It was a Friday night and we were celebrating the 20th birthday of an incredible woman of God. Shopping. Dressing up all fancy and having "dates". Driving to Pittsburgh. Dinner at a nice Italian restaurant with a hilariously rude waitress.
And then we went to Mount Washington. The view was breathtaking. We took in the beauty that surrounded us and stood in awe of our Creator. We watched some middle school girls do their dance routine. Eventually, one girl got her guitar. Some people sang and danced. Others beatboxed and clapped. Others just smiled and enjoyed the presence of our Lord. We worshipped freely on the top of a mountain, surrounded by people we didn't know.
Soon after we started, it all shifted. People prophetically sang over those middle-school girls. Songs of identity and the love of the Father. We learned a little bit about their lives and exchanged contact info when they had to go.
One boy decided to break away from our group and talk to a young couple that was watching intently. He shared a bit of our stories and asked about theirs. He shared a bit of the Love story of Jesus. Then we all came over and met them. We laughed when the man said that he thought we must be high because he'd never seen people so happy. We explained that we just love Jesus and He gives us joy. We asked about their lives and their dreams. Eventually we left.
Later, we ran into an 18-year-old girl who was pounding on the door of a bar crying out for her friend. She was crying. She had too much to drink, had fallen and hurt her knee, was confused, and thought she had been abandoned. We prayed for her knee. God showed up and took away some of the pain. A girl held her cold water bottle to it. A boy took off his shirt to clean the blood off of her leg. Again we spoke identity and Love. We prayed against abandonment. We continually told her that she was NOT a burden and we wanted to help her. We lent a cell phone. We helped figure out the situation and met an amazing woman who owned the bar. We waited. We loved. We hugged and watched her leave. We decided to go to that bar one day to see Ms. Lisa again. Then we went home.
We came to have a good time and celebrate a life. We did that...while pouring out the Love that has been so lavishly given to us.
You see, it's easy to think "I'll love the orphans when I go to Africa. I'll love the prostitutes when I go to Thailand. I'll love the kids when I meet them for bible club.".
But what about NOW? What about when I go out to dinner? What about when I'm walking around downtown? What about when I'm in America and see people in need of Love all around me? Will I love the one? Will I love the ones that He has placed in front of me right here, right now?
Or will I be self-absorbed and remain in my little comfortable bubble? Will I be too afraid to step out and talk to them? Will I allow fear to keep me from freely giving out the Love that my Papa has so freely given to me?
I'm learning not to. I'm learning how to love well. I'm learning how to pay attention and value every person that I meet. I don't always do it. But I'm trying. And I want to be able to say that I live a life of Love always. I long to love naturally every single person, every single day.
In class, at dinner, on the street. I WILL walk in love. Will you join me?
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
the fight for Joy.
Some days, every waking moment is a fight.
You can feel the spiritual warfare waging all around you. You can feel Satan waging war on your family, your heart, your mind, your community, your life. You know that he's angry and he's throwing a temper tantrum. You know that he is attackng you. constantly. consistently. over. and over. and over again.
Yet, you know that Jesus has already won.
You know that Jesus is fighting for your family, fighting for your heart, fighting for your mind, fighting for your community, and fighting for your life...EVERY. SINGLE. SECOND.
You know that the more Satan attacks, the more the deep love and incomprehensible power of Jesus is put on display.
I'm having one of those days. Actually, I've had quite a few of those days lately. Days that I spend all day long in conversation with my God, yet he seems far off. He is constantly speaking to me and I'm hearing Him...yet I still feel the constant fight, the constant turmoil in my soul.
A part of me hates these days. They are HARD. they are not the easy, fun days of being a Christian. they are not the nice, neat days of dancing and giggling and having a smile that simply can't be wiped off all day. Rather, tears and laughter are intermingled. They flow together. Pain being washed over by JOY.
and I am reminded that the joy that has been fought for is so much sweeter. it's a joy that has grown with Jesus. it's a deeper joy...the overflow of an unshakable love that clings to Him through it all.
and so, I refuse to stop fighting. I refuse to give up my joy. Some days, every moment is a fight for joy. and that's okay, because it's worth it. HE is worth it. He thinks I am worth it. So, I keep fighting.
In Jesus, I will find the fullness of joy forevermore.
You can feel the spiritual warfare waging all around you. You can feel Satan waging war on your family, your heart, your mind, your community, your life. You know that he's angry and he's throwing a temper tantrum. You know that he is attackng you. constantly. consistently. over. and over. and over again.
Yet, you know that Jesus has already won.
You know that Jesus is fighting for your family, fighting for your heart, fighting for your mind, fighting for your community, and fighting for your life...EVERY. SINGLE. SECOND.
You know that the more Satan attacks, the more the deep love and incomprehensible power of Jesus is put on display.
I'm having one of those days. Actually, I've had quite a few of those days lately. Days that I spend all day long in conversation with my God, yet he seems far off. He is constantly speaking to me and I'm hearing Him...yet I still feel the constant fight, the constant turmoil in my soul.
A part of me hates these days. They are HARD. they are not the easy, fun days of being a Christian. they are not the nice, neat days of dancing and giggling and having a smile that simply can't be wiped off all day. Rather, tears and laughter are intermingled. They flow together. Pain being washed over by JOY.
and I am reminded that the joy that has been fought for is so much sweeter. it's a joy that has grown with Jesus. it's a deeper joy...the overflow of an unshakable love that clings to Him through it all.
and so, I refuse to stop fighting. I refuse to give up my joy. Some days, every moment is a fight for joy. and that's okay, because it's worth it. HE is worth it. He thinks I am worth it. So, I keep fighting.
In Jesus, I will find the fullness of joy forevermore.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Reviving Dreams
Sometimes, God likes to remind me of old passions and dreams that have drifted away.
Today was that kind of day.
How it all began:
Monday night, a friend and I were talking about wanting a group we're involved in on campus to be more passionate about our cause...to pray together with power. to really care. to make a difference. I fell asleep praying for Africa. I woke up looking at the map next to my bed and the painting above it that says "Passionate Prayers not only change the world, they transform the people who pray them."
Today, Resolve posted an update on the LRA and Uganda. I read it. Because of that, I decided to read some other things. I went to the website www.discoverthejourney.org and watched videos of former child soldiers begging for the US to help them and do something because we have more power. I watched the trailer for a documentary that asked questions about whether or not children who were trained to kill can becomes instruments of peace. And I was reminded of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. He renews our minds. He causes change. He can take a former member of the LRA and use them to affect their country for peace.
And then, I was reminded of prayer. Prayer is powerful. It is...truly. I've seen it work in power in the natural. I've known that strongholds have been broken in the supernatural. Yes, in Africa, Joseph Kony may have many powers of darkness working with him. No, I may not be able to do much in the physical world. But, guess what.
I can pray. I have the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead living in me. And He wins. And so, when we devote ourselves to prayer, things happen. Atmospheres change. Things in the spiritual realm shift. We co-labor with Christ to WIN.
After I was reminded of all these things, I decided to make an "African Love" playlist on Spotify. Silly, I know. But it's beautiful. I don't know what they're saying...but they're praising my Jesus in their beautiful native tongues. I love it. :) It makes my heart really really happy.
Then tonight, at Okello, we prayed. passionately. our hearts broke for what is breaking our Papa's heart. things are changing because of that.
And then, a friend shared a video with me. As much powerful truth as was contained in that spoken word piece...that's not what hit me. What hit me was who the person was who was speaking it. He was a man who is a part of The World Race. You see, The World Race used to be my ultimate dream. It was my deepest desire. It's what I wanted to do after graduation...or before. It's what I prayed for, read about, and constantly asked Jesus for. 11 months. 11 countries. seemed pretty perfect to me. And then as school continued and Jesus started deepening my love for Grove City, I completely forgot about it...until tonight.
Dreams are being revived. Do I know if I will actually do this one day? No. But, it's a dream again. It's a thought. But, more importantly, it's a reminder of the root of the dreams. The desire for the nations. The desire to reach them. The desire to love them. Dreams of hugging the unhuggable, touching the untouchable, loving the unloveable. Dreams of stepping out in confidence in the Holy Spirit who lives in me. Dreams of speaking value and identity into children who have been abandoned.
The most beautiful part? These dreams are so much more real now. Because my commitment to and love for Christ is so much greater. My relationship with Him is deep and unshakable. No longer are they pipe dreams because I'm naive and want to do something good for the world. No, now they're dreams that have been dreamed up with the Holy Spirit speaking life into them. They are dreams that came out of a place of surrender. They are mature and grounded in the fact that I can't change the world on my own...but I belong to the one who can...and He says I can. What a lucky girl I am.
What are your dreams? What are the things God has put in your heart that you have forgotten or suppressed? Let Him revive them.
Today was that kind of day.
How it all began:
Monday night, a friend and I were talking about wanting a group we're involved in on campus to be more passionate about our cause...to pray together with power. to really care. to make a difference. I fell asleep praying for Africa. I woke up looking at the map next to my bed and the painting above it that says "Passionate Prayers not only change the world, they transform the people who pray them."
Today, Resolve posted an update on the LRA and Uganda. I read it. Because of that, I decided to read some other things. I went to the website www.discoverthejourney.org and watched videos of former child soldiers begging for the US to help them and do something because we have more power. I watched the trailer for a documentary that asked questions about whether or not children who were trained to kill can becomes instruments of peace. And I was reminded of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. He renews our minds. He causes change. He can take a former member of the LRA and use them to affect their country for peace.
And then, I was reminded of prayer. Prayer is powerful. It is...truly. I've seen it work in power in the natural. I've known that strongholds have been broken in the supernatural. Yes, in Africa, Joseph Kony may have many powers of darkness working with him. No, I may not be able to do much in the physical world. But, guess what.
I can pray. I have the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead living in me. And He wins. And so, when we devote ourselves to prayer, things happen. Atmospheres change. Things in the spiritual realm shift. We co-labor with Christ to WIN.
After I was reminded of all these things, I decided to make an "African Love" playlist on Spotify. Silly, I know. But it's beautiful. I don't know what they're saying...but they're praising my Jesus in their beautiful native tongues. I love it. :) It makes my heart really really happy.
Then tonight, at Okello, we prayed. passionately. our hearts broke for what is breaking our Papa's heart. things are changing because of that.
And then, a friend shared a video with me. As much powerful truth as was contained in that spoken word piece...that's not what hit me. What hit me was who the person was who was speaking it. He was a man who is a part of The World Race. You see, The World Race used to be my ultimate dream. It was my deepest desire. It's what I wanted to do after graduation...or before. It's what I prayed for, read about, and constantly asked Jesus for. 11 months. 11 countries. seemed pretty perfect to me. And then as school continued and Jesus started deepening my love for Grove City, I completely forgot about it...until tonight.
Dreams are being revived. Do I know if I will actually do this one day? No. But, it's a dream again. It's a thought. But, more importantly, it's a reminder of the root of the dreams. The desire for the nations. The desire to reach them. The desire to love them. Dreams of hugging the unhuggable, touching the untouchable, loving the unloveable. Dreams of stepping out in confidence in the Holy Spirit who lives in me. Dreams of speaking value and identity into children who have been abandoned.
The most beautiful part? These dreams are so much more real now. Because my commitment to and love for Christ is so much greater. My relationship with Him is deep and unshakable. No longer are they pipe dreams because I'm naive and want to do something good for the world. No, now they're dreams that have been dreamed up with the Holy Spirit speaking life into them. They are dreams that came out of a place of surrender. They are mature and grounded in the fact that I can't change the world on my own...but I belong to the one who can...and He says I can. What a lucky girl I am.
What are your dreams? What are the things God has put in your heart that you have forgotten or suppressed? Let Him revive them.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
learning to walk with You
I run along the edge of the cliff, You call out of me, yet I just keep going. You call again, still I run. I run with abandon, but without direction...until I fall. I begin to tumble off the edge of the cliff.
But, You are there. You grab my hand and hold on. I tell you to let go. I kick and climb. I try to fight my way up the cliff on my own, but it doesn't work. I scream and cry and beg You to let me fall. Still, You hold on. I yell at You and tell You that I want to fall, that falling would be better than this. You look at me and tell me that You're not letting go. I become angry and bitter. And so, I pull the nail out of my pocket and start jamming it into You perfect hand, the hand that holds me. I had hoped this would make You give up on me and leave me. No, Your fingers clench even more tightly around mine. As I keep pounding at the nail, I realize there are hot tears streaming down my face.
Tears of anger. Tears of frustration, of confusion. Tears that speak of a fear of love.
As they pour down my face, You start pulling. The nail is still in Your hand, yet still You pull me up. Your flesh tears and rips; Your blood flows out. In silence, You keep pulling. You pull until I'm upon the ground, looking into Your face. We stare in silence. You tell me to stop running, that first I must learn to get up and walk with You. I stand. We begin our journey again. I am tempted to run full speed ahead, without knowing the way.
Then I look down and see Your hand, still bloodied from my nail. And on we walk, hand in hand.
Yesterday, a friend was playing the guitar and singing/praying. As she did, this scene played out in my head. Today, I wrote it down after reading part of Romans 5 with a couple friends. The weight of the cross is so real to me today. It seems the deeper my relationship with God goes, the more I learn about Him, the more I realize that I still have to discover.
But, You are there. You grab my hand and hold on. I tell you to let go. I kick and climb. I try to fight my way up the cliff on my own, but it doesn't work. I scream and cry and beg You to let me fall. Still, You hold on. I yell at You and tell You that I want to fall, that falling would be better than this. You look at me and tell me that You're not letting go. I become angry and bitter. And so, I pull the nail out of my pocket and start jamming it into You perfect hand, the hand that holds me. I had hoped this would make You give up on me and leave me. No, Your fingers clench even more tightly around mine. As I keep pounding at the nail, I realize there are hot tears streaming down my face.
Tears of anger. Tears of frustration, of confusion. Tears that speak of a fear of love.
As they pour down my face, You start pulling. The nail is still in Your hand, yet still You pull me up. Your flesh tears and rips; Your blood flows out. In silence, You keep pulling. You pull until I'm upon the ground, looking into Your face. We stare in silence. You tell me to stop running, that first I must learn to get up and walk with You. I stand. We begin our journey again. I am tempted to run full speed ahead, without knowing the way.
Then I look down and see Your hand, still bloodied from my nail. And on we walk, hand in hand.
Yesterday, a friend was playing the guitar and singing/praying. As she did, this scene played out in my head. Today, I wrote it down after reading part of Romans 5 with a couple friends. The weight of the cross is so real to me today. It seems the deeper my relationship with God goes, the more I learn about Him, the more I realize that I still have to discover.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
only You can satisfy my soul
On Tuesdays, I have lots of time for Jesus. I have breakfast with the wonderful Anna and then I have a date with Jesus at 10. and no classes. Granted, today I have to study for my Psych Stats exam (ew.), but still.
I was listening to some wonderful worship music and Garden by Misty Edwards came on.
Now I'm sitting in my favorite small town coffee shop with it on repeat.
I needed this reminder:
"I am not my own; I'm Your garden."
This is such truth. And I so often forget it...I forget that I am not my own. I am not Katy Westra's. I am God's. I am the bride of Christ. He is my husband. I belong to Him.
I used to have a "wedding ring" to Jesus. Not really a purity ring, but a reminder that I'm already married to the best lover in the whole wide world. It's not the most expensive ring in the world and one day at camp (when I was climbing over a tall, completely flat wooden wall. yeah, I'm a beast.) it softened and got all smushed and I haven't really worn it much since. I didn't even know where I'd put it. I didn't really care either because I got annoyed with everyone asking about my purity ring and then not getting that it wasn't one.
Today, as Garden was playing and Jesus was reminding me that I am His, I found my ring in a make-up bag that I never use anymore. I think there was a reason for that. I'm wearing it today. And I smile every time I see it. It's not just a trite thing anymore like it once was. My heart truly belongs to Jesus now. And it's the best thing ever.
Honestly, I do have a desire to one day be a wife and mother. This summer, Jesus promised me that would happen and I need to trust Him and not be afraid of it. I'm excited for whenever that happens, whether it's in two years or twenty. But, for right now, I'm married to only Jesus and He promises to satisfy me. He can fulfill me in ways no one else could even begin to and I love belonging to Him.
My ring is etched with the words Joy, Love, and Hope. I have Joy in the deep Love that I find in Him. I have Hope that one day I will really get to marry my Jesus and sit at the wedding feast with Him, as His bride. But, for now, I will rejoice in the love that we have here and learn to find complete satisfaction in Him.
I was listening to some wonderful worship music and Garden by Misty Edwards came on.
Now I'm sitting in my favorite small town coffee shop with it on repeat.
I needed this reminder:
"I am not my own; I'm Your garden."
This is such truth. And I so often forget it...I forget that I am not my own. I am not Katy Westra's. I am God's. I am the bride of Christ. He is my husband. I belong to Him.
I used to have a "wedding ring" to Jesus. Not really a purity ring, but a reminder that I'm already married to the best lover in the whole wide world. It's not the most expensive ring in the world and one day at camp (when I was climbing over a tall, completely flat wooden wall. yeah, I'm a beast.) it softened and got all smushed and I haven't really worn it much since. I didn't even know where I'd put it. I didn't really care either because I got annoyed with everyone asking about my purity ring and then not getting that it wasn't one.
Today, as Garden was playing and Jesus was reminding me that I am His, I found my ring in a make-up bag that I never use anymore. I think there was a reason for that. I'm wearing it today. And I smile every time I see it. It's not just a trite thing anymore like it once was. My heart truly belongs to Jesus now. And it's the best thing ever.
Honestly, I do have a desire to one day be a wife and mother. This summer, Jesus promised me that would happen and I need to trust Him and not be afraid of it. I'm excited for whenever that happens, whether it's in two years or twenty. But, for right now, I'm married to only Jesus and He promises to satisfy me. He can fulfill me in ways no one else could even begin to and I love belonging to Him.
My ring is etched with the words Joy, Love, and Hope. I have Joy in the deep Love that I find in Him. I have Hope that one day I will really get to marry my Jesus and sit at the wedding feast with Him, as His bride. But, for now, I will rejoice in the love that we have here and learn to find complete satisfaction in Him.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Resting, rekindling, and reworking
I've been on fall break since Wednesday afternoon. and oh boy, has it been lovely! :)
There were a lot of options of things to do and places to go over fall break...I decided that I needed rest, time with Jesus, and time with my duplex family. So, I stayed at the duplex where I spent my "summer in the Grove." We did go to Columbus for most of Friday and Saturday...but even that was restful and delightful! :)
I knew that I needed this break. Life was starting to really overwhelm me and I felt kind of lost and trapped. In the last few weeks, I've kind of lost myself and who I became. I felt myself slipping back to the person I was before this summer. Was that a horrible person? No, not technically. But it certainly is a person not living the abundant life Jesus promised me.
My first morning here, I joined everyone for AOX team prayer. At the end, Brad prayed and prophesied over me. God gave him a picture of me at the top of a slanted roof. But, instead of slipping down the roof, the sides came up to meet my feet until it was a flat roof. Then the roof turned into a rock and it just kept getting higher and higher and higher. This summer, there were so many times of feeling like I was fighting to keep up and climb higher...Looking back now, it was like I was on a steep roof, and wondering if every step I took was making me slide down or climb higher. By the end of the summer, I felt like I was at the top, unsure of where to go next. In the last few weeks, it's been like my feet have slowly started to drift apart, making me start to slip so gradually I was unaware.
The next part is so beautiful. This weekend, Jesus reminded me that I don't have to fight to balance on the peak of the roof. Instead, I just need to rest in Him, rejoice with Him, love on Him, live with Him, and He will make the roof rise up to meet me...and then He will take me higher.
This weekend, the roof rose up to meet me. It's not 100% flat...but it is oh so close. And Jesus has been talking to me about how to rework my life so that I let Him make it flat.
This, this life of letting Papa do His work and Jesus simply love me, is simply beautiful. It is full of peace, rest, tears, pain, hope, joy, laughter, and the deepest love ever imaginable.
I challenge you this week to let Jesus teach you how to rest in Him and simply be loved on by Him. Some of my sweetest times are when I put down my Bible and journal, turn down the worship music, and just listen to Jesus speaking love over me. Really listen.
There were a lot of options of things to do and places to go over fall break...I decided that I needed rest, time with Jesus, and time with my duplex family. So, I stayed at the duplex where I spent my "summer in the Grove." We did go to Columbus for most of Friday and Saturday...but even that was restful and delightful! :)
I knew that I needed this break. Life was starting to really overwhelm me and I felt kind of lost and trapped. In the last few weeks, I've kind of lost myself and who I became. I felt myself slipping back to the person I was before this summer. Was that a horrible person? No, not technically. But it certainly is a person not living the abundant life Jesus promised me.
My first morning here, I joined everyone for AOX team prayer. At the end, Brad prayed and prophesied over me. God gave him a picture of me at the top of a slanted roof. But, instead of slipping down the roof, the sides came up to meet my feet until it was a flat roof. Then the roof turned into a rock and it just kept getting higher and higher and higher. This summer, there were so many times of feeling like I was fighting to keep up and climb higher...Looking back now, it was like I was on a steep roof, and wondering if every step I took was making me slide down or climb higher. By the end of the summer, I felt like I was at the top, unsure of where to go next. In the last few weeks, it's been like my feet have slowly started to drift apart, making me start to slip so gradually I was unaware.
The next part is so beautiful. This weekend, Jesus reminded me that I don't have to fight to balance on the peak of the roof. Instead, I just need to rest in Him, rejoice with Him, love on Him, live with Him, and He will make the roof rise up to meet me...and then He will take me higher.
This weekend, the roof rose up to meet me. It's not 100% flat...but it is oh so close. And Jesus has been talking to me about how to rework my life so that I let Him make it flat.
This, this life of letting Papa do His work and Jesus simply love me, is simply beautiful. It is full of peace, rest, tears, pain, hope, joy, laughter, and the deepest love ever imaginable.
I challenge you this week to let Jesus teach you how to rest in Him and simply be loved on by Him. Some of my sweetest times are when I put down my Bible and journal, turn down the worship music, and just listen to Jesus speaking love over me. Really listen.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Freed Bird Song
So, Jesus and I kind sorta just wrote a song together as I was praying and trying to go to sleep. Weird. for me, anyways.
Here are the lyrics at the moment. *insert CLAM TIME* [also known as SUPER vulnerability]
p.s. I think the caged bird thingy came from being in the duplex right now...where Courtney and Teresa were always talking of such things :) ...and definitely feeling this way right now.
Here are the lyrics at the moment. *insert CLAM TIME* [also known as SUPER vulnerability]
p.s. I think the caged bird thingy came from being in the duplex right now...where Courtney and Teresa were always talking of such things :) ...and definitely feeling this way right now.
Caged bird sing;
Oooh your caged bird
song.
Let love flow
beneath your wings.
Caged bird fly;
Oooh caged bird fly.
Your heart was made
to glide.
Little birdy rest in
my arms
Little birdy make Me
your home.
I made you. I love you.
I sought you. I paid for you.
I call you my
own. I never let you go.
So little birdy come
to me. Come to my arms
Little birdy sing
your song.
It was made to be
shared.
This life that
you're leading now,
I have a better
plan.
So come and follow
me today,
It's time now to go.
Little birdy don't
be scared.
Get out of that
cage.
Come along, your
wings aren't clipped.
It's time to go
higher than you ever imagined.
It's time to go
farther than you thought could be.
Let My love carry
you there
Let My heart set you
free.
Freed bird sing.
Oooh your freed bird
song.
Freed bird fly.
Your heart was made
to glide.
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