With a passion to follow Jesus, 18-year-old Katie Davis moved to Uganda to serve the poorest of the poor.
She did not know then that 4 years later she would be single mother to 13, Executive Director of Amazima Ministries, adoption advocate, and author of a New York Times Bestseller: Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption.
Her blog, Kisses from Katie, has received over 160,000 page views in the last month, averaging between 4,000-6,000 hits a day. She inspires men and women alike to live out their faith in Jesus with a total surrender, trusting that His plan is better than our own, always.
::
:
Can you imagine the stench?
Joseph has walked and Mary ridden 90 miles in the scorching sun, the wind whipping around their faces and caking them with dust from the dirt road. More sweat pours from Mary’s brow as she experiences the pains of labor for the first time. The stable is packed with all the travelers’ animals. Flies buzz around them in the heat and the air is heavy with the smells of sickly sweet hay and manure.
And into this, a baby enters.
I have witnessed this kind of birth before. Woman sighs and baby falls right into the dirt and in the dark of a tiny mud hut with the light of just a thin candle our eyes search for something, anything, sharp to cut the cord. Water is a luxury and too far to fetch at this hour so we wrap the baby in whatever filthy rag-scraps we can find without even wiping her off first.
Joseph, still merely a child himself, searches for anything he can find in the dim light to cut the cord and swaddle his child, probably rags carrying the afore mentioned stench and the dirt of the journey. Trembling and exhausted they wrap Him as best they can, and swatting flies away lay him in the same trough out of which these animals have been eating.
Behold, the Savior.
And in this moment God fulfills every promise and every prophecy. This, God’s perfect time. God does not wait for the world to get ready, He enters right into the mess.
He makes Himself very least, no more status or opportunity than an easily overlooked infant in the slums where I spend so many hard hours. Very least so that He can commune with the very most desperate – you and me. He doesn’t mind that I am not ready yet and He doesn’t mind the wretched condition of my heart or the stench of my sin. God’s time is now and He enters into the mess, ready or not.
His perfect timing, now. Now is where He has called us. And we are just not ready yet. We need to clean up the house a bit and pray a little more and seek more counsel and we don’t know how to do that yet and oh, we have our excuses. And God says, “I’m here now, and I am ok with the mess because I am here for the messy.”
God doesn’t need us to be ready for Him; He has been ready for us since the beginning of time and the Messiah is here calling us to commune with the Holy One, to eat at His table.
I want the house to be organized and kids to be clean and nicely dressed and I want dinner to come out of the oven on time, but at the end of the day the laundry still piles and there are still crumbs in the corner and can anyone remember if I brushed my teeth today? And it can’t be the New Year yet because I am just not ready for it to be a new year yet.
But I remember when I wasn’t ready to move to Uganda. I remember when I wasn’t ready to kiss the people I loved the most goodbye. I remember when I didn’t have enough money to start a ministry, and I remember when I wasn’t old enough to be a mother, and I remember when I didn’t know how to parent. I remember when I couldn’t cook for fifteen people and when I didn’t want to share my house and my things and my life with sick people and addicts. I remember when I was afraid of the slum community that now holds hundreds of friends and when I was terrified that my daughter would never walk and when I was scared that we would never heal after tragic loss. And I remember that never, not once, was I really as ready as I wanted to be. And I remember that God kept all His promises, every last one, in His perfect time.
This new season looms and I don’t know what is next. But He doesn’t need me to be ready for this season because He is ready. He just needs me to be clinging to His feet.
Now, God’s perfect time.
::
By Katie Davis, Kisses from Katie
Learn more about Katie’s story. Watch her book trailer {click here if you can’t see it}
To stay in touch with all God is doing in Katie’s life, visit: www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com
ABOUT KATIE DAVIS
Messy, broken, grace-covered sinner just clinging to the feet of my Savior. Mama to 13. Crazy overwhelmed by His love lavished on me each day....
{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you Katie for living out the Word of God. You are an inspiration. Your book is a must read for me this year!
Yes, in His perfect time.
All good things…
I’m sharing your story with my niece who wants to serve on the mission field after high school. You are an inspiration not just to her, but to us all.
“He doesn’t need me to be ready because He is ready…cling to His feet”…great word for my day..
Have a blessed,grace filled day…
“He doesn’t mind that I am not ready yet and He doesn’t mind the wretched condition of my heart or the stench of my sin. God’s time is now and He enters into the mess, ready or not.”
Thank God for His grace and mercy!
So so beautiful and true Katie, thank you
Oh Katie.
I’m inspired and encouraged and spurred to action.
I’ve spent so much time and energy and thought on finding my ‘calling’ – when the Bible is clear, really – on what we are called to do. And while it may look different for every person – and while God may lead us into different areas, places, occupations, and ventures…. we are each called to love the Lord with our everythings and love our neighbors as ourselves. Just think of all the loving I could have done – while I was wrapped up in selfishly finding my calling. Forgive me, Jesus.
Needed this.
- Katie :)
Katie, I love to read the words that flow from you. You are an inspiration. I like to think that you write exactly how you think and talk. Real. I believe you could probably write another book already! So inspirational.
Wow, Katie. You are an inspiration. I read this, and then clicked over to buy your book. Can’t wait to read it. God bless you and your daughters.
Jesus is reflected so beautifully in you!
{In His perfect time.}
Amen! I am there right now. In all my messiness, God is meeting me and showing me that it is possible to “Give all” and know that God has it and so much more and can produce a 100 fold of what I thought. He is drawing me to complete surrender to wherever He may lead… a scary journey, but one I am embracing because He is at the head.
Blessings to you, Sister and your precious ones!
Amen!!
Amen!
Katie, I’m praying that you are used for more than just inspiration – but that we would be moved to action for God’s kingdom.
This is an excellent and timely message for my husband and I. *Thank you* for taking the time to share in this community. If it helps one person, it’s all worth it {and I don’t believe this will come back void, my friend}. Bless you!
Thank you for sharing with us what God is showing and revealing to you. You could have kept it private and treasured it for yourself, but you chose to take your time and share it with us who are living in this comfortable world. 1.Thessalonians “12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.”
Thank you for sharing with us what God is showing and revealing to you. You could have kept it private and treasured it for yourself, but you chose to take your time and share it with us who are living in this comfortable world.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard the story of Christ’s birth told quite like that.
How amazing that the God who created a universe that is perfectly arranged down to the smallest subatomic particle would be willing to step into the middle of the mess, for us.
Wow.
I needed to read this today. Beautiful! Thank you for sharing your heart.
Hey girl,
This was so beautiful, I love reading your writings! You are a gifted storyteller and have such a nack of putting the beauty, pain, and redemption you experience into words!
I just want you to know that I work in Kampala with street kids and although I have never met you I have heard so much about you and the powerful love and ministry that you have. Both in Uganda and in the states! You have inspired and encouraged many Baazungu and Baaganda alike! I just want you to know that you are a beautiful person and that I admire you. If you are ever in Kampala (I am with family the month of Feb in the states) and want to come over to my place and watch a movie, have a shoulder to cry on, eat muffins ( I’d love to make you some) or meet some street kids I’d love to have you. I can send you my phone number (and if not so okay, girl I understand what its like to be needed and crazy busy I have about 20 kids of my own too!)
Take heart, because God is using you to move mountains, as joyful and painful as it can be at times
Love and blessings,
Abby (Babirye) Kakeeto
Oh, and those times when you THINK that you ARE ready, and God knows you’re not! Or, He know the time isn’t right. Those times are just as hard! The anxiety of the wait, and the anxiety of the rush-I wish I didn’t always forget to trust His timing! Thanks for the reminder.
My dear Katie,
What a blessing you are to so many! I needed this message today. God is ready! He’s always ready! Thank you!
You encourage with your life and your words Katie. Thank you.
Katie, you are an awesome blessing to all your readers………may Our Lord continue to use you to bring healing and grace to all of us who are hurting …….and who in our messy situations and our hurt are turning away from His Love, His Grace, His abundant Blessings and above all His Magnificent Mercy!!!! Thank you, dear Katie.
This is one of the most inspiring, convicting posts I’ve ever read! Katie, God is using you in incredible ways, not just to minister to those in Uganda, but to point all of us to the truth: It is God’s timing. His plan, not ours. We are always ready when the Lord calls, otherwise He wouldn’t call. We are ready, we just don’t realize it. Thank you, thank you! May the Giver of all, graciously bless you and your work.
You’re right. We’re never ready. You have no idea how significant that thought is for me today as we just made a huge life-altering decision yesterday (about which I most certainly do not feel ready). Good word, Katie. Thank you.
I love your words on this post. Hit me to the core. Thank you Katie, praying for you!
God knew I needed this today.
Thank you. I need to constantly remember this. I’m newly a mom of two, and I still don’t feel ready. God is taking me beyond myself and I’m learning to cling more desperately to Him. Praying He becomes more as I become less. Thank you for your example, for following Him and loving so many so well. You’ve challenged me and He’s changing me. Praying for you and your dear ones. Stay strong in His love!
We just lost a young man in in our band on January 4th. He lived with us three days a week and I called him my adopted son. This loss has been so very hard for his family, our family, the band, and the thousand of friends & fans that loved him.
I say all that to say that I so appreciate your devotion on (in)courage. You have inspired my heart to keep on keeping on. Your story is proof that one beautiful person can make a difference to thousands by loving others =]
Can’t wait to check out your blog =]
Much Love – Stacey
hi u are a true insparatioal person and i will look forwardd to reading your bood thanks again cathy
Beautiful..thanks for this!
I’ve been wondering how to get ready for the next steps I’m to take and your blog just reminded of that that fact that it doesn’t matter what the time is, It doesn’t matter whether I’m ready or not. I’ve personally seen God work on absolute impossible situation in my life with my son. And provide me with every last thing I needed right up to the last second without any time to spare. I’m sure looking back at what just happened. I am once again reminded, I don’t have the luxury of time to chill and wait until I’m perfectly content with my life before I move. I just got to go for it. I’ll let the peices fall where they may. If you care get in touch and I’ll tell your everything I know….. I don”t know how to get ahold oif you. And don’t want to post what I have to say on this page….And If I’m crazy, it’s only because God makes me seem crazy. I approach his throne of grace boldly and ask for my destiny….So be it!
Hallo Katie,
Ich danke dir fuer deine grossartige Geschichte, die mich so viel ermutigt hat.
Gott segne dich.
In Liebe Vera
{ 5 trackbacks }