His love endures forever.

Everywhere in the Christian world, there are conferences, help centers, and books upon books about what to do when life just isn't going right. All great and valuable things, but, what do we do when life is going good? times when we don't really 'need' to trust God, because everything is just going great and life is good.
I often find myself falling away a little from God at these times, My life is good, everything is going great, I have no need, no, time of desperate hour to call upon my Lord. Upon realizing this, I see how sad it is, that God helps me out of hard times, but I then go on my merry way forgetting to thank him often.
"In everything gives thanks." ( 1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Praise God! give thanks to him for everything he does for you. If life is going good, don't put God out. Don't use him as a fallback when things get tough. He created you, and he loves you more than you can ever even imagine. He loves you in the good times and bad, so why only talk to him in the bad?
"Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever." (Psalm 136:1)
~KayK

The Christmas Craze.

Does anyone else feel like Christmas is coming a lot earlier than normal this year? I walked into a store in early October, and they already had everything Christmas out and ready to sell. Allow me to repeat, early October, like the first week. When I was little, I didn't  even know what I wanted to be for Halloween yet in the first week of October, let alone started thinking about Christmas. 

Don't get me wrong; I love Christmas, everything about it. I love Decorating the tree, being with family, and most certainly celebrating the birth of our Savior. 

If you would like to start listening to Christmas music or put up your tree in October, go for it. 

But think about it, what has our society really turned Christmas into? Why are stores putting merchandise up so early? 

Whenever I see the Christmas adds on TV or in the paper, ( yes, my house still gets the newspaper:) Most of the time all I see is " If your kids get this, this will make them happy." 

The other day, I heard one that said, " look at this family! they are so happy! why? because they just got a flat screen TV!" stop a second. Think about that.

Our world is full of " if you just get this one thing, you will be so happy." 

Ladies and Gentleman, we are being lied to. Maybe if we get the new Iphone 6, we will be happy, but how long will the happiness last? a few days? weeks? or maybe just until an newer, cooler phone comes out. 

Now, I love the giving part of Christmas, I am by no means saying I think that we should stop giving presents, not at all. Just that the real meaning of Christmas has somehow been lost in our Society. I hope this post helped you remember. 

God, sent his son to earth, to die for us, to die for you. We celebrate his birth on December 25th, and call it Christmas. 

" For unto us a child is born,to us a son i given." ( Isaiah 9:6a) 

Merry Christmas everyone! 

Shining your Light.

I have heard it said " One bad apple can spoil a bunch."
Yes, that can be true.... In many cases, that can indeed be true.
However, I don't think that is always the case.
Even when everyone around you is "bad" You can still shine your light, the light Jesus puts in each of us.
I was reminded of this, while I was planting Mums last week,:

The entire plant was dead, brown and shriveled up. Nothing beautiful about it at all.
Some might say that one dead flower " spoiled " the rest of them. Yet look at this beautiful red flower, shining its light among all the ugliness.

I think of Noah. The bible says " Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence." Gen. 6:11 

It also says 

" Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God." Gen. 6:9 

Noah shined his light among all the darkness. Think of how dark the world is, are you shining your light?
 This was quick, but I hope it was encouraging.
"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16 
~KayK 

Let us not grow weary of doing good.

We were standing in line at the snack bar at Costco the other day, they don't take cards, so Mom and Kris were trying to figure out how they were going to split the cost. The lady in front of us turned around and asked Kris if she needed $0.50 for the pop, Kris says that she's covered, but thanks her kindly. The woman insisted, Kris took it thankfully. Then, the woman bought Kris and Chloe a drink, and upon finding out that Kris was a College student, she gave her $5.00 and encouraged her to stay with it.
wow.
How awesome is that? that she would do all of that to complete strangers? I don't have much to say, but I will say this; how do you treat strangers? do you show Christs love in everything you do?
I would like to present a challenge, go out today, tomorrow, Monday, whenever you are at grocerystore or Starbucks, or even work, and do something kind for a stranger, make someones day, make the smile and give them hope. random acts of kindness can change a life,
" And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" Colossians 3:17

KayK

My soul cries out..

What can I do in this world, but trust in you God? 

What is my small mortal self capable of, when you can move mountains? 

I put my faith in you, and in you alone

God my God, I cry out to you, 

help me, hold me, sustain me. 

Come to my rescue, 

forgive me for all,

God my God, I cry out today, 

help me, hold me, sustain me. 

Don't cry because it's over smile because it happened :)

I think, I can honestly say, that this month has been both the hardest and best month of my life.

I spent the first part of it at camp. I am not even sure I can put into words how much this summer at camp has meant to me, how much every summer at camp has meant to me. The time spent with fellow Christians and friends is something I hold so dear to my heart. Camp is so crazy, and wonderful, and you don't hear much about the outside world. Your entire life is completely immersed in camp and camp forever friends. That makes coming home hard. Really, really hard. 

I think what makes it so hard is goodbye. Even though we all know that we will see each again, although not for a while, saying goodbye to people you've lived with all summer is probably one of the hardest things I've ever have to do.

Looking back, I smile at all the good times. The wonderful, craziness of this summer. Riding horses bareback, ( or just riding horses in general.) Building benches while I was serving on a work crew, dancing in the rain, and just plain having fun and not worrying about much at all. 

So yes, goodbyes were hard. As hard as ever. Yet I am so thankful for the great family and friends I've gained this summer and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world, even if there are goodbyes.

~KayK

Gods Perfect timing

Gods timing really is incredible...
for the Longest time, I struggled with patience, I still very much do, yet I think I may be getting better...
Anywho, I kept loosing sight of what I might have if I waited on God and HIS timing, and started to try and jump ahead of him, trying to control my own world, when, in fact, I can not indeed control much that happens in my life.
He is slowly teaching me each day that his timing is truly best, and that no one else can ever measure up to it or him.
It makes me think back to other circumstances where I didn't wait on him, rather tried things my own way. What did I miss? what might I miss? what might be you missing?
God has " proved" his timing to me lately, and I stand in awe of our wonderful God who made the universe, yet still cares about all our little things, has our life's perfectly planed out... Are we waiting on God to tell us when to move? or jumping ahead of his plan?
This reminds me of a Casting Crowns song;
" My child if you only knew,
All the plans that I have for you,
just trust me I will follow through,
you can follow me,"

" But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up on wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. " ~ Isiah 40:31
~ KayK 

Teach me to Praise you always....

" I cry out to the Lord,
he hears my every plea.
My heart aches,
my soul is weary.
I will rest in thy loving arms.
I whisper thy name upon my lips,
and breath thy prayer in my sleep.
Every hour I seek thee,
yea, I seek thee with my whole heart.
Yet my mind often wonders,
My heart not content.
Many a time have i doubted your will,
and instead followed my own.
I sin, I break, I follow my own desire.
Yet you are always there,
yea, you are always there.
You forgive my sin,
you pick up my broken pieces,
you set my path strait.
I will praise you, with an up most song.
teach me, to praise you always."

Seek the Lord with all your heart.

SPRING! Oh how I have missed you.

Although the weather has yet to cooperate, spring is finally here, dead things are becoming new once again. Birds are back, and slowly, the old snow is melting to reveled its grass underneath. 

old things become new creations, just as we can become new in Christ. 

It is time for us to put away our old habits that  keep us from God. What keeps you from him and his will? 

not only should we put off our old bad habits, but also take on new ones!!! I feel, as a Christian teenager, that I am always being told at youth revivals and camps and such, what I shouldn't be doing; don't do drugs, don't drink, don't listen to this music, don't listen to that music.... All very valid points, and don't get me wrong, I am sure that there are teens that need this information, but at my point in my life I want to be to WHAT to do.... I know that there are very simple answers to this; Do devotions, go to church, stay with the right crowd.... once again, all valid points but what am I really supposed to do? This is something I intend to study.. and I don't mean go to books written by people, full of their opinions on how I should live a Godly life, but rather go strait to the source, Gods word. This is a challenge I am taking myself, but I would also like to challenge you to do the same. Run to God, ask him to tell you his plan for you life, read the bible, find who you are meant to be in Christ. Strengthen your walk and relationship with Christ.. 

"And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God" Colossians 1:9-10 

~KayK 

Strength and dignity are her clothing.

To everyone who's lost someone they love
Long before it was their time
You feel like the days you had were not enough
when you said goodbye.
There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus. ( Third day. )

A dear lady went home to be with the Lord, A Godly woman whom many loved. Her love for the Lord showed in everything she did, and many looked up to her. She battled cancer long and hard, and very solemnly gave up hope. She was an example of a true woman of faith, a courageous woman, a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother. An " Aunt " to many of us. Her love for each person that crossed her path was remarkable.

 Words cannot describe all she did for me, She has a spot in my heart none can fill. The Love she showed me, and other teens was never gone unnoticed. It pains me to know shes no longer here, yet my heart leaps for joy remembering that she is in no more pain, in a place so wonderful that we cant even imagine it.  Thank you, for all you did for me Kay.
 "10 An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.

11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,

and he will have no lack of gain.

12 She does him good, and not harm,

all the days of her life.

13 She seeks wool and flax,

and works with willing hands.

14 She is like the ships of the merchant;

she brings her food from afar.

15 She rises while it is yet night

and provides food for her household

and portions for her maidens.

16 She considers a field and buys it;

with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

17 She dresses herself with strength

and makes her arms strong.

18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

Her lamp does not go out at night.

19 She puts her hands to the distaff,

and her hands hold the spindle.

20 She opens her hand to the poor

and reaches out her hands to the needy.

21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,

for all her household are clothed in scarlet.

22 She makes bed coverings for herself;

her clothing is fine linen and purple.

23 Her husband is known in the gates

when he sits among the elders of the land.

24 She makes linen garments and sells them;

she delivers sashes to the merchant.

25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,

and she laughs at the time to come.

26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

27 She looks well to the ways of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

29 “Many women have done excellently,

but you surpass them all.”

30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the gates." ( Proverbs 31: 10-31) 
~KayK 
                  Dedicated to Kay King, a true, Proverbs 31 woman.

Broken dreams and new creations.

I, myself am a dreamer. Whether at night or in day I find myself contently dreaming.
The hard thing is, filling the the gap of reality and dreaming. Are dreams part of Gods plan, or my plan? are my dreams bringing me closer to God, or farther apart? I wish I had an answer.
Dreaming is part of me, as a child I always had what one might call an overactive imagination. I have since brought that trait into my teen years.
God gives dreams, I believe that. I believe he places desires in our hearts. When Godly desires, we should follow them.

But what happens, when we think we are fallowing our dreams, and Gods plan, yet all of a sudden find yourself lost, not knowing reality from a dream? not knowing what to do, or where to go?
  What happens when we build up so much hope on one dream and when that dream is not fulfilled, or we soon find out we should let go of that dream? where do we turn? what do we do? You see everywhere, from bill boards to Disney princess movies " follow your dreams." " Listen to your heart."
"The heart is deceitful above all things,
    and desperately sick;
    who can understand it?" ( Jeremiah 17:9) 
The heart can lead one astray quicker than you think. 
Yet the bible also says.
"Delight yourself in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart" ( Psalms 37:4)
What I think that verse means, is that if we just surrender, let go of all our dreams, as hard as it may be. Give it all to God. And he will give you the desires of your heart.
Its so simple, yet so hard. But even when we fail, even when we have dreams that we think are great, and true, when we have broken dreams, God will pick up all the brokenness in our lives, in our dreams, and create something new and wonderful. Better than anything we could ever dream of.
"“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." ( Isaiah 43:18-19)
KayK

God and Decisions

Making decisions has never been my strong suit, whether its what to eat, what movie to watch, or, say, to go to horse camp or soar.
Life is full of decisions that must be made. From what to eat, where to live, what college to go to.. big or small, each one of us must make decisions. Some are good at making them. Some, like me are not.
While trying to make a certain decision a while ago, I knew I needed to " pray about it". That I did, I felt like I prayed and prayed, yet nothing happened. No thought came that put my mind to rest. I felt I was praying the same thing, over and over, and nothing was happening. I began to question what I was even praying for. Then the answer came, and it wasn't one I liked. This answer, was as plan as day, there was no longer any way I could question what God wanted me to do. The problem was, I did not want to do it. I'm still struggling with it, but slowly, surely, God is showing me what to do in that part of my life....
It makes me think of a song,
" Make me broken, so I can be healed. 'Cause I'm so calloused, and now I can't feel. I wanna run to you with heart wide open, make me broken.
Make me empty so I can be filled. 'Cause I'm still holding on to my will, and I'm completed, when you are with me, make me empty.
'Till you are my one, desire, 'till you are my one true love, 'till you are, my breath my everything, Lord please keep making me.
Make me lonely, so I can be yours, 'til I want no one, more that you Lord, 'cause in the darkness, I know you will hold me, make my lonely." ( Sidewalk Prophets)
 Sometimes, God has to make us Broken, or empty, or lonely, so that we must learn to be his. We can pray all we want to about someone, or something, but if God sees it best to make us lonely, there's nothing we can do, but except the truth, and seek God with all our hearts. That's what I'm learning, to seek God with all my heart. to stop worrying about everyone else, and just grow closer to him, although that's a whole lot easier said than done, but, " With God, all things are possible."( Matthew 18:27 What decision might you have to make? I encourage you to pray about it, and when God gives you the answer, be careful not to question him. I promise you that he knows best and will not fail you. Just " Take up your cross and follow him."( Matthew 16:24) ~KayK