New Year, Nothing New

         As 2016 draws to a close everyone complains about how bad a year it was and rejoices that a new year is here. One of my co-workers said today, "2107 will be better" but you know what? Last new year we dissed 2015 and swore 2016 would be better. Every year "New year, fresh start" It may be a new year, but do not be fooled.; It is not a new life. The new year changes nothing. It won't change that people are hateful creatures. It won't change whatever problems are in your life. 2017 doesn't renew your spiritual life, it doesn't make you healthy. 2017 wont change you or the world. You have to change your habits. You have to take your stand and change the world. There is no new life at the start of a new year unless you make a new life. You don't even have to wait until the new year to make changes. You want to believe in something new and fresh? Every minute is new and fresh. You can make a choice that changes everything at any given point in time. There is nothing new under the sun. So stop pretending that a new year, a new set of numbers is going to change things. People change things. People with passion and faith who don't stand by watching things happen  and pass the job off to someone else, someone else who never comes along and never changes things. Every year, like every day, and every moment is what you make of it. Make a difference today and every day. Shine your light into a dark, lonely, lost, and hopeless world. Do not say "I can't" because the Scripture says, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." ~Philippians 4:13

                                               ~Katie Stone~

The Worth of Wisdom

   As I look around at the state of America, I can't help but wonder how we came to be as we are now, and what happened to a once great nation. As a nation we are entitled, as a nation we disregard the value of human life, as a nation we reject God. We lack wisdom. We have no respect for the elderly, but the Bible says, "You shall stand up before the grey head, and honor the face of the old man." ~ Leviticus 19:32  When we do not respect or heed our elders, we cannot learn from them. The elderly are wise, "Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?" ~Job 12:12 As we lack respect for elders, we lack wisdom, and as we lack wisdom we lack respect for our elders... on and on it goes in a never ending loop until we are all fools in our hearts and despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 13:20 says, "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm." Well have become fools and companions of fools, and so spell out our own doom. We scorn wisdom, and take pride in our own limited understanding. "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." ~Proverbs 16:18 We must learn to humble ourselves, admit our own folly, and seek God-given wisdom. It is not too late, for we are told, "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." ~James 1:5 "Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding." ~ Proverbs 4:6-7

                                  ~Katie Stone~

Finding Dory and ADHD

   

     Finding Dory is about someone with short term memory loss, which is obviously very different from ADHD, but it definitely has some similarities and, as an ADHD girl, I really connected with Dory on that level. Throughout the whole movie you can see her struggling to remember something that should be easy. Such as "two lefts then a right." or Jewel of California... Something. Even I can't remember. There were several moments I was nearly sobbing, not because of a sad part of the movie because but because I connected so much to Dory's struggle. Such as the line "the thoughts just leave my head." or when she's lost in the kelp with no clue what she has forgotten or where she just came from. All she has is the crushing knowledge that she has forgotten something important, and she's all alone with no one to help her. She deals with kinda an overload and goes into a panicked frenzy until she stops and just figures out things out from what she does know, which was actually a great lesson. Sometimes you just have to force yourself to take it one simple step at a time. Ocean, or kelp? Kelp is better. Rocks, or sand? I like sand, sand is squishy.
    One of the best things about this movie though is that it wasn't a lament, "Oh, poor Dory has to live her whole life with this disability!" but rather an eye-opener. Just because people like Dory, or those with ADHD can't do what others can doesn't mean we're useless. We have our own special abilities no one else has. Like the way Dory always finds a way out because she's willing to believe in an idea so crazy it just might work. Sound familiar? A disability is just a different ability, and that's the message I really got from Finding Dory. She can't hate on herself for forgetting things because she can't help help it. She can, however, find things that work for her.
    Jenny is one of my favorite characters in Finding Dory because she doesn't get frustrated with Dory's inability to remember, but rather helps her overcome it in unique and interactive ways, such as coming up with phrases or songs like "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming" These things stayed with Dory even when she couldn't remember where she learned them or why.
    So to all of you out there like Dory, or like me, just keep swimming and know that you can accomplish great things and that you are "Fearfully and wonderfully made" ~ Psalm 139:14
   To all of you who are the friends, family, or significant other of someone with short-term memory loss or ADHD, thank you for staying with us and loving us through it all. Thank you for your patience. We don't say this enough, but we would not have gotten this far without you.

                                                ~Katie Stone~

Empathy vs. Apathy

   

   


      One of my favorite songs is "If We Are the Body" by Casting Crowns, and this has been resounding with me particularly clearly as of late. There's so much happening in the world, and I keep hearing "My heart breaks for our Lord" and "This world needs Jesus!" all good and honest sentiments, but here's what bothers me. We type "My heart breaks for this world" as we sit behind our computer screens scrolling through our Instagram feed or laughing at the newest trending vine. I'm guilty too! We live in a world full of apathy, we say the words we should mean and then move on to the next thing like it doesn't even matter. If our hearts truly broke for the world, we'd be out in it, serving the poor, healing the broken, and spreading hope to the lost instead of clicking a thumbs up and considering our job done. The words we say over the internet cannot replace feet that go to all corners of the earth seeking the lost, arms that comfort the broken and hurting, hands that heal the wounded, and voices that speak truth and grace rather than fingers that type without thinking. This stifling apathy toward everything can never replace the empathy of Christ that feels every heartache and despair alongside the hopeless spirit. If we cannot find it in our hearts to reach out to the hurting, lost, and broken, we have no right to say that our hearts break, or that we feel the pain that God does when He looks at the earth. Today I challenge myself and all of you stop next time you're about to just hit a like button, or post a #cause, and think about what you can do to actually make a difference, to actually serve, and spread the love of Christ. "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." ~John 13:35 
  "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." ~Matthew 5:16

                                                    ~Katie Stone~

Sarah ~ A Story of Strength and Need

      I would like you all to hear the story of my friend, Sarah as                                    written by another friend of mine.

             "Hello, everyone. My name is Kara. This is my good friend, Sarah.

Gorgeous, right? 

For the past twelve years, Sarah has been struggling with eating disorder behaviors, and two years ago, was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, binge/purge subtype. 

     She is currently in the worst condition she's ever been, at only 63 pounds. 

She has been living in her car on and off for the past 8 months, and, after blacking out while driving, totaled it. As a result, she has been staying with my family and I for the past week.

                             Here's a selfie we took, because we're cool. ;)

We have been doing everything that we can to get her the help that she needs, which at this point is residential treatment, but we are in Kentucky, and there are no such programs here. Her insurance will not cover out-of-state expenses, and we simply cannot afford to pay for treatment ourselves, as a single month of residential care would cost us at least $35,000, and that doesn't include travel costs. 

In addition to this, she is also currently unemployed, making it impossible for us to switch to an insurance provider that could cover the cost (and even if we could, it could take weeks or months to achieve and we are terrified of what could happen in that time), and until her health improves she cannot work. 

Sarah is one of the most beautiful, faithful people I know. She has shown so much strength and perseverance during this time. Unfortunately, this illness is relentless. It is a very present danger, and I refuse to surrender to it; even so, we are so tired of running in circles, hospital visits and therapy that is ultimately ineffective. We need help as soon as possible and I pray that you will feel lead to assist us.

Please do not be put off by the magnitude of our goal; while we are hoping for at least three months of residential, we will take whatever we can get. Anything is better than nothing, and every little bit counts.

Thank you so much for reading. Your donations, thoughts and prayers are so appreciated. God bless."

                  Please consider donating to Sarah's GoFundMe page:       https://www.gofundme.com/e3vyg9nw 

                    and also share her story with your friends. 

                                            

                                        ~ Katie Stone~

Outside In

     Tonight as I was washing the dishes, I noticed that I tend to wash the outside first, and then the inside, and I was reminded of the time Jesus scolded the pharisees for washing the outside of the "bowl" and not the inside. It's an accurate picture. I wash the outside of the dishes first because it's easier. The outside usually doesn't look too dirty, so I just give it a quick swipe before the real work... the outsides of our lives are easier to give a quick swipe too, aren't they? Not just that, we want to look pristine and perfect on the outside because we're afraid of being judged. That fear isn't unfounded either, because you will be judged. I will be judged. There's always going to be somebody, maybe in your church, or your family, or among your friends who is going to judge you when you don't look like you've got it all together. Sometimes, if you don't have a pristine outer life, people are going to go so far as to say your faith isn't real, and you're a hypocrite. So no, I'm not going to tell you "Don't worry, you just feel this pressure to have it all together, when really nobody expects that of you." cause I'm not about to lie to you. Some people will turn on you faster than lightning. Here's the thing though... we don't have to live in fear of their judgments. The Psalmist says "The LORD is for me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" ~Psalm 118:6 Choosing to work on your heart, and the inside of you is a scary thing, because when you're working on your heart first, your outside life is going to a mess. Let's be honest, we're always learning and growing, and if we focus on that growing, our outside lives are always going to be a bit of a mess. We don't have to fear the judgments of man though, because God is with us. When we surrender the idea of looking perfect on the outside, God can begin to truly work on our hearts, and change us from the inside instead of us trying to maintain a perfect exterior and hope the inside comes along with time. So let's let go of this, and stop washing from the outside in (this need not apply to the dirty dishes sitting in your sink) and let God work on our hearts, and change us on the inside. Be messy, choose to not always have it together, and above all, just be real. It's not a sin to appear less than perfect. In fact, our weakness showcases the might and glory of God!  "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9  So please, stop fighting this losing battle, and allow His perfect love to drive out all your fear, and give Him control of your messy life, holding nothing back. "For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose." ~Philippians 2:13

                                                   ~Katie Stone~

You are Strong

    You are strong. Strength is not measured by the number of times that you fall, only the number of times that you decided to get back up again.

Faith is not numbered by what you have accomplished, but by what you believe in your heart

You are one of the strongest people your friends know, and if you need a minute to lay down on the ground, then let them lay there beside you and tell you that your strength is found in Christ alone. That nothing in this world can stand against Him, and that the battle of the kingdom of heaven is what we are all fighting.

That's how it goes. When the lightning flashes, the thunder isn't far behind, and the rains are gonna pour down, cause that's the way of things. But what's the promise?

What promise comes after that storm? It is the promise of hope and a future. It is the promise of provision from God, and it is the promise that you may fall, and suffer, and be betrayed, but there is One who will never leave your side. There is One who calls you worthy. There is One who wipes away your tears, and does not let you wander the night alone

And He is the One! He is the One that will make your heart sing

He is the One who will make every suffering worth it

He is the One who has called you His own, despite every shortcoming, and has loved you enough to die so that you may live.

He is perfection, can you imagine how hard it must have been to live on this earth among such sin and darkness? How it must have broken His heart? He was scorned, and He was beaten in the most horrible ways, and He was hung on a cross and died. He did it for you. You were once the unworthy scum of the earth, but the day that God Himself declared you His? That is the day that He made you worthy! He gave you a crown, and a worth that nothing in all the universe can ever take away.

He is God! And He chose you! He loves you! He died for you! He is always beside you, and He will never abandon you.

"Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me, Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me." ~Psalm 23:4

"Whither shall I go from Thy spirit?

Whither shall I flee from Thy presence?

If I ascend into heaven, You are there.

If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

If I take on the wings of the morning, or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea even there Thy hand shall lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me.

If I say, 'Surely the darkness shall cover me!' even the night shall be light about me. 
Yea the darkness hideth not from Thee, but the night shineth as the day.
The light and dark are both alike to Thee." ~Psalm 139:7-12

                                                ~Katie Stone~

Because We Can

We prank people because we can.
HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :P

In the Face of Defeat

There are times in my writing when it would be so easy to quit. To close all my files and toss my flash drives in a box never to be opened. Recently, I lost the flash drive that held 2 half-written novels, and several novel beginnings. This was one of those times I wanted to quit. Desperately. What's the point if fate is going to throw it back in my face? There's another question that came to mind though... what if, by giving up my writing, I never wrote the book that could change someone's life? If God gave me a talent, isn't it my duty to use it for His glory, even when it seems like the world is shouting "You can't!" in my face? If I can make a difference, and if I can praise the Lord in my writing... then what excuse do I have for giving up? Aren't these things so much greater than the challenges I face? So here I go. New flash drive. New story. Keep dreaming, keep writing, keep believing.
For me, this has been my writing. The talent I posses that seems too much like a burden at times. It's not the only talent of mine that can be a burden though. Everything that God has given you, the devil despises, because he despises you and he despises God. We are the warriors of God's kingdom! We fight with our prayers, with our words, written and spoken. With our actions, and our talents; writing, singing, acting, science, discernment, comforting, and any. other. talent. that we have been given by God. "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" 1 Peter 4:10 So yes, sometimes it will seem more of a curse than a blessing. A lot of the time you're going to want to give up, sit down, and stop caring. But when we carry the light of God in our hearts, that light spreads to everything that we do. There is a greater battle than the ones we face in everyday life. There is a battle against the powers of darkness "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12 and it's not guns or swords that will win that battle. It's light. It's faith. It's perseverance. So come, weary warrior. Come my brothers, my sisters, and take my hand. Let us join together in this fight. Let us stand when we have fallen, and continue on the paths of light. Let us continue to use the talents we have been given to spread light and glorify God. Let us stand, and not despair. To be fought against means that we're heading in the right direction, because the enemy does not want us to use our God-given gifts. He doesn't want us to shine our lights to the reaches of the earth. So if you are facing opposition, keep going, and pray and persevere your way through! Never give up, because all your talents are needed to fight the darkness and shine the light.

~Katie Stone~

A Tribute to our Teeto

Thomas, it's taken a while for me to gather the courage to write this, but I have things I just need to say, and I think they're ready to come out now. I didn't know you as well as I wanted to. After all, we only just met this past summer. But how long you know someone doesn't determine how much you love them. You were my friend, Thomas, and no matter how long you're gone I will always love you, and I will always miss you. You brought light into the lives of everyone who ever met you. Some days I walked into Nehemiah rehearsal feeling like no one wanted me around, but you wouldn't let me believe that. Every smile, every hug, every word that you spoke was full of light, and life, and love. I wish that you didn't feel like you'd be better off dead, and I've thought endlessly of the ways I could have stopped you or changed your mind. I ask myself why. Why would you leave us? But all of these questions are useless. There is an enemy of our souls who fills our heads with lies and deceit, and I believe that you grappled with him every day. I guess the truth is, you're having a much better time in heaven than you ever did on earth, so we don't grieve because you're sad. You aren't sad anymore, you don't have to deal with any of this world's darkness, because you're up there with Jesus, and I bet He's loving your magic tricks! We grieve because we miss you. Teeto, you brought so much beauty to this earth with your beautiful soul. I guess what I'm trying to say is thank you. Thank you for your life, and for being a part of my life. You have inspired me to love more deeply, to always show kindness to everyone I meet, and to make everyone feel like they are important 100% of the time. I guess this is just a random collection of thoughts, messy and weird but I think you understand. I know you're having the time of your life up there and I'm so glad, because you deserve it. Do you see the pink in my hair? It's for you. :) Goodbye. I'll see you again one day, when God calls me home.

                               ~Love, Katie Stone~

The Blessing of Contentment

Today I want to talk about being content. I believe that contentment is one of the greatest blessings in life, and I am amazed at how many people think differently. My life isn't perfect, and by the end of 2015 I struggled with major discontentment. I wasn't enough, my friends weren't enough, my family wasn't enough, God wasn't enough. I was in a self-imposed state of misery. 2016 came and, at first, nothing was different. Day 1: Discontent. Day 2: Discontent. But as I finished going through my blessings jar (You can see my post about that here: http://aditlohp.blogspot.com/2015/02/my-cup-overfloweth.html ) something began to change in me. I wrote 34 pages of notes on each person, place, thing, or whatever else was in that blessings jar, and I was in awe that in a year that had seemed so terribly difficult, I was blessed in such abundance! That wasn't the end of my discontentment though. Many days following were full of feelings of helplessness and loneliness. One day I could bear it no longer, and late at night I sat down and began to cry, pleading with God to do something, to help me. Slowly, my prayer changed from one of begging Him to take away my sorrows, to asking Him to change my heart. I suppose it must have happened somewhat slowly, because it wasn't until just this evening, as I was thinking about a few things that need done, that I realized I wasn't panicky. I wasn't afraid, or lonely, or angry, or miserable, I was content. I am content. Even though not a single circumstance has changed, I feel so... free. There are many forms that discontentment can take. You can be discontent with your money or belongings (or lack of the money or belongings you want) "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" ~Hebrews 13:5   You can be discontent with your circumstances "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" ~Matthew 6:25-26  There are many other things you may be discontent with, but the Bible says "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." ~Philippians 4:12-13
   Next time you're feeling discontent, think about all the ways in which you are blessed, and thank God for them, and then ask Him to turn your heart, and train your mind to be content with your money, your circumstances, your relationships, and your life. To be content is to let go of the chains that bind you.

                                      ~Katie Stone~