THIS IS COLLEGE

I am sorry that I haven't posted in forever.  A lot of new things have been happening!  Let's start with my new church.  It is called NewSong.  I found out about it through the President of Intervarsity GWU, Billy, who told me his experiences with IHOP (International House of Prayer), discipling with Lou Engle, and working at JHOP (Justice House of Prayer).  I decided to go with him to his church because I had a good feeling that wherever he was happy, I would probably be happy as well.  And when he told me that Lou Engle and Mike Bickle sometimes spoke there, that was the icing on the cake.  So I go and it is freaking AMAZING!  Five minutes in, and I start to cry because I feel like I've found my home.  The congregation is relatively small, similar to MorningStar.  And the worship is incredible.  I could sing forever in that place.  The worship leaders were all so humble and prophetic and moved with the flow of the Holy Spitit.  The whole freakin church is prophetic.  Everyone is so encouraging and has words of knowledge and visions.  Miracles happen at this church.  People get healed.  One guy shared a testimony of praying for a guy who had been in a cane for 17 years and he suddenly was able to walk normal again.  No more pain.   The congregation is teeming with young adults and college age kids.  It's awesome!  What was more, the message was so good that I think I took more notes then I have ever taken notes on a sermon.  He talked about getting past the miracle and encountering the nature of God, that you can be so trained in what you think God is going to do that you miss it when he shows up.  He reminded me that faith is something we can't see.  Anyway, it was a great sermon and spot on for everyone in the room.  Afterward, they allowed people to come up to be prayed for.  These people prayed with such power and conviction, that prophetic messages were coming down and the Holy Spirit filled the room.  AFTER church, I met the most amazing people - so fun, so honest, so encouraging.  Everyone that was on the "church bus" - that is the bus that shuttles us from GW - ate lunch at my FAVORITE restaurant in DC, Founding Farmers.  I LOVED NEWSONG!  I am going back this Sunday.

On the WAY to church, on the "church bus" that leaves from GW, I met a fellow freshman named Esther.  We had a lot in common and we both love IHOP!  We've hung out and studied and I hope to continue our friendship.

On Tuesday, the really exciting event I had been waiting for finally came.  Campus Outreach put on a mini-lecture called "Are all religions basically the same?"  and I found it very enlightening for Christians and especially non-Christians.  A LOT of people came and the gospel was shared in Thurston Hall!

Speaking of the Gospel in Thurston Hall, I shared the gospel with two girls for 5 or 6 hours in the piano lounge of Thurston a week before the event.  God is moving!

I started my internship with U.S. - Arab Relations.  It wasn't too long of a meeting.  After that, I went to a lecture led by the Israeli Major General speaking on the Peace Process.  I found it very vague and unenlightening.  But I know that there will be more opportunities for me to hear from important people, hopefully better than his superfluous speech.

One thing I personally need to pray and study upon is my take on the Israeli-Palestini conflict.  I want Israel to be a nation, a strong and safe nation, one that hopefully will get to keep Jerusalem.  However, I feel like national security isn't a good enough reason to marginalize and abuse an entire people group.  In international politics, there isn't ever a fully RIGHT side or WRONG side (with the expection of Nazi Germany and the Jews, etc.).  In every situation there are complexities.  There are injustices imposed upon either side.  Israel isn't the sheep and Palestine the wolf.  Israel has to account for stripping many Palestinians of human rights, democracy, places to live, equality, and even life.  However, Palestine needs to shut up and deal with Hammas and other terrorist groups within its own people before they can expect to see any change.  In international politics, there is give and take, not right and wrong.  And so I am trying to reconcile these thoughts with the feelings of the church.  The Church wants Israel to remain its own nation and Palestine to live within its borders.  However, I feel that there are too many polarizing cleavages between the people groups (polarizing cleavages meaning characteristics that pull people toward different parties are so stark in the population that no two people have cross-cutting cleavages, unlike America where you can have a black Republican and a white business owner Democrat) that Israelis and Palestinis will not be able to live together in one nation without stripping one of the other of human rights and democracy.  I hope that somehow Palestine can agree on living in a segment of land so it can be sovereign, have statehood, and engage in free trade (which is a major reason they want statehood) and Israel can be the beautiful nation it is.  Anyway, God is in control and he knows what's best.  It doesn't matter what I think.  It matters what he says.  I learned from JHOP (Justice House of Prayer) tonight that we need to at the very least protect and pray for Israel, because it is a nation of our brothers and sisters and God's children. 

JHOP was freaking awesome.  I love these amazing people.  We prayed for our nation, Israel, each other, the church, and worshipped 99% of the time.  Three people spoke over me so much truth and I am ready to let God take me into a new season.  These are the prophecies spoken over me -

1.  You are in a season of rest
2.  God has so many opportunities and open doors planned for you in the future, but right now is your season of rest and he won't take you into that new and busy season until you learn to rest in him now.
3.  You are in a season of resting in your identity in HIm
4.  You are in a season of identity, learning who you are in Christ.  He loves you and he wants you to come into agreement of his love for you.
5.  Just rest in the awesomeness that God is and abide in Him.
6.  No more man-made humility, you are taking on the humility of CHrist

Tonight after JHOP I struck up conversation with two random kids and asked them to dinner.  We ate at TGIF and talked for hours.  Then I shared the gospel and we chilled some more.  THIS IS COLLEGE.


PRAYER REQUESTS

1. That I learn who I am
2. That I love God more, by knowing how much he loves me
3. That I have more boldness and learn to STAND
4. My stomach - crazy pains that I often face
5. Test on Wednesday for BIO, papers due on Monday, Economics HW due Monday....aagghhhhdsfasdfasdjfalskdjfa;

LOVE!
Katrina Doyle

P.S. I did NOT check for spelling or grammatical errors or incoherencies, but I hope you got the gist of what has been on my heart!

Shine, Shine, Let it Shine

Life here on earth is so short.  I was reminded that when our pet starfish Larry died the morning after we acquired him (BACKSTORY: Roommates and I went to a Japanese kareoke bar, ate sushi & sang, saw baby starfish in an aquarium, bar owner heard our excited squealing & grabbed one of the starfish and put him in a cup of sea water).  So why is it that I have more Fear of Man than Fear of God when it comes to evangelizing in my school?  Yes, it is VERY liberal and most are atheist/agnostic or devout Jews/Muslim, but that should mean the need is GREATER not LESS!  Our lives here are shorter than Larry's life in that cup.  The bible says in a blink of an eye, the last trumpet will sound (1 Corinthians 15:52).  It is imperative I stay in intimacy with the Father and LET his light shine, not hide it or try and create my own pseudo-light.  And so I am encouraged to take bolder steps even in this time of everything being new for me, not quite knowing everyone, and yet treat people like my brothers and sisters.  College is great, but I do miss home.  The people here I've met who shared my experiences and love God as well are amazing....

Movie night

On our way to church

Much Love,

Katrina :)



 

Ouch

Last night, I went with my friends to the Lincoln Memorial around 1ish.  On the way, we came upon a circular fountain.  Donna jumped across the mote onto the cement middle part.  Her brother did the same.  So THEN, I try.  All of them are like "Katrina!  Be careful!  Don't get hurt!"  But I insist.  So I jump and land barefoot with the most extreme force into the mote, bruising the bottom of my feet, bruising and scraping my knee, and soaking my shorts.  I'm screaming "Oh SSSSHIIIIIIITTTT!" at this point.  Everyone is crowding around trying to check me out.  So then a guy comes out of the bushes after smoking a joint with his friends.  "Are you okay?!" he asks and jumps to the middle.  His friend asks me if I'm intoxicated and doesn't believe me when I say I don't drink.  Donna's brother carries me out and we laugh all laugh.

Then, I ate a chicken quesadilla on the Lincoln Memorial.

FUN NIGHT! :)

YAY!

I got my mom's laptop charger in the mail today, so I can charge my laptop!  She is an angel! :)  Well these past couple days have been awesome.  I had an amazing lunch yesterday with Lauren, the Campus Outreach Girl's leader (she works here).  She really spoke amazing truth into my life when I was feeling down.  I also went to Campus Outreach's first worship event, had an amazing time in my Comparative Politics listening to my passionate activist teacher (as always), and was able to talk to all four of my roommates about GOD.  Yesterday, I had a great movie night with the girls from Campus Outreach.  Today, I ate at the new Whole Foods wonder emporium with Donna, went to Jazz band practice, went to the National Art Gallery, and now I am about to watch a movie with my roommate Rithika!

Prayer Requests: That I become bolder in preaching the gospel

OH NO

I'm writing this from my roommate's Mac.  My laptop charger BROKE!  So now I can't use my laptop when I need it for school.  And chargers are almost a hundred dollars.  So my mom is sacrificially sending me hers.  I was really upset about it earlier, but I've been praying for God to give me more faith.  And you know what?  He came through.  It was really funny.  All day I just needed a quiet place to pray and cry.  I looked everywhere.  And randomly, I found a Catholic Chapel.  So I prayed.  And cried.  And ignored the sacraments.  It was great.

 Prayer request:  That I don't feel so lonely, that this situation with my laptop works out because it NEEDS to, that I trust in God more, that I have more faith, that I stop scrutinizing the problem and look for the solution, that I let go and let God, etc.  (LOL sorry I'm so needy)

Love,
Katrina

Supertastic

Camping was so AWESOME!  It was supertastic.  We went to Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, about an hour from DC.  It is located in the Appalachean Mountains.  Jen, Donna, Donna's brother Joe, Sarah, and I camped on the side of one of these mountains.  We encountered deer, mammoth moths, and an incessant rain storm.  By the time we made camp (which lacked tents and included nothing but two giant tarps and some rope) it was dark, windy, and ferociously rainy.  But we managed to hold the tarp/roof up with some logs, rope, and trees.  We played crazy games that I had never done before including the most ridiculous game I've ever played - Silent Football.  The long list of rules include: you can't "show your ivories" (show your teeth) while talking, you must address the Mr. Missioner Commissioner with utmost respect, you cannot address the Mr. Missioner Comissioner unless you have been called on, if you reach 10 penalty points then the whole group will choose your punishment, etc.  The list goes on.  I haven't even explained how to pass the silent football.  It's too complicated!  But it was SO much fun.  After an uncomfortable night of restless sleeping, we went to a family-owned country restaurant called "Apple Wood" where we consumed large ammounts of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and potatoes.  Tonight, I went to the meet and greet for the Voice Gospel Choir.  I got to meet all the members of the Choir, a fun community of evangelical and holy-spirit filled gospel singers.  I got free dinner and played Taboo.  It was a good night.

The rain is still steadily pouring, but my laundry is down.  Now I am ready to SLEEP (for real this time) and get back to reality as I go back to school tomorrow.

Love,
Katrina

Prayer Request - That I desire God more and fight for joy.

Weekend Fun!

Things I've done in the past couple of days

• Went to a frat party with my three roommates
• Raged at the frat party with a black dude
• Went kayaking on the Potomac with roommates
• Discovered a secluded island and adventured
• Roasted marshmallows
• Took metro, taxi, and bus (exploited public transportation)
• Attempted to get to an ice skating rink in Fairfax, VA with roommates, but ended up getting to a absentee metro stop that delayed us so much we had to turn around knowing ice skating would be a joke at this point
• Hung out with the girls from Campus Outreach again, ate grilled cheese, painted our nails, and played guitar
• Rolled in a wheely chair down the hallway, speed style
• Went to Capitol Hill Baptist Church (first time I've ever dressed up for church/sang hymnals)

Kayaking.

Rolly chair fun.

NOW...
I am about to go camping with Emily, Sarah, Donna (girls from Campus Outreach) and Donna's brother.  I am SO EXCITED! :)

Love,
Katrina

Prayer Request:  That I fight for joy, that I seek God more, and that I am bolder in the faith

Improvements

It's been so much better!  That about sums it up, but read on for details.  Yesterday I became an official Jazz Studies minor and got to meet the professors.  I also played Ultimate Frisbee in the University yard with upperclassmen, then went back to my dorm.  Today there are too many highlights to count.  One, I talked with a girl on my floor about God for over 2 hours.  Two, I went to Ultimate Frisbee PRACTICE for the NCAA I Women's Division and am now joining the team.  Three, I went to a campus ministry called AGAPE.  And Fourth, my favorite experience, I had dinner with some of the girls of Campus Outreach.  Emily, the girl who invited me, is a sophomore living with her sophomore friend Donna.  Donna cooks and Emily bakes.  And BOY was it amazing!  It was such a blessing to be stuffed with homecooked food and sit around with likeminded girls and talk about God.  I felt such a connection with them, and I'm even going camping with them Sunday night! 

Let me tell you about Donna though.  She is one of the three students at GW who is from Alabama.  There, the spirit cry for the football team is "ROLL TIDE".  And so, during the aftermath of Osama Bin Ladin's death, while Geraldo Riviera from FOX news went around interviewing the crazy, insane, whacked out kids of GW just hours before finals, Donna said this...

http://youtu.be/6PwOCnRj3sw

Yeah, that's the girl whose food I ate.  Pretty awesome.

I'm having a great time.  Bout to go to sleep.  I have classes tomorrow.  My prayer request would be a deeper connection to the cross, more faith, and no more worrying.

LOVE,
Katrina

P.S. Not only am I camping this weekend, but I may also be KAYAKING. :)