Temptation Doesn't Have to Suck

Well...I have seriously nothing better to do in EAST today, so why not post a blog?

Since the retreat, a lot of things in my life have been a LOT different.

A lot of things have gotten better, but temptation hasn't gone away one bit.

However, my perspective of temptation and what I do in the face of temptation has changed completely.

I went back to SCL today for the first time in a LONG time, and one of my best friends did the lesson.

What was is about???

Temptation.

Even though I had to leave early to make it to band on time, I got a lot out of what she had to say.

She even gave me her lesson paper when I saw her in the hallway earlier today.

It talked about how even when temptations feel unbearable, they're not.

God has promised us that He'll help us get through any and EVERY temptation, no matter how horrible it feels.

Throughout my struggle and this recovery process, there have been many times where I felt like there was NO way that I could handle some of the things life was throwing at me.

But, NOTHING is too much for God.

His strength is more than enough to get us through the difficult seasons life throws at us.

So...I know this one is shorter than usual, and I may update it and write more about how much this is changing me and my perspective on life and recovery.

But, for now, that's it.

-Kati

Sync

This weekend, my youth group went on our first "just our group" retreat.

Sorry, I couldn't come up with a better way to put it.

AMAZING doesn't even begin to describe the experience I had there.

I've never really had the opportunity to get away from the craziness of life and have some time.

But, I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be doing it more often.

I went in with a lot of preconceptions of what I thought the weekend was going to be like.

It blew every single one of them out of the water!!!

I saw how much I had in that group, and how much I need them in my life.

Not only do they keep me entertained ALL THE TIME, they also show me things about God and about myself that I would never had seen otherwise.

We laughed, cried, sang, prayed, worshipped, and just loved together.

I grew so much closer to each and every one of them, especially my girls.

I always feel like I have to put up this front and act like I'm this perfect Christian or else they'll judge me or something.

I saw that they love me just the way I am: crazy, broken, and jacked up.

I went to the retreat with one real best friend in the group; I came out with 5 more.

That's something I NEVER saw coming.

If I learned one major thing about God this weekend, it's that HE IS ENOUGH!!!

I always felt like I had to find some sort of fulfillment in the world to be complete.

But, God is the only one who can fully satisfy me.

He's perfect, and His perfect love makes me whole, even when I feel broken beyond compare.

I know that I'm coming out with a completely different perspective on God and on my youth group.

They blessed my life so much this weekend, and I pray that I can just return half of the love that they've all given me.

Going into this weekend, I felt like I'd kinda lost touch with God because life had been chaotic.

If Satan can't make you be bad, he can certainly make you busy.

That's what has been my biggest problem in my life.

Like I said earlier, I feel like my meaning should be found in the world and the things that this world values.

In doing that, I tuned God out with the noise of my worldly desires.

But, God often does the most work in the times of silence.

At one point this weekend, I had the chance to just sit out in the field behind the house alone and spend time with God one-on-one.

I just cried out to Him, asking Him to renew the fire and passion I once had for Him.

I felt His presence surround me in a way that I'd never felt before, and it broke me down completely.

It pretty much blew me away.

I never thought I could feel God more powerfully alone in silence than at a youth conference or other event with thousands of other Christians.

But, it can certainly happen.

So many things in my life were changed this weekend!!

If I tried to list them all, this blog would be extremely long, and I'd run out of time to write it.

God is AWESOME!!!!!!

Huge thanks to Brent, Terra, Dave, Ashley, Scott, Marilyn, and ALL of NPC Youth!!!

You guys made this an UNFORGETTABLE weekend, and I'm so blessed to know each of you!!!

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!

At long last, I got the group shot.

-Kati (=