2015

Geeze Louise!

It is the year of two thousand and fifteen!

 
I met so many new kindred spirits and went on so many adventures.

So I'd like to personally thank my man Jesus, for giving me an adventurous year. 



Now get out there and explore 2015!!!

XO,

Kate

Free

Hey you!

Yeah, you.

You are not yours.

What do you mean I'm not mine? Well, if you have trusted that Jesus died so He could have a relationship with you, then you no longer belong to yourself.

You belong to Jesus, and the Holy Spirit actually lives inside you.

You might wonder one anyone would do a thing like that for you. But it's because to Jesus, 

you are:

Beautiful,

Worth it,

Forgiven,

and 

Set free.

You are set free from what the world thinks about you. You are set free from darkness. You are set free from sin. You are set free from the past. And all these things do not have control over you. 

Do you understand what I'm saying? We. Are. Free.

We don't have to worry what other people think about us, because Jesus says we're beautiful. We don't have to worry about being lost in the dark, because Jesus says we're worth the search. We don't have to worry about things we've done or things we will do because Jesus has forgiven. 

And the good thing is, nothing can change that.


"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
John 8:36 NIV

"Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you."
Galatians 5:1 MSG

10 Years WITH the Wiregrass

     Back when Wiregrass Church started in the summer of 2004, I was only 5 years old, and on July 11, the church will turn 10 YEARS OLD!!! I honestly can`t remember that much about life before Wiregrass, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

     When my family and a few others moved down here from Atlanta GA, we did not know what we were getting ourselves into. The whole "video church" thing was definitely not the norm and the whole thing could have flopped very easily. 

    But God had a plans for Wiregrass Church.

The 3rd location for WC

    Plans that no one at the time could have put into words, plans that still haven't happened yet.

   I've been in the same small group with the same girls since kindergarden, and I don`t think I could love them anymore. I really think I have the best small group a girl could ask for and I know I would not be this close with any of them if it wasn't for Wiregrass Church. I have seen God work in amazing ways in my small group, even with in the past few months. 

My small group during our mission trip to Savannah, GA.

       I`ve seen how Wiregrass has helped out in our community through the Be Rich and various other service projects.

     I've seen how Wiregrass Church has impacted the lives of people, and kept them accountable for the changes they've made.

     But, let's be honest, who really did all these amazing things? It wasn't just Wiregrass Church. It was all God. Every community project, every life change, every story was all because of Jesus. But I am honored that God uses my church in such amazing ways. 


     Tonight we're celebrating the 10th anniversary of our church with a worship service and a guest speaker. It's kind of a big deal and I am super excited about it. To wrap up the birthday weekend, on Sunday my dad is going to share about what he wants the next 10 years will look like. Apart of the years to come will include a new campaign called WITH the Wiregrass. In order to explain this a little more, I'll let dad break it down: "#withthewiregrass is the effort of Wiregrass Church to invest relationally in the community...we want the Wiregrass area to know that we are with them and not against them. This is not a marketing plan, or an outreach plan. It's an identity. I must confess there is some trickeration going on here. WITHTHEWIREGRASS is not tied to Wiregrass Church... it is a message that we are WITH them."


    So, I guess you could say that this is one really long birthday card to Wiregrass Church. On that note HAPPY BIRTHDAY WIREGRASS!!!!! Here's to the next 10 years!


XO,

Kate

Whats YOUR Weakness?

         I have a lot of weaknesses. But, we all hate to admit our weaknesses, or try and do anything to stop them. But in 2 Corinthians 12:9 it says that Christ`s power is made PERFECT in weakness. Think about it, if we only relied on our power only, then we would be pretty crazy people. Everyone would put themselves first because they would be trusting in their power alone. Now, think about the person that admits their weaknesses, even boasts about them. What can you tell about this person? Well, usually they're pretty generous, probably joyful too because they know they have someone pretty powerful looking after them. And I mean come on, who doesn't want the creator-of-everything-there-ever-was-or-ever-will-be-all-powerful-God, looking after them with His PERFECT POWER??? I think sometimes Christians sometimes get a bad rep because we're self-righteous and because we boast about all the good things WE do (as if God didn't have a part in any of it). But imagine seeing Christians who boast about their weaknesses, (I mean, who does that?) yet are still joyful AND peaceful because they know that through boasting about their weaknesses, Jesus` power is then made PERFECT! That, sounds very appealing. 

"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 NIV

Think About Such Things

     Today our culture is FULL of so many wrong, ugly, sinful, degrading things! Especially in our media and in the way we choose to entertain ourselves. It is so easy to listen to the newest, hottest, song out there because we like the beat or the person singing it. It doesn`t matter that the words are provocative, or talk about all the wonderfulness of partying/drinking all night without consequences. There are some seriously whacked out things that we listen to without caring. We sing the words or watch the shows that have crude jokes thinking that it won`t effect us. But it does. We find ourselves thinking about things that are the complete opposite of nobility, righteousness, goodness and pureness. When noble, right, good, pure things are exactly what we, as Christians, are supposed to think of! We may think it`s not a big deal, but what we think on, sometimes becomes what we act on. Every time I think on un-pure things, it becomes harder to make those thoughts obedient to Christ. So, from now on I want to fill my mind and heart with true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy things. That my friends, I think would be a great way to live and think. 


"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things." -Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ." -2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV)

From the Journal of Kate Fountain

                  I feel the nag a lot. You know, the nag or tug you feel when you think the Holy Spirit is telling you to do something. It`s easy to talk yourself into not believing the nag/tug, saying "That's not really what it`s telling me to do," or "What will people think of me if I did that?" But, what if we started giving into the tug. What amazing things could happen, if even in the littlest things, we did what was tugging on us instead of not doing it because we are afraid of what people might think? Why do we even care about what people think of us, if we KNOW that what God thinks is the only thing that matters?              

                "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."   -John 14:26

New Years Resalations

      I went to Haiti in September of 2012, and it was honestly one of the best experiences of my life. I think that Jesus calls everyone to serve, but people serve in different ways. Some people serve in offices with a suit on, and other people serve in their homes. But I think I was called to serve as a missionary, and the Haiti trip really helped me figure out how I was called to serve. But the problem, as some people would see it, is that I`m not exactly sure where God has called me to serve. Africa? Haiti? Mexico? Alabama? I just don`t know yet. And to some people, that would seem a bad thing. Not knowing scares a lot of people including me. It causes us to worry. But, if we knew how everyday of the rest of our life was going to be, then where would the adventure of trusting God be? Granted I still have 3 and a half years until I go to college so, I have sometime before I have to make any life changing decisions. But I don`t want to spend the next 3 and a half years worrying. I want to spend them trusting, and adventuring. So I guess Jesus knew what he was talking about when he said, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it own."-Matthew 6:33-34.
 
       So I guess you could say that my New Years Resalation (yes, it`s a made up word, a cross between revelation and resolution) is to not worry, trust, to and hang on for the ride.

The Past Two Weeks

                                 HELLO! Today was the last day of BigStuf camps! It was an amazing week! But
before I tell you about BigStuf I have to tell you about JH Ranch.

                                                                  JH Ranch
                               
                              Let me first start by saying it was the best week and experience of my life! I was SO nervous going in because I had never been there before. But as soon as I got there I felt welcomed. All the staff was so friendly! You could tell they really loved what they were doing.

     
                              When I got there on Sunday I met the most amazing group of girls (I could not have asked for a better group). There was not a single moment of tension, or drama, or anything like that, which I can say is a pretty sweet accomplishment for eight girls SHARING ONE BATHROOM for a whole week.


                             All through out the week we did things like sleep out under the stars, go white water rafting, do high ropes courses, low ropes courses, jump off a waterfall, eat ice cream, have random dance parties and worship the same amazing God.


                             I am so grateful for the time I got to spend with my dad and the time I got to spend on a adventure with him. He helped me do things I never EVER thought I would do in  million years! I enjoyed building a even stronger relationship with him.


                           I also got to build my relationship with my Heavenly Father. I enjoyed learning about Him in new ways and singing new songs to Him.

                                                              BigStuf Camp

                 So, Sunday, July 7, I left JH at 3:30 am for a exciting day of flying. I got back to good ole Dothan, AL at 7:45 pm Sunday night. I got to my home, washed clothes, threw them in a bag, and left for BigStuf with Wiregrass at 2:00 the next day.

                        I`m not going to lie to you, I was SO exhausted. I felt dead. Which isn`t a great way to start off a week when you knew you were going to be getting less sleep than you did the previous week.          

                          Plus I was kinda stopped up (I`m blaming the long flights for my excessive tissue buying). So I got there and I had the mind set that it was not going to be as good as JH and I won`t have a good time. Boy, was I wrong.

                          It was a most amazing week. It was just me, Gabby and Faith in my small group. So we got to hang out with the senior girls which I did NOT have a problem with.

                          Our hosts for the week were Tripp and Tyler and they were so hilarious. Our speakers for the week were Jon Acuff, and Jamie Dickens. Who were also, might I add, HILARIOUS (and very truthful). Our worship leaders were Chris Coleman, Chris Cauley and Chrystina Fincher who were amazing.  

                          One of the most important things that I learned this past week is that what God sees is bigger than what I see, and that God`s reality needs to be my reality.
 
                                                       
                                 I heard and I forgot, I saw and I remembered, I did, and I understood.

                        So, there is this new band that I am IN LOVE with. They are called
Rend Collective Experiment. They sing Christian music, but its kind of a Mumford & Sons"ish"
deal. They are from Northern Ireland and their music is very uplifting. They just released a new album called "Campfire". My favorite song from it, is Build Your Kingdom Here. I think the album is worth the $7.99.





                                                    "Build Your kingdom here,
                       
                                                      Let the darkness fear,
 
                                                      Show Your mighty hand,

                                                      Heal our streets and land,

                                                      Set Your church on fire,

                                                      Win this nation back,

                                                      Change the atmosphere,

                                                      Build Your kingdom here,"

                                                   

     
         So, it has been quite a while since my last post, and writing about the past 10 months would take a LONG time. Because its been such a long time, I`m just going to write about what has been going on recently.

        A couple of weeks ago I moved up to Inside Out! That`s a big deal! Promotion Sunday was last Sunday and instead of having 2nd grade girls I moved up with my small group and now I have the 3rd grade girls! Promotion Sunday also means that I can`t go to Transit so I go to the service. Its also my dads birthday today! Happy Birthday!


       Along with all the change that has been going on recently... I`M IN HIGH SCHOOL!!!!!!!! I really can`t believe it at all!It feels like I just moved up to 6th grade, but at the same time it feels like I should have been in High School along time ago.


      Mary Dean got back from BigStuf today! It sounded like she had a great time! I go to BigStuf in July. But before I go to BigStuf, I`m going to JH Ranch!!!!! I`m really super excited! JH Ranch is a Christian camp in northern California. Dad and I are going to the daddy daughter session with my friend and her dad. I`ve never been before so I don`t know that much about it. But I`ll let you know how it goes!

                                                 
                                                       thats all for today...

Peace

So this morning I read this verse:
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

It really spoke to me. So has this song: One Thing Remains by Jesus Culture
It goes like this "your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me."

so.....

So, I havent blogged in a while. More like 2 months. So I am now. We started school about 8 weeks ago (although it feels like I`ve been doing school for a whole semester ;) ) I`m learning about the Middle Ages. Im learning about different people like St. Augustine, Pope Gregory, and such. I`ve really enjoyed doing that. Right now i`m reading this book called "Kisses from Katie". So far its a really great book and inspiring (you can read more about that at www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com ). Alright i`ll say I'm sorta addicted to this new website called Pinterest. It`s a really cool new website. Check it out at www.pinterest.com. We also just got back from Lake Raban (its in north Georgia) about a couple of weeks ago. Thats about all for so ill post later. Bye!  

Finally...

Finally in a long time Im going to update my blog. I`ve had an amazing summer! First off I went to the beach with my friend Lowry. Then mama went to Girl State and daddy went to Ohio and some other places to help with churches. So mama and daddy had some great friends stay with us Adam and Monica Roberson. During those 2 weeks I went to church to pretty much everyday to help Peyton watch kids. The last week in June we went to the Lighthouse. I had a great time! I also renewed some old friendships. For the Fourth Of July our family went to Lake Martin for the Johnson family reunion. It was so much fun we tubed pretty much all day. Then after we got back from Lake Martin I went to church pretty much everyday again to help Peyton take care of children for 2 weeks. For the last week in July I went to Bigstuf! Its one of the best camps ever. I enjoyed getting to know my small group more. For the first 2 weeks I went to the other best camp ever Camp Greystone. That was also really,really, REALLY, fun. A week after that we started school back, and its been a LOT of work. Write later!

check,check,check

So heres what we`ve done this summer... Camp Greystone check, Girlstate check, Lighthouse check, we still gave Independence Day, Bigstuf, and my cousins are coming. I`m so excited for the rest of the summer. This is a very short blog post but trust me there is more to come. Tootles.

these are a few of my favorite things...

Music,
hanging out with my friends,
going to church,
hanging out with my family,
babysitting,
singing,
going on trips,
camping,
the summer,
my birthday,
sweets,
hanging out with my mom,
reading,
tennis,
jumping on the trampoline,
playing guitar,
playing piano,
sometimes school.

Comment on this and tell me what your favorite things are. :)

whats another word for blessed?

Our family has had an amazing month. Everything from going to see grandparents to having cousins over to swim. Let`s see if I can remember what all has happened this month. This is our last CBS month before summer, tomorrow is the last Wednesday that we have it. We`ve been spending time with one of our favorite people (outside if family of course) Peyton. She`s the big sister I vener had. Edward has been playing T-ball. He`s been rocking it. We had Easter at our house this year. We had a lot of people over. Well thats all for now. Tootles!

random things

this is the book i`m reading

here is the trophy I won at my piano recital

Here are some random pictures I took. Hope you enjoy it!

FEBRUARY FUN IN THE SOUTH!!!!!

February fun in the south!

The girls birthday cakes!

The girls: Bess, Lexa ,Mary Dean, Gracie

Edward in swimsuit in the sprinklers!

Bess in her swimsuit on the tramp-o-line

How about that? Sprinklers on in February? Well thats the south for you! Well nothing big for now so see ya!    :)

AWESOME WEEKEND!!!!!!!!

This is Mary Dean...shaking a coke bottle (see above)

this is it after

This has nothing to do w/ coke but this weekend my dads parents came to stay for the weekend,

 

the two girls are my twin cousins they said they are holding up the world

Lexa (right) Gracie (left)

me with gracie

me w/ alexa

and this is me w/ Edward

It was a great weekend! This was Saturday. That night we had Mary Deans, Bess`es, And Alexa and Gracies birthday party because they are all born in February. It was lots of fun!
  Love,
             Kate
P.S. more pictures are coming!

BORED

Hey Everybody
So I`m sitting at church waiting for it to be 8:30. Its 7:30. Really bored. I think i`ll go explore. Bye