Posted in General Posts by Katie Howard on 4/15/2012
Ok i am just going to free flow this blog- no spell check no proof read just a straight go with the flow blog. Most of the crew is worshipping with the kids in the neighborhood.. normally i am all for going out and being social but tonight i feel the Lord really calling me to stay in and check in with the outside world, since it has been well.. it seems like forever. However, i know forever is completely unrealistic so we shall just go with a month or so but in terms of WR time a month is a HUGE chunk of time.
I feel bad. REAL BAD about non blogging sooner however last month I don't even think i journaled and i tend to journal three or four times a day even if its just a sentence.. its still checkin in with pen and paper. So instead of analyze and giving you a play by play on what has happened... I will give you a few bullet points of what's going on in my head, where I am at spiritually, mentally, emotionally and all the other insider information that probably shouldn't be laid out on the internet. But yea, here it goes...
El Salvador was tough, real tough.. emotionally. It brought up a lot of old baggage, 13-15 of us shared a bathroom, and i finally discovered i had a parasite and that i actually had a reason to eat everything in sight.
Hondoras- never had any desire to go to Hondoras, the theme God laid on my heart to focus on was to just receive His Love. So honest to goodness, i tried my best i really did. You try and receive God's goodness and not feel guilty- every day. It is so hard, so rewarding and God is so good. He is so kind. I got to experience one of the most beautiful beaches - where I could go scuba diving and have monkeys steal my hand sanitizer. I got to be like an energizer bunny- i would rise around 630-645 take my morning dust jog with the Lord and devote the rest of time to ministry- go to sleep around 1030/11. I learned to cook for 40+ people, teach English to Honduran 5th graders - a dream of mine is to teach english in the peace corps.. and last but not least i created a cactus garden per say- being inspired by our contact to "free a tree." He said when he goes to bed, he asks himself, " am i spritually, emotionally, and physically exhausted?" I felt i should replicate that work ethic. I lived with 40+ other people, shared three (basically outdoor) bathroom stalls, and camped in my tent in the compound, some slept outside.
then
and traveled for forever ( AKA 4 days) to get to oradea, romania. ah. oh yea and
i have a new team- battle cry- thats our name. i feel like i need to get some war paint on and go pull a mel gibson in braveheart. but anyway thats neither here nor there. i am now in
ROMANIA- dun dun dun. Ok its late so this blog is a little quirky, but you know what, i am a little quirky- so its rather fitting for the moment at least.. rambling
ok so we are now in romania- its cold, my chacos no longer look appropriate or cool actually i am going to be honest real quick- when i first purchased my chacos i became very excited because i thought i would become "an authentic" hippy backpacker blah blah blah but now they just have a funk and they look rather out of place in romania. where the local's here dress rather snazzily, and have funky haircuts and amazing european jackets with fabulpus suede boots. my chacos are not cool here and i dont feel out of place . i am not lathering on sunscreen and instead bundling in my north face. i feel like a clean missionary (due to hot showers this month) praise Jesus but so unhappy. there is no reason to be unhappy here- i literally have all the amenities i could ever want, need have- clean water, hot showers, a washer, and getting to cook my own meals- yet something is missing. Not Jesus but something is missing. People here are much different than in Central America, and at times I smile at someone for fifteen seconds and they just stare unhappily at me- oppressed and i am trying to be ok with that. i cant force them to smile back, or be friendly and thats hard for me. i dont want to compare- however in hondorus the people would just laugh at me because my spanish was just ridiculous and maybe i was just happier there and this new culture, people, sense my longing to escape this farm land.
i want to be happy, i want to love where im at and i physically and mentally can not.
but right now- i am choosing joy because thats all i know how to do at the moment. i am clinging on to scripture, prayer, and trying to dive into my new team because right now i feel more alone than i have the whole race. and i just dont know why.
prayers for peace and discernment.
humbling moment- having to poop in a ditch. super classy, i know.
Let me grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ- 2 Peter 3:18
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Posted in General Posts by Katie Howard on 3/6/2012
I began a small group led by Laurel Senick in May 2011, in which enticed me: reading God's word, meditating on it and surfing.
Surfing to me is a lot like life, our relationships and our relationship with God. I had never tried surfing until May 2010; a significant growing point in my life. I had started taking care of my body properly and eating correctly. I had never really taken priority in taking care of my body and figure. However, something traumatic had happened and
I took my frustrations out on my running shoes.. and boom my whole life changed.
I am from Wilmington, NC- the home of Wrightsville Beach so surfing has always been easily accessible to me. However,
I had just never taken the plunge to try it due to being insecure of my body.
Well with my newfound confidence, I tried surfing for the first time - and I loved it! I was able to get up on the first wave
I tried riding and it was a pretty amazing feeling! I remember my instructor, Tom Moorefield, said, "Be careful, it can be
addictive." Yea, yea, yea.. ok.
SO fast forward to February 12 2012, and I found myself on yet another board in La Libertad, in Sunzal Beach, El Salvador.
Yet, this beach had consistent waves and was located at a point break**
As I was surfing, I was thrown off my surfboard and as we were about to get taken
under the white water, I said a quick prayer, "God please protect me from anything that may harm me."After twenty seconds or I so I resurfaced and have never been so thankful to take in a breath of fresh air.
This incidence got me to thinking...
Surfing may quite possibly one of the most humbling experiences, EVER. There are boogers hanging out of your nose, you may gag
when you spit out the salt water you just swallowed. You let the more experienced surfers go for the better waves and knowing which wave is beyond your capability or not. Humbling is getting knocked in the face/ head by your board, snapping you back to reality.
And lastly, coming to the realization that your body is not in as quite of good shape as you thought it was. There is often an audience
awaiting your arrival back on the beach- laughing due to your lack of grace or grimacing because of the beat down your body
has just experienced in the water.
The most humbling experience though, is sheer fact that the ocean is far more powerful than you and that in itself is thrilling,
yet absolutely TERRIFYING
The ocean is a place of many secrets, a lot like society- a place where things can be thrown in and never to be found AGAIN-
a lot like our soul; deep secrets of the soul.
Sometimes while surfing, you may be too scared to pop up on the board so you choose to lie* flat on your belly feeling
like a coward. And often times, you look at what looks like might be the next "big break;" one begins paddling and hoping
that your intuition was right—isn’t that like life? Hoping, that this girl may be "the one," so you risk everything
in hopes* of this being "it." And sometimes well, you were dead on, and other times, well, looks can be deceiving.
But you know what, either which way, you tried- you may have succeeded, you may have "failed"
but you put your wet suit on, toughened up, strapped your board on, in hopes* of the perfect wave,
stroad confidently into the waves and "boom" you went when you were called.
Isn't that what Christ asks of us- when He calls us- we make the conscious choice to answer- or to not; to
lie on our belly and not get up. And when we choose to not get up - we are saying He is unworthy of our time, our money
and/or our love. That we are not trusting Him with everything we have, and that He is not good enough.
I challenge you to ask yourself, has God been calling you to get out into the water or are you still on the shore wishing you
were out here in the ocean, embracing life and all of its "waves."
Wake up, face that fear that has been haunting you for so long- Christ will meet you there.
Psalm 89:21-26
21 I will steady him with my hand;
with my powerful arm I will make him strong.
22 His enemies will not defeat him,
nor will the wicked overpower him.
23 I will beat down his adversaries before him
and destroy those who hate him.
24 My faithfulness and unfailing love will be with him,
and by my authority will grow in power.
25 I will extend his rule over the sea,
his dominion over the rivers.
26 And he will call out to me, 'You are my Father,
my God, and the Rock of my salvation.
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Posted in General Posts by Katie Howard on 1/31/2012
The World Race is...
NOT GLAMOROUS.
You want to know what it SMELLS like:
Feet: Stinky feet.
It smells like the dump- where people LIVE and WORK.
It smells like the orphange- where an orange is a reward and not a punishment.
It smells like worship- where a soul covered in filth is being cleaned out
because there is nothing else to do except cry out to the Lord to make us clean and pure and holy.
Free from soul ties. Free from societies' shackles; our "labels." Free from oppression.
The World Race is rain
when you want SUNSHINE
The World Race is singing
when you want SLEEP
The World Race is constipation
when you want Diarrhea
The World Race is heartbreak
when you want HOPE
The World Race is community
when you want SPACE
The World Race is.. Love. PureLove. Hardlove. God's Love
- and with that there comes freedom.
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Posted in General Posts by Katie Howard on 1/17/2012
Life on the journey...
Recap from the past week (trying to keep it real short and sweet).
Tuesday 4 a.m. wake up and drive to myrtle beach airport; fly to Fort Lauderdale.
3 p.m. travel to Romanian church we are staying at for two days; pile into gorgeous
buidling with 120 other fellow Racers sharing 4/5 bathrooms- what up c & e squad
Wednesday- participate in the WR Goodness - praising/worshipping; getting to know teammates
Thursday- 7:30 p.m. start our 24 hour journey to Puerto Barrios, Guatemala
Friday- Traveling by buses, trains, airplanes, vans, and another real long bus ride. Arrive in P.B that night
Saturday- Explore, get aquainted with the area
Sunday- church, celebrate a Guatemalan birthday partay, and pray over "Uncle Ronnies" newborn
Monday- Wake Hayden up for her birthday- Guatemalan-style: 5 a.m fire crackers and such; praise and worship; Pray over Casa Verde Ministry and spending time at the Nunnery orphanage
Earlier today we were conversing with locals, praying with them and just lovin on some children. Today we will be visiting the Childrens Hospital and some other various activities thrown in the mix
What God has taught me thus far:
Trust Him in EVERYTHING
He knows the desires of your heart
DO not WORRY, HE is with you.. He will never leave you or forsake you.
This is not a deep blog. But do not fear they will come.. I just wanted to get something out to my supporters
This will by far be the most challenging year of my life. I miss hot showers my family and friends.. Not in that particular order of course. :)
Til we meet again..
God is So Good. Keep fighting the good fight. Much LOVE.
Katie.
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Posted in General Posts by Katie Howard on 11/29/2011
Raising money for the World Race (God) has been truly amazing, and God has literally provided every step of the way. However, faith has been tested and trust in Him has grown substantially stronger through this fundraising process.
My life (style) since my acceptance into this race has drastically changed. Instead of going out of town every weekend, going to shows/concerts, wasting time on facebook, buying that coffee I really don’t need - I read the Word and go to bed early. Wake up early, get my game face on, and prepare myself for a long day of yard selling, working that random job, or selling Threads of Hope in various parts of my community- depending on the day of the event. And I HAVE LOVED IT- Praise Be to God!
Blessed with meeting so many people, I get to hear stories of their life, what they do and how God has moved their heart, what their passions are, tests of faith and the list goes on and on. I get to encourage people to pray and spend time in God’s Word and sometimes, I am blessed with a prayer of anointment, and healing- hearing Words of Wisdom because isn’t that what “the Race” is what it is all about? Learning and encouraging..? Seeking and receiving? Bless and be Blessed?
There are more ideas and brainstorming that I am working on to close out 2011- this crazy crazy crazy year. Goodness gracious, it has been a ride but God has been by my side the whole time.
I pray for more funding to come in. I pray that God will move people’s hearts to support God’s mission through me. I pray that I will encourage and strengthen people’s walks with God. Lastly, I pray that people will come to know and Love God, to know Him as a Friend and a Father.
God Bless you all. Amen. Namaste.
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Posted in General Posts by Katie Howard on 10/27/2011
Uprooted..
Just recently, when Hurricane Irene blew through my hometown in North Carolina, I did a lot of philosophizing and reflecting on God’s word.. I got to thinking as to why God would have a hurricane in the midst of the start of a new school year, a new season of life: why would He want to disrupt that? Well, it became very apparent that when people weren’t forced to go to work they are FORCED to stay home with their children and spend time with their spouse and protect their loved ones. I discovered the flow of life is just different when natural “disasters” are just around the corner; they force people to face a reality as to what exactly is important to them and their LIVES. They start praying and actually realizing that we, as a collective society can control many things- the temperature of our home, how long we want to cook that spaghetti for in the microwave; if we want to put that much money into our savings or spend it, or if we want to get away and go out of town, or just hide out in our house and chill. However, we can’t control the weather. And Lord knows, if someone had authority over it, they would have it on remote control, next to a regulation button dictating one’s decibel level. BUT WE ARE NOT GOD, therefore God still has ultimate over all of us. He puts us through trials and tribulations that we cannot do alone, but must depend and lean on Him, and when our faith and trust in Him is not strong – we BECOME UPROOTED, like this here tree (insert a real Southern accent).
The scriptures say,
“Humans wither like grass,
and their glory fades
like wild flowers.
Grass dries up
And flowers fall
to the ground.
But what the Lord has said
Will stand forever.”
Our good news to you is what the Lord has said. 1 Peter 1:24-25
Be grounded. Be rooted in Him.. He is your wellspring to life. Amen. Namaste.
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Posted in General Posts by Katie Howard on 10/22/2011
Loved that show.
I have lived in fear my whole life. Fear of failing, therefore not trying. Fear of finding freedom- what if I actually do find peace? And fear of rejection- what if they don't like me?
Well, this week (Training Camp), has made it very apparent to me that I can no longer live life like that.
Satan has lost the battle, which is not the end of the war but I have not acknowledged his plan for my failure. Realization is a BEAUtiful thing.
I no longer want to live in the shadows but in the light, where freedom reigns.. where I can step and stumble but I will not fail. I have fallen in LOVE with people that I did not know existed and experiences that I did not know could exist; that is what the World Race is about- God's Freedom, Love, and Happiness. I walked onto the WR campsite and I thought, my God I am at a Christian Woodstock. And it is awesome.
I PRAY that I will continue to walk through the darkness and into the light with these people.. they have touched my heart and honestly I can't let go. Therefore when the fear of rejection and frequent let downs arise, loosing them creeps into my mind and the decision to take a chance proceeds with conviction. In my mind, body, and soul I know that that step triumphs all.
My life verse- Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding; acknowledge Him in all your ways and he will direct your path. Proverbs 3:5
Thank you. Amen. Namaste.
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