Kisses from Katie book REVIEW

Kisses from Katie

by: Katie Davis

This isn't your typical review or your typical book.  This is special.  No one asked me to review this book nor did I plan to review it.  But a friend recommended this book and then brought it to me one night to read.  After reading I knew right away that I MUST review it.  I need to spread the word about what God is doing in Uganda using this young lady while not yet out of high school.

I don't want to tell you all too much because I really do want you to buy the book and read it.  But I will tell you enough.  

This is a real life story about Katie Davis.  She was a senior in high school living near Nashville, Tennessee.  God had laid this mission trip on her heart and she was going to go to Uganda (Africa) over her Christmas break.  She convinced her parents to let her go.  Her mother joined her on this first trip to ensure her safety and of course parents peace of mind.

Uganda is a place of poverty, starvation, HIV dying children and families.  It is a place where most live in cardboard boxes, sleep on matted, bug infested blankets that are worn and soiled with feces. The children have bumps on their bodies where these bugs have buried and laid egg sacs.  Their bellies are huge and bulging due to malnutrition and starvation.  

Now, I have a senior in high school and so it was very easy for me to compare.  Most teenagers are pretty selfish.  But here a girl, a senior in high school, with a steady boyfriend (the love of her life) and a loving family, answering a call from God to go help these people.  That is truly amazing.  She answered that call.

After returning, she claims that while going back to school she couldn't help but thinking about all those people (her family) back in Uganda.  She couldn't wait to return to them.  She felt that God was calling her back to be with those people of Uganda.  She kept thinking in her mind, I have a wonderful family, an awesome boyfriend and a wonderful life here in the US.  How could I possibly desire to return to a place of such poverty? The answer is.....the people, HIS people.

I don't want to tell the inspirational stories that she shares because I want you to read the book.  I want you to experience what I experienced.  This book will make you cry, laugh and realize that we live in a country that has assess to everything we can imagine.  We have the freedom to drive to the grocery store and choose any kind of food we want.  The people in Uganda, may not eat for days, even the children.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a change in their life.  A change for the good, a change for your spirit, a chance to gain inspiration, a chance to open your eyes to what really matters in this world, which is God's people.  The book is about the people of Uganda, not Katie (she says in this book).  She is right, but what an amazing young lady she is that God is using her in such a dramatic way to change lives daily!

Visit Katie's blog:
http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/



Disclaimer:
This review is my own opinion.  I was not paid, or asked to do this review.  I did not receive anything in return for my review.  It was my duty to pass on this wonderful book.  The link to purchase is to Amazon.  I chose this company because I have had good experience with them. I do NOT get any kick back or anything in return for your purchase.

I don't like their music

Today was 'youth Sunday' in our church.  It is a day where the youth group controls our worship service and leads the congregation.  We are a pentecostal church and worship service is a wonderful meaningful time where each of us spend time with the Lord through worship. 

Our teens rapped today.  Yes, rapped.  I am talkin' R*A*P.  I grew up in the 80's and rap was just starting to really come out.  I hated it then and still do.  But I am telling you what, these young adults gave a message through their rap music that allowed the Holy Spirit to flow.  The message was there, the presence of the Lord was there, yes.....through rap.  

We are blessed to have a wonderful youth group.  We have a wonderful youth pastor, wife and family, that feed these kids spiritually every day of their lives.   Sometimes our teens don't want to hear things that we parents have to say.  Yes, we are bias and harp on things too much I guess.  Our youth pastors and their families take up the slack and invest in these young men and women and we are soooo blessed.  

So if you are like me and hate rap music, or whatever type of worship service you may not be pleased with, I ask you to be receptive and open.  When the Holy Spirit flows, it flows to whatever music the Lord chooses.   

Amen!

Christmas is over.....now what?

I don't know about you, but this is the time of year (winter) when I start to get bored and burned out with our curriculum and homeschooling in general. Of course we can't go buy all new just because of this reason, but I have found a way to 'spice' things up. Lapbooking & unit studies are a great way to get rid of the 'winter homeschool blues'. Currclick.com is a great website to get lapbooks. Most are very inexpensive...some as low as $1.00 or $0.50! You download, print and you're ready. The basics things needed for lapbooking you'll need is a pencil, paper, manilla folders (colored or plain), glue, crayons or markers, etc. - basic supplies.

Not familiar with lapbooking?  Here are a few sites to help explain w/ examples -

 A Journey Through Learning is a great site.  It has samples, how to and topics to help get you started.

 http://www.ajourneythroughlearning.net/

 

Another great idea is a Unit Study.  You pick a topic and run with it.  Every subject (Science, Math, History, Language Arts) works in that topic you have chosen.  Here is a link that will explain in more detail -

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/unit-studies/

So if you are getting bored with your homeschooling..... check it out.