January, 2024. Who am I?
I’m a woman, wife, mother, and grandma, but best of all, I’m a child of God by faith in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. My goal in writing is to encourage and uplift every person who reads this blog. Where I fail or offend…please forgive me! I also want to lift up Jesus, who said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32). Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life,” and no one can come to God, the Father, except by Jesus (John 14:6). So, I write with the hope of bringing glory to God, lifting up Jesus, and drawing all of us—together—into true, deeper fellowship.
I (Kathi) and my husband, Alan, celebrating our 50th anniversary
If you’re looking for a certain subject, just type it into the “Search” bar at the top, right-hand side of the page, and it will bring up any entries where that subject/word is discussed. This works for recipes, movies, commentary on any particular Bible verse or passage, places I’ve traveled, birds, or whatever else might be of interest to you!
Since my children are grown and my husband is retired, I’ve been trying to write as often as possible, which has dwindled from almost every day to about three times a week. In 2024, I am hoping to write about places my husband and I have visited in Southwest and Northwest America on Tuesdays (known as “TWA” or Travels with Allie), share recipes on Saturdays, and on Thursdays write on various topics, including current events, books, movies, or whatever has provoked me to thought or made me reflect on God. Sprinkled through the year there may be special greetings for holidays or invitations to join some of the free classes and events hosted on Aqueduct Project (aqueductproject.org), which is a ministry my son started to encourage prayer, spiritual growth through Bible study, and fellowship. It’s open to everybody the world around, whether you’re already a believer or still seeking. Jonathan’s heart is to see the Church of Jesus Christ unified, as Jesus prayed in John 17.
Private life? My husband and I are both 73 and have been married over 50 years. We were friends for ten years before that, so we’ve known each other most of our lives and have lived all our married lives in Michigan. Alan retired at 70 after working over 40 years as a physician. I taught school before we had children but then spent most of my “career” rearing and homeschooling our seven children, who are now in their 30s and 40s. All seven are married and scattered from Germany, across America, and to Japan.
Our kids have diverse careers: the eldest is a senior manager at a tech company in California’s Silicone Valley, the second is a dentist and a lieutenant-colonel in the army, the third is a theologian and professor, the fourth is our only daughter. Her husband works for Pokémon in the Seattle area and our daughter loves to write but also homeschools her children (as several of our precious daughter-in-laws are doing), the fifth is a dentist who works at a Christian ministry helping the uninsured and under-served in Grand Rapids, the sixth is a musicology professor and the music director at his church, and the seventh is an editor at a Christian publishing house here in Grand Rapids. Our two Grand Rapids daughter-in-laws are also professional photographers. We have twenty-one grandchildren and still hope for more. Our children and grandchildren are a great source of joy and blessing to us!
One of my dearest friends once told me I reminded her of a little red helium balloon bouncing along in the sky. She envisioned my husband, Alan, as the string that kept me from floating away . . . and I assume that means tethered to the realities here on earth. I buy that. Especially the idea of being a balloon. I feel like my entire existence is totally dependent on the Holy Spirit filling me, and without Christ, I’d be lying broken in a field somewhere. All I am or ever hope to be is His! “I am my Beloved’s, and His desire is towards me” (Song of Solomon 7:10). Or, as Einstein put it, “I want to know the mind of God. Everything else is just detail.”
I know that eternity will not be long enough to truly understand the ineffable mind of God, but I have tasted the love of God, and to me, there is nothing more compelling on earth. I want to share His love with love others in a way that attracts them to Christ, who is truly the best! That’s my passion. I’m passionate about a lot of things, like family and friends and writing and photography, but nothing is as dear to me as Christ!
If you want to comment below, I’d love to hear from you! If you’d rather contact me personally to ask questions or ask me to pray about anything, please write me at: kathrynwarmstrong@gmail.com
May God bless you,
Kathi
Summer Setting 
hello I came across your site and just got really encouraged! Thank you for your faith =) God bless you and your family and friends..!
This is called insanity. Why would anyone put some superstition before his/her own family and friends?!?
“The patient typically finds himself impelled by some deep, inner conviction that something is true, or right, or virtuous: a conviction that doesn’t seem to owe anything to evidence or reason, but which, nevertheless, he feels as totally compelling and convincing. We doctors refer to such a belief as ‘faith’.”
“No doubt soaring cathedrals, stirring music, moving stories and parables, help a bit. But by far the most important variable determining your religion is the accident of birth.”
“Most people, I believe, think that you need a God to explain the existence of the world, and especially the existence of life. They are wrong, but our education system is such that many people don’t know it.”
“The trouble is that God in this sophisticated, physicist’s sense bears no resemblance to the God of the Bible or any other religion.”
With regard to your misunderstanding of Einstein’s methaphorical ‘God’. Einstein was an atheist.
“Faith is the great cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence. Faith is belief in spite of, even perhaps because of, the lack of evidence.”
“Science offers us an explanation of how complexity (the difficult) arose out of simplicity (the easy). The hypothesis of God offers no worthwhile explanation for anything, for it simply postulates what we are trying to explain.”
Dear Reason,
No one was present when the world came into existence. The thought that an infinitely complex God spoke everything into existence fits pretty neatly with the idea of a “big bang.” Although the Bible explains things in a simple way, it is nevertheless either accurate in what it states or is as plausible as any other hypothesis about creation. Faith isn’t the great cop out! It’s the great surrender to trusting the One who is ultimately the source of all love, light, and life. It is simply accepting all that Christ did to provide for our salvation and the most wonderful ideology in the world: love the perfect, good God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. This directs our hearts towards love and unselfishness. How could it be anything but good?
That is so true. Every time a scientist proves one more thing I chuckle. And grieve. As much as they work to disprove God, their very discovery shows how true it is that God actually exists. I laugh about that but grieve at the nastiness some say and pray God, please open their eyes before it’s too late. That just breaks my heart.
But the several scientists theories—at least those proven—are such joys. And I have to say many out there have mistakes. Look at what is being said in physics right now; they now believe the universe isn’t expanding at the same rate in all places;the Lazarus complex, I believe it’s called, where people are pronounced dead only to sit up later, alive. . Now granted, having been in the medical field, I agree this is possible in some. But to group them all into one box is silliness. But many insist on being blind rather than admit to the possibility that they can’t have a 100% answer for everything. They might have to give up part of that control should the belief of Christianity be true.
Thanks so much for taking the time to reply and encourage me (and others) in our faith!! God bless you, dear fellow pilgrim!
“Faith isn’t the great cop out! It’s the great surrender…”
Sounds like a contradiction to me. You surrender your own thinking to something that is very likely not existant. You surrender your thinking to the doctrine of some misguided church leaders that claim to be the representatives of God on Earth. How dare they?
“How could it be anything but good?”
Nothing bad about love and unselfishness at all, obviously. However, you don’t need religion to develop love and unselfishness, all humans are innately social cause it’s in their own survival’s interest. Religion breeds hate, superstition and intolerance more than anything. The bible in fact is full of horrible violent stories. Religious idiologies all over the world (may they be christian, muslim, jewish or whatever) are exclusive and intolerant. Now which one of them is right? Certainly none of them cause they all exclude each other by definition.
The concepts of sin and hell are so harmful, how dare anyone tell an innocent and innately social child that something she’s done is sinful?! And on the basis of what? A book full of tales and some self proclaimed superhuman priests?!
It is my deep conviction that humanity would be happier and more peaceful if it freed itself from the shackles of religion.
Dear “Reason,”
Wow! I hardly know where to begin in trying to respond. Just a few thoughts:
1. If you surrender your thinking when you discover that you’ve been wrong and something else is right, then it is a happy surrender. In my surrender to God, I discovered that He IS, and He is truth. It was like discovering that 2X3=6 rather than 5. Surrender to the truths of the Bible is a joy that brings peace to my heart. “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them [’cause them to stumble’]” (Psalm 119:165).
2. “Religion breeds hate, superstition and intolerance more than anything.” I’m sorry if you feel that way. My experience has been that getting to know the God of the Bible has bred love, freedom to know the source of all wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, and tolerance rather than intolerance. Perhaps many religions are oppressive, but not all of them. Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
3. Each religion claiming to be correct does not mean that they are all wrong, but logically it does mean that only one can be right. We each have to examine the evidence and choose what we are going to believe. In a way, I guess you could say mathematics is intolerant because it insists that 1+1=2 despite what any person in particular may assert. Truth stands as true regardless of who believes it or who asserts that it is false. After considering the options, I believe that there is a God and that Jesus was telling the truth when he said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6).
4. If you don’t believe in God, then you won’t believe in right or wrong, good or bad, sin or hell. Moral constructs presuppose a moral force, generally thought to be “God.” If a child murders his baby brother, most people would say that’s wrong. Would you? Does the term “sinful” seem stronger than the word “wrong” to you? Do you believe in right and wrong?
5. It is my deep conviction that I am much happier and more peaceful since I have submitted to the leadership of the One who loves me more dearly than anyone on earth ever could and who is wiser than anyone on earth will ever be. These “shackles” if you will, are akin to the “shackles” of submitting to wedding vows. Marriage to a terrible person could be unbearable. But, marriage to a godly husband is a joy and privilege. I love having someone whose opinions I trust; I love the companionship of sharing life with someone who loves me and helps me in working through how to live. God is even more wonderful than my husband! Are you married? Is it a good thing in your life? Can you imagine how being in a relationship with a good, loving, omniscient God could be a good thing?
I’m wondering, would you rather continue this discussion via email rather than on my blog? I’m open to either; your choice!
How come you pick and choose when it comes to morals anyway? Doesn’t the bible say “Love thy neighbours as you love yourself” (sorry, not familiar with the exact choice of words)? How can you justify denying your fellow citizens affordable and accessible health care then?
Just to clarify things, I’m not one of your fellow citizens, so this question only interests me on a theoretical basis.
Hi!
I’m in Germany right now and not in a spot where I know how to access my blog, but I’ll be thinking about your question. What country are you from? Are you an atheist, or do you think in spiritual terms at all?
Yes, the Bible does say to love my neighbor as I love myself…and I try and fail. I believe there is a difference between what we try to do as individuals for those around us versus what a government provides. For example…to push your thinking to the extreme, would that mean that any government should provide health care for everybody in the world if they want to be “Christian?”
Blessings, Kathi
4. Look, you don’t need religion to impose moral values on you. Every human being is a moral being by default, by nature. We are born innately social, we are a cooperating species. It would be detrimental to our survival as a species if we murdered our own family or indeed anyone who doesn’t immediately threaten our own survival. How do you think the human race survived hundreds of thousands of years without the oh so moral guidance of the Christian church? We develop empathy without needing any religious influence, we’re neurally hardwired to be empathic.
Religion imposes artificial morals on people.
Please tell me, what’s moral about stoning women to death who love somebody else than their forcibly married spouse?
What’s moral about telling little children that they’ll burn in hell if they don’t do x or y?
What’s moral about sexually abusing millions of kids and covering it up on a large scale over decades, dismissing allegations as “petty gossip”?
What’s moral about telling indiginous tribes how to live, destroying their culture which has developed over tens of thousands of years, longer than any Christian religion?
Just a few examples of what I view as skewed christian morality.
Also, do you only consider behaviours to be “good” when the bible tells you so? How valuable is so called moral behaviour if that behaviour is only executed because somebody tells you so, coerces you to do it, threatens you to do it (“you’ll burn in hell if you don’t…”) or bribes you to do it (“you’ll go to heaven if you do…”)?
missing part
Sorry, your blog software didn’t let me post my reply properly.
Look, it’s not about you personally but about the mindset behind your publications. For this reason I’d prefer your readers to be able to follow the discussion.
1. There is evidence for 2×3=6, there is no evidence for the existence of God, let alone a God who intervenes and guides human behaviour. Your church has actually conducted a study investigating whether prayer helped sick people to recover. Guess what the results were? People who had been prayed for, actually had worse health outcomes than people who had not been prayed for. Possibly a case of too many expectations put on patients. I can find you the source if you’re interested.
2. The tolerance of the Christian church is extremely limited. Where’s your tolerance of homosexuality?
3. Where’s your evidence for the existence of God? Why do you believe in God and NOT in the unicorn or fairies or a teapot flying around in space? It is purely because you were brought up, indoctrinated and brainwashed from a very young age on what to believe. If 2 billion people believe in the emperor’s new clothes, doesn’t change a thing about the truth that the emperor is actually naked.
If you can prove that 1+1 is not 2, mathematicians would be very interested in your argumentation, however no human being has been able to disprove that 1+1=2.
By the way, I’m european and atheist (should be obvious from my posts, shouldn’t it?). About a fifth of humankind are atheist or non-religious and belief in (a) God correlates positively with age, conservative attitude and lack of education. The less you know the more you are inclined to believe what an authority tells you to.
Well, I’ve been thinking about your questions. Are “Humanist” and “Reason” two different people? The numbering seems to go 1.2.3.4. as if the two entries contain connected points by one author, but I also realize my blog must have been acting up while I was gone, and so perhaps the comments are by two different individuals. At any rate, let me try to respond!
1.&3. Is there evidence for the existence of God? EVIDENCE? Yes. Undisputable proof? No. The most convincing proof to me is the complexity of our universe. If I saw a teapot flying around, I would wonder how it worked. If I saw a beautifully decorated china teapot lying on a beach, I would wonder who made it. It would never cross my mind to imagine that it “just happened” to have spontaneously come together as a clump of sand granules that stuck together, fell by accident into a fire until it melted into a perfectly shaped glass pot, rolled into various plants that dyed them, rolled into another fire until glazed perfectly, and then just happened to come to rest on the shore. No, I would marvel at the brilliance of the artisan who made the lovely pot. Similarly, I stand amazed at the ocean’s edge as I watch a beautiful seagull “flying around in space,” swooping over the waves and diving down to spear a fish. I marvel at the brilliance of our Creator. A living bird is so much more complex than a tea pot, and yet we can tell that a tea pot isn’t spontaneously and accidentally generated. How can we imagine that something as wonderful as a living being just by some stunning improbability chanced to spontaneously generate? It is easier for me to believe in an intelligent Creator than to imagine that everything I see exists because of a series of stupendous accidents.
There are also many evidences for the resurrection of Christ. Josh McDowell wrote a book called Evidence that Demands a Verdict, listing many, many reasons for believing both in the existence of God and in the resurrection of Christ.
Finally, and this is something that might not make sense to you, but for those of us who do believe, there is an assurance that comes from testing the Scriptures and finding that “they work.” When we live according to the “Royal Law” (love God; love others), we find a sense of peace and joy that reinforces our faith. The Bible calls it the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. There is a sense that “this is all true,” and it makes our faith deeper and more secure. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).” As we pray, we sense God’s Spirit teaching us and guiding us in the way that we should go. In fact, this is not because I was brought up in the Christian church and brainwashed from an early age! My father was an atheist and my mother an agnostic. I became a believer years later when I heard the “gospel”—the wonderful news that Jesus died in my place for my sins so that I could be reconciled to God. I was overjoyed and asked Christ to be my Savior that night! I’ve never regretted that decision and only find an increasing sense of the glory and wonder of God. Perfect love. I have not found it anywhere else on earth. I believe not only because of evidence but also because of experience.
2. Regarding intolerance, I have found that all of us (myself included) struggle to be tolerant of those with whom we disagree. Tolerance in its best form is based on conviction, and it’s hard to tolerate others when we think they are wrong. Jesus taught us to “love one another” and “if it is possible, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men (Romans 12:18).” For me, that means that although I believe God forbids homosexual practice (for our own good), I still treat homosexuals with the respect and dignity they deserve as human beings. God calls us to testify of His love, but it is the work of the Holy Spirit to convince men of sin and their need of salvation, help, and healing. I feel deeply ashamed of people who pretend to be doing the work of God by hurting others, no matter what religious cover they wear. Christ belittled no one, and he hurt no one; his mission was to heal the sick and forgive sins.
4. I agree with you that man is a moral being innately. In fact, that is an argument in favor of our being created in the image of a moral Creator. However, people do sometimes murder other people who are not threatening their survival. We are moral, but we’re not always morally upright. I believe that “sin” occurs when we fail to behave in a morally upright way. The Ten Commandments given in Exodus 20 still stand as a good basis for living in a morally responsible way in relationship to our God and to one another. Things like lying, stealing, cheating, adultery, and lusting for what isn’t ours are common temptations, and to be given guidelines for how to curb our desires in order to be fair with others is a good thing, I think.
You gave good examples of skewed so-called Christian morality, because those are not truly Christian values. Adultery is wrong, but Christ did not stone the woman caught in adultery, he actually saved her from her accusers and then told her, “Go, and leave your life of sin.” Sexual abuse of children is a TERRIBLE crime and should never be covered up. The Scriptures never condone sexually impurity. I’m sure missionaries have failed many times by confusing principles of Christianity and culture. I’ve doubtless done that some with my own children. It’s hard to know what seems right and good to us because that’s what we’ve always done versus that’s what the Scripture teaches. God’s principles for living always stand as true in every culture, but I believe that although each of us will find our lives transformed and our behaviors modified by our new life in Christ, we can still live peacefully within our culture…as much as others will let us. Those who hate God will hate those who believe in Him. That’s part of the sorrow of life as we know it today. Still, God tells us, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
A couple of miscellaneous thoughts: I would be glad to hear the source for your report that prayer is ineffective as an aid to healing. I have always heard the opposite and have seen cases of unusual healing as a result of prayer…including one man at St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, MI, who revived after being pronounced dead.
Also, “good” to me is what God is. God is good. “Good” behavior is that which models God, who is “gracious, and full of compassion, slow to anger, and of great mercy” (Psalm 145:8). This is the God who tells us: “He hath shown thee, O man, what is good and what the LORD requires of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God” (Micah 6:8). The believer doesn’t do good to avoid hell; he does good because he loves God. I love God because he loves me, and I try to do good to please him because I love him! I know I’m going to heaven, not because I’m “good,” but because Christ was perfect and died in my place. I’m not afraid of going to hell for the same reason. True Christianity is not a religion based on heaven as a reward for “being good” and the fear of hell as a way of scaring people into acting correctly. It is a love relationship with God based on faith in Christ, whereby we have been given eternal life and freedom to walk in the light. It’s wonderful!!!
I had to use a different name and email cause your blog software wouldn’t let me post my reply.
Anyway, I referred to the STEP project when I talked about the prayer study. You can read an overview here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studies_on_intercessory_prayer
The example of the teapot really exposed what religious delusional people like you are about…twisting the truth. I wasn’t talking about a teapot laying around on the beach. Thanks for twisting my words, Katherine. You know exactly what I was talking about (just go back and read it if you don’t remember) so I don’t think I have to repeat myself.
Dear Reason,
What has turned you away from faith in God? Have you been hurt or betrayed by someone close to you who professes to believe in God?
I was never into faith so it follows logically that there wasn’t anything that turned me away from it. How sad that people like you believe they aren’t right or good unless they follow some self professed religious saviours.
So happy to hear from you!
What makes you believe you are right and good? For me, it is the sense that I have been forgiven for the ways in which I have failed God and man and that the righteousness of God has been imputed to me through faith in Christ…not because I am good, but because Christ is perfect and has given me his righteousness. Now, this doesn’t mean I always FEEL like I’m being right and good at the moment. My sense of whether or not I’m being good is dependent on a combination of things. You might call it “conscience”? I call it walking in the Spirit…a sort of constant sense of communion with God, who is the definition of goodness and righteousness. I ask Him what He thinks I ought to do and then try to follow the prompting in my heart, cross checked by what I know of the Scriptures, which direct us to love the Lord above all else and then to love our neighbors. I get that far, and then I usually stumble, because the end of that is “love your neighbor as yourself.” I have yet to learn how to really be a Mother Teresa, who gave up everything for the sake of those who have nothing. I live a very happy, full, well-fed life and maybe give 10-20% of what I earn (beyond taxes) to help others, but not 100%!
In fact, I have all sorts of faults and weaknesses, but I have great faith in the One who loves me—(AND YOU!)—and all of us. I understand that, “he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). I take that to mean that God will keep working in me to make me better. But, that doesn’t make me feel bad, wrong, or unhappy. That fills me with a sense of hope that I will keep becoming better! I am happy now, and I anticipate becoming happier as I get older. When I fail, I ask God (and whoever I’ve hurt) for forgiveness, and then pick up and start again. Forgiveness is a wonderful thing, made available through Christ’s death for us, but it’s only useful if we avail ourselves of it…learning both to give and receive forgiveness. I am content, but I’m motivated to improve.
Does that make any sense to you? How does it work in your life?
Love—in Christ—and prayers,
Kathi
I happened upon your blog and wanted to praise the Lord above for the grace for which you have extended in word and wisdom. God be glorified through the truth of His word and this conversation which will have planted beautiful seeds to anyone who has ears to hear.
I have not been on the blog more than 15 minutes so I don’t know where your precious child stands at this time, but I know she resides with Jesus here or there. I will read further…
My son underwent a liver transplant a few years ago. His upcoming 2 year anniversary is this week. To God be all the Glory!
Samantha
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear
Colossians 4:6
Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man.
Dear Samantha, Thank you for writing in! Praise God for your son’s recovery. I hope he enjoys a long and blessed life. Thank you for sharing a little of your life and heart. God is good, even though we so often are not. I am thankful every day for his mercy and faithfulness…that we serve a God who tells us to love and forgive, to “do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God”…who is love, and light, and life and hates evil…who loves us all so much that he allowed Christ to die for us so that we can be reconciled to God and live in peace with God and one another. May we all be inspired to live in that peace and goodness. Bless you!
I enjoyed looking at your blog and found it inspiring. Thanks for making it. God bless you.
-James
Thank you so much! May God bless you too!
Kathi,
I skimmed though the discussion with “reason”. Thank you for patient, sound answers. It’s so nice to finally meet someone on WordPress who is solidly Christian! I invite you to read my “About the Author” section in mine.
I have been through much searching and finally found the truth, as you will see.
Your answers are so clear. Plus, you are kind.
I once heard a pastor say, “The healing begins when the questions end.” One cannot hear “God’s voice” when they have already responded to questions with human logic. Like you, I have not sacrificed my intellect when I became born again. And I gained a continual relationship with God that cannot be surpassed by any questions. I study intently the Word of God bur he hasn’t revealed everything to us. We couldn’t handle it.
And like you, I am very familiar with Josh McDowell. I thnk this is rare in the blog world.
I invite you to read my post “First Voice” I think you’ll like it. I’d be honored if you would. http://simplysage.org/2012/05/13/first-voice/
Congrats on Freshly Pressed, by the way.
Peace,
Alexandria
What a kind response, Alexandria! Thank you! I will follow up with your blog as soon as I get out my morning post! God bless you, Sister!!
And you as well!
I love this post!~ Thanks for a tour of the castle!
You are so welcome! Thanks for stopping by and taking time to encourage me!
Hello Kathi!
I am thankful for people like you. I have always struggled with my faith until an unfortunate (I now consider it “fortunate”) event happened. God sent me his love through a friend who led me to know Him and get closer to Him. I used to have some unpleasant attitudes but I have changed (sometimes I still battle with them with the help of God) and I love what I have become because of His love.
May God continue to use you as His instrument in touching and changing people’s lives.
Thank you!
And, I’m thankful for people like you, who take the time to express their faith journey! May the Lord bless you as you take the grand adventure toward heaven and home!
I love bruschetta!, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. It’s nice to find a kindred spirit. Have a blessed day, MoSop
Umm, the pic identified here as the Mackinac Bridge is actually the Golden Gate Bridge.
Thank you! I appreciate your help, and I’ve corrected that entry.
Hi Kathi,
It’s been awhile since I’ve had a chance to drop by your blog. Hope things have been going well for you and yours!
Anyways, I just wanted to let you know that you’ve been nominated for the Liebster Award. Click the link for full details.
http://rhymenreview.wordpress.com/awards-nominations/the-liebster-award/
God Bless,
Donna
I feel so honored! Thank you for thinking of me. Happily (but sadly for this honor), I now have 218 blog followers, so I don’t think I qualify for your award! Still, I am deeply grateful that you nominated me! Blessings! It’s good to hear from you again. Are you getting ready for your trip?
Hi Kathi, I follow your blog with my blogger profile, and always enjoy reading your posts. I’m a little late to the game, but I came across your conversation with “reason” on this page and just wanted to commend you for your incredibly wonderful, kind and intelligent responses to some very bitter-sounding comments from this person. I just wanted to say that I really appreciated every response, and the Biblical manner in which you did it. I would have really struggled to be so Christ-like with this person. Thank you for sharing your faith so eloquently!
Thank you for your very kind remarks, Andrea! I’m afraid I’m rather a “shoot from the hip” sort of person by nature, so in whatsoever manner my responses did reflect Christ, it was completely a work of His grace in my life! So glad to “meet” you!!
I agree with Andrea’s (and others’) affirmations of how you handled Reason’s “issues” with religion. Wise (see James 3:17-18): peace loving, full of mercy, considerate and sincere.
Thank you. Blessings on you, your family, and your ministries!!
Hi there, this weekend is fastidious in favor of me, for the reason that this occasion i am reading
this great educational paragraph here at my house.
So happy to hear this, Abella! May your journey with God be filled with joy!
Hi Kathi. Would you like to join my team in encouraging the world by posting at Mind’s Seat?
You may check out our team http://marmarthunder.wordpress.com/about/
It will be our joy if you join us.
Thank you for the invitation. I love your concept and mindset, and when I get something that might be appropriate, I’d like to be able to share! Thank you so much for the invitation. Bless you, brother!
Hi! We found your blog the other day, and we loved it! We nominated you for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award. You don’t need to do a post back if you wish not to, we just wanted to recognize you. 🙂 Thanks!
http://dorianshand.wordpress.com/2014/09/18/i-am-a-sister-the-sisterhood-of-the-world-bloggers-award/
XO, Dorian and her Mama
Thank you so much! Not sure if I know how to display this honor or reciprocate, but I’ll try to figure it out! 🙂
Kathi – I googled P.L.Travers and found your thoughts on her. As I read further I realized you are a Christian. That just brightened my day to find your blog (and you have an interest in so many things that I like too. Bunratty was awesome!) You’re a great ambassador for Christ. Richelle
Yes, I am a Christian, and so grateful for Jesus and the love of God. Glad to meet you! Where are you from and what do you do? Blogging has been a great source of joy to me, as it provides a way to share some of the overflow of God’s goodness in my life! Thank you so much for the encouragement!
Kathy,
My name is Robert Flood and I am the Exhibits Designer here at the High Desert Museum here in Bend Oregon. I am currently looking for a watershed image for use in an upcoming exhibit. During my searching I came across an image of yours taken from the Mackenzie river. I was hoping it would be possible to get permission to use your photo in the exhibit. I would credit you as the photographer and put your blog address
on the credit as well if you wanted me to. We are a non-profit organization that does its own in house exhibitions, your image would be used only once for the duration of the show and we would not be gaining financially from it’s sale or usage elsewhere. We would certainly appreciate your contribution.
Thank you, sincerely,
Robert Flood / Exhibits Designer / High Desert Museum
✆ 541-382-4754 ext. 382 / 59800 S. HWY 97 / Bend Oregon 97702
Hi! I just tried to call you but the extension just puts me back into the introductory loop and never lets me out! You’re welcome to try calling me as well, at 616-365-2045. Yes, by all means, you can use my photo. I can send you a higher resolution if you’d like. Just let me know what you need. The High Desert Museum is awesome, so I’m especially glad to be able to help!
Dear: kathrynwarmstrong.
Enjoyed very much your take on “Saving Mr. Banks,” although I found it just a touch stentorian in character and slightly off-putting in the sideways, slightly, disparaging “life style” comments re Mr. Travers–especially in view of done from a “lack of knowledge” perspective.
I also suspect you have some knowledge of psychology in your “psychology and mental health issues,” blog section, so I have to tell you how how much Freud would have enjoyed your slight freudian-slip, i.e., “…I personally don’t think imagination is truly the key to restoring disorder and inspiring hope.”
Having said that, I hope you don’t find my little critique too harsh as that isn’t my intention–just an observation.
Sincerely,
Dr. Gene Sanders
On the contrary, I appreciate your tactful and thoughtful critique, and I accept that I don’t have enough knowledge to have been making authoritative comments. In fact, if you’d like to correct me, I’d appreciate it, since my goal is to shed light in as much as I can, and I suspect you have more light than I do on the subject of Mr. Travers! Thank you for taking the time to share!
Thanks. Pleased to have found your thought provoking blog and looking forward to further reading here. Regards from Thom at the immortal jukebox.
Thank YOU for your encouragement! I’ll look up the immortal jukebox and see if I can find out more about you, too. 🙂 Blessings!
Thanks Kathy. Hope you enjoy your Jukebox visits. Regards Thom.
Hello, Kathi,
Wow. Just found you via a comment at Cec’s. After reading this page, I cannot believe how alike we are. In age, family size, almost every facet of your self description is nearly identical.
And, well, there is the name, too. 🙂
Cannot wait to get to know you better.
Awesome! Thanks! I’ll try connecting with you via email as well.
Thank you for all you do in and for the Body of Christ! Your Christ-like answers to “reason” were a true example of the Love of our Father. May you be blessed abundantly and richly beyond what you could ever ask or imagine! May your family and marriage be blessed! I am looking forward to reading more of your insights on marriage to a physician as I share this as well 🙂 Your sister in Christ ~Yvonne
Thank you so much! I will look forward to looking into your insights as well! May God bless you richly. Isn’t the bond of sistership in Christ truly heavenly?!
Nice to meet you and thanks for visiting my blog. All the best
To you too, Sister!
Kathy, virtuous woman of God! I loved reading through the conversations between Reasoning and you where your patience and love for God came through. I am thinking of my brother who bears the name immanuel who at one time even broke traffic rules waving the Bible at the officer saying I am late for church… Turned atheist a few months back after watching some programme on nag geo. please do pray that his heart again learns to love and see God even better than before.
The Lord bless you as you walk your talk in His word.
Rachel
Dear Rachel, Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I did just stop to pray for your brother. As encouragement, my husband used to say that he “turned into an atheist” one weekend in college in response to reading Karl Marx’s Das Kapital, but he returned to Christianity some years later after experiencing complete despair in his godless, existentialist lifestyle. May your brother find the forgiveness, peaceable love, and joy that only Christ provides.
Hai nice to read your thoughts. I am new into blogging. I have started writing in my Mother Tongue Malayalam. But soon I would be doing it in also in English. Thanks for showing interest in my blog shajanvalavilsdb.wordpress.com.
Sounds good! Where do you live? I’ll look forward to being able to read your work in English!
Thanks. I am from India. I am an aspiring writer. I have authored two books in Malayalam. Malayalam is the language of our state Kerala. I do write in English too.
Wow! Two books is impressive. What are they about? I will look forward to your writing something in English!!
My first book is on Social Media, it possibilities and challenges and the second book is on Youth Empowerment
They sound like excellent topics with a lot of promise. Keep me posted!
Thanks
My wife and I were at Art Prize 8 this weekend. We basked in the beauty of yours photos and saw the magnificence of God in them. It wasn’t until I read your blog that I understood what you have represented in your art. His creation and love for us. As a former scientist and engineer, I rejoice in the fact that science reveals the absolute that there is a Creator who holds all things together. But also, a Savior who gave His life for us that we might be forgiven. Thank you for your love for Him, your willingness to share this with others and your artistic creativity. You made my day.
And now you’ve made my day! Thank you so much for taking the time to encourage me…and others. I’m so sorry to have missed you both. God bless you!
Hi Kathi
On this Good Friday I’d like to say I thank God for stalwarts like you. In your conversation with Reason, God’s love, compassion and desire to lead people to the truth all shine through magnificently. Thank the Lord for giving us folks who go after His heart. And who are given gifts of writing and the aesthetics. Blessed Easter!
Thank you so much, Kit! May God bless you too, this Good Friday, and forever!
just read this post and started reading the comments. got about half way thru and stopped because …….. well just because. I then prayed. thanking God for you and your blogging and for those who have yet to come to know the reality of Jesus and His grace.
I read similar back and forths once which ended with the Christian saying:
Christians believe in the miracle of the virgin birth of Jesus
Atheists (maybe it was non believers) believe in the miracle of the virgin birth of the cosmos.
Pick your miracle!
Nobody times nothing = everything seems to take tons more “faith” to me.
Someday every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.
I used to get into discussions/arguments with others over said beliefs etc, until the Lord told me that I was to just present the Gospel and demonstrate His love. Everything else is up to Him and to maybe get out of the way.
Again thanks for your blog and grace to you.
Great thoughts and good advice! I am convinced that God calls us to testify to his mercy and grace in our lives but let the Holy Spirit do the convincing and convicting. I guess that’s just what you said, too! Like Paul, I want to speak in defense of the gospel and respond when asked, but like you, l learned (through my father, and my Father) that it is really love and NOT arguing that draws people to Jesus! God bless you! I am sure I will use your wise thoughts in some upcoming blog post, but I will mention you when I do! Thanks so much.
Hi Kathi,
I came across your blog while searching for something and I am impressed with your reasoning skills. God has given you amazing gift of communication and I am so proud to be on a team with people like you. May God bless your ministry!!
Thank you for the encouragement, and may God bless you as you pilgrim on! I feel joy and honor in being with you as part of the family of God!
Hello. I hope you are still reading comments to your blog because what I have read I have found refreshing and inspiring, and have enjoyed reading your responses to people too. You explain yourself well and in such a gentle Godly manner, even when it comes to difficult topics. You remind me of the type of woman all true Christian younger women yearn for as their friend; a person with life experience who can gently guide and uplift them without pressure, which, sadly, is extremely rare these days. Though I am a Catholic Christian who has been married for over a decade (I got married young and was not always a believer) I have not had the chance yet to put down roots, nor find a strong, older woman of the Faith in which to place my trust. We have moved and moved due to various factors, and to add to it I have been battling illness. I would like you to know that you have another person praying for your wellbeing, and no doubt with such a blog as this, many, many already ARE, but it is evident you have been blessed and also are a blessing to others. As you said that we could ask, might I request that you say a little prayer for me, because this current illness has been with me many years now and has prevented me from getting out and also, in part, raising my children the way I intended. When you don’t have energy or a good mind, society jumps to telling you you are useless or that you can’t ‘be’ anything worthwhile. It is hard to sometimes keep on seeing that we are all valued in God’s sight, even if I know it in my heart. (Your page on sparrows made me smile.) It is also hard to accept that, while feeble, the Lord can still do something with me, that He has a plan, even if that plan is just sometimes to sit and pray, and yes I still enjoy motherhood very much. Years ago, when something else befell me, a wonderful Christian woman who was the friend-of-a-friend came and prayed over me and I was healed. I saw it with my own eyes, I know that God Lives and I have seen what He can do, but now I have to accept what He has for me here, at present, both the pleasant and the unpleasant; that is reality. The problem is that since I became Catholic, another non-Catholic but so-called Christian family member tells me I am going to hell, and that my persisting chronic illness is a result of me choosing to convert. I do not believe this, but it has made me afraid to ask for prayer. There are certain firm core teachings in the C.Church, and I personally have found that walking this path has only strengthened my journey and provided answers, but if I see my family or friends suffering I do not simply say ‘it is because you are not living in such-and-such a way’, because it will immediately hurt them before it sends them in the opposite direction. Though I cannot agree with what this family member is suggesting, I understand that we all fail and come short in life, and God guides us all differently at different times. I wish that there wasn’t the conflict, because a bad witness does not detract from Him, the One, True God, but it certainly hides His face and makes it harder for observers to see. Before I (providentially) found myself in this position, I knew a woman who called herself Catholic but behaved nothing of the sort! I detested at the time what I thought she believed, because I thought it had contributed to how she was living, instead of her determination to go against what she knew to be better, and her conscience! Anyway, I have continued to be loving and as understanding as I can be to the relative who talks like I now have no future, who I can only assume is currently somewhat misguided in their views, and I love them dearly, but it is difficult not to drag along the negative in life instead of focusing on what is good and beautiful. Letting the baggage go when you feel low and are facing trials is a challenge, but I am glad there are still wiser Christian women out there who exist! May we all seek to shine a light rather than to cast a stone in this already wearisome world. Maybe you will see this as one of your encouragements for the day! God bless and keep up the good work.
Thank you so much for taking time to share your heart and encourage me. I was visiting my kids in Europe when you sent this and for some reason missed it all this time, although I’ve just found it today and am asking the Lord to heal you body, soul, and spirit. I’m working on a blog post for Jan. 16 (2024) where I will touch on the joy I found in fellowship with some Catholic believers in Texas. I have found born-again children of God and followers of Christ in many different denominations of Christianity and am saddened by how short-sighted we all are in believing we somehow have the corner on truth in our church. Only the Bible is our true, infallible standard for spiritual truth. Anything else is something less and should be weighed against the truths of Scripture. If you receive this, I’d love to hear how you’re feeling and doing now. My email is kathrynwarmstrong at gmail.com.