God is great! I got a scholarship to go on a retreat this weekend. I only have to pay $50. I am going to Camp Hashawa Westminster, MD and this is on a complete whim. I had no plans of this yesterday. But I'm doing it tomorrow!
Second grreeeaaatt thing: Pam & Gil are coming from Tampa! I get to see them TOMORROW. Pam & Gil led a house church in Tampa that I went to as many Fridays as I could. It was a great environment where I grew the most.
Thirdly.... I am a vegan for the rest of the month pretty much. I started a strict diet plan to cut out anything and everything that could cause my stomach to be crazy stupid (which it has been for the past 2 years). This means no meat, dairy, wheat, citrus fruits, onions, spices, or peppers. So basically I am only allowed to eat SOME fruits, vegetables, potatoes, rice, and beans. And I have to start drinking 4 bottles of water a day. Fun stuff guys. Good thing this only lasts a week because I would die. Each successive day I'm allowed to add ONE food item so I can see exactly what has been the cause of my crazy adominal pains/vomiting/indigestion/constant state of nausea. If it isn't food, then we can explore other causes. We'll see what will become of this.
4thly: FINISHED DR.ZHIVAGO after an entire month of reading it. Just for fun. It's the first almost 600 page novel I've ever completed. I read it so I could watch the BBC miniseries reenactment of it. I probably would've enjoyed the show had I not read the book. HOWEVER, I found it to suck. Immensely.
numero cinco: I think I'm joining Intervarsity's worship team - WOOHOO
En conclusion... (that's spanish for in conclusion!).......
Be praying that God heals my stomach! I believe he can! Pray for my morale, as I am slightly hungry and slightly irritated. Pray for my faith to INCREASE, my joy to AUGMENT, and my blessings to MULTIPLY.
Oh and pray for Jacob. A guy kneeded him in the chest and he bruised it REALLY bad and had to go to the doctor.
MUCH LOVE,
Katrina Doyle
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
FEAR OF THE LORD
SO. Tonight at JHOP, I was stricken with the fear of the Lord. Worship was incredible as always, and then all of a sudden a terrifying conviction overwhelms me. I am evil. I say that I want to proclaim God's name and I want him to bring revival, but I am too scared to fully witness to anyone. I am full of pride. And full of the fear of man. I am evil. Evil. Evil. I fell to the ground panting and crying. Then I smooshed my face to turn away from the worship leaders and hid in a corner between the bathroom and the couch. I crouched on the floor crying and repenting to God of my sins. Everything I ever tried to do in my own power was evil. It was all phony, hypocritical, and full of pride and flesh. I was full of sin, and I knew it. And suddenly the message of forgiveness and grace became brand new. Condemnation and Repentance was a chapter I had skipped in my life, because I grew up in the church knowing that Jesus forgave me of my sins. But now I trully knew what that meant.
And then I opened my Bible to Isaiah 62-63. "..... (2) The nations will see your righteousness. Kings will be blinded by your glory. And the LORD will give you a new name. The LORD will hold you in his hands for all to see - a splendid crown in the hands of God. Never again will you be caleld the Godforsaken City or the Desolate Land. Your new name will be the City of God's Delight and the Bride of God, for the LORD delights in you and will claim you as his own. Your children will care for you with joy, O Jerusalem, just as a young man cares for his bride. Then God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride. ..... (11)"The LORD has sent this message to every land: "Tell the people of Israel, 'Look, your Savior is coming. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.'" They will be called the Holy People and the People Redeemed by the LORD. And Jerusalem will be known as the Desirable Place and the City No Longer Forsaken........ [63] .... (7) I will tell of the LORD's unfailing love. I will praise the LORD for all he has done. I will rejoice in his great goodness to Israel, which he has granted according to his mercy and love. He said, "They are my very own people. Surely they will not be false again." And he became their Savior. In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years."
Every single word spoke to me. So much so, that I can't even explain. But if you get anything out of reading it then you know what I mean. Oh how I love God's ministry.
I was at rebellion against him, and didn't deserve salvation or even his love. But He gave it to me freely, while I was STILL A SINNER. And now I am called his Daughter, his bride, his family. All for the sake of FREEDOM he set me free. There is suddenly new life to every scripture I know and have read. All because I was faced with the fear of the LORD. And now the fear of the LORD overpowers my fear of man.
XOXO,
Katrina Doyle
And then I opened my Bible to Isaiah 62-63. "..... (2) The nations will see your righteousness. Kings will be blinded by your glory. And the LORD will give you a new name. The LORD will hold you in his hands for all to see - a splendid crown in the hands of God. Never again will you be caleld the Godforsaken City or the Desolate Land. Your new name will be the City of God's Delight and the Bride of God, for the LORD delights in you and will claim you as his own. Your children will care for you with joy, O Jerusalem, just as a young man cares for his bride. Then God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride. ..... (11)"The LORD has sent this message to every land: "Tell the people of Israel, 'Look, your Savior is coming. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.'" They will be called the Holy People and the People Redeemed by the LORD. And Jerusalem will be known as the Desirable Place and the City No Longer Forsaken........ [63] .... (7) I will tell of the LORD's unfailing love. I will praise the LORD for all he has done. I will rejoice in his great goodness to Israel, which he has granted according to his mercy and love. He said, "They are my very own people. Surely they will not be false again." And he became their Savior. In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years."
Every single word spoke to me. So much so, that I can't even explain. But if you get anything out of reading it then you know what I mean. Oh how I love God's ministry.
I was at rebellion against him, and didn't deserve salvation or even his love. But He gave it to me freely, while I was STILL A SINNER. And now I am called his Daughter, his bride, his family. All for the sake of FREEDOM he set me free. There is suddenly new life to every scripture I know and have read. All because I was faced with the fear of the LORD. And now the fear of the LORD overpowers my fear of man.
XOXO,
Katrina Doyle
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Wonderful Things - and People.
Wow I've been busy! But in the best way. I'm not stressed, nor am I lacking in excitement. Let me explain. I've been carving time for just me and God, for me to just rest in his presence. I'm making prayer a priority, slowly but surely (I'm getting there). And at the same time I have so many things going on all the time. Opportunities galore. School has most of my attention, as I am taking 17 credits and studying hard. But I am also going to Campus Outreach events, Voice Gospel choir practice (we have a performance next Friday!), Phi Alpha Delta rush (pre-law frat), multiple hang-outs with friends, bible studies, and extra credit events through my Comparative Politics class. A little side note, Comparative Politics has been a great opportunity in itself. My teacher gives us extra credit for attending lectures from prominent interest group leaders and policy makers. Examples include speech and Q&A seminars with the Israeli Major General, the leader of the DC vote movement (DC residents lack voting rights), and more recently today I went to the Israeli and Jordanian embassies (a WONDERFUL experience and I asked lots of questions). All in all, my schedule is always full of wonderful things but I am trying to make intimacy a priority. It's hard, but if a college student can do it then ANYONE can.
The weather has been super bi-polar. One day I am freaking out having to run to the mall to buy my first winter coat because I'm frightened that I will freeze to death. The next, I am donning shorts and a tee and sun-bathing outside the World Bank. My favorite is the in-between, when I fell asleep on a quiet hill on the Vern, listening to the birds sing and feeling the nice crisp breeze.
Best part of these past couple weeks is by far the surprise visit from my Uncle Robin and Aunt Giselle, my wonderful neighbors who are family to me. They chose DC as their family vacation and visited with me the whole time. What a blessing!!! We went out to dinner at various metro stops that I had never been to. My favorites were the Archives, where a trumpet player crooned a gentle ballad as I gaze upon a huge fountain and trees, and Dupont Circle, a wonderland of hip restaurants and beautiful neighborhoods. The first night they came, they treated me to oysters and I treated them to the Lincoln at night. The second day, I went with them to the National Museum of Natural History. The last night we ate in China town. It definitely wasn't enough. But it makes me crave them even more for when I come back in thanksgiving.
Downfall: my permanent retainer broke today and I have to get it fixed tomorrow at a random orthodontics office. It is super uncomfortable but at least I live in a country where I can go down the street and get decent care. Because it would suck if I was in the Peace Corps right now. Seriously. This sucksssssssssss.....
But God makes all things new and He is awesommeeeeeeeee alksdhflaskdjhfalksdjhfalskdjhf !!!!!!*&^(*!&^!^!!!!
I'm crazy. Pray for me.
Katrina.
The weather has been super bi-polar. One day I am freaking out having to run to the mall to buy my first winter coat because I'm frightened that I will freeze to death. The next, I am donning shorts and a tee and sun-bathing outside the World Bank. My favorite is the in-between, when I fell asleep on a quiet hill on the Vern, listening to the birds sing and feeling the nice crisp breeze.
Best part of these past couple weeks is by far the surprise visit from my Uncle Robin and Aunt Giselle, my wonderful neighbors who are family to me. They chose DC as their family vacation and visited with me the whole time. What a blessing!!! We went out to dinner at various metro stops that I had never been to. My favorites were the Archives, where a trumpet player crooned a gentle ballad as I gaze upon a huge fountain and trees, and Dupont Circle, a wonderland of hip restaurants and beautiful neighborhoods. The first night they came, they treated me to oysters and I treated them to the Lincoln at night. The second day, I went with them to the National Museum of Natural History. The last night we ate in China town. It definitely wasn't enough. But it makes me crave them even more for when I come back in thanksgiving.
Downfall: my permanent retainer broke today and I have to get it fixed tomorrow at a random orthodontics office. It is super uncomfortable but at least I live in a country where I can go down the street and get decent care. Because it would suck if I was in the Peace Corps right now. Seriously. This sucksssssssssss.....
But God makes all things new and He is awesommeeeeeeeee alksdhflaskdjhfalksdjhfalskdjhf !!!!!!*&^(*!&^!^!!!!
I'm crazy. Pray for me.
Katrina.
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