Rachel Short, an F15 alum, and I sat down for a little chat a few weeks ago and I grilled her about all things sorority.  Rachel had so much great advice and wisdom to offer you ladies who decided to go Greek this year.  Take a minute and listen in as I ask and Rachel responds to some very common questions about how to live for Jesus in your sorority.

As you do the greek thing, remember…you are here to make God famous. If you find yourself getting in situations and/or hanging out with folks that may make you more famous but definitely aren’t drawing attention to the God you serve, you need to check that. As you meet and hang out with your sorority sisters, remember to be a blinking arrow that points up to God and His glory instead of pointing down on you. Instead of, “Look at me! Look at me!” it should be, “Look at Him! Look at Him!”

I love you, ladies and I know that you have worked so hard through Rush. May God use you mightily in your sorority for His glory.

For His glory,

Whether the end of the last semester marked the completion of your last year of high school or your first year of college, YOU DID IT! You finished! At times, I’m sure you thought you would die of stress, over-caffeination or exhaustion but YOU DID IT! Pat yourself on the back, raise the roof (does anyone even do that anymore?) or give yourself a big thumbs up (for my aggie sistas)!
Hopefully you’ve taken a few days to sleep til noon and hang out by the pool. Now that you’re rested and tanned, we need to talk about what you’re going to do with the rest of your summer. Do you have plans? Or are you planning on doin’ a whole lotta nothin’? Either way, I want to warn you about a very clever and enticing trap the enemy seeks to lure you into this summer; laziness.
In the same way he uses busyness to keep you distracted during the semester, he uses laziness to keep you distracted during the dog days of summer. A day filled with endless tv, long naps and total self indulgence is part of his plan to make you feel content, even happy, even though you are not plugging into the Lord. The enemy would like to keep you blissfully unaware of this scheme so that when you return to school in the fall he’s ready to trip you up because you’ve become content outside of your relationship with the Lord and are spiritually weak. Sound a little harsh? Here’s what scripture has to say about it, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” 1 Peter 5:8.
I want to challenge you to use this summer and the extra time you have to grow exponentially in your relationship with the Lord and your understanding of who He is. The summer is the calm before the storm; the rest between battle. Use it to be spiritually prepared and equipped for all God has for you in the fall…”in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes” 2 Corinthians 2:11.
I would love to know what you’re up to and how you are going to keep doing the first two must-packs of the F15, Seek God First & Spend Time with Lord.
Do you have a cool Bible study you’re doing? What are you studying in scripture right now? Are you working at a camp? Going on a mission trip? Taking summer classes? Please leave your responses in the comments section.
I’m praying for you, ladies and I’m so proud to congratulate you all on a job well done…YOU DID IT! Now, let me know what’s next!

For His glory,

With the season of skin upon us, I felt like it was a good time to address the topic of modesty. Sure, I could give you a list of dos and don’ts when it comes to dressing but honestly…you ladies know what you should and shouldn’t wear and anyway, I really don’t think that’s what it’s all about. It’s not so much about the length of your shorts or the flashiness of your jewelry; it’s the inner person that needs to be addressed.

When we think about clothes and modesty, we can get so concerned with what we can see but really it’s what we can’t see that needs to be addressed. The issues a girl is struggling with in her heart are manifested in what she wears. You may see a barely there top and super short shorts but what you can’t see is what is going on in her heart- her desperate need to be desired and loved. You may see a girl decked out to the nines with flashy jewelry, the latest designer bag and all the right labels but what you can’t see is the longing in her heart to be liked and accepted by others. Have you heard the scripture, “…out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks”? I believe it is also fitting to add that out of the overflow of the heart, a girl gets dressed. This verse from 1 Peter 3:3 backs up this thinking, “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” You see, a girl whose focus is on having a beautiful heart it will naturally affect the way she gets dressed. She will spend more time adorning the inner person than the outer person. Truly, modesty is more a matter of the heart than a matter of the wardrobe.

Here are my two questions for you: 1)What are the motivations of your heart when you get dressed? 2)Are you seeking to get something from others you’re not getting from the Lord? If we could examine our own hearts, we would spend less time judging our sisters and more time praying for them. We would also dress modestly ourselves out of a natural overflow of a heart satisfied with Christ.

As you shop and dress in this modestly difficult season of skin, do a heart check when you do your mirror check.

For His glory,

You’ve been running hard all semester.  Every day, as your feet hit the pavement and you look toward the finish line marked by your last day of finals, you undoubtedly long for a drink to refresh your weary soul.    It’s time to drink the Living Water and find the refreshment you need to help you push through the end of the semester and fill you up so you’re ready to serve this summer.

Here is the link to a study plan a dear friend of mine, Tristie Fisher, wrote.  The study plan will take you through the book of John where you will encounter The Living Water and The Bread of Life.  The study is simple, easy to follow and easily adapted to your pace and stage of life.  If you are at A&M or heading there in the fall, make sure to hit her up over at Grace Bible.  Her husband is the pastor there and they have such godly and practical wisdom to offer.  They love God’s Word and it shows in the way the live and teach.

I love you, ladies.  Keep running strong and don’t skip out on some REFRESHMENT along the way!
For His glory,

“…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith…Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:22-25

“The day” is quickly approaching for these sweet seniors from the Lake Pointe Freshman 15 Retreat. These ladies took the opportunity to draw near to the Lord and be encouraged before He sends them out & boy is He sending them out! Not a single senior is staying in the Rockwall area after they graduate. These seniors will be scattered as far as Florida, Illinois, Tennesse, Oklahoma and to “Heaven on Earth”, College Station, TX-Home of the Fighting Texas Aggies! (Sorry for the shameless plug-Born, raised and a graduate of A&M, I’m a little biased!)

We had such a great time together getting real about what they are about to experience as they head off to college and what God’s word has to say about it all. Wonderful Rebecca, their girl’s minister, treated us to dinner at the fabulous Bin 303 and we got all dressed up for our big dinner out.

This is truly an amazing group of senior ladies and I feel so priveleged to have had the opportunity to love on them and share God’s message with them. Because these seniors committed to glorifying God in their time in college, I believe you’ll be able to see the light of Christ radiating from Wheaton, Vanderbilt, Santa Fe, OBU & good ‘ole Texas A&M and if you listen closely, you might even hear the distant echo of the “no-no square” chant!

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for this weekend. The Lord moved mightily!

For His glory,

My Bible reading plan took me to the wonderful book of Ruth today. I love this little book. Although it is small in text, it is mighty in significance. It stands out as a beacon of light and hope against the darkness and rebellion of the people during the time of the Judges. God used it to speak to me personally about His redemptive power, His provision for my daily need and my need to honor Him in the day-to-day.

I couldn’t escape the tugging on my heart to share the book of Ruth with you all. The love story that unfolds in these four chapters is God-honoring and God-glorifying. I desire that each of you would imitate Ruth in the way you love and seek after your Lord and that in doing so, God might send you a Boaz.  If you get a moment, read the four chapters of Ruth before you read the information I wanted to share with you about the book below.

Too often women settle for Bozos (as Lady in Waiting refers to them). God is calling you to hold out for a Boaz. As I read through Ruth, these were the qualities of Boaz that stood out to me. Read through the description of this valiant man and add any in the comments section that I may have missed.

Boaz:

• Spoke the language of faith (2:4)
• Respected by those he directed (2:4)
• Practically cared for Ruth by providing her with provision & protection (2:8-9)
• Encourages Ruth (2:11-12)
• Prays for Ruth (2:12)
• Speaks kindly to Ruth (2:13)
• Shows genuine concern for Ruth’s well-being (2:14-15)
• Joins with Ruth in her mission to care for her mother in law, Naomi (2:15)
• Boaz has his workers watch out for her, too (2:15-16)
• Doesn’t want Ruth to be embarrassed (2:15)
• Kind (2:20)
• Generous (2:21, 3:15)
• Honorable/Does the right thing (3:12-14, 18)
• Protect Ruth’s purity & honor (3:13-15)
• Open & honest, involves the accountability of many in transactions (3:9-12)
• Seeks to redeem (3:9-10)
• Others desire good for him (3:11-12)

Are you questioning if guys like this actually exist today? THEY ARE OUT THERE! Believe me! I married one! Hold out. Don’t settle. The Lord has great things in store for you in your future husband if you will follow hard after Him. Now, I want you to read about the qualities of Ruth. She, too was amazing!

Ruth:

• Turned her back on the gods of her people & culture in order to follow the One True God (1:16)
• Took care of a widow (as commanded in James 1:27) (1:14)
• Concerned with seeking after God more than seeking after a husband (1:11, 17)
• Not afraid to go to a new town, place & people in order to follow God (1:15)
• Took initiative to work; not idle (2:2)
• Works hard & steadily (2:7, 17)
• Humble (2:10, 13; 3:9)
• Took refuge in the Lord (2:12)
• Didn’t linger over her meal to try & work her ‘magic’ on Boaz. Got back to work (2:15)
• Gives generously to others (2:18)
• She was an encouragement (2:20)
• Loyal (2:23)
• Does not run after men (3:10)
• Kind (3:10)
• Has the reputation of a woman with noble character (3:11)

Ladies, I implore you to hold out for a Boaz and become like Ruth as you wait for God to provide. I am praying for you today and asking God to put this couple before you as a model of the romance that is available to you so that you won’t settle for the cheap imitation the world has to offer.

For His glory,

Friday evening my taxi service (aka my sweet husband and little boy) dropped me off at a gorgeous lake house on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, AR.  The lake house was beautiful but the girls waiting inside are what truly took my breath away.  They were all so beautiful, sweet and so kind to me.  They warmly welcomed me as one of their own & were eager to hear the message God had given me.

We had fun Friday night getting to know each other, laughing a lot, snacking a ton and turning to God”s Word for guidance on how to serve Him well in college.  Saturday morning started off right when sweet Kerensa, an adult leader, cooked us french toast that would put IHOP & Cracker Barrel to shame!  With full bellies, we gathered to talk about the college dating scene and then practiced what it would look like through a fun but frenzied scavenger hunt.  Afterward, the girls put their artistic abilities to the test by illustraing an ideal body type from differing time periods so that we were prepped to talk about our bodies, God”s temple.

Then, we loaded up the church van and headed into Hot Springs for a little hike that was short but oh-so-strenuous!  From the top of the hill we had a great view of Hot Springs and were able to enjoy it once our hearts stopped pounding out of our chest and our ears stopped ringing from the wind and sudden change in altitude!  We had fun hanging out in Hot Springs touring the bath houses, putting our hands in the hot springs and nabbing some free water from The Arlington Hotel.

After wrapping up our final session back at the lake house, we got all gussied up for a big dinner out.  The food at Belle Arti was fabulous and so was our sweet waiter who we gushed over after learning he was getting married the next day!  At dinner their fabulous girls minister, Melissa, gave them each a copy of the Bible study and a framed copy of The Freshman 15 to hang in their college dorms.  They absolutely loved them and it made my heart fill with such joy to see them perusing the pages of the Bible study as we sat at the table.

It was tough for me to say goodbye after dinner but I know that the Lord is going to use these ladies mightily on their college campuses and in the end…it”s not really goodbye because I will be facebook stalking them and checking in on them!

Thank you to all of you who prayed for this weekend and who supported me as I prepared.  The Lord heard you and responded!  Here is a little of what they had to say about the retreat (taken from a thank you card that I will forever treasure):

“I can”t tell you how much fun I had this weekend!  These sessions were just what I needed; before now I felt so scared, but now I know if I focus on the Lord, everything else will fall into place.”

“This weekend has been so amazing, informative, fun and just beautiful getting to know you and learning from you!  You have inspired me for the next step in my life & what a woman who follows the Lord looks like in college!  I love the call God has on your life, you”ve taught me so much in the past 24 hours!”

Giving glory to God,

I first heard this phrase when seated across from a sweet freshman girl attending Mary Hardin-Baylor. A new one to me, I asked her to explain. She said it meant that the goal of girls at UMHB was to have an engagement ring on their finger by spring of their freshman year.

Dumbfounded, I asked her to recant her statement. Surely she meant senior year. No. She meant freshman. The pain this simple phrase had caused was written all over her face as she explained how it had messed with her mind and heart; then sadly, how she had to deal with the Lord when spring came and there was no ring. She told me about how her mind had become singularly focused on finding “the one”. She looked for “him” everywhere and every time she met a new guy, wondered if their meeting was by God’s divine appointment and if he was her future husband.

My heart ached because I also wrestled with this during my college years. We referred to it as getting your MRS degree and hoped to “walk off the graduation stage and down the wedding aisle”.

There are so many pitfalls with this mindset. Most importantly, in looking for “the one” you miss out on getting to know “The Only One”. You, as an unmarried woman, have such an opportunity to get to know, fall in love with and serve Christ. 1 Corinthians 7:34b-35 explains, “An unmarried woman…is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit…I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.”

Be aware of this “ring by spring” nonsense and don’t let it take root in your heart and mind. I challenge you to throw off the desire to search for Mr. Right and follow in love with Christ, the ultimate Mr. Right. Read His Letters to you, talk to Him about how you’re doing and feeling and look for opportunities to serve Him.
Dear sister, don’t waste this precious time you have; just you and Jesus.

Love,
Kate

A few follow-up questions:
1. Is “ring by spring” popular on your campus or do you call it something else?
2. Have you found this mindset to more prevalent among Christians? Why do you think that is? What’s the harm in it?
3. Have you or any of your friends been influenced by this mentality? What have been the affects?

P.S. The trucker hat in the photo is legit. Urbandictionary.com sells “ring by spring” paraphernalia. Not that I’m advertising or suggesting you buy…I just thought it was hilarious!

I received this message from my freshman roommate, who I still keep in touch with and love dearly. I wanted to share it with you in hopes that it will encourage you as it did me. After a sweet greeting, here’s what she had to say:
So, I have a question for you… I really want to read the bible. I saw your post the other day and it inspired me. I want to better understand what I’m putting my faith into and just to learn really. I’m at a place in my life where I feel like I need to have more faith. But, I was wondering if there is something that’s a little more modernized or easier to read than just the bible. Sadly, I’ve never read it, and don’t even remember much about the stories, just what we learned as kids in bible school. I figured you’d be the person to ask : )
Also, I don’t know if I ever told you but I learned a lot from you that year we lived together in the dorms. You know then, I thought you were a dork for not drinking and being so into your faith. But, now I realize how hard that must have been. I’m happy you put up with me : ) I’m so glad that God put you into my life… and I know its been a long time since we’ve seen each other but I really am glad to have you as a friend.
lots of love!
Richale
With tear filled eyes and a heart overflowing with joy and praise to God, I must tell you: Be encouraged! Don’t give up! Keep loving your roommates, the girls in your dorm, the people you sit next to in class. You may not get to see the difference you’re making right away but, take heart, you are making a difference.  And, who knows?  You might open your inbox nine years from now and get to hear about how God used you.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

For His glory and my great joy, Kate
PS…After talking it through, Richale is purchasing a Bible and we plan to talk through it as she reads.
PPS…The pic is of Richale(right) and me(left) in front of our dorm room door. Aren’t we cute!

The lights are blinking in the theater and, after one last stretch, people are returning to their seats.  Intermission is over and it’s time to start the second act!  I truly hope you enjoyed your intermission, otherwise known as Christmas break, and that you stocked up on refreshments…both the ones you nabbed from your parents pantry to take back to school and the naps, extra sleep and quiet you don’t get at school.

Act I is complete.  No matter how great or how lousy it was; you can’t go back.  Don’t beat yourself up about how it all went down your first semester.  Some things probably went really well and, as always, there are areas that need improvement.  Although we can learn from first semester triumphs and tragedies, our gaze should not be on the rear view mirror.  Instead, “…Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” Philippians 3:13b-14.

Before the lights dim and the action gets into full swing, get on your knees and commit this second act to the Lord.  For some of you, it may be scary to truly surrender this semester to the Lord because you are fearful about what He may be calling you to or possibly away from.  Remember to trust Him.  His plans and His desires for you are for your best and for His glory.  He never gives an end without providing the means; “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:19.

Commit today to giving your best in the second act.  Trust Him as your Ultimate Director.

I’m excited to see the ways the Lord uses your surrendered lives this semester for His glory!  Keep in touch and let me know how I can be praying for you or if you ever just need to chat.  I consider my relationships with you ladies a great privilege and look forward to hearing from you.

All my love…Kate