all things that have broken my heart & weighed heavy on my mind. I think that’s one of the hardest things about being here in Uganda. So often, I see things that need to be done or I hear about things that need to happen, but so often I don’t have the resources to do it. I may not have the right things to say or enough money to help out. I may not be able to heal a heart or physical wound. But the reality is, I don’t need to. Why? Because I have a God who can. So I pray.

My God is the Savior.
My God is the Restorer.
My God is the Lover.
My God is the Healer.
My God is the Comforter.

My God is all of those things & so much more. There are hundreds of words that I could use to describe my God. He is the Perfecter, the Helper, the Protector, the Caretaker, the Creator, the Fulfiller, the Provider, the Teacher, the Purifier, the Victor, the Life-Giver, etc. He is everything that these people need. So I pray. I pray He would be all of those things to them & more.

I pray that He would pull that crying little girl close to Him & comfort her pain.
I pray that He would lay His hands on my sponsor child’s Father & heal his body.
I pray that He would wrap His arms around that single Mother & show her unconditional love.
I pray that He would hold that fragile little survivor & restore her to health.
I pray that He would reveal Himself to that young man & save His soul.

Categories: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Whole Works

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Kate[Marie

All three times coming to Uganda, I’ve had the privilege of partnering with Kyampisi Childcare Ministries. They are an amazing organization who are doing such important things here in Uganda, & I feel so blessed to be working alongside them once again.

The first time I came here, I was with a team. The second time, I led a team. Now, I’m here on my own & have a freedom & independence that I’ve never really had before. KCM has shown me that they have a lot of trust for me & I’m so thankful for that. My ministry with them this time around looks a little bit different than it has in the past. The previous two years, I almost always went to the village of Kyampisi to do physical work of some sort (throwing bricks, mixing cement, fetching water, building walls, cleaning wells, etc.). Now though, I’m having an opportunity to work more behind the scenes, helping out with a lot of work in the Offices.

By now, you’ve probably heard or seen Hope’s Story. If you haven’t, I encourage you to read it! KCM is seen as one of the top leaders in the fight against child sacrifice in Uganda, Africa, & in the rehabilitation of children who have survived this terrible phenomenon. They work alongside the families of victims to help them get back to a healthy place physically, emotionally, & spiritually. Hope has been in KCM’s care for a little bit of time now, & they want to make sure that she gets the help that she needs. I’ve been put in charge of overseeing this all. It’s hard (& a little bit overwhelming), when you come into something SO BIG like this but have little to no resources or funds to use. One week from today I created a Facebook Page called Hope Restored (hyperlink) to help spread awareness of Hope’s Story & hopefully be a source to help get her help. Since then, 9,164 different people have viewed Hope’s Facebook Page & 2,526 different people have read her story. These people are from countries ALL OVER THE WORLD, such as the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Honduras, & more. In just one week, we’ve had over $1,300 come in, completely dedicated to helping Hope get whatever help she needs.

Along with that, we have a big event coming up next month, on July 19^th, called the Hope Event (obviously inspired by our pretty little girl). It’s an awareness & fundraising event for our child sacrifice campaign. We have some entertainment, including our very own Kyampisi Children’s Choir, & there will be stories of children who survived attempted child sacrifice. It’s going to take place at a venue in a very big hotel in Kampala which can hold over 1,000 people. This event has the potential of being VERY big & VERY successful, but it also requires a lot of work. Early on Tuesday morning of this past week, I went with some KCM Staff to an event held right outside of the President of Uganda’s Office. There were a lot of very important Public Figures & Government Officials there, including the Speaker of Parliament for Uganda. We were able to have an information stand set up to tell people about our End Child Sacrifice Campaign & the Hope Event. We were also able to get many signatures on our petition to End Child Sacrifice. As of right now, we have over 25,000 signatures on it since the Campaign began!

Today was another busy day for the Hope Event. I personally got together with a few people that I met at the event on Tuesday who were interested in hearing more & buying tickets. We also have been having TV Stations, Radio Stations, & Newspaper Journalists coming to the Jesus House for interviews.

As much as I love the new aspect of ministry that I’m able to be a part of, I’m also realizing how important it is for me to still go to Kyampisi a few times a week. Not only is it nice to do the physical work, but I have formed so many close friendships & relationships with children & adults in that village that are so crucial & important to maintain.

There’s a team of four girls here (led by one of the amazing girls that came with my team last year) who have been working SO hard on building George’s house! George is a survivor of attempted child sacrifice who is now 7 years old & is ready to be relocated into a safer area. For those of you who have been keeping up on my trips to Uganda in the past, George is the little boy who went to Australia last summer during my time here to get free reconstructive surgery. I got the chance to join in on the physical work on Wednesday & it was so great & much needed on my part. We spent time throwing bricks, mixing cement, & then helping lay down the final bricks for the house! It’s now at a place where it’s ready for the windows, doors, & the roof! It looks so good. Shout out to Kayla’s awesome team for being such hard workers & doing such a great job.

After working, we of course got to go back up to the main road in Kyampisi & spend quality time with the adults & children that we are so in love with. When you’re with these people, not only do you get countless opportunities to just do some loving, but you also get so loved on.

I’m so blessed to be in Uganda once again. Thank You Jesus for this opportunity, & thank you to all of my friends & family who made it possible for me to be here doing God’s work.

God Bless,
KateMarie

Categories: Africa Mission Trip, God | 1 Comment

Count the Cost

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Kate[Marie

I’m in Uganda, Africa.

About once a day I have to pinch myself to make sure that none of this is a dream. Day after day, pinch after pinch, I’m reminded that it’s not. In fact, it’s very real. The people that I meet? They’re real. The things that they’re going through? Yupp, that’s all real, too.

Me being here isn’t always as it seems. I know often times I’ll post a silly picture with a cute little Ugandan kid, talking about how happy my heart is. And in that moment, it’s true. Your heart has no choice but to be happy when you’re exactly where you are supposed to be, doing exactly what you’re supposed to be doing. The place where I get to have breakfast every morning might look like paradise (although for whatever reason, my Parents still aren’t convinced that this is their next vacation destination), & sure, I get to sleep in a Princess Bed every night (or maybe it’s just a pink mosquito net that gives you that feel), but the ministry that myself & Kyampisi Childcare Ministries deals with every day is very real & serious stuff. It weighs down on your heart & your emotions. Your body takes a toll physically, emotionally, & spiritually.

Today has been one of those difficult days for me & my emotions got the best of me.

I knew that by coming here for a year, there were going to be difficult times. I knew that there were going to be times when I just wanted to escape the gravity of it all & be back in the safe & secure & comfortable life of mine. I knew that there were going to be things that I would be miss out on & be gone for; births, deaths, & pretty much everything in between. I guess I just never knew how difficult it would be until I was in that moment.

Now I find myself in that moment.

One of my close friends just got engaged last week & I will still be in Uganda when the wedding takes place. Another one of my close friends just told me that she’s pregnant & there will be a 6 month old baby in her arms the next time I see her. At this moment, my heart & flesh want to be so selfish. I desire to be next to those friends of mine, walking alongside them in life & sharing in the joy that they’re experiencing. No matter how bad I want to be there, though, I’ve made a commitment & I’ve accepted a call.

This morning I desperately needed someone to speak truth into my life. I didn’t need sympathy or a pity party (although maybe my tired eyes would have preferred that); I needed Truth. His truth. The Word. That’s exactly where one of my dear friends directed me.

“For which of you, desiring to build a tower,
does not first sit down & count the cost,
whether he has enough to complete it?”
- Luke 14:28

Ouch. Ever had a conversation with someone or read something & it seems like God has just given you a nice little love slap in the face? Mhmm. That was me this morning. It was exactly what I needed, though, & I’m so thankful that I have life-giving friends who direct me to the One who has all the answers when we don’t.

The reality is, I sat down & I counted the cost before I left to come here. I looked at the things that I was going to be missing out on, & I made a choice. I decided that it was worth it. I told God with confidence, “Being here is worth it; Your Kingdom is worth it.” I accepted the call to come to Uganda for one full year. I left my two full time jobs. I left my car. I left my family & friends. I left it all. I counted the cost.

Just yesterday morning I led a devotional with the girls here about time & seasons. We read Ecclesiastes 3 & talked about how time is in the hand of God, & all things are under God’s power & control. God has a plan & a purpose for all people in every season of their life. Why should this be any different for me right now? I know that God called me here for a year. I know that I’m walking in His will. I need to trust that, trust Him, & trust His timing. He’s got me.

Categories: Africa Mission Trip, Endurance, Friends, Glorifying God, God, Life, Obedience, Plan & Purpose | 2 Comments

Outer Poverty, Inner Riches

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Kate[Marie

There is a desperation here in Uganda that you don’t find in the United States. A desperation that is so great, so deep, so real. A desperation for GOD. A need for JESUS. To see Him. To know Him. To feel Him. To trust Him. To love Him. To experience Him. They are desperate for Him in their lives. They crave His presence. They rely on His power.

In the United States, we put our stock in materialistic things. We measure our own worth, as well as the worth of others, by sizing up the things that we possess. How many rooms are in their house? What kind of car do they drive? Where do they buy their clothes? That’s why when we turn our eyes to places like Uganda, Africa, we immediately view them as being poor. If there’s one thing that God has been reminding me of over & over again this past week, it’s that you might initially see an OUTER POVERTY, but it wont take you long to discover the INNER RICHES.

This is my third time in Uganda, so I know what to expect for the most part. One of my favorite things though is walking alongside others on this crazy journey & watching them experience things for the very first time. We drive the same drive from the Jesus House to Kyampisi every morning. On that taxi ride, you’ll see all sorts of things; naked babies with bloated bellies from a lack of food, children bathing using a small basin, Mother’s letting clothes dry out in the sun on the dirt round, young children walking a mile with no shoes on just to fetch water for the morning. You immediately see the things that they lack, that we so easily have.

In the world’s eyes, they might not have much; but they give their all.

When you get out of the taxi, children will run up to you with the biggest grins, the sweetest giggles, & without hesitation there will be a soft little hand tucked inside your own. As you start walking down the street, you’ll be greeted by everyone that you pass. They will ask you how you are, they’ll shake your hand, & some will even know your name. You’ll be invited inside & be given the best that they have. They will make a feast just for you; fresh chapati, an overflowing bowl of rice & beans, or some maize toasted over a small fire.

What allows them to be so selfless & so giving with all that they have? It all goes back to that desperation & their need for Jesus. They trust that God will provide. They trust that God will bless them. They trust that God will watch over them. They are willing to give everything that they have, even if it isn’t much, simply because they know that’s what they’re called to do.

We view them as poor, when it all reality, they are RICH. Someday, I pray that my life is as RICH as the lives that they live on a daily basis.

Categories: Africa Mission Trip, God, Life | 1 Comment

Hope Restored

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Kate[Marie

This is my third time in Uganda, Africa. All three times I have had the pleasure & privilege of working with an amazing organization here called Kyampisi Childcare Ministries (KCM). This organization is now seen as one of the top leaders in the fight against child sacrifice in Uganda, Africa, & in the rehabilitation of children who have survived the terrible phenomenon. This year, my ministry with them has looked a little different & I have had the opportunity to help out with their End Child Sacrifice campaign more hands on.

Today, I’m here to tell you a story.

This is a story about Hope.

It’s not the typical kind of hope that we think about, though. This Hope is a very real, tangible, & beautiful kind of Hope. This kind of Hope will stare back at you with the biggest grin & the sweetest giggle. This kind of Hope will warm your soul & tug at your heart strings. This Hope comes in the form of a beautiful little girl. A survivor of attempted child sacrifice, actually.

Hope was kidnapped by Witchdoctors from her home in Uganda, Africa when she was just an infant. For nearly two years they kept her lying at an alter with her arms & legs tied up behind her. They would sacrifice body parts & collect her blood, & she was given just enough food & water to keep her barely alive. Hope had the tip of her tongue removed, the tip of her right big toe removed, teeth snapped off, & nine incisions on her belly. She currently cannot walk or talk, & her bones are narrow & un-mineralized from a lack of exercise, nutrition, & simple use. She has missed every developmental opportunity that an average growing child should receive.Hope was found wrapped in a sack & laying in a cattle yard. She spent two months in a hospital in Kampala where she received a number of blood transfusions & treatment. It was at that time that she received the name ‘Hope’. Hope was what everyone was holding onto for this precious little life. When Hope was found, the Police were notified & announcements were made over the radio. Her Parents came forward & identified their daughter, but they were devastated when they saw the condition that she was in & have since abandoned her.

Hope is now in the loving care of KCM, who came to know of Hope’s story through various contacts. I get the honor of sharing the Jesus House with this precious little girl. I get to spend quality time with her on a daily basis. I get to hear her sweet giggle & touch her soft hands. I get to be a part of her miraculous life. Sadly, due to the amount of physical & emotional damage that Hope has been put through, there’s a significant amount of neurological damage as well as intellectual disabilities. However, in no way does this mean that she won’t be able to someday learn to communicate, be potty trained, & feed herself. In fact, it is our deepest desire to help her get to a point where she is able to do those things.

Hope needs OUR help.

One of the first things that Hope needs to do is to go & see a Dentist. The Dentist will be able to ease her of any pain she might have in her mouth, he will be able to tell us more accurately of how old she is, & he will be able to assess the damage done to her tongue & predict her ability to speak again. There is a facility nearby that would provide all of the services that Hope needs for 1 Million Ugandan Schillings a month. That is approximately $400 U.S. Dollars. Specialists that have assessed Hope recently believe that 2 or 3 months of this intensive therapy, along with continued private sessions with specialists, could really help Hope make improvements & get her to a healthy place physically, spiritually, & emotionally.

If you would like to help out in any way, please get in contact with me by emailing me at kmheroff@hotmail.com or messaging or commenting on our Facebook Page Hope Restored.

Please help get Hope’s story out there & HEARD. I firmly believe that we can & will see an END to child sacrifice in our lifetime, & spreading awareness is the beginning step in that process.

YOU can be a huge part of seeing Hope Restored.

Categories: Africa Mission Trip, God | 5 Comments

The “Moment”

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Kate[Marie

There’s something very special about flying. For those of you who have ever been on an airplane, I’m sure you know exactly what I’m talking about. The moment when you’re watching the houses, cars, & people below you become smaller & smaller until finally, you pop through the clouds. Yeah, that moment. The moment where it doesn’t matter what the weather was like down on the ground, because now you’re above the clouds. You’re face to face with sunshine & views that literally take your breath away. Views that reveal God’s glory & remind you how BIG & GREAT He really is. I don’t cry much, but I started getting teary eyed & emotional in that moment.

Before I boarded the small plane to make my way to Chicago for my connecting flight to Belgium, I made a short phone call to my Grandma one last time. We talked about what the year would look like; not only the things that I would miss out on here in the States, but also the experiences, knowledge, & relationships that I would gain overseas in Uganda. When I got off the phone, the gentleman next me started some conversation. “I don’t mean to eavesdrop, but did I hear that you accepted a new job position?”, he asked. I smiled & said, “No, I’m actually making my way to Uganda, Africa to do mission work for a year, possibly longer.”

When people hear about what God’s called me to do, they immediately think about the “sacrifice” that it entails & the things that I’m giving up to do it. This morning I left my life in the United States behind. I gave my Parents each one last hug & kiss, I handed the keys of my car over to my brother, & I took the final steps necessary to cancel my phone plan & number. This morning, I fully surrendered the next year of my life over to God & placed it in His mighty hands. This morning, I turned away from the safe & secure life that I was living & I started venturing into the unknown future that Jesus has for me. I’ll be over 7,000 miles away from my family & friends, with very limited communication & an awkward time difference. I’ll be exchanging my hot showers, comfy bed, & cute clothes for cold showers, mosquito nets, & sweat stains. But the reality of it all is, I couldn’t be more excited. THIS MOMENT is what God created me for. It’s what I was made for.

Today I have received an overwhelming amount of love, prayers, & encouragement from family members, friends, & even strangers. THANK YOU to everyone who has supported me in one way or another to help me get to where I am right now: this very moment, above the clouds, facing the sunshine, & enjoying the view. None of this would have been possible without your support.

God Bless,
KateMarie

Categories: Africa Mission Trip, God, Life | 3 Comments

Disconnected, Yet Fully Present

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Kate[Marie

I just ended a short “Social Media” fast.

I got to a point where I felt like the world & everything in it was just exhausting me. I understand that there are 24 hours in a day, but for some reason these past six months while working two full-time jobs, I was starting to feel like the hours or the days were growing shorter because I simply didn’t have enough time to do everything that I needed to do.

Then I got to thinking about it. Every morning when I woke up, I would immediately look at my phone to see what kinds of texts & notifications I received while I was asleep. Next I would check my Facebook & scroll through my newsfeed catching up on everyone’s life. The truth is, social media was coming first in my life. It was becoming an idol. I think a lot of times we think that idols must be bad things that we have in our lives. But I remember once hearing a quote that explains it quite well: ” GOOD things can become BAD things when they take you away from the BEST thing.”

I completely signed out of Facebook, Twitter, & InstaGram on my Computer & iPad. I did a Factory Reset on my phone so that the only things left on there were my background photo & my phone contacts. Every App that had ever been installed were gone. I wanted to take this seriously. I wanted to show God that getting rid of those things wasn’t a sacrifice, & that I’d much rather be connected to Him than anything else.

Honestly, I really didn’t think I’d miss it all that much.

The first morning of the fast I got a rude awakening. I woke up that morning & was just overflowing with thankfulness for the amazing people & opportunities that the Lord has placed in my life. I smiled to myself, acknowledged the thankfulness that was spilling out of my pores, & then I reached for my phone to update my Twitter to tell the world.

WHAT!?

Why do we feel the need to feel so “connected” to the world, when in all reality, the person that we need to feel connected to the most is JESUS? Why was I just aching to tell the world about this thankfulness rather than falling on my knees before my Savior to thank Him for it!? I know it sounds silly, but I was so convicted in that moment. It was exactly what I needed on that first morning. That morning, I did exactly what I should have done. I fell on my knees before my Savior, thanking Him for the day. Every day after that, I did the same thing. Now that the fast is over, I plan on continuing to do just that.

Social Media can be good tools, don’t get me wrong. They allow us to make connections, share opinions, & voice our thoughts to the world. It doesn’t matter whether you’re popular or well-known, you can be heard just as loudly as the next person. It doesn’t matter if you live hours or days apart, you can chat in real-time & keep up with every detail of a loved one’s life.

How about you? Do you check your texts every morning before even thinking about your Creator? Can you leave your phone alone for thirty minutes while listening to a sermon? I challenge you to take some time to think about your typical day. Be completely honest with yourself. Do you choose the effortlessness of Social Media over the messiness of real-life? Do you waste away your free time online, when you could actually REDEEM that time by focusing on something of eternal value like your relationship with God or people?

Over the last 10 days, I never once signed on to or received a notification from InstaGram or Twitter. I occasionally allowed myself to log onto Facebook on my Computer to check my messages & respond to any that were about my upcoming trip to Uganda. Other than that, I was completely disconnected from the world. The funny thing is, even though I should have been feeling “disconnected”, I was realizing that I was the most connected to God than I had been in a long time. I was fully present.

Lesson Learned: Social Media can be wonderful tools, but that’s exactly what they are, tools, not gods. It’s time that many of us, including myself, stop idolizing our gadgets & start making relationships with God & people our main priority.

Categories: Faithfulness, God, Life, Obedience | 3 Comments

God’s Grace

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Kate[Marie

Grace is an underserved free gift, an underserved favor, & an underserved love.

If there’s one thing I’ve been learning over & over again lately it’s this: All that I am, all that I ever have been, & all that I ever will be, is 100% a result of God’s grace. The truth is, I’m human. Every day I fail, I make mistakes, & I let people down. However, every failure, every mistake, & every let down causes me to humbly become more dependent upon God’s grace.

Today, I spent a lot of time meditating on Ephesians 2:1-10. In my Bible, they title this piece of scripture, “Made Alive With Christ”, & I absolutely LOVE that.

“Once you were dead because of your disobedience & your many sins.
You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil – the
commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in
the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way,
following the passionate desires & inclinations of our sinful nature.
By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

But God is so rich in mercy, & He loved us so much, that even though
we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised
Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
For He raised us from the dead along with Christ & seated us with Him
in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible
wealth of His grace & kindness toward us, as show in in all He has
done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

God saved you by His grace when you believed & you can’t take credit
for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good
things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s
masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do
the good things He planned for us long ago. “

- Ephesians 2:1-10

God DESIRES to give us grace. The first step to accepting God’s grace is to understand that NONE of us deserve it.

God is love, & He is full of compassion. This is simply who He is & what He longs to do. It’s so important for us, as human beings, to understand that our failures & weaknesses are NO MATCH for God’s grace & love that He has for us.

Today, I challenge you to come to the end of yourself & call out to your Heavenly Father.

Today, I challenge you to accept God’s grace.

Today, I challenge you to be MADE ALIVE IN CHRIST.

Categories: God, Life | 3 Comments

From Dust to Dust

Posted on March 9, 2013 by Kate[Marie

During my Junior Year of College I was leading a Bible Study for a group of girls & we were going back over the more well known Bible Stories: Noah’s Ark, David & Goliath, etc. I wanted us to go past the surface of these stories. I wanted us to dig deeper. The Creation Story (found in the book of Genesis) was one of the first that we went over. As we were going through it, the second part of verse 3:19 popped out to me like it had never before.

“For you were made from dust,
& to dust you will return.”
– Genesis 3:19b

The fact of the matter is, we were made from the dust of the earth. Genesis 2:7 tells us, “Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, & the man became a living person.” There are so many things that separate human beings from one another; race, social status, gender, nationality, politics, religions, etc. However, this is something that we ALL have in common. We are human. As I was studying this for that Bible Study, I learned that the word “human” comes from the word “humus” which means “earth”, “soil”, or “dirt”.

We were made from DUST & to DUST we will return.

As you may or may not know, in only a few short months I will be leaving my life here in the United States behind & I’ll be going to Uganda, Africa for one full year. When people hear this, they immediately think about the sacrifice that this entails for me. To be honest, it does require sacrifice. I’ll be giving up my two full-time jobs, one of which I’ve had for almost 8 years. I’ll be over 7,000 miles away from my family & friends with very limited communication & an awkward time difference. I’ll be exchanging my hot showers, comfy bed, & cute clothes for cold showers, mosquito nets, & sweat stains. But the reality of it all is, I couldn’t be more excited.

At the beginning of this year, I was spending time with Jesus & asking Him to give me a verse to focus on this year. That’s when He laid 1 Timothy 6:6-8 so heavy on my heart.

“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.
After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world,
& we can’t take anything with us when we leave it.
So if we have enough food & clothing, let us be content.”
– 1 Timothy 6:6-8

I ask YOU, whether you have a relationship with God or not, what are you living for? What do you think your purpose is during your here time on earth?

For me, God has given me the contentment talked about in 1 Timothy 6. I could care less what kind of car I drive. I could care less how big of a house I own or how many rooms are in it. I could care less how much money I make on a paycheck or what my yearly income is. Now that’s not to say that I’m not acknowledging that I have bills to pay & someday will have children to care for. I understand that I have responsibilities & I’m meeting those needs as I have to. But all I can think about is this: I came from dust, & one day I will return to dust.

God has really been showing me lately that nothing in this world matters besides people & the relationships that we form with those people & whether or not they know & have a relationship with Jesus Christ. As it says in that 1 Timothy 6 passage, “We brought nothing with us when we came into the world, & we can’t take anything with us when we leave it.” No materialistic things that I collect here on earth will go with me once I die. The “American Dream” that we hear so much about will only be able to take us so far.

I don’t know about you, but if I can’t take my car, house, or money with me when I die, then I want to stop worrying about those things & start focusing on the things that CAN come with me when I spend ETERNITY with Jesus. People.

Categories: Glorifying God, God, Life, Obedience | 9 Comments

Yoke? Say what?

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Kate[Marie

Then Jesus said, “Come to me,
all of you who are weary & carry heavy burdens,
& I will give you rest. 
Take My yoke upon you.
Let Me teach you,
because I am humble & gentle at heart,
& you will find rest for your souls. 
For My yoke is easy to bear, 
& the burden I give you is light.”
 - Matthew 11:28-30

We’ve all heard these passage before. In fact, it’s a fairly common set of passages. These are Jesus’ spoken words. We obviously understand the general point that Jesus is trying to make here; If we go to Jesus with the things that are going on in our lives that seem to be weighing us down, He will help us through. However, do we truly understand the gravity of it all? Do we take the time to dissect the diction that He uses here?

First & foremost, I think it’s important to know what Jesus even means by using the word “yoke”. Depending on what translation you use, the word “yoke” appears in the Bible around 63 times. Do we really understand what this word even means? To be honest, the word “yoke” in this sense was completely foreign to me until just a few years ago when the meaning of the word was brought to my attention.

Basically, a yoke is a piece of wood that’s used to hold two animals together (usually oxen) to help them share the load in pulling something extremely heavy. The main thing to understand here is that the yoke allows the animals to support each other in pulling the weight, & also allows them to pull more than TRIPLE the amount that they would have been able to pull alone.

Amazing, right? Get where this is going?

Jesus’ yoke partners us with Him. When we “take His yoke upon us”, we’re no longer carrying our burdens alone. Jesus invites everyone who feels burdened to come to Him for rest, yet so often I think we misunderstand what He’s offering. When stresses & problems weigh us down, the most natural response is to ask God to take them away. We don’t want them anymore. However, I believe that God doesn’t want us to just dump things off, walk away, & remain unchanged inside. I believe that Jesus’ invitation here is to JOIN Him in the yoke so that we can walk & work together. He doesn’t just want our burdens; He wants US!

The yoke of Jesus is a symbol of submission & obedience to Him. God’s goal here isn’t simply to remove a stress or trial or persecution or whatever it might be; Instead, He desires to walk alongside us & help us out in EVERY aspect of our lives, no matter how big or small it may be. Then, as we allow the weight of our burdens to shift from our shoulders onto His, we discover peace, comfort & joy, even though the situation or circumstance might still remain the same.

Today, I pray that you would cast your burdens onto Jesus. Take up His yoke & let Him walk alongside you in life.

Categories: Uncategorized | 1 Comment

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Yoke? Say what?

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