48 Days of Living Out of a Suitcase

I started living out of a suitcase on June 1, 2017 and that is when #kathysadventures2017 began. This week I happily unpacked everything!

Over the last 6 1/2 weeks I traveled more than 4,800 kilometers over land and sea (and didn’t throw up overboard) and slept in at least 20 different beds. I loved every stop, every visit and every connecting time I had with others. But I won’t lie, I’m happy to be back home and no longer living out of a suitcase!

I absolutely loved seeing so many people, and I know I missed a lot along the way as well. I loved being able to share about what I do, what I love and about what God is doing. I met many new faces and made new friends as well. I loved having coffee with good friends, mentors and life-giving people, it ‘filled me up’! I only wish my time hadn’t gone by so quickly – those moments were so great.

I was also able to take my first visit to Newfoundland this year. Wow! I now know why they call it God’s country, because it truly is. Multiple times while travelling I wished I could blink and take a photo, so many amazing sites. I saw my first iceberg and sadly missed the whales, they came out after I left, or so I heard.

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GOAL UPDATE: My goals while in Canada, to raise $25,000 for the ministry of Schools of Hope and to get 60 of our children sponsored through ChildCARE Plus.

Schools of Hope Funds Needed: $13,900
ChildCARE Plus Sponsorships Needed: 32 children

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If you would like to help us reach our goal by the end of August please click the links above for ways to give online or to sponsor a child. Or call 1-800-779-7262 to speak to someone in person.

I love that I get to be a part of God’s big adventure … you can too!

Check out some of our videos on the Schools of Hope Facebook page to see how sponsorship impacts families and even sponsors.

Walking with God

 

Recently, I sat in on a staff meeting with a church that supports Schools of Hope.  I was actually there to share about what we’re up to, but God decided to speak to me through a devotional that the Pastor shared with his staff. He began to share this popular verse but where he went after was very relevant for me and I’m pretty sure many others in the room.

He specifically talked about the phrase ‘walk humbly with your God’. The part that stuck out most to me was this: We often come before God in humility asking Him to help us in our weakness, which is great, but we often do not ask God to help us in our strengths. Which is often where we need humbling the most.

I know that I am guilty of walking in confidence in areas that I am good at. And often, I do not go to God in prayer and ask for His help, until later or after those plans do not work. Anyone else with me on this?

What if I went to God with all things? Which we know the Bible does say we should do. What if I asked God to help me in my areas of strengths? Where I think I’ve got it all together.

Humility is a very fine line. When the pendulum swings one way – we are like Jesus, but if it swings the opposite way – we are full of pride and self. I don’t know about you, but I would rather be more like Jesus. So God did some convicting in my spirit that day. He reminded me that He wants to be a part of all of my plans – not just the ones I ask Him to help me with. He wants to help me in my weaknesses and in my strengths. This is how I can walk humbly with him… every step of the way.

20 years… Wow!

On July 1, 1997 I started something that I never imagined would be the beginning of something amazing.  I started as the Children’s Pastor at New Life Assembly in Petrolia, Ontario. Honestly, I can’t believe it’s been 20 years!!!! How is that even possible?

When I graduated Bible College in May of that year, I had plans to go teach ESL with my roommate and pay off my school debts, but God had other plans. I never imagined that I would find my dream job at 21 years old, but I did. I remember the interview process like it was yesterday… well most it. I met with the pastors and board 3 times before I was proposed to, to take the position of children’s pastor. Yes, proposed to. First and only time that’s happened!!!

I have so many fond memories of my time there. It was the best first place in ministry ever. I grew as a woman, as a pastor and developed many leadership skills I still use today. I had the best mentors and best team around me. I believe with all my heart, that those foundational years have made me who I am today. God was so good. I know many other friends who had not so good ministry experiences, especially fresh out of bible college. I am so grateful for my time (7 1/2 years) at New Life because it prepared me to then move on to Parkwood in Windsor, where I served for almost 10 years.

 

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As I hit this milestone it causes me to reflect on the goodness of God. There have been some amazing highs and some very low lows. If I’m honest, there were days I wanted out, well more like weeks and months. But, I know I am where I am today because of them. And I’m grateful that I pushed through the ‘lows’ because that is when God stretched me and I did a lot of growing, personally and spiritually.

When I was 7 years old, I knew I wanted to be a missionary.
When I was a teenager I felt God’s call to go to bible college and study missions.
My path in children’s ministries doesn’t seem to fit, but God was preparing me throughout those years to be doing what I’m doing in Honduras today. And I wouldn’t change any of it!

 

My life verse: Psalm 78:4-7
This is truly my desire, as long as I live, serve and breath.