Lessons From The Inspirations (Part 1)

Everyone knows how much I love the Inspirations, well this "series" is gonna show everyone part of the reason why.

Saturday, I went to Jasper, Georgia to Mike Holcomb's Homecoming. The odd thing this time was that I was alone. In the beginning, it start out being Ashley, Kelsey, Karley and Gracie coming with me. Well, Kelsey and Karley had tournaments and Ashley had plans and Gracie felt sick-like. Well, I got there, got to sit with Mr. Holcomb's family and enjoyed hearing my favorite group of all time sing in fabulous harmonies that bring me to tears everytime, ALONE.

While walking around alone, during the break, I stopped to look at their new CD and visit with the group. The title of the CD is "God Makes No Mistakes," and it was like God was standing beside me whispering the CD title in my ear. "Katie, I make no mistakes. Trust me." I just shrugged it off like it wasn't anything, but, He certainly got my attention.

Well, when they started back, they started talking about the song "God Makes No Mistakes." they talked about how they felt like God would use that song to minister to people, cause God does that you know, minister to people through song, and how it has even helped THEM. I listened to the words more carefully then the other songs, for 3 reasons. 1) I didn't know the words, so I couldn't sing it. 2) The first few words were very close to the Patricks lives. 3) God started speaking. The third reason was all I needed.

Although I knew that God was going to use this song in my life, I wasn't sure how. I KNEW God had a reason for Jessi's passing, and I knew that I was apart of her life and she was apart of mine for a reason. It's like I knew all I needed, but it hadn't sunk into my HEART... until tonight.

Tonight was my first time back to the Patrick's house since Jessi-Shake. It was HARD. I thought I was ready, but being there, in the house, without her totally changed my mind about being ready. We were practicing a skit that she LOVED, in the garage where she taught me how to play the drums. I had never felt so many emotions in my life til RIGHT then. Both sad and happy. It was crazy, so after we finished practicing our skit, I went inside and just sat there. Thinking, praying, trying NOT to cry, and when I got a grip, I went and got  my sisters, told Bud and Kathi thank you and got in the car. Then the song "God Makes No Mistakes" came on. THEN it hit me. God used tonight to show me that even though I know in my head that He is using all of this to paint a picture, a picture that we can only see a part of, to make a BIG picture. We may think that He's messed up, but He HASN'T.

And oddly enough, that all went along with the skit we are working on. Now you try to tell me that all this working together isn't God.

But I guess my big lesson from the Inspirations tonight is that God really DOESN'T make mistakes. He makes beautiful creations. He uses all things to work together for GOOD for those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Now I'm just working on turning everything over to Him, and let Him finish His master piece.

"God Makes No Mistakes"
Steve Pearcy

Recorded by The Inspirations

Verse One: Have you ever seen a mother cry when she lost her little boy

Or a mom and dad stand broken for their son's life has been destroyed

Have you seen old age take those away who are special to our hearts

Listen then to what I say, God MAKES NO MISTAKES

Chorus: God makes no mistakes, He knows the path you take He brought you this far in life's way, He'll never let you down. God makes no mistakes.

Verse Two: Have you cried a river full of tears with an aching, broken heart

Have you prayed and prayed but no answer came in an hour, oh so dark

Weeping may endure the night but joy will come at dawn

Then my friend, you too can say, God makes no mistakes.

Chorus

Bridge: Eyes not seen, ears not heard what the Father has to view

But until the day He calls us home let me say to you

Chorus

Lesson 1: GOD MAKES NO MISTAKES!!!!!!!!!

Verse: Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

God Uses Even The Little Things

"The little things you do for your neighbor are big things in the sight of God." -Duane Allen

That quote is one that I received one day, and it really made me think. I thought it was just a normal day, I was going to school, Preacher Chris was counseling, Preacher Randy was doing his thing for God. I was just doing MY thing. At that point in time I thought that God could only use preachers everyday. I didn't think He could use me as effectively as He used Preacher Chris and Preacher Randy. I mean, come on, they ARE preachers! God ANOINTED them, right?

I had been praying and praying for God to show me how He wanted to use me. What He was going to do with my life. While I was waiting for this huge answer that would DRASTICALLY change my life, something started to happen.

Now, I've always loved to smile, it's one of my favorite things to do. Well, while I had been praying for God to do something HUGE in my life to change the world, I started getting all these compliments about my smile when I sang in choir or walked down the aisle at church or in the halls at school. At first, I didn't think much about it, but then some elders at my church started to come up to me and telling me that when I smiled, unlike alot of people in our choir **cough cough BRIAN cough cough**, it really blessed them. some people had more detailed stories and some, was just that; it blessed them.

"4Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say rejoice. 5Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord in as hand. 6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7.

Okay, so I quoted all that to say that smiling is one way you can show all this. Need me to break it down? Well, that won't be a problem.

Verse 4 talks about how you should REJOICE in the Lord ALWAYS! Not when you feel well, or every thing's going good in your life. Now don't get me wrong, there's a time and place for everything under heaven (read Ecc. 3), but we should still be REJOICING. I like that word. Rejoice. Can you say it out loud once? I dont' know about you, but it makes me want to shout! Anyways, to rejoice (for alot of people) smiling is one way to should that you are happy. And I rejoice most when I'm happy. I have an awful hard time rejoicing with a sour face on.

Verse 5- Looking up 'moderation' on dictionary.com, it says: the quality of being moderate; restraint; avoidance of extremes or excesses; temperance. The big red words pretty much says not to be too much of anything, this would include happy. I know what you're thinking, "Katie, you just said we needed to smile and REJOICE all the time! How can we NOT be extreme about it?!" I don't believe this is saying not to be EXTREME about Jesus, I think it says that we can over do the happy in some ways. You know people like this. Those overly peppy people that you believe are faking the happiness. And I think that's what God wants us to stay away from; the happy that makes people think we are faking. Now wouldn't that be wonderful? You're trying SO hard to REJOICE that it comes off as faking it. Be GENUINE about it. It needs to come from your heart, not your head, honey child.

Verse 6- The main word in this verse that I want to focus on is THANKSGIVING. Being Thankful. REJOICING in MODERATION is how we can show THANKSGIVING.

Verse 7- The verses before this(4-6) show us the way to keep that PEACE OF GOD in our lives. I've often heard that peace isn't the absence of a storm, but the present of God in our lives. And I completely agree with that. We,a s Christians, have peace after we are saved, and that should make verses 4-6 come easier to us than sinners, but sometimes I even have trouble with all of this.

So getting back to the quote... God uses even SMILES of a REJOICING heart to bless people. You don't have to be a preacher to "Rejoice in the Lord always" and be a light to someone you run into. God uses even the little things to reach people.

A good song to go with this would be Mark Lowry's "God Calls Us All." If you get a chance, look it up.

As you go on your way this week, I pray that you rejoice in the Lord always and show off that smile God gave you.

God Bless!

Falling In Love All Over Again...

 I was at work today, and I was thinking about Singing School, the Wasendorfs, the Myers and all my family and friends. Well, God came to mind, like He does often. Well, I was thinking about how He knows everything about us and everything that we have and will face. Then I got on the thought that He KNEW I would go to singing school and become friends with the people I have. When I started going to NGSGM, I had no idea that I would become so obsessed with it. When I started going (way back when), I thought it would be just a summer thing, you know, something to get me outta the house, but it became SO much more. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about someone there or my lovely, lovely teachers. There's not even a day that goes by that I don't get a song from one of our song books stuck on replay in my head. And although I didn't know that singing school would become such a big part of my life, God did. He knew before I was even born that singing school would be my everything. He knew how in love I would become with everything about the music, the people and the memories there. He knew that one day my path would cross with the Wasendorfs, my second family, and He knew how close I would become with them. He also knew every bit of drama that took place at NGSGM, and at times there was ALOT of it. He knew that there would be times that I wouldn't understand just how NGSGM was working in my life. He knew how everything would be connected. For example, last summer, when my friend Jessi found out she had cancer, I just happen to be at singing school. God knew I would need them to lean on. He was right. It was one of the most trying times in my life, and I don't think I could've made it through without them. And after Jessi passed away, they all rallied around me and helped me through it. God knew the people that could get me through it. He knew that every single person at that school would help me pray. He knew that people there would sit and talk to me about everything. He KNEW. I don't know about you, but that just amazes me. It blows my mind that God cares so much for us, that He took the time to plan out our lives and make everything fall together perfectly. It amazes me that He knew that when He made this world that He would have to send His only begotten Son to die for us. I mean, He didn't HAVE to send Jesus, but the fact that He CHOSE to, knowing all the dumb things we would do and how much we didn't deserve His Son, He STILL CHOSE. He didn't eenie, meenie, minie, moe the choice between Jesus and the angel Gabriel, oh no. He freely CHOSE HIS SON to die for the world. That puts me in awe of God. I have been in love with God for as long as I can remember, but thinking about everything God has planned for me and how much He loves me, makes me fall in love all over again.

"I'm Proud of You, Girl"

"I'm proud of you, girl." those are 4 words and a contraction that I loveeee hearing. Sunday night, I heard them from someone that means the world to me... Danny Hyatt. He and his wife, Cindy, mean so terribly much to me. And no matter what anyone thinks, they do NOT know how much I value that little phrase that came out of their mouths. I needed to hear them saying that. And everytime I talk about that night, I cry. I'm not sure why I cry, but, I do. I get God-bumps. But, let me back up and try to explain this story.

Well, August 20th of 2009, I started attending First Free Will Baptist regularly. And ever since I started attending there, I noticed this couple. Come to find out their names are Danny and Cindy Hyatt. They sing and praise God and Danny shouts, "ohhhhh glory" when he gets filled with the Spirit. Those words will forever be imprinted on my heart. When I hear him shout that, I know his heart's getting filled. And when Mrs. Cindy sings, the Spirit of God falls. Oh how I love that couple.

I think I love them so much, because they are... well... REAL. They aren't "Sunday Mornin' Christians." They show when God's movin' in them at church. And quiet honestly, Mr. Danny scared me sometimes when he'd let out his Indian God holler! haha. I used to jump 50 feet in the air when he let that hoot out, but now, if I don't hear it, it scares me! They are the type of marriage I want when I get married. They serve God. Period. There's no ifs, ands, or buts when it comes to them and God. Man, how I wish I were more like that. Not only do they worship God with everything they have, they edify fellow Christians in the church. Especially me. When I go to sing a solo, or in youth choir, I always look at them. I'm not sure if they notice, but I do. Everytime. It never fails. And Mrs. Cindy has always been there telling me that I can do it. it's kinda like they see something that God's placed in me that I have over looked. They believe in me, and I love them so much for that.

I said all that to say this: Sunday night. Youth Choir sang "When I Call On Jesus." When Courtney Busbee got to "Call Him in the morning', in the afternoon time Late in the evening' He'll be there When your heart is broken, And you feel discouraged, You can just remember that He said He'll be there" I just HAD to get my hands in the air. My eyes were closed, and when I opened them, I saw Mr. Danny and Mrs. Cindy. Then they chorus came back and I couldn't contain it anymore, Both my hands were in the air and I saw Mr. Danny just pointing up there... and I was just like: "God, thank You, for.. this. all of this. Everyone in this building and placing me where You have. I love You, Lord." Then after church, I got out to the door where Mr. Danny was and he just simply said, "I'm proud of you, girl." Boy, that made everything just worth the while. That meant so much to me. (I wanted to tell him that I just wanted to hug him and Mrs. Cindy. and just thank them. For being them. but.. I didn't get a chance)

And since they said something that meant so much to me, I just want to tell them:
Thank you. Thank you for being everything God has made yal to be. I love yal so terribly much. You really have no idea what it means to me that you all are proud of me.... those are 4 words and a contraction that I will carry with me the rest of my life. I love you more than peanut better loves jelly!

God has been good to me!

Let the Music Begin

Have you ever had someone misunderstand you? Or not understand you at all? I know that happens to me... alot. I don't think anyone quiet gets how my brain works. I, whom often has boys on the mind, spends most of my time listening to music. Music. Just the WORD sends beautiful chords through my ears. Chords, of all kinds, just give me a sense of relief, comfort and BELONGING. I'm gonna tell you a secret... I've never really felt like I belonged anywhere. Even in my own famliy, they are all sports minded... and then... there's me. The Black Sheep. Yepp. That's me. I wear that label in my famliy. Ha. I ask myself all the time why my family doesn't have at least some of the same inerests as me. I know God has a purpose. I know deep in my bones that He does. If He didn't, I don't think I could live with the sense of being an outcast... Even within my own family. But when the music begins... all those thoughts just disappear. When I hear music, I just lose all thoughts that I ever had before. Like last night for instence. Our ensemble went to kind of open up for the Compulsive Lyers (YES, that's how they spell LYERS) and Southern Harmony. Can I just say that they are AMAZING?! We, as the high schoolers we are, sat and listened to those college kids sing songs and connect with each other and their audiance in a way that I've never seen before. They told stories with the songs they sang. Now, I don't know about you, however comma, I have never seen anyone do THAT with SPORTS. After seeing them perform... I knew that I wasn't completely alone... I knew that there were people just down yonder in YOUNG HARRIS that hear what I hear. They might even understand. Well, back to the performance... Song after song... Note after note... I just kept soaking in all they were placing out for me. They didn't really sing anything that I listen to, however comma, the way they precented the songs, it made me fall in love. I fell completely in love with my music, my piano and the GENRE of music I like all over again. Last night... God revealed to me part of why I'm here. Although I may not 'fit in' with most people, I do BELONG here. In this place. In this point in time. I KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that God wants me here. Whatever the reason, music is involved somewhere. God has given me music for a comfort, a friend, a LIFE. I use it to praise Him. I use it to lift Him up. He gave me the gift, to give it BACK to HIM. That's the only way I can feel excepted or understood. So... Let the Music Begin...

Whoaa. Hard to Believe...

Okay, so today is the 25th. Two months ago, my best friend, Jessi,passed away. When I realized that it was the 25th, I was like, okay, maybe I can make it through the day... but I was totally wrong. I walked into Ms. Poole's room and I sat down like any other day. She started telling us crazy stories, and she started talking about her EX-Husband's 19 year old brother that died of LEUKEMIA! I was thinking, "Ms. Poole, of ALL the things you could talk about, you choose CANCER?!" I held it together through that. When I made it to homeroom, I went to find Kelli Owenby, told her: "It's been 2 months." And she just looked back at me and was automatically said, "If you need a shoulder to cry on, here's mine. USE IT!" That made me feel alittle better, cause I know I have probably been driving people crazy by talking about Jessi all the time. I finally made it to 4th block... Mrs. Batchelor. We talked about DEATH the WHOLE ENTIRE TIME! We finished up our projects on the story, "A Worn Path" or something like that, and the older lady was going crazy because her Grandson had died and she thought he was still alive and acted like he was still living. Sometimes, I feel like that. I feel like Jessi is gonna walk through those doors any moment and smile that big ol' smile of hers. Does that make ME crazy? I never realized that you could miss someone so much. This is crazy. she's only been gone 2 months, and it feels like 200 years! It's insane. My day has been just as haywire as my thoughts in this blog. Am I going crazy? or is this just part of the healing process? Will I ever get past this? or will I live like this forever? I pray and pray that this will get easier, or Jesus will come and get us.

"Jesus, I just want to thank You for taking care of Jessi. Thank You for letting me know her. Jesus, I'm ready to see her again, and get to see You. That will be the greatest thing ever. I love You, Lord. So very much. Amen." 

The Perfect Man

Okay, so watching the movie: "The Perfect Man" and it's about a single mother that is trying to find her 'perfect man.' Like there is such thing. I know I have claimed that a guy is 'perfect,' but I also remember my 'perfect' is different from someone else's 'perfect.' So truly, there IS no perfect man outside of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is kind of a venting post as well as a realization one for me. Although I may not find my perfect man, I know there will be a man somewhere in my future. Well, hopefully(: All I know is that I'm praying and waiting. I know God hears(: