So much has happened in the few short weeks since I last posted! My kids have completed their EOG's, profile cards are done, cumulative folders are complete, report cards are drafted and proofed, met my new class for next year, prepared all paperwork for the 11-12 school year, 12 days of subplans complete, and an emotional goodbye to my class. Now the fun begins!
You know, I've always heard it said that trials reveal your true character, and I must say the past few weeks have revealed the ugly side of Katie Holloman at times. I've always known that I like to have "control" of my life, but it hasn't been until the recent weeks as life was going 100mph and the To Do List was multiplying at exponential rates, that I realized just how much I like to have control. I have been a wreck and miserable to be around, to be quite honest, as I try to juggle my overflowing plate that has frequently been out of control. However, God revealed to me Friday night, that I need to make sure I take time to smell the roses. It had been a long and emotional day, sleep had not been occurring for days, I was hot, sweaty, and had 50 errands, to run, one of which included a BBQ with some of my favorite people (the 4th grade team). The BBQ was at 6:30, and upon arriving home at 5, I picked up the phone to call and cancel. I just couldn't be one more place, not to mention my attitude was less than peachy. I decided to get a shower, and just head over, despite how I felt. On the way I began to relax, and realize it was now time to focus on Nairobi and what God was going to do there. My attitude was changing, just as I got behind a car going 25mph the whole way to Cindy's house!!!! Being the control freak I am, I HATE to be late, and as I was already running late, this stupid car was making me even more late!! Needless to say, the sour attitude quickly returned, and I just wanted to get to Cindy's house, hold my sweet baby Ben, and go to my happy place. As I pulled into her driveway I realized that there were A LOT more cars than just the five of us. I walked in the door and realized this party was really for me. . . on the verge of tears, I suddenly realized that I have allowed life to rob me of my joy! I have let my need to be in constant control prevent me from realizing the beauty of this journey. I praise the Lord for the amazing blessing of these people in my life, and for using them to help me realize I need to take a step back and appreciate the moments I am giving, even in the middle of the chaos.
After a good night's sleep, I'm now able to relax and enjoy the journey! Most things are in place for me to leave, items have been laid out, ready to pack, and I'm heading to Mom & Dad's today to celebrate Father's Day a little early, and pick up some last minute items.
Please pray for our team in the following areas:
1.) Rest and peace as we complete last minute preparations
2.) Unity of spirit as we join from various places to accomplish a common goal
3.) Safety and health as we face 36 hrs of flight, sleepless nights, and exposure to the elements
4.) Open hearts for the people we will meet and for our team as we allow God to mold and change us
5.) Cooperation from all traveling agencies we encounter, and safe arrival of our luggage!
My HOPE is that we will be able to update a few times while I'm gone, so check back every once in a while for updates and uploads!
I can't thank you all enough for your prayers, love, support, and financial support! I am blessed. ..
Kate
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
We Are Members of One Body
I thought it was about time to update my blog, as today marks the one month countdown until I board a plane and head on the adventure of a lifetime!! Since my last post, I've secured a new passport (a much more frustrating experience than the last time), received multiple shots and medications, and had multiple opportunities to bond with my team. In each step of this journey, I try to take a step back and reflect on how God is using each step of this process to reveal more of Himself to me.
The greatest truth that has been revealed to me the past few weeks, is that we truly are members of one body, created for relationship and fellowship with each other in the love of Christ. A few Monday's ago, one of our team members, Greg, invited us to his family's home for dinner. As we all sat around the table, I meditated on the divine appointment we each had to be part of this journey together. We are quite the interesting bunch; a father with his teenage daughter, a young family from Kenya with two precious daughters, three teachers with various levels of experience, two young professionals, and a mother with her two college sons from Boston. We have all traveled different paths to bring us to this appointed time, and Christ has worked very differently in our lives, but we all share a love of our Lord and a desire to see people come to know him and understand the depths of His love! As different as we are, God has sought to bring us all together to accomplish his purpose. Only in the family of God would this work so well. I am reminded of the new testament scriptures that tell us that each child of the King is created with specific and important gifts, and we must join as a body to use our gifts. We are most effective when we function as a body, uniting our gifts, rather than seeking our own paths. As we have all spent time together, it's amazing how God has been revealing our individual strengths that compliment others' weaknesses.
We continue to seek your earnest prayers, as the orphanage has faced multiple challenges in recent weeks. Funding to complete the new building has run short, so we are praying for the Lord's provision. They also recently received notification from the owner of the building they currently reside in stating they are to move by the end of the month. This presents many challenges, as the new buildings are not yet ready for the children. We know God has a divine plan, and we prayerfully ask for his provision, direction, and discernment.
As we near our departure date, several of us are also facing personal challenges, yours truly in particular. I ask that you continue to pray that Satan does not get my attention, but that I continue to keep my eyes and heart focused on the work God is doing, and going to do, in and through me. I am a vessel of the Savior, and I desire to be used as He sees fit. I'm learning to let go of control, and let the Lord lead. . . I'm more type A than I thought ;)
I appreciate all of your support, love, and prayers!
Until next time. . .
The greatest truth that has been revealed to me the past few weeks, is that we truly are members of one body, created for relationship and fellowship with each other in the love of Christ. A few Monday's ago, one of our team members, Greg, invited us to his family's home for dinner. As we all sat around the table, I meditated on the divine appointment we each had to be part of this journey together. We are quite the interesting bunch; a father with his teenage daughter, a young family from Kenya with two precious daughters, three teachers with various levels of experience, two young professionals, and a mother with her two college sons from Boston. We have all traveled different paths to bring us to this appointed time, and Christ has worked very differently in our lives, but we all share a love of our Lord and a desire to see people come to know him and understand the depths of His love! As different as we are, God has sought to bring us all together to accomplish his purpose. Only in the family of God would this work so well. I am reminded of the new testament scriptures that tell us that each child of the King is created with specific and important gifts, and we must join as a body to use our gifts. We are most effective when we function as a body, uniting our gifts, rather than seeking our own paths. As we have all spent time together, it's amazing how God has been revealing our individual strengths that compliment others' weaknesses.
We continue to seek your earnest prayers, as the orphanage has faced multiple challenges in recent weeks. Funding to complete the new building has run short, so we are praying for the Lord's provision. They also recently received notification from the owner of the building they currently reside in stating they are to move by the end of the month. This presents many challenges, as the new buildings are not yet ready for the children. We know God has a divine plan, and we prayerfully ask for his provision, direction, and discernment.
As we near our departure date, several of us are also facing personal challenges, yours truly in particular. I ask that you continue to pray that Satan does not get my attention, but that I continue to keep my eyes and heart focused on the work God is doing, and going to do, in and through me. I am a vessel of the Savior, and I desire to be used as He sees fit. I'm learning to let go of control, and let the Lord lead. . . I'm more type A than I thought ;)
I appreciate all of your support, love, and prayers!
Until next time. . .
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
God's Provision & Unexpected Blessings
It's hard to believe that it has been over a month since I have updated my blog! To those who were concerned, I am indeed still alive and heading to Kenya! The month of March was a rather challenging one as I was plagued with illness twice and trying to balance way too many plates. However, I am happy to report that I came out unscathed, and have learned much about the Lord through the past six weeks. I've tried to write this blog numerous times, but I can't seem to get it just right. I have finally decided that it is what it is, and the Lord can use my fumbled words to touch those He wants to touch regardless.
For those of you who know me well, you know that I am a Type A planner to the "T." I like to know everything in advance, I thrive on organization, and I avoid failure and uncertainty at any cost. Unfortunately for me, life doesn't run on a perfectly organized timeline. In the past six weeks, the Lord has really "rocked my world" for a lack of better words, but I am coming to realize that my world needed to be rocked, in fact, it needed an earthquake.
When I decided to go to Africa, I had no doubt that the Lord was calling me there, and I had no worry about his provision both financially, spiritually, and physically (time and energy). I trusted that he would provide for me every step of the way to see that I was able to fulfill His purpose; well that was until I hit the first unexpected speed bump. I tend to be very trusting until events take place in which I don't have a sense of control, as I think many of us would say is the case. Believe it or not, the first speed bump I hit was the illness I had this winter. I knew that January to June was going to be a very busy time in my life, but being the Type A organizer that I am, I had it all planned out so that I could be as efficient as possible. I had fundraisers to attend and plan, school responsibilities, church responsibilities, planning for Passion Ft. Worth, etc. Then I got sick, not once, but twice. Now, in the grand scheme of things, I was sick with just minor infections, but for someone who has taught for 6 years and never missed school because of being sick, this rocked my world. My entire timeline was thrown off balance. I could no longer push myself to function at my usual pace, but taking time to rest meant the rest of my life would enter a season of chaos. In the midst of the chaos, my car needed rather expensive, unforseen repairs twice that left me without transportation. This meant I was missing meetings with my Africa team, school, church events, etc. Things were no longer in my control. Just as I began to enter my pity party and fret about how I was going to get everything done, something supernatural occurred. A very close friend of mine delivered a little miracle named Ben. We had been preparing for Ben for months. She followed all the doctors orders and took every precaution necessary. We all anxiously awaited his arrival, but were unprepared for what would occur at his birth. Ben had a rather difficult entry into this world, and soon after we would learn that Ben has special needs. My heart ached for days at the trials my friend would be facing, and how her "big plans" for sweet Ben were simply crushed in an instant. This wasn't in her "plan." We had it all figured out, or so we thought. All of the sudden my wacked out timeline and petty infections didn't seem like a big deal. Why would the Lord allow this to happen, she did everything right? Then, as if Jesus was in the flesh performing a miracle, I watched as a worried mother and precious friend was overcome by a peace that passes all understanding. I watched her embrace every challenge with grace, and she had a peace in knowing that God has a bigger plan. I then watched as God used this sweet baby boy (who is secretly mine) to change the hearts of many people. I quickly realized that even though we may plan everything in life exactly the way we anticipate it to go, God has an ultimate plan. Rather than fretting over losing control, and worrying as to whether or not God knows what He is doing, we must take comfort in knowing that as Jeremiah 29:11 states, God knows the plans He has for us, and they are greater than we could ever imagine! God used this "unexpected blessing" in the form of a precious baby boy to change many lives, and He will do that with my journey to Africa if I have full trust in His provision and direction.
Ben would be only the first of many lessons I would begin to learn on this journey. As I was able to successfully survive the month of March, I could not have ended it in a better way than to head to Passion Ft. Worth with some of the most amazing people I know! God used Passion, as He always has, to confirm that I am called to go. . . to carry His name. I carry so many "names" around with me everyday, yet those names mean nothing if I am not carrying the name above all names!
I have also come to realize that, although I had "planned and anticipated" that I would be used to spread His name in Africa, God is using this very event to spread his name here, at home. I have been amazed, and often speechless, at the numerous opportunities and discussions that have been placed before me to share about my Savior through this journey. As people learn where I am going and what I am doing, it has opened the door for me to share about my Jesus. I have been able to share that He's not a figure head that forces me to go to church on Sunday and live inside a legalistic box. Rather, He is a loving Savior who desires nothing more than for me to engage in the work He is doing to share with others that He is the way, truth, and life. He is freedom, and most importantly, He is love.
The Lord continues to provide for this journey I am on. I am happy to report that thanks to the generosity of many people who are so dear to me, I have surpassed my fundraising goal! In fact, a few weeks ago, I said to my mom, "You know, I'm so blessed to have raised substantial support, but it is all in the Hope account, and I can't access any of that to help cover out of pocket expenses, such as several hundreds of dollars in medical fees, and I just wish I could use that to help me." By only the grace of God, I returned from Texas to find the exact amount needed in personal checks to me in my mailbox! Now, can I just say, the Lord provides! We have held three successful fundraisers, and we are continuing to collect contributions to be used for the purchase of books when we get to Kenya.
Please continue to pray for our team. We are now beginning the spiritual preparation for our trip, and as you know, when you are following the direction of the Lord, Satan is right behind you biting at your ankles the whole way. I continue to claim the verses in Philippians 3:12-14. I do not claim to know it all, or be anywhere close to perfect, however, I do know that Christ has a work for me, so I press on to the goal He has set before me!
In Christ,
Katie
For those of you who know me well, you know that I am a Type A planner to the "T." I like to know everything in advance, I thrive on organization, and I avoid failure and uncertainty at any cost. Unfortunately for me, life doesn't run on a perfectly organized timeline. In the past six weeks, the Lord has really "rocked my world" for a lack of better words, but I am coming to realize that my world needed to be rocked, in fact, it needed an earthquake.
When I decided to go to Africa, I had no doubt that the Lord was calling me there, and I had no worry about his provision both financially, spiritually, and physically (time and energy). I trusted that he would provide for me every step of the way to see that I was able to fulfill His purpose; well that was until I hit the first unexpected speed bump. I tend to be very trusting until events take place in which I don't have a sense of control, as I think many of us would say is the case. Believe it or not, the first speed bump I hit was the illness I had this winter. I knew that January to June was going to be a very busy time in my life, but being the Type A organizer that I am, I had it all planned out so that I could be as efficient as possible. I had fundraisers to attend and plan, school responsibilities, church responsibilities, planning for Passion Ft. Worth, etc. Then I got sick, not once, but twice. Now, in the grand scheme of things, I was sick with just minor infections, but for someone who has taught for 6 years and never missed school because of being sick, this rocked my world. My entire timeline was thrown off balance. I could no longer push myself to function at my usual pace, but taking time to rest meant the rest of my life would enter a season of chaos. In the midst of the chaos, my car needed rather expensive, unforseen repairs twice that left me without transportation. This meant I was missing meetings with my Africa team, school, church events, etc. Things were no longer in my control. Just as I began to enter my pity party and fret about how I was going to get everything done, something supernatural occurred. A very close friend of mine delivered a little miracle named Ben. We had been preparing for Ben for months. She followed all the doctors orders and took every precaution necessary. We all anxiously awaited his arrival, but were unprepared for what would occur at his birth. Ben had a rather difficult entry into this world, and soon after we would learn that Ben has special needs. My heart ached for days at the trials my friend would be facing, and how her "big plans" for sweet Ben were simply crushed in an instant. This wasn't in her "plan." We had it all figured out, or so we thought. All of the sudden my wacked out timeline and petty infections didn't seem like a big deal. Why would the Lord allow this to happen, she did everything right? Then, as if Jesus was in the flesh performing a miracle, I watched as a worried mother and precious friend was overcome by a peace that passes all understanding. I watched her embrace every challenge with grace, and she had a peace in knowing that God has a bigger plan. I then watched as God used this sweet baby boy (who is secretly mine) to change the hearts of many people. I quickly realized that even though we may plan everything in life exactly the way we anticipate it to go, God has an ultimate plan. Rather than fretting over losing control, and worrying as to whether or not God knows what He is doing, we must take comfort in knowing that as Jeremiah 29:11 states, God knows the plans He has for us, and they are greater than we could ever imagine! God used this "unexpected blessing" in the form of a precious baby boy to change many lives, and He will do that with my journey to Africa if I have full trust in His provision and direction.
Ben would be only the first of many lessons I would begin to learn on this journey. As I was able to successfully survive the month of March, I could not have ended it in a better way than to head to Passion Ft. Worth with some of the most amazing people I know! God used Passion, as He always has, to confirm that I am called to go. . . to carry His name. I carry so many "names" around with me everyday, yet those names mean nothing if I am not carrying the name above all names!
I have also come to realize that, although I had "planned and anticipated" that I would be used to spread His name in Africa, God is using this very event to spread his name here, at home. I have been amazed, and often speechless, at the numerous opportunities and discussions that have been placed before me to share about my Savior through this journey. As people learn where I am going and what I am doing, it has opened the door for me to share about my Jesus. I have been able to share that He's not a figure head that forces me to go to church on Sunday and live inside a legalistic box. Rather, He is a loving Savior who desires nothing more than for me to engage in the work He is doing to share with others that He is the way, truth, and life. He is freedom, and most importantly, He is love.
The Lord continues to provide for this journey I am on. I am happy to report that thanks to the generosity of many people who are so dear to me, I have surpassed my fundraising goal! In fact, a few weeks ago, I said to my mom, "You know, I'm so blessed to have raised substantial support, but it is all in the Hope account, and I can't access any of that to help cover out of pocket expenses, such as several hundreds of dollars in medical fees, and I just wish I could use that to help me." By only the grace of God, I returned from Texas to find the exact amount needed in personal checks to me in my mailbox! Now, can I just say, the Lord provides! We have held three successful fundraisers, and we are continuing to collect contributions to be used for the purchase of books when we get to Kenya.
Please continue to pray for our team. We are now beginning the spiritual preparation for our trip, and as you know, when you are following the direction of the Lord, Satan is right behind you biting at your ankles the whole way. I continue to claim the verses in Philippians 3:12-14. I do not claim to know it all, or be anywhere close to perfect, however, I do know that Christ has a work for me, so I press on to the goal He has set before me!
In Christ,
Katie
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Faith Like a Child & Thirty One
It's amazing how the enemy will attack you from every direction when you are following the will of the Lord. It seems like from the moment I made the commitment to go to Kenya, I have been inundated with challenges. Ironically, many of these challenges are positive things, but they have been used to steal my time and focus from what should be a priority. Over recent weeks I have been plagued by doubt as to whether the Lord will provide, and questions about how such a small group of us are going to accomplish the work the Lord has set before us. However, for every time the enemy using his clever tactics to distract me, the Lord in His sovereignty helps me see that He is behind me and guiding me on this journey. It is no accident that my Bible study in recent weeks has been from Mark where Jesus asked the disciples to have a childlike faith, and to just believe. Yesterday, when I was completely overwhelmed with stress and anxiety, I read Mark 11:12-26. Christ is telling his disciples that whatever they ask they shall receive, but they must believe. So, I am asking in faith that Christ lead our team and provide for all of our needs. I ask that you pray the same as well.
Now, onto the EXCITING news, especially for you ladies!!! A friend of Anne who is traveling with us to Africa sells Thirty-One products (adorable handbags & accesories that can be monogrammed from a company based on Proverbs 31). She has agreed to hold a fundraiser for us and donate her commission to every item sold to help with our trip. There will be an open "party" at the Aversboro Coffeehouse on February 27 from 2-4. If you are at all interested, but cannot make it to the event, you can also purchase items online. Please click the link below and make sure when you place your order you click Kenya Benefit so that we can get the proceeds:
www.mythirtyone.com/marla
There is also a February special: February's customer special: For EVERY $31 spent, guests receive a second item at 31% off. When entering an order, guests must add a "S" (sale) after the order number for their sale item. Note: $31 (before tax/shipping) must be input before the sale item will become effective.
Now, onto the EXCITING news, especially for you ladies!!! A friend of Anne who is traveling with us to Africa sells Thirty-One products (adorable handbags & accesories that can be monogrammed from a company based on Proverbs 31). She has agreed to hold a fundraiser for us and donate her commission to every item sold to help with our trip. There will be an open "party" at the Aversboro Coffeehouse on February 27 from 2-4. If you are at all interested, but cannot make it to the event, you can also purchase items online. Please click the link below and make sure when you place your order you click Kenya Benefit so that we can get the proceeds:
www.mythirtyone.com/marla
There is also a February special: February's customer special: For EVERY $31 spent, guests receive a second item at 31% off. When entering an order, guests must add a "S" (sale) after the order number for their sale item. Note: $31 (before tax/shipping) must be input before the sale item will become effective.
- Embroidery is just $6 (No set up fees or price per letter)
If you are at all interested in helping us, please let me know, and I can send you in the right direction! Keep the prayers coming!
Katie
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Let the Adventure Begin!!
Katie is Kenya bound! For those of you who do not know, this June I will be traveling to Kenya, Africa. I am traveling with a small team of teachers from my church to work in a Christian school and orphanage. Although I could spend pages detailing the journey Christ has brought me on, I will just give you a brief summary of how the Lord has orchestrated events over the past year. Many of you are aware that for years I have wanted to once again travel abroad to do mission work, yet the Lord has not seen fit to make that happen, and at times I have not been obedient when he has opened a door. About two years ago I began to seek missions opportunities, and in the fall of 2009, I had applied for a year long missions excursion. I was accepted, yet the Lord slammed that door shut (for those of you who know me well, I sometimes don't listen when it's simply closed, so Jesus needed to SLAM it for me). Last summer, I realized that I could no longer leisurely seek opportunities, but I needed to actively pursue the passions Christ had placed in my heart. I completely surrendered my life to what Christ has for me. In October, a dear friend and fellow teacher Anne, shared with me a CRAZY story about a student in her classroom whose family began a Christian orphanage and school in Kenya. Not only were they the founders, but they wanted her to come visit, and bring friends! Little did we know, this would lead to a mission's team traveling to Kenya in June to help them develop a library in their new facility! It's amazing as I reflect on the journey I have been on in the past year, and how God has been refining me spiritually in preparation for this adventure. I cannot begin to put to words how much Christ has revealed to me about His character and my relationship with Him.
I will close this post for now, but I cannot wait to share this adventure with you, both the struggles and successes!
Love to you all!
I will close this post for now, but I cannot wait to share this adventure with you, both the struggles and successes!
Love to you all!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)