Accepting Things

As I ponder the changes which happen in various seasons of life, I feel like sharing with you a little bit about what is happening on my end.

As you might know, it has been nearly three years since my Mom was arrested and sent for psychiatric evaluation against her will.  The results of that have been significant for me for a myriad of reasons.

Having "proof" that I was reared by a mentally ill, emotionally volatile, impoverished single woman has been enormously helpful.  I guess it feels a bit like vindication, as I have been speaking out about it since I was about five years old (literally!).  

Having been raised in an environment where oodles of my needs did not get met and having been exposed to a whole lot of things which were not helpful (and many which were deeply hurtful), it has taken me all my life to feel like I have my feet underneath me properly.  I have had to learn dozens of skills of caring for self which most people, thankfully, take for granted and learn in their early years.

I was not deceived; I knew things were NOT going as they ought to have.  My sense of God's ways and justice were on high alert, helping me to always know that what I was experiencing was NOT right and not God's intention for me.  Principles were being violated all over the place.  My Mother's diagnoses helped me gain an understanding that I have not been crazy all this time!

The past few years have been a series of processes whereby I have faced reality in oh-so many ways.  While God rigged it for me to study and learn about some of the problems before the facts came to light, the majority of the inner healing has come in the past few months as I have been able to take a deep breath (literally, finally) and enjoy my Maker, my self and the abundant life He continually provides.  

Learning to receive life from Him and understanding what life is -and is not -has been another huge aspect of my maturing process.  

During this time I put everything online on hold.  I pulled away from online groups and people I respect and admire at a time when the whole world seemed to be connecting online more than ever.  

I started getting out more physically while everyone else seemed to be shut in.  

My years of having been sort of a house hermit in order to nurture self and home and kin proved to be beneficial.  Tending to home fires and setting house in order paid off and now I finally feel like I can come here and say something that will be worth saying.

It feels good to be returning with what feels like a completely new inner world.  

If ever you or anyone you care about needs to stop the busyness of life and slow down, I think it really is worth the effort.  Time taken to receive and open those good and perfect gifts will never be regretted.  

Looking forward, I hope to share more of the specifics I have learned in order to give testimony as to how good God is and how fantastically His ways work.  

He- and His principles- still delights me continually, in the midst of having just been through some of the darkest nights of my soul's life.  

More later.  

Thanks for reading.  :)

~Kate 

Exuberant for Life  

Lake Ann

Michigan

USA

August 3, 2021

An Update

 Hello!

As I ponder sharing myself and of our lives through Exuberant for Life, I feel such tug and pull. Is it possible the time for feeling free to share regularly will come and that I'm just in the midst of *still* a LOT of emotional healing? Likely.

Getting my house in order has taken more than a decade. In my ignorance and immature zeal I thought it would take a week. That was before I knew anything much about the inner world and the copious amounts of healing needed for oh-so-many wounds.

The other day as the Tall Guy and I chatted, I shared with him what my friend MB is helping me to realize: the journey to being whole is exhausting, time consuming and often feels like battling monsters. While it's WORTH the time and energy (and whatever resources are required), it is a bit mind boggling just how much the processes seem to hinder what used to be considered 'normal life.' He said that is why people choose NOT to deal with it, and in a flash I understood!

The breaker anointing we both have is no small thing, and it is for our posterity that we keep learning and clinging to the One who knows and who gives us strength to continue. Imparting will come, I hope (for I long to get to that work!), yet for now I must be content to just BE, and to keep receiving from the Life Giver and to do the work set before me each day.

I suspect the Ruler portion of my spirit is finally getting to express itself. The inner-man healing work which began more than six years ago is resulting in things like fresh curtains being installed to replace worn out blankets for window coverings as well as setting up simple and good looking systems so we can do what we were designed to do here -create! play! work! love! rest!

I am SO glad to know about productive pain....the kind which hurts but which has a redemptive and good-for-me purpose. Though it doesn't make anything easier, it reminds me to keep taking courage as I face all these invisible and unnamable issues, day in and day out while simultaneously caring for self, family, home and a relationship or two beyond these walls. Courage is a resource I have come to appreciate.

As I keep doing the work which I cannot really name, see or understand very well, I often think of YOU and the journey you are on.

I'm reminded too of the holy work we do to break general cycles of iniquity and I rejoice that there is healing for the soul.

Keeping on,

Kate

Dominion At Home

As I reflect upon the past several years, I recognize a common theme, which I have not been able to see clearly until this morning.  

Whenever my passion for something gets the better of me, certain areas of my life suffer.  

When that happens, I suffer, as do the people around me.

I suppose we all have our limitations.  You might be better at knowing yours than I have been at knowing my own.  

It is likely I have less ability to manage things in my life than I previously thought.  As I look around me, even this morning, I see loads of evidence that I am not managing well some of what I have been given.  

I ask myself: what types of activities, mindsets and processes disable my ability to keep certain aspects of my life running?  This is what I need to consider.

To run well the race set before me, I need to take inventory of what is going well, celebrate what has been shifted that is now well-stewarded which once was not, and be honest about what is currently falling below my own standards.

To give you a small example, just now when I went to the coffee pot to get the decaf brewing, I noticed what I had not last night before I retired.  The tiny kitchen is overrun with items needing immediate attention: boys winter gear & light sabers, dirty dishes, overflowing trash.  

The one person who has the duty to care for the dishes can knock that chore out in about 30 minutes (fewer if he can resist the temptation to be distracted).  The snowsuits and boy toys can be put away in seconds; trash remedied in moments.

What is at the heart of it all, and the reason I share, is because I know that in the past two days I have been obsessed with what is happening in certain areas of my nation.  Putting such intense focus on moment-by-moment news has sucked all the energy out of me for making sure my home is running properly.

Who cares about a well-run home?  I do!!!  It is the one physical place where I spend almost all of my time, as do these children!  It is supposed to be a nurturing place; a place of warmth and of acceptance where love and hope are continually renewed.  

In the past days it has been anything but.  

I see now how giving almost all of my attention to what is happening nationally impedes my ability to keep these home fires burning.  The result?  The fruit?  The children have been fighting; my husband has barely had a proper meal in days and we have all been sustained on bits of nourishment here and there without any proper oversight from me.

I have also sadly neglected my self, which is the life-long pattern I have spent the past several years learning how to adjust.  

As I write this, I can see how ignoring my needs starts the cycle of not giving others what they need and deserve: my time, my love, my EFFORT.  

To see that I have not given my self time, love or effort is sobering.  Being indifferent towards myself does not bless anyone.

My soul is finite and can only do so much on any given day.

As I continue the journey of learning to live life as a whole person, I continue to need to make changes in order to better execute this life for which I am so exuberant.

While I know it is not the end of the world, it needs to be the end of me doing too much in one area and not enough in others.  Physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health matter, no matter what is happening in Washington D.C. or anywhere else in the nation and world.

I am reminded of Kris Ann Hall's words this week: we must focus on our local and state governing bodies in order to affect real change.  Similarly, I must turn my focus to making myself and then my home a place of beauty and of peace and of faith in the One who gives us breath.  That process begins with my heart, soul, mind and body, which have been VERY busy with matters too far beyond my reach.

Yes, I pray for God's will on the earth, and I agree with Him to make happen here what He would like, and I will continue to intercede where He leads; however I must also put in the work of what He has given me to do...here...today.  My realm is that of this little home; tending to its bodies and its needs is my responsibility, as is caring for my own self!  

Real transformation begins inside of us, and from that place, rivers of life can flow.  

It is time to focus first on what matters most.  The 80/20 principle comes to mind, as do so many others.  I will now take courage to return to what needs to have my first priority...and then from a place of strength there, will see what is left to give beyond the hearth and home.

How Should We Then Live??

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During my first and only year at bible college, I had the ridiculous pleasure of sitting under the teaching of Dr. Jack Layman.  He made history and western civ MIND BLOWING.  He introduced me also to philosophy which fascinated me beyond words.  

Over the course of those two semesters, he shared Francis Schaeffer's HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE video; the book was required reading.  I am forever grateful for that time and for Dr. Layman helping bring my mind up to speed with how/why our culture IS the way it is.  

Last night I was wow'ed all over when hubby and I started watching this with our two older children who are studying western civilization via a fantastic homeschool curriculum written by Linda Hobar called Mystery of History.

I love the way Schaeffer weaves in art and science along with religious practices while taking us along to places where it all happened.  The filming is brilliant.  Our 17 year old son who excels as a film maker, enjoyed the artistic story telling.  

It helps me make sense anew of where we are today.  I look forward to the next 10 weeks as we study and discuss ramifications.  The conversation last night was stellar and lasted hours past the first lesson.

Inner Life Part 4

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through an affiliate link shared here, I might earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

As I face what IS and what HAS been in order to decide what I want FROM NOW ON to look like, I am grateful for glimmers of light, helping hands and healing words along the way.  The journey in G*d and with Him is one entire aspect of reality...and the walk with others and myself another.

Learning I am an exhorter type of person really helps me frame things so I understand better.  It helps me accept how G*d made me one of the seven templates for humanity.  Lots of words, big ideas, exuberance for His life all around is part of the makeup of what's okay about me.

For people who've been reared by someone with cluster B personality disorders (including narcissism) there are some really dismal realities they face.  Taking the bull by the horns as my mother would say and dealing with it all takes no small amount of courage.  While I am aware of many things I lack, courage isn't usually one of them.

Learning of my energy type has been an interesting study as well.

Allow me to back up.

When the mother in your life believes the worst about you, cannot encourage, support or love you in a way you need and verbally assaults you more often than not, there's a need for finding out what's true and good and right about yourself.  Too, the nasty things spoken need to be neutralized and then good things added.  In other words, when the person God gave you to be the nurturer instead sows thorns and thistles into your life, it DOES things to a person.  It takes time and commitment to Truth and a willingness to be stripped bare in order for new life to be sown.  Then it takes time for those good seeds to germinate and bring forth good things.  How I am grateful for the Gentle Gardner!

Others who have been healed from a childhood of assaults by a parent have my full respect and attention. I have appreciated receiving truth and life from those who've faced the abuse and all the scary and upsetting things which go along with not being safe in the home of your youth.  I'll share more about that some other time.

Not So Terrible Two's

Before the internet made it's way into many of our homes, in my quest make life work in the setting of family existence, I happened upon a radio broadcast featuring John Rosemond.  He and the host were talking about the book, "Family of Value" and I remember going fast to the local bookstore that same week.  The receipt is still in the back of the book.

That book has travelled through many moves, heartaches and ups and downs within our family.  Anytime I read even a sentence I am jolted back to the reality of how important logic, limits and sanity are for the family...and how G*d's intention is for families to live well together.  The author  tells like it is and gives principle after principle about what's really needed within the family...and his sobering honesty and humor are part of the reason (literally) I agreed to mother my husband's seven children (I bore him six). 

I found another concept explained well in the book Making the Two's Terrific by the same writer.  I was fascinated by his ideas and had not heard them anywhere else.   I had not known anyone to have his perspective or that type of attitude or success with children.   Since my innards believed he was RIGHT I set out to try and experimented using his methods on our sweet and feisty toddlers...and I was very pleased to find he was right. 

Now after 15 years of testing and working with his ideas as well as seeing the bad affects when those principles are NOT done (a cultural plague which I call the missing generation), I am still recommending his books, etc to anyone who cares to listen.  :)  I'll share more later about the specifics.

Keep reading for reviews of his great stuff:

John Rosemond's A Family of Value presents a critical view of the child care literature of the past quarter century and argues for an end to overindulgent parenting and a return to the goal of instilling moral values, such as responsibility, respectfulness, and resourcefulness.

In a completely revised and updated edition of his classic parenting guide, nationally recognized expert John Rosemond offers practical, tantrum-free methods for raising toddlers and getting them through the “terrible” times from age eighteen to thirty-six months. 

Focusing on the developmental period spanning age eighteen to thirty-six-months, which renowned parenting expert John Rosemond dubs, “the twos,” Making the “Terrible” Twos Terrific! offers practical parenting advice to ensure that every child’s “twos” are terrific.

By offering comprehensive tips on everything from toilet training to developing good habits for bedtime, as well as disciplinary techniques to control aggressive behaviors, Making the “Terrible” Twos Terrific! approaches parenting in a straightforward, accessible manner that is easy for parents to implement and achieve success with their toddlers.

No bribing, meltdowns, nudging, or cajoling are necessary. All parents need is consistent, firm, and loving interactions with their toddler to guide him or her during the developmental years. The methods described by Rosemond also translate to success throughout other life endeavors such as school, relationship building, and even productivity in the distant tween and teen years. To ensure that earthquaking foot stomps, decibel-shattering screaming, and consistently stubborn behavior are not the norm for your toddler, consult Rosemond’s Making the “Terrible” Twos Terrific!.   

All ideas expressed here are my own unless otherwise noted. This post may contain affiliate links.  If you purchase something through an affiliate link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you - which helps support my large and ever growing family.  :) Also, I hope you'll consider supporting my writing, digital graphic arts, podcasts and more by becoming a patron!

Food for Thought: Are We Little Christs?

What does it mean to be a christian?  

Where does ROTC fit in?  

Are we believing Jesus or are we believing our own ideas?

Should there be a discrepancy?  

Enjoy this 10 minute podcast challenging us about our beliefs and ideas about christianity. 

How Can We Bear Fruit?

John 15 says a lot about bearing fruit.

What's the big deal about spiritual fruit?  What's true about intimacy?  What if we're focused completely on the wrong things and we don't even know it??? 

This message has been bubbling within me for more than twenty years.  

Join me as I share the beginning of my story in part 1, and then conclude with the second and final podcast in this two part series.  

Podcast length:  7 minutes 44 seconds

 To hear the surprising conclusion, listen to part 2:

$3

Podcast length:  4 minutes 46 seconds

Getting It RIGHT.

A theme through my life within God's Body has been the issue of what He means for us to understand when we read the scriptures.  Knowledge is of course important, as we see in Proverbs, however I am always drawn back to the Pharisees in Jesus' day who KNEW the word of God better than anyone and yet denied the Word of God when He stood in front of them.  

Rather than bowing their intellectual knee to Him, they argued.  I do believe there is a veil over the eyes which God only can remove, and while I don't know how that works I know there is ample biblical proof that it is God's work to reveal to the hearts of men and women who He is.  I respect that even though I don't understand it.

During my early years within the community of God's people, I loved learning about the Hebrew mindset.  This affected me very much in my own personal approach to studying the scriptures as well as how I approach educating our six children.  

A teaching by a pastor blew me out of the water as he shared the affects of Greek thinking on our modern day Christianity in the west.  Many men I greatly respect who are full of love and walking in truth wax eloquent about the issues pertaining to the lens by which we approach scripture.  I look forward to sharing those resources with you as time goes by.

Last week I recorded an audio clip to challenge our belief systems.  I will share it once I get the clear "go ahead."  Until then, I have requested this book from our local public library because of a great chat I had with my small group yesterday.  

We sat at a coffee shop and actually recorded a lengthy discussion to share with you.  I hope to edit that this week and publish it along with the introductory podcast from our small group where we discuss the issue of doing life together with people with whom we can take off our masks.  

Blessings to you and PEACE as you continue to seek the God of Abraham alone.  

~Kate

By law, in order to share links to certain resources, I have to tell you that I have an affiliation.  Read my official affiliate disclosure here. 

A Woman's Voice

What does the term Elder even mean?

Does God want women to speak up and preach the gospel and make disciples?

Why is there so little power in some places within the church today?

Some of these topics are shared in this podcast series from Pastor John B. and his wife Lisa.

Click the blue arrow below to hear part 1.

Part 2.

Part 3

If you're a woman I would love to hear what you think!  Do you have a calling on your life and you're waiting to release God's words to others?  PLEASE share!

Jesus and the Biblical Feasts-Introduction and Feasts of Trumpets

Many years ago, my local church hosted a seminar called, "Jesus and the Biblical Feasts."  I was blessed to attend each session and then later purchased the Cds. 

This series has been foundational in my personal life in many ways and I am happy to share it with you.  I will also share the notes as soon as I find them.    

I hope you will enjoy the introduction to the seminar as well as part one, the feast of trumpets.

Thank you to those who support me via Patreon making it possible for me to share audio content on Podbean, YouTube, here and elsewhere.  

Supporting a Great Ministry

Life Model Works is accepting end of the year donations which are tax deductible through Shepherd's House ministry.  

One donor has offered to match up to $15,000 so any amount you contribute before the end of the year will be doubled.  
Learning what it means to do fellowship and to mature in Christ are two of the many things I appreciate about this ministry.  I am happy to be a part of their donors team and am elated to see them expanding their work and looking forward to much more in 2019.

Not familiar with their materials? Here's a sample below. You can click through my affiliate links below to order a copy for yourself or a loved one today in hard or soft cover or Kindle.

             

                                                                   

Living from the 

Heart Jesus Gave you

(as recommended by Arthur Burk in his fantastic free album Life, Dominion & Honor)

          
The Complete Guide   Joy Starts Here       Rare Leadership     Joyful Journey: Listening to Immanuel
 to Living with Men

Free Online Video Course from Deeper Walker International

Are you interested in learning more about discipleship?  

I remember during my stint in bible college, when we looked at the way Jesus interacted with those around Him.  It completely changed my paradigm about discipleship and ruined what I had been taught for years.

Now, Deeper Walk International is hosting a free course explaining the foundations of heart-based discipleship.  It looks GREAT and I hope to dive in soon.

Please feel free to enjoy the 8 video lessons, download the PDF workbook or purchase the course DVD. 

Click here to be taken to their website. 

Blessings as you continue on your journey!

~Kate

December 6, 2018

p.s. While I love sharing resources with you which might encourage you, I am in no way affiliated with their ministry or this course.  

Podcast: Empaths, Thin Skin and Callouses

Learn more about Jim Wilder here.

FYI Upcoming Free One Hour Online Webinar

From the desk of Deeper Walk International:

"Topic: Skills that Make Relationships Work

Description: Life is about relationships; your relationship with God and your relationships with people. But many relationships don't work because people lack relational skills. In this free, one-hour webinar, Chris Coursey of THRIVEtoday will reveal 19 skills that make relationships work. Relational skills make us feel loved, special, understood, adequately corrected, and help us recover when something goes wrong. Relational skills are a set of abilities that help us coordinate our lives, gain understanding, recognize values, adjust our attitudes, and motivate our actions rightly as it relates to what is going on in the hearts and minds of those around us. These skills let us discern what is going on inside someone else. People with relational skills seem to “get it” while those who lack or are weak in these skills “don’t seem to have a clue.” These are the skills that make relationships work; come and see!"

Time: Aug 15, 2018 11:00 AM in Central Time (US and Canada)

Click here to register.

Transforming Conversations with God webinar available

I just received this in my email.  I couldn't wait to share!  If you're a cessationist, you might not like it..or you might. Hugs!  ~Kate

The Webinar Was Recorded and Is Available Now! Recently, Dr. Karl Lehman was a special guest on Deeper Walk's Webinar, Transforming Conversations with God. In this webinar, he introduced Immanuel Prayer. The response was over the top! The recordings are typically available for all who registered after the broadcast, however, we changed webinar providers to increase our live participant capacity to 500! When we did, the webinar recording had to be placed in a new location for you to access it. Whether you registered or not, you can access the recording now! If you want to see and hear God, if you want to experience an interactive relationship with Jesus, and if you want a resolution to painful experiences of the past that negatively affect the present, this webinar is for you! Watch the WEBINAR Now!!!

A Builder's Dream Come to Light....

Have you heard the message Dr Bruce Wauchope speaks regarding the message of the Gospel and mental health?  If you've ever heard me natter on about feeling our own feelings, or DID or anything, I think you might REALLY like his video.  I MEAN REALLY.

I think it's why my hubby declared years ago he wouldn't take us to church anymore...because in his mercy heart he KNEW more about the Father because He had already been revealed to him!  He had me share it with our older two today.  Talk about science and such for lessons.  WOWZERS.  

In case you want the words even more powerfully, check this out:

"We never create a relationship with God.  That's bologna.  I was taught....I had to go and have quiet time to build my relationship with God.  I never build a relationship.  Christ gives me His relationship with God and I learn to participate in Christ.  I can't build a relationship with God because no one knows the Father but the Son."

I know I shared it earlier....

It's SO good I'm sharing it again.

Welcome to reality, peeps.

Obsessed with building God's kingdom,

Kate

The Gospel and Mental Health - Dr Bruce Wauchope from Perichoresis Australia on Vimeo.

The best GOOD NEWS message ever!

The Gospel and Mental Health - Dr Bruce Wauchope from Perichoresis Australia on Vimeo.

Offended by THE Gospel?

If you're ready to be challenged, take five minutes and watch to see if this is something you're interested in.  It's big...but I'll leave it to you to decide wether or not you dive in.

Free Webinar!!

Thanks to LW for sharing this on fb just in time!!

"Do you want to have more transforming conversations with God? Karl Lehman (associated with Jim Wilder and the Life Model) is doing a FREE webinar tomorrow to talk about how to do that. This is good stuff. Register and they'll send you a link AND you'll get the download to listen later and share with friends.

looking forward to this!"

From Timothy Jenson:

"Interacting with God is a simple idea yet most of us can neither see nor hear God, and we have some reservations about people who say they do! Even when Jesus came to be with us (Immanuel), those closest to Him had difficulty seeing Him for who He was and connecting with Him, especially when they were focused on the pain in their lives. 

What if we could show you a way to interact with God that is undeniably personal and powerful? What if these conversations with God could be transformative, changing you from the inside out? In addition, what if this connection with the living Jesus (Immanuel) could resolve painful life experiences and bring healing to your wounded heart? 

Immanuel Prayer is transforming conversations with God. 

Hear Dr. Karl Lehman introduce this model of prayer that will move you toward a deeper walk with God! 

If you want to see and hear God, if you want to experience an interactive relationship with Jesus, and if you want a resolution to painful experiences of the past that negatively affect the present, this webinar is for you! "

Click HERE to register and attend this free online webinar!