The Unrepealed Commission

Speaking of Amy Carmichael's work in Japan:

"As in Belfast and Manchester, Amy sought out the factory girls...
Her great longing was to have a "single eye" for the glory of God . Whatever might blur the vision God had given her of His work, whatever could distract or deceive or tempt others to seek anything but The Lord Jesus Himself she tried to eliminate. Why waste precious time, painful effort, on lesser things? Someone suggested that more girls would be drawn to the meetings if she offered lessons in sewing or embroidery and administered only a mild dose of the Gospel. But these girls worked from five in the morning till half past six in the evening. They had one day off in ten. They hadn't time for foolishness. Furthermore, so far as Amy could see, there was no scriptural warrant for "consecrated fancywork and chatter," for "fleshly things rather than spiritual." "I would rather have two who came in earnest than a hundred who came to play," she said. "We have no time to toy with souls like this. It is not by ceremonial tea making and flower arranging, not by wool chrysanthemum-making and foreign sewing-learning, but 'by My Spirit, saith The Lord.' "

-"A Chance to Die, the Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael" by Elisabeth Elliot

Five Kids and a Credit Card

(Auntie Becca, that title is for you(-: )

My life has changed allot this year, especially the last month.
I am traveling with His Little Feet again this year.
With a totally new choir and a new staff member (my "little" brother Jake(-: ) as well as our wonderful new Tour Leaders Jeff and Becca, many things are different.
It has been a time of adjustment, pressing, growing, loving, prayer, repentance, seeing my lack and God's faithfulness.

I can remember one day in particular where I was just so tired and feeling so emotional and stressed and I thought "why am I like this? What is going on with me?"
As I look back I know that it was not God's fault, it was mine.

I once heard a story about an old couple who were riding in their truck, the man driving the women in the passenger seat. They came to a stop light and the women looked out the passenger window at a young couple in the truck next to theirs. The young women was all snuggled up close to the young guy with her arm through his as he drove.
The old women said to her husband "remember when we were like that?"
He answered "I haven't moved"

That is sort of the realization that I had this week...God hasn't moved. He's still being just as faithful as He ever has been. If I'm not feeling close to Him it's not His fault...it's mine.
So this week has been a week of refocusing my eyes on the One Whom I love and Who loves me.

He is ever faithful and good!

How Deep the Father's Love for Us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that left Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
(REPEAT)


Thank You Father, for Your love!

I Miss You Bereket!

His Hands

It is so amazing to think that the God of the universe would entrust anything as precious as these fourteen “foreign treasures” into these hands.
How precious, how beautiful, how amazing are these little lives. Like so many different jewels, each one so unique, yet all beautiful.
There have been many times when I have marveled at the precious gift that my Lord has given to me, the gift of serving Him (Mat 25:40).
Sweet times of holding a beautiful dark little hand during prayer time, rubbing my fingers over it's soft chocolaty smoothness and realizing that this is God's hand. Times of rubbing these hands laden with lotion over rough little feet. Times of using many hand signs and gestures to discus complex Spiritual concepts in simple child-like terms. Times of running and dodging and huffing for breath while avoiding the little hands propelled by quick little feet which try desperately to tag some part of me. Times of laying a cool hand on a feverish brow. Times of laying a gentle hand on a stiffened shoulder and asking God for wisdom in how to help them. Times of stretching out a hand to grasp a smaller one and help them to their feet. Times of putting my face in these hands as I pray to God to open hearts. Times of picking my footing carefully and feeling with these hands in the dark night through a strange house, as I accompany the little form beside me to the bathroom. Times of taking up my Bible in these hands and thumbed through the pages, preparing to share Truth with these little ones. Times of clapping these hands together loudly and cheering for the little group singing for Jesus on the stage in front. Times of reaching out these hands to get yet another tisue to wipe yet another dripy nose. Times of poking the little needle that is held in these hands in and out, in and out, working to repare rips. Times of drumming these hands in time to the music as my little ones sing and dance. Times of lifting these hands high in worship and praise to the One Who has given me all of this. To the One Who's hands these are.
May He ever be glorified by the actions of His hands!

Me And "My Boys"

Traveling with His Little Feet for the last two or so months has been quite an adventure :D
We travel around the US, going to different churches, raising orphan awareness, and by God's grace, making an impact for the Kingdom on lives both here in the US and around the globe.
Each church that we are hosted by provides us with "host families", these are families in the church that have opened up their homes to us for the time that we will be in their area (usual two or three nights). Usually it's two children and one staff member per host home. The two wonderful children that I had the privilege of staying with in the host homes this last leg of the tour were Eyob and Yohannes. Two brothers from Ethiopia.
These two have provided me with many good laughs, fun stories, hugs, and sweet memories.
Here is a small peek into our time together:

Yohannes and Eyob's first time seeing snow.

"Sharing the love"



Eyob learning about the US in a fun way :-)
Eyob intently working on...something.

Yohannes at the park.

Aw! Isn't he adorable?

Yohannes and Detcho playing a game at one of the host homes.

Eyob and Nahagi. (Nahagi and Detcho are also in the choir and are brothers as well)

To read a sweet story about me and my boys click here

Only The Beginning...

I think it was a cool morning in the Fall 2010. If I recall correctly, it was one of those mornings in Colorado when the air was colder than the water, which caused a sort of foggy mist to hang over the lake at Ellerslie, by which I was walking.

On this particular morning, out by the lake, I was talking to Jesus.
You see, in my heart a longing was stirring, or rather was continuing to stir, as it had been there a while, a longing that I didn't see being filled any time to soon.

There had been times in the past when this longing would begin to bubble up, but I was usually pretty successful in pushing it down and putting it in Jesus hands. However there were times when that was easier than others.

This was one of those times when the longing was bubbling up more forcefully than usual and needed some attending to. Hence this time out by the lake.

Shortly before the end of my basic semester at Ellerslie I had applied for an internship with His Little Feet. It seemed like such a good fit for me. I could see so many ways that it seemed the Lord had been preparing me for this position. A longing began to form in my heart.

After waiting, putting it in the Lords hands, and crying out for His joy, whether I got the position or not, on August 10th 2010 I found out that I didn't get it.

The Lord was faithful (as He always is! Deu 7:9, Isa 49:7, 1Tim 5:24, 2Tim 3:3, Rev 19:11) and He filled me with joy, even though I didn't get the position.

So after a little brake I went back to Ellerslie and started my, "Advanced Leadership Training". Oh what a blessing that time was! I grew so much in those weeks and months and learned many things that would have been harder (I think) to learn on the road with HLF.

God grew and stretched me through that time at Ellerslie and I truly enjoyed it, but every once in a while that familiar longing would bubble up in my heart. It was usually easier to quell when the HLF team was out on the road and not around (I lived in the same building with them and when they were around I saw and heard allot of them:D It was great! And hard.) However, they would occasionally come back to the Ellerslie campus for short brakes in between their tour travels. As was the case during the time of the above mentioned Fall morning.

So there I was, out by the lake, talking to Jesus about it.

What I said went something like this "Jesus, You know how much I want this. But, if it's going to take me away from You, I don't want to touch it!"

And I meant it. I did long to be a part of this ministry that is impacting children from different parts of the world, as well as churches and families right here in the US, but if being a part of this ministry was going to take me anywhere, but closer to Jesus, I didn't want any part of it.

I think sometimes when I just talk things out- bring them into the light instead of just shoving them down- I see things more clearly, and that's what seemed to be the case on this day.

That is a memorable day to me. It was a day when I sat my desire before the Lord and found that even though it was intense, it fell short to my desire and longing for more of Him. I found that no matter what the enemy had to say about it, Jesus truly was first in my heart and my desire in wanting to work with HLF was a desire for Him and not just me. It was a desire that He was growing (even though I may not have fully grasped that at the time).

It was months later (I had already graduated from Ellerslie and had spent the Summer at home) on August 25th 2011 that I got a phone call from Mike Hahn, President and Co-founder of His Little Feet.
What he said changed my life for the next 9-10 months... and forever.

It was something like this, "Kourtney, we would like to invite you to be a part of the His Little Feet team"...

After months of waiting, praying, trusting, my God had proven faithful once again! He had tilled the ground, prepared the soil and planted a desire in my heart like a little seed. Then He had poured water on it and out of the rich dark soil I had seen a little shoot. I had longed to enjoy it right away, but my Daddy told me to wait, be patient. During that time of waiting He continued to till, water, weed and prune and when the time was just right He allowed me to see the first small bloom. I am now getting to enjoy sharing the fragrance of that small blossom with Him, and I am so thankful that He made me wait! But, even as beautiful as this small blossom is, I know that this is only one step in the amazing adventure that this life with Jesus is. He has more in store and I have a feeling this is only the beginning...

Christianity...

...is not simply the world seeing good in the people of God,
but rather the world seeing the good of the God of the people!

The Terror of Love

Can love be terrible, my Lord?
Can gentleness be stern?
Ah yes!-intense is Love's desire
To purify His loved-'tis fire,
A holy fire to burn.
For He must fully perfect thee
Till in they likeness all may see
The beauty of thy Lord.

Can holy love be jealous, Lord?
Yes, jealous as the grave;
Till every hurtful idol be
Uptorn and wrested out of thee
Love will be stern to save;
Will spare thee not a single pain
Till thou be freed and pure again
And perfect as thy Lord.

Can love seem cruel, O my Lord?
Yes, like a sword the cure;
He will not spare thee, sin-sick soul,
Till He hath made thy sickness whole,
Until thine heart is pure.
For oh! He loves thee far too well
To leave thee in thy self-made hell,
A Savior is thy Lord!

From Mountains of Spices (chapter 10) by Hannah Hurnard

Carrying God's Burdens

I looked out of the window this morning and saw the sun streaming through the fluffy gray/white clouds which had been tented yellows and golds and pinks by said sun rays. As I was gazing upon this beauty a thought entered my mind, “you look out on a free land”.
How many thousands, even millions are there who don't have the freedom we have? How many countless myriads of Christians die for their faith, for simply loving Jesus, because Christianity is forbidden in their country?
How many people have lost their lives because they prayed to the One True God?
People of God what are we doing?!
We have freedom. We have comfort. We have plenty!
Are we just going to enjoy that freedom while our fellow brothers and sisters suffer? While there are still countless numbers who don't know Christ? While the Satan is still being glorified?

O God! Forgive us for our laxness! Forgive us for our selfish, self-centered, self-seeking...well I can't even really call that Christianity for “Christianity” is “like Christ” and I can say for myself that I have not been exemplifying Him in this way!
Oh God would You break our hearts for what breaks Yours and fill us with the hope that fills You!
I don't even know why God would want to give us His heart seeing how we have neglected and even trampled it in the past.
Lord, teach us to rightly handle Your heart. To carry Your burdens without dropping them when they get tedious of cumbersome.
Lord, please teach us perseverance and fill us with Your Spirit that we might be all that You would have us to be.
We MUST have YOU Jesus!
"The secret to imitation is impartation." ~Eric Ludy
We must have Jesus! We have NOTHING of worth without Him. All our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).
Lord Jesus, we need You! I need You!
Fill us with Yourself today. Lord, may each one who reads this find more of You today.
Thank You Jesus that You are faithful even when we are not! (Rev 19:11)


Please take a few minutes and scroll down to the bottom of this page and watch the short film "Depraved Indifference"

2Corinthians 12:9

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Ah, how sweet these words are to my soul!

He Opened the Floodgates!

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,...Unto him be glory

Eph 3:20a & 21a

God is SO good!!

So we have been having quite a dry spell lately. We have been praying for rain.
Today when I was on my way back to the house from having my morning time with Jesus, I saw the cracks in the dry, thirsty ground and asked Jesus to fill those cracks with water.
The song "Open the Floodgates of Heaven, Let it Rain" has not only been reverberating in my head and heart, but has also been sung and hummed by other members of the family quite allot lately.
It would be one thing if we did have over a hundred head of cattle on our land (my Daddy's doing lease grassing, leasing our land out to a man to graze his cattle on), then it might not been such a big deal, though the horses probably wouldn't like it so much if the grass dried up.
So Momma and I decided that we were going to start praying for rain. We thought it would be fun if we just prayed for fat cows. We thought it would be quite a testimony if we had no grass and still had fat cows. Then we saw the problems with that. The man who owns the cows would probably move them if we didn't have any grass. Even if they were fat. He might not have the faith to believe they would stay that way without any grass :D So I suggested we pray for 1) Green grass. 2) Fat cows. 3) a jolly owner (who would want to leave his cows with us).
Well, after the pond in the pasture where my Papa's cows are dried up I could see the wisdom of praying for rain. God knew what He was doing when He made rain. It's allot easier just to pray for rain than to pray for green grass, fat cows, a jolly owner, water in the pond, the cracks in the ground to be filled...yeah, it's just wiser:D

So yesterday it looked like it was going to rain. Anticipation was high.
I heard someone say there wasn't supposed to be rain for another ten days or maybe this weekend at the earliest.
Was God going to do it?
That night the rain went around us. It was as if God was saying "Do you trust me?"
I had faith that my God would come through, He's ALWAYS faithful, maybe not always the way we think He should be, but He always is nonetheless.

Tonight I looked out the window at the huge, lumbering, gray cloud coming our way loaded down with water. Was this the answer to our prayers?
A small succession of pale colorful stripes began to peak out of the bluish gray mass. It began to get brighter and longer.
I asked John if he saw the rainbow and he asked "did He answer my prayers? I prayed for a rainbow!"
What had started out as a short pale striped piece of an arch soon grew brighter and stretched into a full ark with a dim ark above it. Not only that, but soon we could see one end resting in our pasture (something I've never seen before)God is so good to us!

It had been raining for a while now and John and I were out on the trampoline jumping and singing praises to our wonderful God. Thanking Jesus for His goodness in sending us rain. We were getting quite wet.
I had read and explained (the best I could) Ephesians 3:20 to John the night before and after I reminded him he quoted it in his own words over and over saying "He is able to do EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY, ABOVE ALL we could ask or EVEN thing!!"
After a while I got off the trampoline. I could still hear John singing praises.
The rain began to stop. I walked over to John who had stopped singing and asked "Did you stop praising Him John?" He said "I'm praising Him in my heart." To which I replied something like "It stopped raining". He began to loudly praise Jesus once again and the other kids joined in. The rain began to pour once again.
We praised our Jesus for the wonderful rain. It only rain for about 30 or 40 minutes, but as Daddy, Mom and I were talking afterward, we think this is just the beginning. Sort of like the appetizer before the meal.
So this post is my offering of praise unto the One Who is able to do EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY, ABOVE ALL that we ask or think! To HIM be glory! I Love You Jesus!

Privileged to Answer His Call

Remember Them That Are In Bonds

China: Yang Caizhen Released

Yang Caizhen, a Chinese Christian detained for organizing a prayer rally, was released from prison last February. With more than six months left in her sentence, Caizhen was given an early release due to poor health. She had been held at the Shanxi Women’s Prison in Taiyuan City for more than a year.

Relatives who had visited Caizhen said she did not look well. She was missing a front tooth, her hair had become very gray and her hands were swollen. Before her release on medical parole, Caizhen had been taken to the hospital for treatment several times during her imprisonment.

On Nov. 25, 2009, Caizhen was sentenced to two years of “re-education through labor” for organizing a prayer rally on Sept. 14, 2009, with the Linfen Church. The prayer rally was raided by 400 military police, who arrested Caizhen, her husband and three other pastors. They received sentences ranging from two years to seven years in prison.

Although the Linfen Church has 50,000 members, it is one of many unregistered house churches in China. Chinese house churches range in size from a handful of people meeting secretly in a home to large, public churches like Linfen that advertise and meet openly in a large church building. House churches operate independently from the government-controlled Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) churches and are therefore considered illegal. The TSPM is the only officially recognized Protestant church in China, with an estimated 20 million members. In comparison, there are an estimated 80 million to 120 million house church believers in China.

“Please remember [Chinese Christians] in your prayers, and appeal for them!” Caizhen’s daughter, Esther, wrote in a letter. “I call upon everyone to fight for religious freedom in China.” Esther also urges Christians to continue praying for her father and the other church leaders who remain in prison.

Sources: VOM Sources, Release International, China Aid Association

Posted: May 26, 2011


Heb 13:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.