Threads | Life

Along-The-Way Discipleship

Adam York — 2012-05-21T12:46:56-06:00

by Kevin Hall

I’ve grown up going to Sunday School, “big church,” small group Bible studies, retreats, and mission trips. Like most Christians, I learned how important it is to read the Bible and pray. I heard many Bible stories and even learned great applications for my Christian life. But, like most churches, my church didn’t teach me how to read the Bible or how to pray. Sure, I learned the order of the books of the Bible, and of course, I heard many prayers. But the discipleship component was missing. Through the years, I learned a lot from watching my dad, who daily studied the Word in depth. My college and seminary days were valuable as many great theologians and professors instructed me. However, it wasn’t until my seminary “Dean” (the name I still call him today) became my mentor and invested in my life that I actually learned what it meant to be discipled.

I met Dr. Chuck Lawless just before classes started for the semester. God brought us together in what he calls a “divine intersection,” that is “those crossroads in which we meet the people [God] has waiting to mentor us.” Dr. Lawless defines mentoring as “a God-given relationship in which one growing Christian encourages and equips another believer to reach his/her potential as a disciple of Christ.” His recently published study, Mentor: How Along-the-Way Discipleship will Change your Life (A Lifeway/Threads study), explains what mentoring is, why it’s important, and how to do it.

Mentoring produces transformed lives through relational discipleship. Mentoring not only encourages believers but also equips them to walk with Christ. Dr. Lawless explains, “We know we need to study the Bible, but we don’t always know where to begin. Pastors tell us prayer matters, but we don’t always understand how to pray. Telling others about Jesus is essential, but not always modeled. We don’t need someone to tell us what to do as much as how to do it.” I longed for this kind of discipleship growing up–-someone to come along side of me to help me put the spiritual disciplines into practice and hold me accountable to them. Mentoring is the biblical model of how we learn how to follow Christ.

It’s not hard to see the biblical discipleship model of mentoring that is so prevalent in Scripture. Jesus is the master mentor as He provides “along-the-way discipleship” to his disciples. We find the great apostle Paul modeling discipleship through mentoring with Timothy. Also consider Moses and Aaron, Eli and Samuel, Naomi and Ruth, and Elijah and Elisha, just to name some. We read words like “come follow me and be my disciple” (Matthew 9:9) and “you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). We can say the same if we decide to disciple others through mentoring relationships: “come walk with me as I walk with Christ.”

As you look at mentoring as a key way to disciple others, consider these five points from Dr. Lawless:

Be Intentional – While God brings people together through divine intersections, we must still do our part in being intentional about seeking to build relationships.
Be Growing – We can’t guide others toward growth unless we are growing.
Be Sacrificial – Mentoring requires us to give our time and energy to others.
Be Forgiving – Mentoring provides a safe place for mentees (and mentors) to deal with failure and creates an atmosphere for honesty in our daily walk.
Be Open – There are several different types of mentoring relationships in which you could be involved. Mentoring pushes the mentor to grow and learn from the mentee. Mentors also need to be open to taking risks but also ready for rewards.

All of us need to be discipled, no matter what stage of our spiritual walk we find ourselves. If you’re looking for a mentor, consider these five points from Dr. Lawless:

Be Selective – Don’t just pick anyone as a mentor. Find someone who is mature, growing, positive, and prayerful. They should be the same gender and share common interests.
Be Observant – Be vigilant for potential mentors. Your local church or current ministry is a great place to start looking.
**Be a Learner **– The goal is to be open to guidance and direction. Take advantage of learning from a growing, mature believer.
Be Bold – Take initiative when you find someone you desire to have as a mentor. Many times, you must make the first move and initiate contact.
Be Honest – Your relationship with your mentor should lead toward your being able to share openly and honestly about your accomplishments and hardships.

Through mentoring relationships, we follow the biblical model of discipleship. Even more importantly, though, mentoring allows us to obey Christ’s missional mandate to make disciples of all nations.

Don’t miss this key way to fulfilling God’s mandate to make disciples. Mentoring provides along-the-way discipleship that will truly change your life. It changed mine!

Kevin Hall graduated from Cedarville University with a B.A. and from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with an Advanced M.Div. Kevin formerly served as Assistant to the Dean at Southern Seminary’s Billy Graham School. He has served the church as a Youth Pastor and deacon. Kevin has been a church consultant since 2006. Kevin and his wife have one son.

Make Mom Proud

Ande Fanning — 2012-05-11T19:00:44-06:00

She stayed by your side through chicken pox and teenage tantrums. Mothers deserve their holiday. But you don’t have to spend a lot; just invest some thoughtfulness.

Calendar Girl

For about $20, create a custom calendar with photos of the whole family. Imagine Mom’s surprise as she flips through each month to find funny and sweet remembrances.

Chef for a Day

OK. You’re not Emeril Lagasse, but you can still kick this Mother’s Day up a notch by preparing a meal just for Mom. Plan a simple menu and prepare a few dishes the day before. Need recipe ideas? Try the quick and easy section on allrecipes.com.

Vid Kid

Secretly snag Mom’s collection of 8mm reels and VHS tapes—containing first steps, birthday parties, and other family events—and convert them into DVDs. Do it yourself or trust an expert.

All Grown Up

Send Mom a packet of flower seeds with a note that tells her to plant them and watch them grow, just as your love for her does daily.

Got other great ideas to add? We want to hear them. Leave us a comment below!

10 Simple Ways to Encourage Your Pastor

Adam York — 2012-05-08T13:15:03-06:00

by Ben Reed

Truth: “Hey preacher man, good sermon!” is nice…but come on, we can do better than that, right?

We can do better than the shoulder squeeze with the solemn look in the eye. We can do better than the slow head nod of approval—especially when we remember that our pastors spend hours each week pouring out their hearts on stage, ministering to and in our communities, and shepherding hard-heads like us.

The work of a pastor is often lonely, difficult work. We need your encouragement. And encouragement isn’t that difficult, but it takes being intentional.

Here are 10 simple ways to encourage your pastor:

1. Appreciate the work they do throughout the week, not just on Sunday. You know being a pastor is more than a Sunday gig, right? We don’t love that you-only-work-one-day-a-week ribbing, by the way.

2. Take notes on Sunday. This is a great way to encourage your pastor. At least act like you’re going to work diligently to remember and apply their teaching.

3. Email them on Tuesday. Let them know you’re still working through your notes from Sunday.

4. Deflect criticism on their behalf. Your pastor likely takes a lot of heat. Some may be deserved…much of it likely isn’t. Instead of joining in the criticism, stand up and show your pastor some love. Help others see the good side of your pastor.

5. Speak well of your local church. Your pastor takes great care and spends much effort to present and grow a beautiful local church. Speaking well of your church is a great way to encourage and honor the work your pastor has done.

6. Serve. I don’t mean that you should necessarily bring your pastor dinner (though that would also be cool), but you should serve others in your local church. This is unbelievably encouraging! Your pastor’s desire is not to be the only one who does ministry.

7. Pray for them. Often.

8. Speak well of their spouse. A pastor’s spouse is married to the ministry. They often do ministry themselves and end up carrying the burden of their spouse as they lead. It’s a tough spot to be in. Speaking well of your pastor’s spouse helps your pastor feel like you’ve got their back.

9. Start consistently feeding them fresh preaching points every day. By email. And phone calls. And text messages. And Facebook wall posts.

10. Give generously. This is a fruit of faithful, biblical preaching—people growing in their faith to the point where they’re generous with their financial resources. Give to your local church, yes. But give generously to others. “Don’t let your left hand know what your right is doing.” – Matthew 6:3

Not sure where to start? Then pick one for this upcoming week and bless your pastor. Your local church will be better because of your small investment.

Ben Reed is the small groups pastor at Grace Community Church in Clarksville, Tenn. He blogs regularly at benreed.net.

Some Things I’ve Learned

staff — 2012-04-26T14:20:06-06:00

by Melissa Deal

My husband, B.J., and I had been married for two years when we found out we were having a little boy. We were so excited—and to be honest, terrified. There was so much to think about, so much to plan for. And what if we did it wrong?

But the moment my child was placed in my arms, none of that mattered anymore. All that mattered was cherishing every single minute of this new life.

That’s why I started keeping a journal for him. Just a little something filled with letters, poems, words of life, and hopefully a little wisdom. I think it’s so important for our children to know how valuable they are—to know that they are the greatest of God’s creations.

Here are some of the things I want my son to remember:

• You are beloved. The God of the universe loves you so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for you. He loves you enough to save you, change you, and hold you up. On your best days, praise Him; on your worst days, praise Him because He is lovely, and He is worthy.

• When you feel down, worship God. You may cry through the first stanza, but by the time you get to the end of “Jesus Loves Me,” there will be tears of great joy streaming down your face. Your soul longs for Him. Quit feeding that longing with something else that will leave you feeling empty.

• Laugh often. Make yourself laugh if you have too. Make others laugh, as well.

• Remember that you may never know the hurt and pain someone is hiding behind their smile.

• Treat everyone with respect, especially when they are nasty to you. This will make them question what’s different about you and will open up doors of opportunity to share your testimony about your Savior.

• Think about what you consume. It does matter what you eat.

• Read your Bible everyday and memorize Scripture. Remember that your mouth confesses what your heart possesses, so tuck God’s Word in there. You’ll be amazed at how often you recall it.

• Pray often. All day long.

• Pray for those you dislike, and you’ll be amazed at how God changes you.

• Pray before you go to church. Pray for the pastor, the worship leader, the teachers. Be prepared to worship. Be on time. Be ready to listen.

• God calls you lovely, He calls you friend, He calls you beautiful and beloved. Don’t argue with Him.

• Watch less TV.

• Never own anything that you wouldn’t get rid of at a moments notice to help a friend. If you own anything like that, I’ve got news for you—it owns you!

• Do not get any credit cards. Don’t believe the lies; you can fully function without them.

• Never own anything that you can’t share.

• This life is not your own. It’s not about you. It’s about Jesus and glorifying your Father in Heaven.

• Read. Read your Bible; read other books. Read, read, read. There’s so much to be learned! Sure you have the Internet, but it can’t always be trusted. Sit down in a comfy chair and hold a book in your hands and read.

• I’ll be honest: you can’t be whatever you want when you grow up. But you can absolutely be everything God wants you to be. So ask Him what He wants you to do.

• Always hug your mother.

My hope is that I can instill in my son the reality that life is not about him. I find myself reading these things I’ve jotted down, reminding myself that I am indeed beloved to the Master of the universe. And in light of that, what else matters?

Melissa Deal and her husband B.J. serve as Young Adult Sunday School leaders at First Baptist Church of Brownstown. Their 7-year-old son Matthew was recently saved and is starting to discover his spiritual gifts there as well. She blogs regularly at www.thelivelaughlovelifematters.blogspot.com.

Theology Thursday: The Gospel Reversal

staff — 2012-03-29T12:24:34-06:00

Next week, we at Threads will release the second volume of Matt Carter’s and Halim Suh’s study of Genesis called Creation Restored. It’s relevant, challenging, and gospel-saturated. Trust me, you’ll want to get a copy. Here’s a quick promo video to get you going:

Matt and Halim do a great job connecting the story(ies) of Genesis with the good news of Jesus Christ. One example comes from a specific chapter in this new study, called “The Gospel Reversal,” which explores a crazy, disturbing “aside” in the story of Joseph involving Judah and Tamar.

Genesis 38 records the sordid story. Take some time to read it for yourself, but be prepared for the reaction, “Hey, I don’t remember hearing about this in Sunday School!” To summarize, a whole lot of sinning is taking place—from rejecting family responsibilities to sexual sins. It’s a sketchy scene, for sure.

The main result of Genesis 38 is that Judah and Tamar produced twins, Perez and Zerah. You might not think this is a big deal, but it is, and it’s in this scene where Moses proclaimed the gospel in advance.

Genealogies are important, even though we tend to skip over them when we’re reading the Bible. But don’t skip them, study them. Here’s why. In Matthew’s Gospel, we find this inclusion: “Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar …” (1:2). Let that sink in. The shady scenario with Judah and Tamar produced Perez, who is the ancestor of King David, who is the ancestor of King Jesus.

What we expect is Matthew to mention Joseph as a shining example of Jesus’ lineage. But what we get is Judah and Tamar. Here is the gospel on display. Here is the gospel reversal: God takes our brokenness and redeems it through Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 11 highlights this too. Here is a list of scoundrels, deceivers, prostitutes and murderers—on the surface, not “heroes of the faith,” right? But they are. All of these folks had their fair share of sins and problems, but they had faith. And their stories are redeemed by the incredible power and grace of Jesus Christ. In fact, their stories tell the story of the gospel.

Now we get to you and me.

Without a doubt we all have sordid stories, skeletons in the closet, or sins/sinful choices that plague us still. If we learn anything from Genesis 38 and Hebrews 11, it is this: God delights in redeeming your brokenness through His Son. For the sake of His name and fame, God is in the business of making all things new. And He has the ability, wisdom, and means to bring good out of our bad.

This is the greatness of grace. This is the glory of Jesus’ work on our behalf. This is the gospel reversal.

Micah Carter is the publishing team leader for LifeWay’s young adult ministry.

5 Ways to Make the Most of Your Life … for Singles

Lindsey Bush — 2012-03-22T18:58:24-06:00

by Renee Fisher

If you’ve seen any chick flicks recently, you might get the impression that singleness is a sickness to be hastily cured. It’s easy to go with the cultural flow by buying into the frustration of waiting around, hoping to meet someone, and wondering why you’re alone. But despite popular opinion, there’s nothing wrong with being single nor with the desire to share life with a significant other.

Singleness is more than a waiting room to meet Mr. or Mrs. Right, so how can you make the most of this unique season of life? Here’s five ways to invest in your life, relationships, faith, and future — right now — to make singleness a fun and formative experience.

1. Meet New People

When you’re single you are gifted with the unique time and freedom to meet new people. You can actually share your life with lots of people. Think of your social calendar like a revolving door: always open to trying new restaurants, catching movies, hanging with your friends, taking classes, or helping out at your church. Maybe you won’t meet Mr. or Mrs. Right at school, but you’ll meet a teacher who can mentor you. Maybe no sparks will fly at your community service project day, but instead you might befriend some great guys or girls. With the help, encouragement, and prodding of these new relationships, you’ll soar to new heights in your personal and professional life.

2. Find Your Purpose

We all know the economy is in the gutter right now, but that shouldn’t be an excuse for not putting forth the effort to find out what you’re good at. Maybe it’s about time you finish your degree. Or maybe you can use one of your extra weeknights to volunteer with kids at church.

Sometimes we expect the light bulb of our life purpose will one day suddenly flip on, but this rarely happens. More often, we find our purpose as we roll up our sleeves and get to work.

It may take some time to find out what makes you tick, but when you feel like giving up, use Proverbs 4:25-27 as a guide, “Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established. Don’t turn to the right or to the left; keep your feet away from evil.” The longer you stay obedient to the Word of God, the more your life will continue to flourish. You’ll find the meaning of life because God’s the one leading you, not a boyfriend or girlfriend (although those are nice too).

3. Discover Your Dream Job

Pursuing your dream job is a perk of being single. For example, washing dishes at the local diner might not make enough money, but it gives you the flexibility to cultivate your artistic side or take college classes. It may not pay well, but it can empower you to figure out your interests and abilities. In the end, it’s so fulfilling to work at something you love and make a living.

Learning to live within your means will also help you out in the long run. Part of the “I-want-to-get-married” process is figuring out how much money you need to live on before you propose. It’s different for everyone.

4. Claim Your Identity

No matter who you want to be someday, the Bible has the answers. And as you’re forging your own path, sometimes you’ll find yourself working one career only to find you’re suddenly good at something else. Maybe God is showing you — or maybe it’s the pizza you ate the night before. Either way, take the time to find and form your identity according to His design for you. Ask Him to lead you as you find your passion, whether it’s cooking, teaching, programming, or something else.

As you discover and develop your unique identity, you’ll also be equipped to reach out to others. Surprisingly, singleness is not all about you. Hebrews 10:24 says, “Let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works.” In other words, make “motivate” your new middle name. Love your life. Eventually the excitement will catch on and inspire others to do the same.

5. Help The Poor

Maybe you’re not ready to get married at 22, 26, or 30, so take some time off and see the world, or Google your city and find a place where you can serve. Let your perspective forever be changed. Immerse yourself in the needs of the poor and allow their lives to challenge you. Pray for those who cannot help themselves. Get involved and fight for justice. You may not feel like you’re helping enough, but one small act can make a world of difference to one individual.

Isaiah paints a powerful picture of what happens when we serve our neighbors in need, “Isn’t the fast I choose … to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your house, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to ignore your own flesh and blood? Then your light will appear like the dawn, and your recovery will come quickly. Your righteousness will go before you, and the Lord’s glory will be your rear guard” (Isaiah 58:6-8).

The Best Is Yet To Come Now is the time to set personal goals and healthy expectations. You can’t be all you want to be right away, and you’ll never be perfect, but you can always keep growing. Make a list of the qualities you’re looking for in a spouse and don’t forget to work on cultivating these qualities in your own life as well.

There’s not a guaranteed way to find Mr. or Mrs. Right, as hard as you might try. But you can spend time developing your identity, character, and ambitions into the most attractive kind of person on earth: a selfless person; someone who knows him or herself well, who is rooted in the Word, and who freely gives of him or herself to others.

Renee Fisher is a speaker, author, and blogger ministering to twentysomethings, and her latest book *Not Another Dating Book* (Harvest House) releases in February 2012.

Theology Thursday: Knowing Jesus

staff — 2012-03-15T12:08:46-06:00

Never trade Jesus for the idea of Jesus.

Those words dropped like a gospel sledgehammer during a chapel service yesterday here at LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville. Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church in Texas, said that provocative phrase in the sermon he preached from Philippians 3.

I’d like you to take a minute to let that phrase sink in: Never trade Jesus for the idea of Jesus. Read it and re-read it. Don’t let its sting distract you from its desire to unearth the truth in your heart.

All too often Christians fall into—or drift into—this reality, especially those of us who are called to work in church-related vocations or ministries. It’s easy to rely on natural abilities, experience, education, or passion and not rely on Jesus Christ. We end up doing good things on Christ’s behalf but overlook Him in the process. And sometimes we delve into the Scriptures looking for something—anything—that might help us, encourage us, bless us, but we do a button-hook around Jesus to pursue it.

As Chandler pointed out, the apostle Paul hit this nail square on the head: “But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:7-8).

In fact, everything stacked up against Jesus Christ is skubala. This is the Greek word Paul used to describe what he used to value instead of Christ and what he’d lost to gain Him. All things are “filth” (HCSB), “rubbish” (ESV, NIV, NASB), “dung” (KJV) compared to the value of Christ. You get the picture.

Interesting thing is, Paul was zealous for God and religiously blameless. But once Christ accosted him and changed him (Acts 22:6-21), Paul would trade everything to know Him personally.

Now back to the phrase that we’ve been pondering. Let’s bring it close to home: What has crept into your life that you’ve traded as something more valuable than Jesus? What skubala needs to be swept aside so that Jesus can shine brightest and best? Are there any “good” things—ideas of Jesus, work on His behalf, or anything that has the aroma of Christ—that have become idols needing to be crushed under the greatness of knowing Jesus personally?

Never trade Jesus for the idea of Jesus. What a lousy trade. Jesus is better. Jesus is sufficient. Jesus is worthy.

For more meditation on this idea, see Revelation 5 and, well, the entire book of Hebrews.

Micah Carter is the publishing team leader for LifeWay’s young adult ministry.

Brand Perspective

Sam O'Neal — 2012-01-31T19:20:17-06:00

Below is a fascinating video of a 5-year-old girl’s reaction to some of the major “brands” from around corporate America. I thought it was sweet (especially the “cheetah” part), but also a revealing window into our culture. I wonder how many brands I would have recognized when I was 5, for example.

The video also got me thinking about Christianity and the Church. What are the primary “brand” images and/or logos have come from Christians in recent generations? The cross is probably the biggest. (Followed by the bumper sticker that has an Icthus swallowing a Darwin-fish.)

More importantly, what reactions do people have to those brand images?

No Ordinary Life: Katie Davis’ Story of Serving Children in Uganda

Adam York — 2012-01-27T15:27:52-06:00

by Ande Fanning

The alarm clock rings. You roll out of bed and head to class. It’s likely your biggest decision so far has been what size latte to order, and your main concern has been finding a parking spot on campus. For 22-year-old Katie Davis, there’s no alarm clock. Instead, she wakes up to several pairs of little hands on her face and several pairs of feet bouncing on the bed. Her biggest decision will be choosing to live another day in Uganda, and her main concern is caring for her children — 14 daughters and 147 million orphans scattered around the globe.

Beyond the Shadow of Doubt

Like most of her peers, Katie graduated from high school with a diploma in one hand and a fistful of big dreams in the other. But this Brentwood, Tenn., native didn’t hold fast to the hopes of a university; she wanted Uganda. God works in mysterious ways, and at the age of 16, over a plate of sushi, Katie pitched an idea (one that had been stirring for quite awhile) to take a year off after graduation and explore mission work before going to college. Though the verdict was unfavorable at first, God changed hearts and minds. As a senior, Katie pleaded for a visit during a school break to an orphanage she found online. Her parents agreed, so she traveled more than 7,000 miles away from home. In Uganda, she met a local pastor and got a glimpse into her future as he laid on the table an offer for her to teach kindergarten at his orphanage.

Fast forward. Graduation day comes and goes, and Katie hops a plane to The Dark Continent. She arrives and immediately starts doing what she does best: loving children. Within the first few weeks, she hosts slumber parties and paints toenails, makes dinner out of popcorn and eggs, has encounters with rats and bats in the bathroom, hears that a man across the lake has been eaten by a crocodile, and comes face to face with the lawlessness that runs wild in this land. Life here isn’t easy, but she notes on a blog post (August 2007), “I know beyond a shadow of doubt that this place is where I’m supposed to be, where the Lord wants me to be.”

The Problem of Poverty

Katie, now a kindergarten teacher, invests in her students. With hugs, songs, games, and laughter, she finds ways to connect with them. She writes, “The children do not speak much English, but love knows no language.”

While walking students home from school, she notices many children begging, sitting idle, and working in the fields along the red dirt roads. She discovers that there’s only a small number of government-run public schools in Uganda, none of which are near the area where she works. Private schools that charge attendance fees are far more common, but the extreme poverty that plagues her new surroundings makes that option impossible. Enter divine inspiration.

Beneath a mosquito net on a hot African night, God gives Katie the idea for combining her blessed life in Brentwood with the needs of the children — a sponsorship program was the answer. She now has the “what,” but not the “how.” No worries. With God, all things are possible.

Without a clue about how to operate a nonprofit organization, Katie set out to start one anyway. And within months, Brentwood-based Amazima International Ministries (Amazima means “truth” in the local language, Lugandan) is up and running. The original goal is to get sponsors for 40 children. By January 2008, Katie has 150 children signed up to attend school. Simply put: God provides. All 150 children receive school supplies, minor medical care, and two hot meals a day. Things are changing in Uganda.

Redefining the Idea of Family

In the meantime, things are also changing for Katie. She shares love with children daily, feeding them beans and rice, giving them showers, removing jiggers from their feet, picking lice from their hair, taking them to the hospital for medicine, and teaching them about Jesus. Then one day, tragedy strikes three young girls in her circle of students. Their parents are dead, and they’ve been living in a hut by themselves, the eldest caring for the other two. One of the hut walls collapses on the oldest child, and at the hospital, Katie hears the doctors and police discussing not treating the girl because she has neither guardian nor money to pay. Katie intercedes. Before the day is done, custody papers for all three girls are in her hands. (Note to reader: Remember this is Uganda. Things like adoption and guardianship are far different there than they are in the States.) She has gone from being Auntie Katie to Mommy.

It starts with three daughters, and the number increases. Katie’s family needs more room, and God provides a house. At a time when many college students are learning to live on their own, so is Katie — only she’s doing it with eight children in tow. And still more come. Every day. Children from the villages, covered in red dirt and some many other things, stop at her house on the way to and from school for showers, for food, for a tickle fight, and for a hug. Months pass, and her family grows larger (14 daughters altogether). Still others come, for a night or a week or a month, children with scabies, a pregnant runaway, a desperate grandmother who can’t care for her grandchild. Under Katie’s roof, the hurting, hungry, sick, lonely, and needy find shelter. “It’s a house of many cultures, many languages, and many colors,” says Katie. “It’s a house of laughter, and tears, and sometimes frustration, but mostly elation. It’s a house of praise and worship and thanks. It’s a house that’s usually teeming with children, laughing and dancing and singing and just being kids, something many of them have never had a real opportunity to do. It’s always a loud house, and it’s always a grateful house. It’s my house. But mostly it’s God’s house.”

The Decision to Be a Disciple

“People ask me quite often why in the world THIS is what I have decided to do with my life,” says Katie. Her answer: “Because this is what makes my heart sing. Yes, it really is complete selfishness; this is where I am happiest. Because I believe that today is all I am promised. Because I believe that Jesus is coming back, and this is what I want to be doing when Jesus comes.” Some don’t understand the call. Some call her crazy. Some can’t fathom wasting time and energy in such difficult circumstances, much less rejoicing in or choosing that life. But a typical day for Katie is bursting with opportunities to love, in all its various forms: visiting a 90-year-old blind woman; feeding a tribe of outcasts; turning the back of a van into a makeshift clinic; sorting rocks from beans; catching a chicken for dinner; cleaning out a hut that’s filled with feces, filth, and grime so that the children who live there will have a place to sleep that isn’t disease-ridden; holding a severely malnourished girl and whispering in her ear that Jesus loves her; and dancing with the girls around the yard, singing and shouting praises. “People tell me I’m brave. People tell me I’m strong. People tell me good job,” says Katie. “Well here’s the truth of it: I’m really not that brave, I’m not really that strong, and I’m not doing anything spectacular. I’m just doing what God called me to do as a follower of Him. Feed His sheep, do unto the least of His people” (see Matthew 25:31-40).

So as a college student or simply as a fellow Christ follower, what can you do to help? Answers Katie, “Every circumstance is an opportunity for God’s work to be displayed. How will you change your world today? Love. Not just in Africa, but wherever you are. Love. Love the way God loved you. Look to Jesus; watch His life. ‘Now, go and do likewise.’”

Check out this great webcast interview with Katie Davis and Jason Hayes: “Connecting with Threads” Webcast with Katie Davis

Ande Fanning is freelance writer/editor from Birmingham, Ala. While working on this article, she substituted the name of her niece, Kyndall, for Sumini, a little girl Katie tells about who was once considered cursed and therefore abused and seen as unworthy of love. The writer stopped reading and wept. She’s praying that God won’t let her forget that each child, whether in Uganda or down the street, is His Kyndall.

Jeremy Rochford—Resolution Christianity

Sam O'Neal — 2012-01-02T10:00:43-06:00

Editor’s note: So many of us view the beginning of January as a time to make promises for improvement and change — regardless of whether we have a plan for keeping them. In this video, Jeremy Rochford takes a deeper look at the phenomenon of New Year’s Resolutions and their connection with our spiritual lives.