Thankful for our God.

Earlier this week I ran into one of my old teachers from high school. She and I talked about casual things like how school was going for me and how she liked her new job. I then asked her how she and her family is doing {as her husband is fighting cancer and chemotherapy}. I then shared with her that my dad was recently diagnosed with Metastatic Melanoma and is looking at treatment options, because chemotherapy is not very responsive to this cancer. The next moment in our conversation is forever engraved into my heart. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, "Kalee, I don't know how people who don't believe in God go through things like this. People who are not Christians get cancer all the time. I just don't know how they find the strength to get through it without having God to help them."

Wow. Three things about this precious moment:

1. This woman is an educator in the public school system. Thank you, Jesus. She was an amazing teacher when I had her and she is an amazing person.

2. This woman knows that God is the reason for her every breath. She knows that without God she won't be able to handle the things this world throws at her.

3. I'm so thankful for this moment I had with her. I'm thankful that I had her as a role model in my life. I'm thankful that she spoke words of truth and love into my heart. I'm thankful for God and His beautiful, perfect timing.

This battle with cancer my family is facing continues to be a roller coaster ride of emotions. I can laugh and talk with people as if nothing is wrong, and other moments the simple question "How are you?" can send me into a crying bag of ugly. Through all of this, I know that I'm surrounded by people who love and care for me. I'm surrounded by friends and family who bring delicious meals and words of wonderful encouragement. I know that there is a God who is BIGGER than anything this world can bring. His peace and grace is an ocean we are all sinking in. Soaking up every drop. His love for us is immense. He is jealous for us. He sacrificed His only Son, Jesus, just so we could feel this love {despite the fact that many choose not to feel it}.

In the next couple weeks as my Dad begins treatments for his cancer, I know that God will have His mighty hand in all of it. I will trust in His plan. I will trust in His Word. 

Thank you all for your amazing love and support to me and my family! 

We are Kickin' Cancer!

Rejoice in the Routine

Calendars. Do you have one? Do you have a paper one or an electronic one? 

I have a calendar. It's the size of a spiral notebook. It's colorful and pretty. It has all sorts of information in it that reminds me what I'm supposed to be doing. {Class times, homework assignments, tutoring, babysitting, football games, church, appointments...} It's pretty packed. It's my life. 

Isn't that funny. My calendar is my life and it reminds me what I'm supposed to be doing.

HA! But it's really not a joke. It's completely true. AND COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS.

I recently read the book, "Kisses from Katie". (Warning: If you are like me, you love to love on children and you love to serve Jesus, DON'T READ IT! Seriously, not until you have your degree.) 

This book takes you into the life of Katie, an upper class American in her early twenties who takes her "lavish American life" and trades it in for a little piece of red dirt in the country of Uganda. She falls in love with the people of this beautiful nation and decides to adopt 14 Ugandan girls as her own children. Fourteen. Where can I sign up for that?

Katie took everything she had (college, nice clothes, big house, fancy car) and gave it to Jesus. She took everything that she knew and gave it all up. She needed something more. Her heart needed something more. She longed for the darkest corners of her heart to proclaim the name of Jesus. She became a mother. Legally for 14 fourteen girls, but figuratively for a Ugandan village...to the tune of about 300 children. She fed and bathed and loved and prayed with these children. She celebrated, glorified, danced, and sang the name of Jesus every day. Every. Single. Day.

Is that in your calendar? 

Tuesday, September 10th: Glorify Jesus.

Probably not. It's not in my calendar. But it should be. The desire to glorify Jesus everyday is in my heart, but it gets covered up with routines. It gets covered up with all the things we "have to do".

I'm actually writing this post in my Legal Issues in Education class. My attention isn't in it. My heart isn't isn't it. Don't get me wrong, I love education. I love teaching. I love school. But my mind isn't in the place to hear about how the American schools were hundreds of years ago. My mind is inside a classroom loving and teaching children. My mind is in Haiti loving on the kids that are forever in my heart. My heart is longing to serve Jesus. To be out there doing. Loving. Rejoicing. Glorifying.

But, I'm not going to throw away all I've worked for and quit college to go to a third world country and love on precious children. Although, I would love to do just that.

I am going to keep taking the classes and taking the notes that bring me closer to my dream of becoming a teacher. After that degree is in my hand, who knows what is next. Well, God knows. I have every intention to follow Him. Where that leads, I don't know....Seminary? A third world country? A classroom? Wherever God leads me, I will go. I'm ready. 

Until then, I'm going to continue to glorify the name of Jesus everyday. I will love on the children in my life. I will be kind and caring to the strangers I meet each day. I will sing songs with gladness and I will celebrate the life I'm living! Homework assignment and all. 

I challenge you. Make room for Jesus in your busy day. 

Pencil Him in. It's the least you can do, considering what He did for you.

“It may take place in a foreign land or it may take place in your backyard, but I believe that we were each created to change the world for someone. To serve someone. To love someone the way Christ first loved us, to spread His light. This is the dream, and it is possible.” 

― Katie J. Davis, Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption