Monday, October 17, 2011
TRUTH - PLAIN AND SIMPLE
Me, the girls, and Anna headed up to Birmingham to be with Katie yesterday at The Church at Brookhills ... Suzanne and Michelle came also w/ a few in their clans ... I was in need of some CUP FILLING (seems to be the case when you are in the middle of walking up a hill w/ the LORD) ... I was excited to see David and Heather Platt ... David is the pastor at Brookhills and was going to be interviewing Katie for the morning services ...
I wish you could close your eyes while you read, so that I could convey to you what I experienced at the service ... First, I want to start by saying how I felt the spirit moving just as I walked in the sanctuary ... I looked around a large building that was void of FLUFF - empty stage, nothing ordaining or hanging from the walls, and this simplicity was through out the entire church (children's area, halls, foyer, etc) ... It was as if they moved away all the road blocks, so you could get to heart of the matter and that is JESUS ... HE IS THE REASON FOR IT ALL ...
When the music began the church entered worship ... We began the connection of our hearts to HIS and the singleness I felt in my worship to him in a room full of people was refreshing ...
When David began to talk about Katie and recap his message from last week, I sat there - I am not gonna say HOW CHALLENGED I WAS, HOW MUCH I WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR THE STATISTICS, OR HOW BOLD HE WAS TO BRING SUCH HARD HARD TRUTHS ... I am simply going to say THANK YOU for preaching the word and saying what the bible says !!! David talked about how we are the wealthiest right now that our world has ever been, yet we are in horrible debt and economy is not thriving (what is wrong w/ this picture) ... He talk about the poverty - NO FOOD, NO CLOTHES, NO EDUCATION, AND NO HOMES FOR billions of people all over this world ... He said how do we have such excess and pride in the MATERIALS that we are missing what God has called the church to do by NOT sharing our abundance ... SACRIFICE TILL IT HURTS !!! (that is a hard concept to imagine, but oh how I would like to try) ... That is the phrase that is sticking with me ... I am not gonna list the things I do, give, or share because that would just be to make me feel better about my family and that is NOT the point here and it is prideful and silly ... I WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT FEELS TO WRITE A BLANK CHECK to the Lord ... He has given it all to us, so why is it hard to OPEN UP THE SILOS OF RICHES WE HAVE and give more back ... David talked about how materialism can cause us to miss God's purpose ... I don't want to miss his purpose he has for me tomorrow, next year, or 10 years from now ...
17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good [m]works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. 1 Tim 6:17-19
He said we can't take it w/ us ... Which is something we hear all the time, but to think about each purchase and what is its purpose and is it really something that is needed ... I pray that my heart can take these words and share them with the rest of my family and we can make some MORE changes ... We can never OUT GIVE GOD, but it would be so fun to take some CHAINS that are binding us even though we at times can't see them and SHRUG THEM OFF so that we could be more effective for the Kingdom and grow closer to our FATHER ...
At this point David brings Katie up on the platform and begins to interview her ... Now Katie does not say anything I don't know or haven't heard a few times since she has been here (as we have gone w/ her on many events), but each time I hear her share a story and I picture all that I know and have seen while in Uganda, I am able to stick my SWORD a little deeper in ... I let the TRUTH of the LORD grow more roots ... My favorite story is about McCararay (sp) ... The drunk man w/ HIV that is shunned from his village and whose house was set on fire and his leg burn downed to the bone, because they just wanted him to go away ... He came to live at Katie's back yard brick square guest quarters as she tended to his leg daily ... He began to share is story w/ her and she began to share GOD'S story with him ... Suzanne and I got to meet McCararay in June ... His leg was healing, but what I remember most about him was his toothy grin ... There were JOY in his hard hard face ... You have no doubt when you look at him that he has had a really rough life filled w/ regret, rejection, and hopelessness ... But now he has a HOPE that can not be taken away no matter what his circumstances ... He has heard the story of Jesus from a white little American woman - who opened her home and heart to him ... Katie does AMAZING things, but you can tell they are normal to her now because there is NO clutter in her life in Uganda ... She sees a need and stops and meets it - she may stop teaching her girls in homeschool, take a pause from cooking dinner, or make a u-turn on her way to town BECAUSE THE NEED GOD PUTS IN FRONT OF HER TRUMPS THE OTHER MATTERS AT HAND ... I am thankful that Katie is my friend and that God has placed her in my life ... I am proud she told the story of dirty, homeless, sick McCararay with his burnt leg to so many on this trip ... HE WAS AS NEEDING AS ANY OF GOD'S CHILDREN ...
David Platt and Katie Davis are everyday people telling the story of an amazing SAVIOR in its most simple format ... STOP AND LOVE THE ONE IN FRONT OF YOU ... IF YOU CAN MEET THEIR NEED OUT OF YOUR ABUNDANCE THEN DO SO ... AND ALWAYS ALWAYS TELL THEM OF THE STORY OF CHRIST ...
This humbling morning was followed by a lunch w/ friends of the Platt's, the Stewart family (thanks Angelia for organizing this for us), and the Davis family ... It was so fun for the all the women to hunker down at ONE table and just gab, refresh each other and laugh ... We are all in prayer for the Platt family as they await news from China about bringing home their sweet daughter HOME ...
IT WAS A BLESSED DAY ... full of the truth of the LORD ... can you ask for anything more !!!
I wish you could close your eyes while you read, so that I could convey to you what I experienced at the service ... First, I want to start by saying how I felt the spirit moving just as I walked in the sanctuary ... I looked around a large building that was void of FLUFF - empty stage, nothing ordaining or hanging from the walls, and this simplicity was through out the entire church (children's area, halls, foyer, etc) ... It was as if they moved away all the road blocks, so you could get to heart of the matter and that is JESUS ... HE IS THE REASON FOR IT ALL ...
When the music began the church entered worship ... We began the connection of our hearts to HIS and the singleness I felt in my worship to him in a room full of people was refreshing ...
When David began to talk about Katie and recap his message from last week, I sat there - I am not gonna say HOW CHALLENGED I WAS, HOW MUCH I WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR THE STATISTICS, OR HOW BOLD HE WAS TO BRING SUCH HARD HARD TRUTHS ... I am simply going to say THANK YOU for preaching the word and saying what the bible says !!! David talked about how we are the wealthiest right now that our world has ever been, yet we are in horrible debt and economy is not thriving (what is wrong w/ this picture) ... He talk about the poverty - NO FOOD, NO CLOTHES, NO EDUCATION, AND NO HOMES FOR billions of people all over this world ... He said how do we have such excess and pride in the MATERIALS that we are missing what God has called the church to do by NOT sharing our abundance ... SACRIFICE TILL IT HURTS !!! (that is a hard concept to imagine, but oh how I would like to try) ... That is the phrase that is sticking with me ... I am not gonna list the things I do, give, or share because that would just be to make me feel better about my family and that is NOT the point here and it is prideful and silly ... I WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT FEELS TO WRITE A BLANK CHECK to the Lord ... He has given it all to us, so why is it hard to OPEN UP THE SILOS OF RICHES WE HAVE and give more back ... David talked about how materialism can cause us to miss God's purpose ... I don't want to miss his purpose he has for me tomorrow, next year, or 10 years from now ...
17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good [m]works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. 1 Tim 6:17-19
He said we can't take it w/ us ... Which is something we hear all the time, but to think about each purchase and what is its purpose and is it really something that is needed ... I pray that my heart can take these words and share them with the rest of my family and we can make some MORE changes ... We can never OUT GIVE GOD, but it would be so fun to take some CHAINS that are binding us even though we at times can't see them and SHRUG THEM OFF so that we could be more effective for the Kingdom and grow closer to our FATHER ...
At this point David brings Katie up on the platform and begins to interview her ... Now Katie does not say anything I don't know or haven't heard a few times since she has been here (as we have gone w/ her on many events), but each time I hear her share a story and I picture all that I know and have seen while in Uganda, I am able to stick my SWORD a little deeper in ... I let the TRUTH of the LORD grow more roots ... My favorite story is about McCararay (sp) ... The drunk man w/ HIV that is shunned from his village and whose house was set on fire and his leg burn downed to the bone, because they just wanted him to go away ... He came to live at Katie's back yard brick square guest quarters as she tended to his leg daily ... He began to share is story w/ her and she began to share GOD'S story with him ... Suzanne and I got to meet McCararay in June ... His leg was healing, but what I remember most about him was his toothy grin ... There were JOY in his hard hard face ... You have no doubt when you look at him that he has had a really rough life filled w/ regret, rejection, and hopelessness ... But now he has a HOPE that can not be taken away no matter what his circumstances ... He has heard the story of Jesus from a white little American woman - who opened her home and heart to him ... Katie does AMAZING things, but you can tell they are normal to her now because there is NO clutter in her life in Uganda ... She sees a need and stops and meets it - she may stop teaching her girls in homeschool, take a pause from cooking dinner, or make a u-turn on her way to town BECAUSE THE NEED GOD PUTS IN FRONT OF HER TRUMPS THE OTHER MATTERS AT HAND ... I am thankful that Katie is my friend and that God has placed her in my life ... I am proud she told the story of dirty, homeless, sick McCararay with his burnt leg to so many on this trip ... HE WAS AS NEEDING AS ANY OF GOD'S CHILDREN ...
David Platt and Katie Davis are everyday people telling the story of an amazing SAVIOR in its most simple format ... STOP AND LOVE THE ONE IN FRONT OF YOU ... IF YOU CAN MEET THEIR NEED OUT OF YOUR ABUNDANCE THEN DO SO ... AND ALWAYS ALWAYS TELL THEM OF THE STORY OF CHRIST ...
This humbling morning was followed by a lunch w/ friends of the Platt's, the Stewart family (thanks Angelia for organizing this for us), and the Davis family ... It was so fun for the all the women to hunker down at ONE table and just gab, refresh each other and laugh ... We are all in prayer for the Platt family as they await news from China about bringing home their sweet daughter HOME ...
IT WAS A BLESSED DAY ... full of the truth of the LORD ... can you ask for anything more !!!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
10 kind words.:
Thank you so much for sharing!!! You should be able to listen to His sermon on the website brookhills.org for those who want. Listening to Him has completely invigorated my walk with the Lord - David Platt shares the truth of God's Word and just really puts feet to how we should live it out!!!! So glad Katie was featured - Oh the prayer that will pour over her and ya'll from that!!! What an awesome God we serve!!!
Oh Gwen..this post was something I needed this morning. I am fighting the flu since yesterday and realize how blessed I am to be here with family to care for me...bring me gravol and ginger ale and a rice bag.
I still feel very weak today...but reading your post bring comfort...but also the realization that millions and millions out there are sick and dying...and no one to love and tend to them...and most importantly I HAVE Jesus...and MILLIONS don't.
I just finished reading Kisses from Katie...I cried through almost the entire book...except for the "rat in the back of the stove"...that made me laugh and weak....as I am terrified of rats and mice.
Anyway, this book and your post just gets me where I know God wants me. I just posted a few days ago on my blog about something I call "cross-over"....it's so hard to live in this country (for me Canada) and have so much wealth...and sometimes find it hard to even breathe and then cross-over to a different world...Katie's world. I don't know how to do that.
Oh yes, we have adopted four times...and are in the process of adopting through the ministry this time. But I guess even that seems tiny. I know in God's eyes, nothing is tiny when we are obedient to what God calls our family. But reading and hearing what and how Katie lives...makes me feel that there is SO MUCH MORE I could be doing...just feel at a loss as to what that is. Does that make sense?
Sorry to ramble on...just wanted you to know that this post touched me deeply. And please tell Katie that I say "thank you" from the bottom of my heart for EVERYTHING. Will try and read her book to my children. Dh couldn't even read the back cover without crying...not sure how we will make the first chapter...out loud.
Blessings and hugs,
Connie
BTW: Wondering if it's possible to purchase some of the necklaces from you. I have bought different items from 147 quite awhile ago..and we have moved now and wondered if you would ship to Canada again?
i visited their church about 2 years ago. i was blown away. i had never experienced anything like it...their simplicity, their amazing numbers of church members involved in international adoptions, their desire to serve the needy right there in birmingham.
my daughter heard david speak at passion here in atlanta and was so touched, convicted, inspired by his message.
i wish my schedule for the weekend could have included a small roadtrip. prayed for ya'lls visit & for all the places that katie is speaking while she's here.
my 147 tshirt arrived yesterday. i love it. i love ya'll.
xo
Sounds like an amazing service to witness...may God stretch all of us out of our comfort zone and into this cause for His glory! Thanks for all you do!!
This sounds like such an amazing experience. Wish I could have been there. Thank you so much for sharing this on your blog. That verse really spoke to me, along with the rest of your words.
I am absolutely loving Katie's book and soaking up all the truths in it while I wait for God to show me what's next for me.
I would love to meet Katie one day, but for now I will enjoy watching the video podcast from yesterday.
Blessings!
Sharon
Amen!
I could just kick myself for not checking with people to know you guys were all going to be at Brookhills Sunday. We were there Saturday for an adoption reunion with Lifeline and did not bring clothes and kid stuff to be able to stay the night. Worship at Brookhills is great! But worship at Brookhills and finally getting to met you guys would have been better. Well, there is always next time or heaven, whatever comes first! :)
Gwen, thank you! I so needed the "just stop and love the one in front of you" today! And every day! How I would love to have a sit-down with David Platt and Miss Katie! Thank you again for sharing.
GWEN! It WAS amazing! We had the privilege of being there Sun. night and loved EVERY SECOND of hearing Katie tell her stories. I couldn't help but remember the first time I heard Katie up in your neck of the woods at the P.O.G. concert! Remember that? Doesn't that seem like forever ago? Both our lives have changed a bunch since then...not to mention our families have GROWN, huh? :)
It was really neat to have all my kiddos at Brook Hills to hear Katie, because they pray for her everyday!!!! They sat there listening to her just mesmerized. I know God touched hearts that day, no doubt!
Okay, sister....we need to catch up!
BIG HUGS TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for sharing! As the Lord is growing and refining me, I can't wait for the day when I truly surrender ALL to Him, for His good pleasure, for His kingdom and for His glory! What a blessing it is when you know people who do this... You see the reflection of Jesus in them!