Kisses from Katie

I’ve started reading Kisses from Katie lately and it is so inspiring. It falls right in line with many of the books I’ve read in the last few years: Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper, Crazy Love by Francis Chan, Prisoners of Hope by Heather Mercer and Dayna Curry. All are worthy reads.

“You see, Jesus wrecked my life. For as long as I could remember, I had everything this world sys is important. In high school, I was class president, homecoming queen, top of my class. I dated cute boys and wore cute shows and drove a cute sports car. I had wonderful, supportive parents who so desired my success that they would have paid for me to go to college anywhere my heart desires. But I loved Jesus. And the fact that I loved Jesus was beginning to interfere with the plans I once had for my life and certainly with the plans others had for me. My heart had been apprehended by a great love, a love that compelled me to live differently.”

“During the first few months I lived in Uganda, in the fall of 2007, I wrote, ‘Sometimes working in a Third World country makes me feel like I am emptying the ocean with an eyedropper.’ Today, it often still feels that way. I have learned to be okay with this feeling because I have learned that I will not change the world. Jesus will do that. I can, however, change the world for one person…and if one person sees the love of Christ in me, it is worth every minute. In fact, it is worth spending my life for."”

“Daily, the Jesus who wrecked my life enables me to do so much more than I ever thought possible.”

“People often ask if I think my life is dangerous, if I am afraid. I am much more afraid of remaining comfortable. …But I am living in the midst of the uncertainty and risk, amid things that can and do bring physical destruction, because I am running from things that can destroy my soul: complacency, comfort, and ignorance. I am much more terrified of living a comfortable life in a self-serving society and failing to follow Jesus than I am of any illness or tragedy.”

“Jesus called His followers to be a lot of things, but I have yet to find where He warned us to be safe.”

"...But God continued to show me that adoption is His heart, and it was becoming mine. Adoption is wonderful and beautiful and the greatest blessing I have ever experienced. Adoption is also difficult and painful. Adoption is a beautiful picture of redemption. It is the Gospel in my living room."

“Adoption is a redemptive response to tragedy that happens in this broken world. And every single day, it is worth it, because adoption is God’s heart. His Word says, ‘In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will.’ (Ephesians 1:5). He sets the lonely in families (Psalm 68:6). The first word that appears when I look adoption in the dictionary is ‘acceptance.’  God accepts me, adores me even, just as I am. And He wants me to accept those without families into my own.”

“I didn’t believe it was possible to tell a child about the love of Christ without simultaneously showing her love by feeding her, clothing her, inviting her in. If a child has never known what love is, how can we expect him to accept the love of his Savior until we first make that love tangible?”

“People are people. They all need food and water and medicine, but mostly they need love and truth and Jesus. I can do that. We can do that. We can give people food, water, medicine, love, truth, and Jesus.  The same God created all of us for a purpose, which is to serve Him and to love and care for His people. It is universal. We can’t do it in our own strength or out of our own resources, but as we follow God to wherever He is leading us, He makes the impossible happen.”

“God was teaching me the same lessons He desires to teach every single one of His children, He just chose to bring me to Uganda to do it while others can learn right where they are. My life looked different than most because I’d made different choices than most. But making different choices didn’t make me superhuman. In fact, every day was filled with reminders, sometimes painful reminders, of my human emotions, human desires, and human limitations.”

Ok, I started this post a few days ago. It’s now 1 am and I have to get up in 5 hours, but I can’t sleep until I finish this.  These quotes are from the first fourth of the book. There is so much more, and I don’t just mean theology and philosophy. There are stories. Beautiful, amazing stories. How a girl in her young twenties can have such a grasp of theology and applying the truth of God’s Word is astonishing.  God has taught her amazing things at an incredibly fast rate. And her connection between faith and works is incredibly encouraging.

So here’s the bottom line: If you don’t read anything other (non-Bible) books this year, do yourself a favor and read this one. BUY it if you can.  You will be glad you did!