YWAM life

6/28/13

As always, I had a really great day today. I can't say that I love this place and the people enough.

We ventured off to to Idaho springs. 

It was amazing to go out and see the mountains and explore thru some shops. I got a fan for three dollars at a thrift store. It's so cute, small and it fits perfectly on my shelf. It does help a little, but my room has to cool off a little for it to even make a difference. It's also a heater but I don't want to turn that on for a very long time. In Idaho, the group and I stopped at this little shop, where we got root beer floats and shared French fries. So good!:) 

Tonight we got to watch a really neat teaching by Loren Cunningham (the one who started YWAM) and he told a lot about His life and stories of how he got to YWAM and what he had to change to get there. Speaking a lot about letting things go. Afterwards we all had the opportunity to put that into our own lives. God told me to make a list of things I needed to let go of. So I did!:) Afterwards, He told me to go lay down, and said that this was how I could lay it out at the alter for Him to take care of. So I shut my journal and laid down. Once I did this, i opened up my journal expecting to flip thru and find the page I just made the list on. I could NOT find it. I looked and looked and looked. It was just not there. So I just stopped for a moment and it was like I knew that, that is confirmation that God took all that up and I don't have to worry about it anymore. After I realized what He did, I just laughed. Everyone around me was crying and here I am just laughing out of pure joy and at God. He just amazes me. I then, got a bracelet that should be permanent and I'm glad. I'm glad that this little neon orange bracelet gets to have a story like this of God's relentless love and protection over me. I'm just so overwhelmed by it all.

Afterwards I went out side where the sky was just simply beautiful, with all different shades of blue coming towards us. A group of us just were hanging out in the lobby singing, talking and always laughing. 

We did have a good rain that carried a lot of lighting, which might of had something to do with the fire alarms going off. Nobody was freaking out, instead we were playing the ukulele, singing outside  and dancing in the rain. Nothing like it. The fire department didn't know what the cause of the fire alarms was, but allowed us back into the building to go on with our lives. 

Wildatheart

Katie Jones

Around the world

6/27/13

I had to wake up super early to take my last typhoid capsule for vaccinations that are required to travel. This going to bed late and wake up early thing, does not work for me. So I think soon I will be going to bed a lot earlier. 

I forgot to mention that yesterday we started morning quiet times. I'm excited about this because it means this is just one less thing to worry about fitting into a busy schedule. 

That way it's a part of our busy schedule's. 

So to be more specific about where I'm going during out reach.

1st -Costa Rica for 8 days, where we will be doing children's ministry, practical/hands on work and church encouragement. 

2nd-Europe (possible) for 8 days. Pray for details to fall into place.

They are looking at:Ireland, England, Holland and France. France is not likely but it's ok to keep it in your prayers! I love that place.

In one or more of these places, we will do a week of teaching as a part of the lecture phase. 

3rd- South Africa for 15 days where we will do some more children's ministry as well as youth and church ministry.

4th-Thailand for 14 days where we will do kids, youth, church ministry and evangelism.

5th stop-The Philippines for 14 days, where we will be doing kids ministry, slum ministry and church encouragement.

I think some of it is still in the works so just keep praying for all that. Y'all are awesome!:) 

I'm excited about all this. We start preparing for it next week while the other schools won't even worry about it for another 4 weeks. 

Great day today. The weather is great until I go into my room. I figured out the other day that my building doesn't have an ac, it's not in the budget and prayer is going into the funds to provide that. Pray for that. I'm blessed where I am though and I am fine with or without. Just reminds me how spoiled I was and it just makes me more thankful to be in an ac building. Thank The Lord that our class room has ac. I have been hearing so much positive about myself lately, that I can hardly believe it all. This doesn't happen everyday. But it has happened every day I have been here and we all pray it happens more. They say this is just the beginning and this is just a "honey moon" stage. I don't believe that. I believe we all became closely knit from the beginning for a reason and will stay this way to the end. I was sitting in an informational class yesterday and just the mention of leaving in 8 weeks without compassion (our other half/DTS)and the thought of not crossing paths in thailand made everyone sigh. This was just the 3rd DAY. Seriously. I love these people. I have never been able to say that before. Though I miss people back home, I wouldn't want to leave all this and these wonderful people I now call my YWAM family. I got the blessing to share a glimpse of my story today. I was not excited to do so and God really had to show me that nothing is wrong with it and that He would help me share what was necessary. And that's what He did. I couldn't have told it any better and the best part is God is just so entertaining, like what Graham Cooke has said before "He has such a sense of humor" and that's what flowed out of my mouth. I hadn't noticed anyone laugh so much until my story. It was appropriate and a lot of fun. I am so glad He is always In me, in some way, making things a little better and a little lighter on my shoulders.  Today God decided that I had enough of dishes and He didn't put me on the list to do dishes for my job around base (to keep base neat and tidy). Thank The Lord. Please pray I get child care as my job. They already have had a meeting for those people but, its not too late. And if not, pray I get a job that I will enjoy. 

YWAM does not just stand for "youth with a mission" but also "yes we arrange marriages" cause most people that eventually marry have met in YWAM. I have always said I thought I would meet someone that I would marry and say I met him in YWAM. That's possible. But that is God's plans. I just thought that was funny. 

I'm aiming towards videoing a song or two of worship soon and post it. So be looking forward to that:)

Wildatheart

Katie Jones

Willing heart

6/25/13

 

I have made it thru my second day as a YWAM student. It's great here! The weather was perfect! I am extremely thankful for that since it has been really hot. I also think I figured out where is cool in the day and where is not cool. My room is one of those places that is not cool in the day. The sun is always shining towards our bedroom. My roommates and I are constantly trying to figure out new places to put the 3 fans we have in the room where everyone can feel at peace. It's a tough thing, especially with bunk beds.

 Today in class,  was more of a "lets get to know each other" sort of thang. They welcomed us first thing this morning  with a big breakfast, having the staff serve us. It was amazing and showed just how much they truly care about us and want us here. The day ended with another welcome party with our own DTS. There are 4 DTS/secondary schools running right now and those are: compassion, Around the world, school of biblical foundations and wise. Around the world and compassion are one as of now, with few separations as well as separate outreaches. My DTS (Around the world/ATW) will leave in 8 weeks for outreach.

.

The party was fun! I found out who my small group leader is and I got to help teach the game "signs" to the group. I love this group! I am loving YWAM!:)

YWAM

Katie Jones

6/26/13

Worship was powerful this morning! I did not want to be done. The day before I was a little hesitant cause I was just so amazed at how it all works. Classes were bitter/sweet. "Bitter" due to the fact that the chairs make my butt numb/sore every time (I say that cause I am not the only one).  "Sweet" due to some amazing teaching on the flow of worship and fundraising (for those who don't have all the funds for their DTS and just some pure wisdom for everyone). Later a testimony was shared! After break we as individuals shared our testimonies in 5 minutes. I didn't get to, but I will at some point.  I also found out today my official destinations during out reach. We will leave for Costa Rica first and be there 2 weeks. Europe is an iffy next stop. Please be praying for communication, they are not communicating very well. I will be going to Thailand and the Philippines. I'm so stoked. 

Today I wrestled with a washing machine and dryer from 6-10:30. I think we made up and forgave each other..... after the fact but, I still wonder what the deal was. God has moments where he chews on me and let's me taste the sweet stuff but, this time he was blowing me up to the point of popping. 

All good now and all clean clothes! Ready for a few group pictures tomorrow. 

By the way my roommates and I figured out a fan system in the room that works. It's all good:)

Every night I listen to a prophetic word I got 2 weeks before I left. Every time it gives me chills, every time I get a little more passionate about this adventure, every time I get something different and every time God shows me something and then confirms it later.

During worship God told me to let Him break my heart for what breaks His! Not too long afterwards a guy came up to the microphone to give a word and said this very thing. It's a hard prayer to pray but, God doesn't pick just anyone to pray it. I know this journey is not going to be easy but I know it will be worth it. I see this as confirmation. 

"Nothing is Impossible to a

Willing heart" unknown (I have a wall writing back home that says this)

Wildatheart

Katie Jones

YWAM Family

6/24/13

I want to ask you to come with me on a journey! A journey that will challenge, cultivate, sharpen and equip me to become who God wants me to be. Today is my first day at school! I am sharing a room with 6 (as of now...might be a 7 soon) girls who are just so amazing! It has become a big surprise to me, that they all are so nice and welcoming. Coming from as far as Australia to England to Michigan. I am excited to call them my YWAM Family!

Today has been pretty relaxing. I have met two staff members with my name. So my name will more than likely always be said as "Katie J."

As of now I am unpacked and settled.  I am excited. I am ready. I am  willing. 

I love it here!:) This is Home!:)

Wildatheart

Katie Jones

YWAM post

6/21-23/13

Hey:)

This is my last post before life gets a little too busy. I should be on in a week to update. Today(Friday) is my last day in Amarillo! I can't believe how fast 7 years has come and gone since my family and I moved here from Wheeler , Tx. I know I will miss this place a lot and the people who have made a big impact on my life but, I also know how much of an anointing  is on this journey, I will officially embark on Monday. I'm nervous and this week, that has gotten so bad that it made me a little sick. Prayer works though.  God is bigger than a nervous bug. 

I'm excited to meet new people that are desiring to do, what I have wanted to do since I was 12. 

I was asked the other day "what does this trip really look like for me and what am I looking forward to?"

A deeper teaching! I have always either gotten a deep teaching or a wide teaching but never all at once. I think I'm going to get to see both of those on this trip. Growing up in Trinity Fellowship since I was 8, I'm used to seeing things happen! Whether it's a pastor who wrote a great sermon that touched many or a  big switch in youth going from a not so good reputation to a phenomenal reputation that has changed many. A YWAM DTS is something that once it has been done, you have the power to make things happen and that is something I want to do. I want to make things happen instead of just watch them happen.

Wildatheart-ready for a new adventure

Katie Jones

change

Change,

It's hard to think that soon I'll be leaving everything I know and entering something different! That warm feeling I get cuddling into my own bed, the clean feeling I get when I take a shower in my own shower with my own shampoo and conditioner, my needy cat loving me up (even if I have been gone only 2 days), the hugs and kisses I get from my 3 year old little sister and hearing "your the best sister in the world", the frantic busyness of youth nights in student ministries, staying up late hours to watch a movie on a Saturday night with the family, date nights with my dad or hours of shopping in a store with my mom, going up every isle! That's all about to be a rare opportunity! I don't want to think that I'm saying "goodbye" but I'm saying "see you later!" I don't want to think that it's gonna feel like forever before I see my favorite people! But it's something God has called me to do and I'm gonna do it, like it or not!
Isaiah 61:1 and 2
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.² to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

 I've dreamt this my whole life, why all of a sudden am I seeing how much I will miss "normal life"? That's just the thing, that is the beauty in the storm, the rainbow at the end of a good long rain! I'm about to pour out over several hundreds, if not thousands of people, whether I know it or not. God declares me a light when I walk into a room, my smile and joy can shine Him just about anywhere.

Matthew 5:14" you are the light of the world, a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden!"


This is what keeps me going, dreaming, longing, and running the race He has for me. I can't help but get excited but I'm also a little nervous. The nervousness is my lack of confidentiality in Him and I'm learning that I cannot settle for that! I HAVE to trust in Him completely.
He keeps giving me a feeling that He is gonna come thru for me in some way, I don't know what that is just yet but I believe it. Everything in me knows something is coming and it's exciting. I know that my new life will become a "normal life" again and that this "normal life" I talk of now, is gonna be a "different life" when I come back!
When I think of the road ahead I think of the people I will help and the things I will learn! I believe in changing people's lives, because I know God has changed my life in a mighty way, otherwise I would not be doing what I'm about to do or telling them what I'm about to tell.
When I think of the  road ahead, I think of the many different places I will go, experience and live in.
When I think of the road ahead, I think of broken people out there in the world, waiting for someone like me to give them just a little bit of hope and that is the hope of a savior. A savior that loved us so much that He gave His one and only son to die upon the cross for our sins and make a way for us to know Him better(Jeremiah 29:11 in my own words). That IS my mission and always has been.

I have always known that you don't have to travel the world to be a missionary, because the broken people I talk of, are also in my own town! Their are people in Amarillo Texas with no homes, or a home with little to nothing. Their are people out there who have lost everything and their are people out there that have everything but a savior. I could go on and I think you know that too.

After I graduate, I will be departing for Denver, Colorado to take a discipleship training school (DTS for short) around the world with youth with a mission (YWAM for short). This will have me 8 weeks in Denver studying with YWAM and 11 weeks traveling the world with them. I will travel to Costa Rica, South Africa, Lesotho, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. I'm too excited for words.
While I'm there for a total of 6 months, I plan on updating my blog frequently. Plans might change once I'm there, but I'll do my best.

Thanks for all your support and to those who have sown financial seeds into my ministry, it means a lot.

 

 

 

Katie Jones
Wild at heart

part one- What does a boundary look like

 Hey, everyone!

So I'm gonna try to start posting some more, which is a good thing cause I have a lot to talk about. But if any of you have any suggestions on what you would like me to talk about, I could definitely think about it, pray about it and possibly even post about it. Also I updated the look to this page so I hope you all like it

Life update
- I am now in my "half way there" marker with my senior year. It's exciting, scary and maybe a little sad. Seems like yesterday I was walking to class with my parents trailing behind me with a video camera in hand, videoing the entrance of my first day of school.

That's all I have as far as updates go.




Today I want to talk about boundaries. I'm reading a book called boundaries by Dr Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. I'm gonna start in chapter 2 and skip around, saying what stuck out to me and what I feel seems more important. Feel free to follow along by chapter to what I talk about or if you do not have the book just sit back and relax. (quotes are straight from the book)

Invisible property lines and responsibility

It is said that Boundaries are what define us.

Me and not me

The main goal of this chapter is to define your boundaries and recognize them as your reality to life that might even save your life. With Boundaries and knowing how far they range and what is crossing the line, we can do what we like within those boundaries. Otherwise Life becomes limited.
" think how confusing it would be if someone told you to "guard this property diligently , because I will hold you responsible for what happens here," and then did not tell you the boundaries of the property. Or they did not give you the means with which to protect the property? This would be not only confusing but also potentially dangerous"
Boundaries are what help us define what is in our soul, help us define what is our property and what is not our responsibility.We are not commanded to have "other-control even though in reality, we spend a lot of time doing so.

God and Boundaries

Boundaries naturally come from the nature of God. He is responsible for himself, just like we are. He uses boundaries through His personality and how he Guides us and what He tells us. He tells us that He is love and that He is not darkness (1 John 4:16; 1:6)
Did you know that He has boundaries in the Trinity. The Father, son and  the Holy spirit are one, but at the same time they are distinct persons with their own person hood and responsibilities, as well as conviction and love for one another (John 17:24)

Good in and bad out

"In short, boundaries help us keep the good in and the bad out. They guard our treasures (Matt 7:6) so that people will not steal them. They keep the pearls inside, and the pigs outside."
The bible backs up "confessing pain and sin helps to "get it out". "( 1 John 1.9; James 5:16; Mark 7:21-23)" boundaries are not meant to be walls to others, but as"one" (John 17:11)

Examples of boundaries

Boundaries help differentiate us from someone else and shows where we begin and end.

• skin-A Basic boundary referred to as your skin can be used as a metaphor that keeps the good in and the bad out and protects your bones, muscles, blood and organs, holding them all together.
• words- basic boundary setting word is "No". referred to as a confrontational word. The bible says in Matthew 18:15-20 say no to others sinful treatment to us. Thinking of things of which you "should do" is keeping you from enjoying the fruit of "self-control". Be specific in your words of where you stand. for example- "I like banana's but, I hate lemons!" lets others know what the rules of your yard is. (some phrases from the book)

Truth
I love when it says "realizing the truth of his unchangeable reality helps you define yourself in relation to Him: When He says that you will reap what  you sow. (Galatians 6:7)
and
"Honesty about who you are gives you the biblical value of integrity, or oneness"

Geographical Distance

Proverbs 22:3 says that :the prudent man sees the evil and hides himself."
I agree with the book when it says that "sometimes physically removing yourself from a situation will help maintain boundaries."
Limiting togetherness is also limited for the sake of binding evil.

 

Ok, so in part 2 I will go into great detail about:

-time

-emotional distance

-other people

-consequences

-what's within my boundaries?

-feelings

-attitudes and beliefs

 and in part 3

-behaviors

-choices

-values

-limits

-talents

-thoughts

-desires

-love

withing the next two weeks!

 

To end part one to our Boundaries sermon, I'm gonna let you listen to my newest favorite song.

 

 

-taming

Wildatheart

 

 

walking the walk and talking the talk

Hey everyone! Long time no post! Life is busy and im sure you all know how that feels.
little update about me:
-Im growing in my talents and that would be singing....for the longest of times i have put it in the closet to only bring it out every now and then when nobody was looking and I'm finally sick of that and so I'm moving past that. It's a good part of me defeating what the devil decided to take over.
- Future planning- what a task this is...I'm gonna be honest I thought I'd be going to YWAM for the DTS, get on staff and work full time missionary.....nope! God has different plans and those are later plans. Hillsong is looking like a strong chance if not close to it. All I know is I started an application and then it sent and I had no idea it sent till I got an email.
- Im in a christmas play called "Newman and Co." at my church Trinity Fellowship. I am a dancer and a singer in the finale. It's so much fun! Totally worth late nights and hours of practicing. Im loving every minute of it.

Enough updates for now....

You are probably wondering what my thoughts are behind my title. well it really is what is says it is.

 Today we all have a "thang" we do.
For instance, someone walks up to you, you say "hi, how are you?" but most of the time they really dont care about how you are. Half the time if not most of the time, that is what really happens.

Have you ever walked uo to someone and they ask you how you are and then don't even let you answer? More than likely it's happened to all of us.

 Another example is- someone walks up to you and you have not seen this person in a while. They say " Hey, haven't seen you in a while! We should totally hangout and talk some time!" Usually half the time when people say this, they don't really mean it.

A big one is- you tell someone that you have been sick so they say " aww, im so sorry. Ill be praying for you". Most of the time when people say this, they don't really do it or mean it

My point is, is that we all say things without even thinking or meaning it. It's what we all do.
But, Instead of giving you the solution to this, I'm gonna give you a challenge.
My challenge for you this week is to try and mean what you say. Walking the walk and Talking the talk.This may look like praying for someone when they tell you they're not doing so well, instead of just saying it.

Psalms 34: 13
"Keep the tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit"

Here is a cool video and song I really like. Enjoy!

 

 

Wildatheart- seeking the unknown

seeing, hearing and feeling the Holy spirit

Hey everyone! When time flies it soars and apparently I have been having way too much fun to post anything....I apologize! But then again I'm not a scheduled church service...I'm a vessel that He runs through so I really don't have any control of when I post.

Update

-Friday we finalized the adoption for Paisley Grace Jones and came home with a 2 year old
-Please keep me in your prayers! I'm going through a few trials and will need it!
-my mom got into a wreck a few weeks ago and is thankfully 100% fine and all intact...but her car was not... after a few weeks of waiting for it to get fixed it's as good as new! Thank the lord!
- I have raised all my funds for Europe and now I'm saving for my spending money! Yay!!!:) all those hard hours at chick-fil-a has paid off. Id like to thank most of you who contributed to my trip...y'all are a blessing and I don't know what I would do without you. I'm hoping to send a little surprise to you while on my trip! Also thanks to those who bought a raffle ticket to win a camaro....it helps a lot. And my lovely parents who helped me a ton! Thank you! You hanged in there...and so did I!
- last minute finishes to people to people stuff and then I depart June 23rd! Woohoo!
-school...is going and might be a little different for me next year! I'm excited!!!

- As some of you may know I have been going to the south campus at trinity instead of the north...I like to go to both to be honest! I love the people at the south and I love our youth pastor at the north! Hmm...looks like I'll be doing both for a while!lol
-work- I'm still working at chick fil a and I still enjoy it... To an extent! I mean I love register but I think my heart can only take so much of it at once...I did get to try the second drive the other day for 15 minutes! I loved it!
-I'm also very excited about some upcoming choreographing I'm doing....I just pray I can set a date with a place and get everything done with it, cause it's definitely gonna be cool!

My crazy life
Sometimes it makes me feel bad to write a message and say something and be going through it at the period that I say it. For example I was gonna write about relationships last month but.....sneaky Lucifer came along and tore all my relationships apart. To where I have family, a few close friends (only the newest ones)and my counselor. It's one of those seasons you would do just about anything to get out of. And yes I can say I practically lived that statement for a day, and that day will always be in my history and will always come back to me. My gracious and loving father in Heaven reminded me one night at church that He has always been there through all the pain, tears and suffering.

We were asked to close our eyes and visualize God and look at all the features He gives you. And I saw Him standing right in front of me, clean cut, in white, standing in the sand on a beach (similar to Bondi beach in Australia minus the buildings surrounded), we were half way between the water line and the dry sand line so we still felt a touch of water slip over our toes as we stood there and when He spoke I couldn't hear him but I could read His lips and know what He said to me. We were asked to ask God if He loves me? And He said yes and started to remind me how much from a time when I was little and I wondered what was outside of the universe and farther and farther and farther...I wondered if it had ever ended and that was how much He loved me....and what was funny was he told me all that before we were asked to ask Him how much. Then a second time we were asked to close our eyes and ask God where He was in the room and point. As we all sat in a circle and asked God ...I pointed toward the middle and glanced up for a second and what I saw was everyone pointing towards the middle. Wow, right?

I know that when trials come before me I'll always become stronger through it....but it is especially hard to see it that way in the middle of it. Almost like being in the eye of a hurricane and thinking your house will be stronger in the end when really the house your thinking about is gonna be crashed into tiny pieces and your new house will be bigger, more beautiful and everything you have ever wanted in a house...you just didn't realize that's what God was doing all along. I'm having to look at it this way right now.

Favorite childhood memory
May 3rd
Last night I was asked to tell about my favorite child hood memory. The first thing that came to my mind was:In 1st grade I'd ride the bus to my granny's house with my cousin Maggie. I always had gushers as my after school snack and that i always looked forward to after school.
Then I was asked to close my eyes and tell where Jesus was and what was His description.
He was my age sitting with me on the bus in a plaid striped button up collar shirt with nice jeans and nice squeaky clean shoes. As soon as I'd jump off the bus He would run to beat me to the door and give granny a big ole hug.
And had fun with us as He played with our imaginations in the kids room.
I think it's cool how you can ask your self one question like
"what's your favorite child hood memory?"
and He shows you that memory, how it was and then you ask
"where were You Jesus?"
 and He will show you not only how it was, but Him in it.
I love my encounters with Him!

These are not moments that can happen only in church or in small group they are moments that can happen any where, anytime, with anyone or by yourself. Just let God lead you and you will see amazing things happen.

God has really been encouraging me with:

Psalm 31

A David Psalm

^1-2I run to you, God; I run for dear life. Don't let me down!
Take me seriously this time!
Get down on my level and listen,
and please—no procrastination!
Your granite cave a hiding place,
your high cliff aerie a place of safety.
^3-5 You're my cave to hide in,
my cliff to climb.
Be my safe leader,
be my true mountain guide.
Free me from hidden traps;
I want to hide in you.
I've put my life in your hands.
You won't drop me,
you'll never let me down.
^6-13 I hate all this silly religion,
but you, God, I trust.
I'm leaping and singing in the circle of your love;
you saw my pain,
you disarmed my tormentors,
You didn't leave me in their clutches
but gave me room to breathe.
Be kind to me, God—
I'm in deep, deep trouble again.
I've cried my eyes out;
I feel hollow inside.
My life leaks away, groan by groan;
my years fade out in sighs.
My troubles have worn me out,
turned my bones to powder.
To my enemies I'm a monster;
I'm ridiculed by the neighbors.
My friends are horrified;
they cross the street to avoid me.
They want to blot me from memory,
forget me like a corpse in a grave,
discard me like a broken dish in the trash.
The street-talk gossip has me
"criminally insane"!
Behind locked doors they plot
how to ruin me for good.
^14-18 Desperate, I throw myself on you:
you are my God!
Hour by hour I place my days in your hand,
safe from the hands out to get me.
Warm me, your servant, with a smile;
save me because you love me.
Don't embarrass me by not showing up;
I've given you plenty of notice.
Embarrass the wicked, stand them up,
leave them stupidly shaking their heads
as they drift down to hell.
Gag those loudmouthed liars
who heckle me, your follower,
with jeers and catcalls.
^19-22 What a stack of blessing you have piled up
for those who worship you,
Ready and waiting for all who run to you
to escape an unkind world.
You hide them safely away
from the opposition.
As you slam the door on those oily, mocking faces,
you silence the poisonous gossip.
Blessed God!
His love is the wonder of the world.
Trapped by a siege, I panicked.
"Out of sight, out of mind," I said.
But you heard me say it,
you heard and listened.
²³ Love God, all you saints;
God takes care of all who stay close to him,
But he pays back in full
those arrogant enough to go it alone.
²⁴ Be brave. Be strong. Don't give up.
Expect God to get here soon.

wild at heart- Never give up!!!!

This little light of mine

Hey everyone!
 Hope your new year has been filled with blessings and fun!  Ha, I havent posted in a while so I have a lot to accomplish in this message.

October 11th- We said farewell to Bebe our Italian Exchange student! Im glad we were able to minister the word of God to her the best we could in the time we had. I wouldnt want to host an exchange student again but im glad we tried it and learned from it.:)

Europe update
I started my fundraising journey for my trip to Europe with people to people for the summer of 2012. Right now im selling raffle tickets for anyone who would like a chance to win a 2012 camaro, Im also working at chick-fil-a on coulter, and soon to be sendng out sponser ship letters ( to those who would like to contribute to my trip). Let me know if your interested in helping me out in any way!:) thanks!

Faith Blog- Faith Blog has recently become apart of Wild at heart as of October 22nd! I em excited for what's  to come with it...be sure to check out my new post on the 22nd
http://www.faithblog-ej.blogspot.com/
Hope you like it.:)

A wish that took years of dreaming...finally...coming true!
Ever since I was 4 yrs old or younger I have been asking my parents for a brother or sister! I'd pray about it every night. To the age of 12 I was finally convinced that they were not gonna have any more kids, so I thought up more idea's and finally went back to the time my dad told me about fostering and adoption. My parents had once been licensed to foster and had done so for 5 years before I was born. So with that brought a new prayer to my life. Since then dreams had become so realistic that I would wake up in tears due to the fact that it was no longer true, just in my dreams. Finally February or March of this year, I was convinced.... yet again, that having a brother or sister was only in my dreams! The prayers stopped there. So I moved along with my life and raised my funds for Australia. The day I came back I was sure I could see some sort of change in my parents eyes. For the eyes speak the soul. I blew it off, thinking that I was just going crazy from jetlag. Two weeks later I was attending a prep class for college with one of my friends and his mom. Suddenly Adoption came into the conversation and a different word was written on my moms face. I was then asked to speak about why we hadnt gotten into adoption yet and that answer was "Dad hasnt agreed to it yet." I said with doubt written all over me. Then the best words I could ever hear were spoken from my mom's lips "Thats the thing Katie, while you were gone we both decided we are not ready to be done being parents! We want to adopt!" Those words hit me like, the most softest pillows you could ever touch. Since that moment my parents have gotten into the Bair Foundation. This exciting journey started out with a little red headed 6 yr old angel, after hearing her story our hearts melted to hers. So we hurried all our paper work up, then suddenly....Bang! The door was suddenly shut the day of her arrival hours before we were supposed to take her in for rest bit care for the weekend. We were all crushed! So as the weeks slowly went by and we kept on working hard to get licensed to etleast foster. We were blessed November 9th with the sweetest phone call saying they had a little girl for us.
Ok, so this is where it gets interesting...you see my mom has been asking for school aged children...and this is where God's humor comes in as well.
Thursday Afternoon I got into the car and was blessed with a 17 month old little girl named Rachel.She was born one day and put into foster care the next. She was placed with a family who had 4 kids in all, 2 adopted and 2 biologicals. The family had the intentions of adopting her but they couldnt afford it. So we took a trial run and melted to hers. The day after she left to go back to her foster family, my parents would go to my room and grab a toy off of her bed and start playing her favorite songs. They moped around the house till wednesday and with that I was surpised to see Rachel again. That night she went to student ministry's  (my church youth group) with us. I had given her a bath and changed her into a cute outfit really fast so she could go. As the service started she was sitting on the step beside Jordan Melugin (youth pastor), I made the slightest signal to her for her to come to me and she came running with her arms stretched out ready to give me a hug. I love her soo much and she adores me as well. So that's where I have realised after two years of wanting an older sister is that, I dont want an older sister because I have always been the oldest in my home and when I look back on the experience I had with Bebe....i really dont want that. So Im thinking now, It's not that I want an older sister....its that im training to be one. And that's where tears come to my eyes because I feel like I have been searching in all the wrong places till God has blessed me to be what I have been searching for. He's awesome like that. We have now had Paisley Grace Jones for 2 months and 3 weeks today. As of december 29th her parents were terminated. So we started calling her Paisley Grace.

Wild at Heart-
Katie Jones

This song came on the day I came home to meet my new little sister! I love it, made me have excited tears!:)

A Journey worth fighting for...

8/24/11
It's 9:30 pm in Amarillo Tx, as I'm Laying on my bed with all of my lights off and window open with only the street light to give light to my room. I stare out of my window watching it pour down rain and I can't help but feel so in awe of Him...Mr Universe (haha he loves that name)! From the lightning strike to the moistened ground .....I love rain!  Who'd have thought that THIS is our amazing God! He provides for us so well!
"You know He is calling you to different circumstances and callings when everything is different and nothing is the same!" my own quote
9/3/11
Today we have officially had Benedetta LaRosa for two weeks!
She is an amazing woman with a great personality! Benedetta or Bebe (is what she likes to be called) is from Italy in a small town near Rome! Tuesday night we sat down in the living room for our favorite show "America's got talent" she had never seen it! As we watched she kept telling us " I can do that!" of course the first time we were all shocked cause here we are looking at these guys do pyramids and climb all over the place like a bunch of monkeys and here she is telling us she could do that! Then as we made shocked looks at her she replied "in Italy!"lol this is her" Italian Humor"  as she calls it! She makes me laugh! My favorite part of the weeks with her is when I go to my life group located at Roasters in Hastings! The first time I took her with me we were 45 minutes early so we had plenty of time to hang! So she got a cappuccino (she loves these)  while I got a hot chocolate (yes I'm strange)! When we sat down she took a sip of her cappuccino and sighed with a smile of happiness and said "I love this place it's so comfortable!" in her Italian accent that I was still getting used to but loved! Bebe+happiness= happy Katie!:)This week I got my license so after school on Thursday I treated Bebe to cappuccino at Starbucks! She also loves sushi! Ha I've never been crazy about sushi neither has my mom!lol so Tuesday we took her to Market street to get her sushi while me and my mom ate corn dogs! No I didn't try any but we took her again Friday and I tried some! Not bad! But only with sauce!lol

Although their has been more good times then bad but also spiritual warfare! I know this is a God thing because I want to be a missionary that spreads Gods word to those who don't know Him! He is preparing me! This situation was particularly hard and made me want to chew someones head off! Yes that sounds bad coming from me but I was so frustrated! Long story short Bebe wanted us to leave  her at home when we went to church, we had to get it straight to her and her dad that she was here to experience our culture and that this was part of it! She has been a good sport through it though! She says she is not good with kids but at the north campus we helped in the Hero land area, by the time the service ended she had a best friend!lol I really think God is placing her here for a reason... It's one of His traps and yu know His traps are  good ones! Please pray for her heart to open up to Him! She needs to hear His soft voice love on her!

As I have already said I got my license August 31st! I made a 90 on my test! This stepping stone means a lot to me coming from the girl who has wanted to drive since we have first moved to Amarillo (5 years ago)!

Psalms 1:1-3
 "¹ Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly nor stand in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of the scornful.
    ² But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in his law he meditates day and night.
    ³ He will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, which yields its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper."

9/7/11
This Wednesday was my first big trip by my self! I have a choir group called Crescendo that I go to every Monday! This weeks Monday was memorial day so we moved our practice day to Wednesday! We meet at our teachers house out in canyon! Along the way I got mixed up with over passes and went on one too soon! I then had to figure out how to get back on the canyon E way! I figured out leaving me only 15 minutes late with tons of missed calls, texts, and voice mails from my mom, Dad and teacher! They were all worried but that was nothing I could have stopped! The first Year of driving you can't be on any kind of cellular or electronic devices while driving! Ha I'm not one to be found breaking rules.

9/14/11
Our exchange student Bebe has now been with us 3 weeks and 4 days! She is an amazing women! I can't imagine having to go through half of the things she has to go through! This week her homework has been overwhelming her! She has to read 20-25 pages of a book a day in English writing! So she has been translating every other phrase on google! I can't imagine how frustrating that has to be! I feel for her! Then everybody speaking at 100 mph has to be hard to understand! When we go to the mall she gets on to me for not paying attention because the worker in one of the stores will ask her questions and she can't understand!
She tells me all the time "speak slowly not walk slowly" even though at the time I was juggling a bunch of stuff in my hand and couldn't coordinate all that very well plus unlock the door for her so she could get in from the 100 degree heat!


9/11/11

It's 9/11! 10 yrs ago today our country lost the twin towers and many lives to a terrorist attack! I was only 6 yrs old when this tragedy happened! The teachers told  us all what had happened but if u know adults and how they talk to little kids they talk down to their level! Which seemed like they were saying it was no big deal, when really it was! I soon figured out it was a big deal! At the time I was in Ballet, at the recital they had was a 9/11 themed dance! A very talented little girl not much older than me danced back and forth to those who have fought for our country while a video was being played in the back ground! Hopefully By next year I can get that on here! My parents videoed the dance! It was very special!:)

9/12/11
Today was my first day to be my own taxi driver! Ha! I was out of the house from 11am - 9:30pm! From choir to student council to basketball to a book club where we are reading "mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis" I finally arrived home at 9:30! And to think this kind of day will happen once a month on the second Monday! Ha! I love it though! Driving is fun! I catch myself trying to think of Arron's I need to run just for the sake of driving all the time!:)lol

9/18/11
One year from today I created wild at heart and my oh my has it been a journey! I know it's just a blog, but sometimes it feels like it's a person as well! I think God gives it that! I know all of these post you read doesn't seem like much work but it takes a lot more sometimes! Sometimes I don't have the words coming to my mind to even write which makes it drag on months before I post. Other times I write it, edit it, then lose it because of a technical malfunction! I have learned through these simple mistakes that when the Lord leads you to it He will lead you through it and when it is not His will He will delete it! Ha that's happened!lol
He seizes to amaze me!lol

9/29/11
Today I have finished my 3rd week of basketball practice! I play with a home schooled group in Amarillo called Lady flames. I love my team! They are amazing, positive and a big influence in my life. No matter how awful I did they always tell me positive encouragements....something I am not used to hearing (coming from the girl who has been in public, small town, and private school and has never heard this kind of positivity before). Its not just in Basketball its everywhere through out the home school community. Every where I turn their is a bright and smiling face staring me in the eyes. I am so thankful and blessed to be home schooled.
Deuteronomy 11: 18-20 “Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."
3 John 1:4
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth"

9/30/11
Tomorrow we will have had Bebe for exactly 6 weeks. Honestly it has been like riding a roller coaster blindfolded in my home. That is pretty much what life has consisted of lately. :) short and sweetly!

" Id rather people love me for who I am, then love me for what I am not." unknown author

10/1/11
Today has been nothing but tears. As a family we all went to go see "Courageous"! It was an amazing movie that moved me in every sort of direction ever possible. I laughed and cried a lot. Even held my Daddy's hand as he was sitting next to me.:) I'd suggest everyone go watch the movie and bring tissue's when you do (you will need them).

Wild at heart- Welcome to my journaling phase

stepping into the unknown

Hey everyone!

I have been back for a month now, the trip was way more than I could have ever expected and way more than words can describe. Thru the repelling to the traveling to the amazing adventures, God was with me holding my hand and letting me know I was safe thru it all. I was fearless....and taking the traveling all in. "This is an adventure of a life time that will always stay with me...forever!"

First I'd like to start off with one of the most amazing experiences I had that started my trip off with  a BANG!!! The first official day in Australia I got to escape normal life and step out with a group called "Full-on". Full on is a group specificly for people to people and is to show us how far we can really grow by stepping out of our comfort zones. We started our day by talking a little bit about "emotions". They talked about how when your scared you cry of fear and when your Excited you can have tears of Joy. Sounds the same right? Well when your scared or excited your body doesn't know the difference, so what you do is you reset your R.A.S. (Reticular. Activating. System). So instead of being afraid you can be excited!:) Afterwards it was time to take a step off  the edge of a 180ft cliff. So we all got our gear on and headed out. We split up into evens and odds by our numbers that were assigned ( before we left Amarillo). My number was 17 so it was decided that the Odd group be the first group to repel. When it came to my turn the full on leader helped me by guiding me on two ropes...one for him and one for me to control. On the way down the cold breeze spun me around to see all of the pretty mountains surrounding me.... I think that was Gods way of showing off His beautful creations. When we got back I was shown my true strength by breaking a board in half with my wrist. By the end of the day I was truly amazed with God and myself. Him for showing me true bravery, strength and promising me that not even a hair on my head would be hurt.

 Second of many wonderful and great adventures on the trip.....The Great Barrier Reaf!:)

On the way out to the reef was an adventure in itself with all of the bumps we hit and the people who got sea sick during it. When we finally got there we ate lunch and prepared for some snorkeling. One of two tickets we all recieved on the boat was for a wet suit. Wet suits are for protection from electric eels and coral ( in case you accidentally hit it), plus i think they are comfortable. After I got my flippers, goggles, a snorkel and wrapped my water camera around my wrist I was ready to go. The first time I took a look down into the reef was amazing...I couldnt believe my eyes. It was a cloudy day so the reef wasnt as colorful as you would imagine but that didnt suprise me knowing that it wouldnt be as bright and colorful from my project specificly about the Great Barrier reef. The marine biologist lead our tour and dived down to point at something specific or to bring something back up for us all to touch. I was amazed at everything in sight. After wards I quickly got into my normal clothes just in time for the "half submarine". In the Half submarine it gave me a chance to take a breather and let it all in. The half submarine had glass all the way around it and never went down because of the shallow parts of the reef. On the way back our path was interupted with  a friendly visitor.....a whale of some sort. We all could see it just enough to see the water gasp out of the sea and into the air, far off from where we were.

Stepping into the unknown was hard at first. Because you can never  expect  but hope for the best to come. I think thats what makes the journey enjoyable though... I never woke up knowing every detail about the day ahead of me, but entered it with a knowing that God had everything in control. 

"Life's a climb but the view is great" a quote from Hannah montana the movie. A quote we can all live by thru life and never know what's coming at us. So live life with its bumps and bruises and, live life to its fullest.

                                                                            here's a short message from my delegate manager rob!:)

Wild at Heart

"when it feels like the road has been slipped out from under you call the one who lights the path and makes it straight"- my own quote

                                                                        













My friend Lizz, Delegate Leader Paula Rarden and me:)



Aussie wallaby









Holding a baby Ausie Croc



Sydney Skyline







Me in front of this beautiful water fountain



Finally in Australia