Inspiration when we need it

Today I read James 4:17 "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." and was severely convicted. I even spoke on this section of James for my PDS final my 3rd semester. What truth to read now. These last several weeks I have been slightly depressed with the thought of leaving everything behind to follow Christ's calling in my life. I kept thinking "I am just holding onto this hope that what God has for me out here is huge and I wanna be apart of it." It helps me to live every day a little bit easier. However, what James is saying here is if you know without a doubt what you are supposed to do and don't do it, then you are sinning. Yes SINNING. If I chose to leave Amsterdam and go home now, it wouldn't be a small "oh I tried and wasn't strong enough to succeed story" it would be a "God gave me this life because He knows that through Him I can handle it, even when the 'going get tough' He is with me and it would be a complete SIN to leave this behind." What a sobering message.

Today I also watched the movie Soul Surfer. I knew that I would one, cry, and two, be so inspired to conquer the world after watching it. I was right. I don't want to just skim by this life never giving my complete all. That would simply be a sin and just completely foolish. Yes, the life I have here in Amsterdam may be sacrificial in some ways but its nothing compared to the opportunities that will arise, or the lives God wants to save, or the love that I can spread through Jesus.

God, I think I am now ready to receive your plans here in Amsterdam, please use me, I'm fully yours and fully open.

Time to get to work.

I must decrease so that He can increase

Tonight I had dinner with Elisabeth, our Shine Seminar leader. It was encouraging beyond words to hear her heart. She is a beautiful and gifted woman who gives all glory to Christ. We both have a heart to see the broken redeemed and restored. Something that the Lord has told us both in the last few months was that the work He wants to do here in the Red Light District of Amsterdam is truly bigger than we could ever imagined. I am so encouraged and was reminded of why I am here. Although I am nothing, I serve a BIG God who is everything. He chose me to be apart of what He is doing here and I am flabbergasted. I can't wait to see what He does.

Also a neat short story and prayer request; today while walking around the city me and 3 new staff members (whom I had met today) was stopped by an 8 month pregnant woman with 2 young kids. She spoke no Dutch or English but had a horrible map of the address she was looking for. We took her bags from her (she was carrying a heavy backpack, and two suit cases) and asked around til we found her destination. It was then clear that she was running. From who or where I do not know. But when she hugged me and kissed me on the cheek saying "dank you, dank you" my heart just sank. I wanted to make sure she was going to be ok, but knew it is the safest for her to be hidden. Please pray that whatever she is running from stays far away from her and that this scared refugee finds the comfort and peace she needs, as well as hope for her and her kids.

I made it back to Amsterdam

My life has been a stress case getting everything done and prepared to be here. Now I am here and I have a full week to settle in. It's amazing. This time around I definitely shed more tears than I ever have but thats normal. Every time I had ever left for some place I always had a ticket back home or would be coming home within 3 to 4 months even if it was for a few days, this time I'm not sure when I will be back home to visit, it will probably be no earlier than a year. Truly every few mins (the past two days) I have had to remind myself that God has called me here and I am in the place I need to be, because its easy to go back to my comfortable home in San Diego. But my life is the Lord's and I trust Him with it fully.

On a different note, I got to see my some of my teammates after I had arrived (that is after I took a nap :) It was so great to see them, and their kids. I got to feed and rock a 4 month old twin to sleep and my heart was so happy. Not being able to hold my little 6 week old nephew, Ethan, for a while is hard but I love how the Lord brought two babies and a toddler and a little girl Lucy's age into my life to help with missing my nieces and nephews.

The weather here is beautiful. It's been raining on and off (for those of you who don't know I LOVE rain) and when its not its got bursts of sunlight. It's been a lot colder than San Diego, between 45 and 50 degrees. Good thing I've got my sweaters and gloves stored away in a suitcase at The Lighthouse building which I half forgot half left there when I came back to my home after visiting last night. One, I am hoping to move over there in a couple weeks and since I don't have a car I will have to travel by bus with my luggage and leaving it is just one more thing I don't have to bring, and two, I rode my bike back which has been stored at The Lighthouse after I left in April. My friend just gave it to me, it was such a blessing! Riding back was great, its so much easier and faster getting around than just walking and cheaper than taking the bus! Now lets hope I can manage riding it around with a bunch of other fast, experienced bikers!

Also I am finally adding emails from the list I got at my Meet & Greet at Foothills, if you didn't receive an email from me please email me with yours so that I know to add you at KatyBeStill@Gmail.com it really is nice to stay in touch while I'm away. Knowing I have people back home supporting me in what I do and praying for me makes a HUGE difference.


A few things to pray for:
-I am applying for my visa shortly and being that the price TRIPLED in Euros in the last few months I need the last chunk and to be accepted!
-That my heart would be right and that I would dive into the Word even more here
-Also because this being a Missionary is quite new to me that I would know what to do and how to do it Biblically.

Thank you guys for loving and supporting me through everything!