1 Year

365 days. 2500 pageviews. 103 posts. 1 blog.

One year ago today, Undeniable Joy was born. It began as a place to post what I was thinking about, what was on my heart. Now, it has grown into more than a blog, it’s an etsy shop,  an instagram account, it’s become a part of my identity. It is the safe place where I share my thoughts, it is where I post sermons, where I rant about books. This blog has become an extension of myself- a catalogue of all of the things that make me undeniably joyful!

I began this to share my passion about Jesus with anyone who stumbled across my blog. Now, I share everything that makes me undeniably joyful! Thank you for sticking with this for a year! You are amazing!

Blog Post Superlatives

In the past year, I have posted 158 times between my 2 blogs! Since there are so many, I wanted to go back and highlight some of my favorite posts! I’ve broken them down into categories to showcase the best of them! I hope you enjoy my little blog gallery!

First Post: What Sets Your Soul on Fire?

Favorite Post Overall: Wise and Foolish Builders

Best Post about Me: Why Your Testimony Matters | My Story

Best Post about Music: Why Listen to Christian Music?

Best Bible Post:  Just a Taste

Best Post about Joy: True Undeniable Joy

Best Favorites Post: Fall Lookbook

Best Tag: Christian Girl Tag

Best Book Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin Review

Best Miscellaneous Books Post: Why I Did Not Like Harry Potter

Best Wrap Up/ TBR: May 2017 Wrap Up

Which is your favorite blog post? Do you have any ideas for future ones? Comment below because I would love to hear from you!

How I Structure my Quiet Time

We all want to have a good relationship with the Lord, but how many of us feel like we really do? Most likely, that is because you are not spending any time with him! The only way to build that relationship and see him working in your life is to take time each day to be in his presence!

I have always had a lot of trouble sticking with a consistent quiet time because I thought it had to be first thing when I get up in the morning or the last thing I do at night. But that never worked for me! Recently, I began doing my quiet time around 3 in the afternoon when I get home from school and it works so much better for me! I also do it outside a lot of the time (hence the eno picture)! You can have quiet time with the Lord anytime and anywhere you want- just make sure you are making time for him!

These are the steps to what I do in my quiet time! It is very hands-on, very artistic, because that is who I am as a person! Make your quiet time fit for you! The way I structure mine will not work for everyone, but hopefully it can give you some ideas!

1. The first thing I do is play 3 or 4 worship songs on my guitar. This helps me to phase into my quiet time and puts me in a very peaceful mood. While I am reading, though, I put on a worship playlist on my computer!
2. Then I pick the verse or passage I am going to study that day. It might be based off a devotional, blog, sermon, instagram post, or line from a song that I saw recently.
3. I look up that verse on the Blue Letter Bible using the David Guzik study guide. I really love this version and it goes really deep into the history and meaning!
4. As I read, I write down any notes that I find interesting or important in my study bible.
5. After this, I get out my journaling bible and illustrate the main verse for the day.
6. I close out with prayer. Some days this is just spoken and some days I make a list or letter in my prayer journal. It depends on how much I have going on and how much has changed since the last time I journaled.

And that’s it! That’s what my daily quiet time looks like! I know it is not typical, but I never was good at getting up early or following along with a devotional! This works perfectly for me and I want to encourage you to try new things in your quiet time, too!  

Dear Younger Me

Dear Younger Me,

I know you. I was you. I know your struggles and your trials. I know how they change who you become. I know your joys and your sorrows. I know your hopes and dreams. But, I also know that everything works out. I know that you grow up to have real friends, real passions, real joy! You might not feel beautiful, but you are! You are precious and so dearly loved! These are all the things I wish I could tell you:

It is okay to be happy. It is okay to have fun. You are such a stick in the mud! You always have been! Laugh when it’s funny! Play and dance- not everything needs to be taken seriously! You rarely break out of that sad little shell of yours, but just a small smile can crack the surface. Someday soon you will dance down the halls for the sake it, laugh at the very worst moments, and always have a smile on your face. It is so much easier, so much better to live life like this!

Get involved in things! Join the random clubs, play a sport, do something! Not only are you a stick in the mud, you are a bump on a log! Don’t quit things when they get hard (you’re really good at it...) Try new things and keep trying until you find something that makes you happy!

Make friends! I always talk about how I never had any friends, but let’s be real: You were in your own way. You held people at a distance, never letting them close. Let me tell you, you break down those barriers eventually and find yourself surrounded by the most amazing friends to ever exist! Friends who support you, who make you laugh, who get you to do crazy things, and who love you for the person you truly are!

Don’t worry what other people think, they don’t care about you. They just want someone to laugh at and then they move on. Don’t consider them! Get unabashedly excited for things! Pick up that rock, listen to the same song 5 times in a row, pet that dog! You might look stupid, but it so much better than crying yourself to sleep because there is nothing to look forward to any more.

Don’t hold grudges! There is a period of time when you become bitter and grumpy and you are no fun to be around that way! Holding grudges does nobody any good and you are only hurting yourself. And in retrospect, it wasn’t even that big of a deal. The grudge always becomes more of a problem than the original action was.  

Cut unnecessary people out of you life. Okay, I know I just said to make friends, but there are some people who need to go. That is good! It means you are growing! You are not meant to be friends with everyone forever. If they are no longer bringing them joy, you don’t have to spend so much time on them.

Share your passions. They aren’t yours to keep, they are for sharing! You get jealous when people like the same things as you- which is so stupid! Passions are not for locking up, they are for showing the world. And so what- someone else does that too?! It doesn’t make what you do inferior!

Don’t try to be the idea of yourself. You will find that there is a way people perceive you and a way that you really are. Be who you really are, don’t live up to those false expectations people have for you (or that you have for yourself)!

Just remember, God has you right where he wants you. He will carry you through it all and you will come out so much better in the end!

So dance without shame! Jump around! Laugh loudly! Sing with all your heart and soul! You are so loved!

All my heart, Slightly Older (and maybe wiser?) Katie

Why Your Testimony Matters | My Story

This past summer I was a camp counselor for kids in transitional homes from downtown Atlanta. We took them hiking, taught them to swim, and showed them the love of Jesus! Part of that was that each counselor told their testimony to a group of kids. I was the last counselor in my group to share and as I’m sitting there, thinking about what to say, I’m listening to the other testimonies. The first person to share sounds a little bit like me: They grew up in a christian household, starting going to church at an early age, and doubted God sometimes, but never strayed too far. Then the second person went. And the third. Then the fourth. They all sounded the same to me. The same story, the same experience. Then it was my turn. I thought, “What’s the point in sharing- these kids have all heard this story before.” At this point in my life, I had never lost a loved one, been incredibly angry at God, done anything awful or had anything awful done to me. These kids had been homeless. Most of them had to take care of their siblings at a young age. They had been through so much in their 8 years, I had been through so little in my almost 16. But, I shared anyways. I told them my story.

The testimony I told went something like this: “I was born into a Christian household and started going to church when I was 2 months old.  When I was 5 or 6, I went to a camp and I heard the gospel message. I accepted Jesus then. The following 7 or so years were full of going to church on Sunday and Wednesday, church camps, and retreats. When I got into middle school and high school, trusting God became harder, but the people around me held me accountable to my relationship with him. Then, this past summer, I went on Chrysalis, a retreat where you learn all about Christ. I have never felt more loved in my life than when I was there. And now we’re here and that’s where I am.”

Nothing very special, right? Well, that’s what I thought, at least. And I really struggled with that. When I was in 6th grade I felt a call into ministry, to be a youth pastor, and that is still what I want to do with my life. It was incredible because I had never known what I wanted to do with my life. You know how all little kids say they want to be an astronaut or veterinarian? That was never me. I had never had any idea of where I wanted my life would take me. In being a pastor, I thought I had to have this epic comeback story. Something like I was abused or did drugs, but then Jesus saved me. That isn’t my story. And because of that, I felt unqualified. I thought God didn’t really need me because I didn’t have some terrible backstory. That is crazy! Never, ever think that God doesn’t need you! He doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called. So maybe my past isn’t like everyone else's, but God can still use it.

One way God is using my story is at this very moment. I am in a unique position to be able to write this blog post. Someone who has some crazy story wouldn’t think their story doesn't matter. Therefore they wouldn’t be able to encourage you because they don’t know what it feels like. I’ve been there, I’ve thought that God was unable to use me. And that is a hopeless place to be. I thought I was living for the Lord, but then I thought he doesn’t need me. Not everyone has felt that. But because I have, I can help other people who have as well.

Let me say this: I am grateful that I never went through anything terrible. I am blessed beyond all measure to be surrounded by people who love and support me. I am blessed to have been walking with the Lord for as long as I have. He has been doing great things in my life, things that never would have happened if I had not known him.

There will come a time when something does happen to me. Thankfully, the Lord has been working in me. He has been preparing me to handle that. People who are hurt and don’t have the Lord to fall back on may never heal. But, since I have God on my side, nothing that comes against me will stand. I will be able to weather the storms because he has taught me what it means to have faith.

There are still moments when I doubt if the Lord can use me. But I have seen his work in my life. I have been given countless opportunities because of the person he has made me. My story may seem like everyone else’s, but it is unique. It is my story and I would not trade it for the world.

Christian Girl Tag

The other day I was snooping around on Youtube and I found this awesome channel called Coffee and Bible Time! They had a video called The Christian Girl Tag, and next thing you know, I’ve spent the past half hour watching people do this tag! The questions were so fun, so I decided to do it for myself! The questions will help y’all get to know a little bit more about my faith and don’t forget to comment your answers below!

1) How long have you been saved, and when did you become saved?

I have been saved for 10 years now! I was first introduced to this idea when I was 5 years old at a summer camp!
2) What's your favorite Bible verse, and what does it mean to you?

My favorite bible verse is Exodus 14:14. “The Lord will fight for you, you need only be still.” I have a whole blog post about what this verse means to me! Check it out here!
3) What's your favorite Christian song and why?

This is so hard because I only listen to christian music, so I’m going to name a few! Street Called Mercy by Hillsong, Come to Me by Bethel Music, When the Fight Calls by Hillsong Y+F, and Amen by Matthew West. I have a blog post about my favorite worship songs coming up, so stay tuned for that!
4) What is your favorite Christian book?

Let’s All Be Brave by Annie F. Downs or AHA by Kyle Idleman!
5) What's your favorite thing about church?

My favorite thing about church is all the people I have met there!  I made a lot of my closest friends at church and there are so many good memories I associate with being there!
6) If you could meet Jesus right now, what would your first question/action be?

I firmly believe that when we get to heaven there will be no questions asked, only worship. The second I see Jesus, I will fall to my knees and sing his praise for all of eternity!
7) Oddest place that you have ever prayed?

I don’t really think there is an odd place to pray! Prayer is simply talking to God, and I talk to him 24/7. So, on the school bus, when I’m hiking, in the middle of the ocean when I think my boat will sink (literally), walking to class, driving, and everywhere else! I’ve prayed in all those places!
8) Are you ready if Jesus were to come tomorrow?

SO READY! There is nothing on this earth that would make waiting another second worth it. There is still good work to be done, but it all leads to him in the end!
9) How do you openly share your faith?

I share my faith incredibly openly. I answer every question I can and I try to speak life and truth to everyone I know!

What is your favorite Christian song? Comment down below because I would love to hear from you!

Fall Bucket List

My favorite season is finally here! It’s the time for warm drinks, going outside, taking scenic drives, and pumpkin EVERYTHING! There are some things I have to do every fall, like apple picking or hiking, so I made a “Fall Bucket List” for all the things I hope to accomplish this season!

1. Make Pumpkin Bread! I have this killer pumpkin bread recipe and I could probably live off of this stuff! I’m going to be sharing my favorite pumpkin recipes sometime next week, so stay tuned if you want to know how to make that bread!

2. Go to the apple festival! There is an apple festival in October in north Georgia and I go every year! It is so much fun! It’s like a fair combined with an art festival and EVERYTHING is apple themed!
3. Wear a blanket scarf! I have so many blanket scarves and I love wearing them! They are so comfy and cool! I really hope it gets cold enough that I can wear one! (I’ll probably still wear one even if it’s 90 degrees out!)
4. Read a Scary Book! I have never read a straight up mystery/ suspense novel, so now is my time! I think I might read Night Film by Marisha Pessl!

5. Go to a football game! Probably just a high school game for me, but I love football!  
6. On a sort of related note, have a tailgate! We always have one at my church where there is a chili cook off and it is so much fun!
7. Make pecan pie! I love baking pies and my favorite kind is pecan! It reminds me of my grandfather, who always requests his made with pure cane syrup instead of karo!
8. Read Outside! I love reading and I love outside- so why not spend a day reading outside!
9. Go hiking! There are so many good trails where I live and the colors are so beautiful this time of year!
10. Lastly, watch Riverdale! It comes back next week and I am so excited!

What’s on your bucket list this fall? Comment down below because I would love to hear from you!

Choosing True Friends

In the past year or so, I have been changing friend groups. Before I got into high school, I never had that many close friends and I was never in a friend group. Throughout middle school, I was so eager to be a part of something that I ran to the first people who were friendly to me. I spent much of 9th grade with them and while none of them were bad people, I never felt truly love and truly accepted. I couldn’t talk about anything that was going on in my life or the world without fear of being judged. It wasn’t exactly what I had been dreaming of, so I distanced myself from them. It was scary because I was back in the place I had been for the past 3 years. I didn’t have any close friends at school anymore. I began to question why I left. Wouldn’t it be better to have fake friends than no friends? But now, I realize that was so far from the truth. I took this time that I was away from them and made my blog and Instagram. I worked on my relationship with other people and, more importantly, the Lord. Now, I am with a group of people who are kind to me, accepting, who listen to my ideas. They are fun and have strong personalities, just being around them makes me feel more confident.

I tell you this story because you should be evaluating the people you spend the most time with. Most people have a best friend, but why? Were your parents friends, did you go to the same PreK, were they the first people who wanted you, or are they genuinely good friends? In the Bible, there are many examples of true friendship. One is the story of Jonathan and David. The beginning of their story is detailed in 1 Samuel 18:1-3.

“After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David. 2 From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn’t let him return home. 3 And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself.”

What are the characteristics you should be looking for in your closest friends? From the lives of Jonathan and David, we can see an example of true friendship.

1. The first is someone who will make sacrifices for you. Not necessarily someone who will dive in front of a bullet for you Captain America style, but someone who will sacrifice their time, talents, or money. For example, you had a bad day and want to talk, so your friend cancels their plans to be with you.
2. The next characteristic is someone who is loyal. Someone who will stand by you through everything and is not wavering or fickle. Sometimes, and we all know it, it seems easier to walk away when things get hard. But a true friend will stick by you. Through your hardest times they will stay with you
3. You should feel free to share with them. Whenever something happens, whether a joy or a sorrow, you feel safe to share it with them. Your friend should be a safe place for you to confide in.
4. Your friend must be forgiving. Romans 3 tells us that we have all sinned and all fallen, but we have all been forgiven and Colossians 3 says, forgive as the Lord forgave you. From those things, we know we are all forgiven sinners who must forgive one another. Find someone who lets you live like that.
5. Lastly, and most importantly, your friend should love you with a love that is founded in the love of Christ. A 1 Corinthians 13 sort of love that is patient and kind, not boastful, envious, or proud. In 1 Samuel 18, we read that Jonathan loved David as he loved himself. And from a love like that, a true Christ like love, all other things like forgiveness, selflessness, loyalty, and feelings of safety will come.

There are a few things to keep in mind when looking for your Jonathan. The first is that it will not happen overnight. You will not suddenly be best friends with someone, so don’t expect that. The next is that your best friend will not always be the same. That is okay. People grow and change and make new friends. You do too. Don’t be discouraged if you feel like you have lost your only friend. The Lord has greater plans for you. And most importantly, friendship isn’t a one way street. Ask the Lord to work in you to be the type of friend someone else would want to have.

How has your week been? Comment below because I would love to chat with you!

Invitations from Jesus

God has a plan. He sends us invitations to go places and do things. We can try and say no, but like Jonah, it will not always work out. So we accept those invitations. Sometimes they are happy invitations, like a Birthday Party, sometimes they are sad, like a funeral. But nonetheless, we listen and go where he tells us to go. This summer I have received 4 invitations from Jesus that have taken me to some pretty incredible places.  

The first invitation came in early May when the Children’s Ministry director at my church asked if I wanted to be their intern for the summer. I immediately jumped at the opportunity, as I had been looking for ways to be more involved in my church. This invitation led me to being a small group leader on Sunday’s in June, being a VBS crew leader to 1st graders, co-leading a 6th grade girls bible study, helping with TACO (Taking Awesome Care of Others) Tuesday, and going into the office 2 days a week. Through all of this, God taught me to trust his timing and his plan. I didn’t want 1st graders, I wanted 3rd, but God moved things around to teach me patience. I had to rethink what it really meant to be patient when working with those little kids. He also taught me how to work on a team. As much as I love being a lone wolf, there are so many things you cannot possibly do alone. He taught me how to work with people I didn’t necessarily like. So, in those 150 hours I was their intern, I did a lot and I learned a lot.

The next invitation has been 13 years in the making and came in the form of my Chrysalis retreat.  My mom has been wanting me to go on this since she went on her Emmaus, when I was 2. But, honestly, the thought terrified me. Going to one of their gatherings was like coming in on a friend group that already had years of inside jokes. I had no idea what I was getting into. But, I felt a tug on my heart, so despite my fears, I went anyways. And it is one of the best things I have ever done. While there, God showed me his love in ways I had never seen before. There were people praying for me by name who had never met me. There were friends back home who didn’t know Jesus who were writing me letters. I have never seen a community so full of love before in my life. To give it a frame of reference, if God’s love is a hurricane, I experienced a drop of it there. But that drop was not tiny, it was overwhelming, and relentless, and more than I could have ever asked for.

The third invitation is a bit more unique and came in the form of a wedding invitation. My mom and I were invited to my cousin’s wedding out in Seattle. (I have a whole travel diary posted here) While I was there, exploring the Columbia River Basin, Olympic National Park, and Mount St. Helens, I realized how huge God is. He is the creator and he created all of that. He created the ginormous mountains, the pure blue waters, the endless expanse of sky, and trees, on top of trees, on top of trees. A God who can do that is powerful and awesome, and he is our God. One day, my mom and I decided to go and ride horses on the beach. During that 2 mile ride, we lost our keys (You can read the more in depth story time on the travel diary). While sitting in Ocean Shores, 2 and a half hours from Seattle, for 6 hours, I thought I would be having anxiety attacks. But, instead, my mom and I prayed and took action and waited patiently on the Lord. And God did it! He not only gave us peace, but he also gave us a way to our hotel that night. Praise the Lord!

My fourth and final invitation came in my working as a camp counselor for one week at a camp for kids in transitional homes. These kids come from rough backgrounds, often take care of their younger siblings when their parents are gone, and on that note, may not see their parents that often. So, our job as counselors was to be crazy and weird, but also take care of anything they needed. None of the girls had swimsuits, so we took care of that. We made their plates at meals. We made their beds. I even taught my camper how to swim.  They didn’t have to do anything. But, the most important part of the job was the weird part. My favorite song for years was “Undignified” by David Crowder Band, but I had never before understood what it truly meant to be undignified. Saying things like, “I like kind words in my happy bubble.” or “I’ll be your turtle.” Dancing like a complete mad woman to Pharaoh, Pharaoh and the Banana song. Things like sprinkling glitter on their heads before they go to sleep or having staring contests to see who throws the trash away. Those kids got everything we had. All of our energy, all of our love, all of our joy. In my fellow counselors, I saw them pour themselves out time and time again, only to come to the Lord and ask him to fill him again. I saw in them an undeniable love and joy that can only be found in the Lord.

God invites us to some pretty crazy things. Whether it be going to Nineveh, going to camp, going on vacation, or going on the cross, he can do amazing things! Where has God been inviting you? You don’t have to comment this one, but think about it. When you accept an invitation from God, you receive something you never could have foreseen coming.

25 Things You Didn’t Know About Me

Since I am doing this whole blog overhaul, I wanted to take a minute and give y’all a picture of who I am! I have compiled a list of 25 incredibly random facts about me and I hope you enjoy getting a look inside of my life!

1. When I was in 1st grade, my bus hit a hornet's nest and we were delayed getting home by 2 hours. I was very hungry by the time we made it to my house.
2. I went to the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque in 2015 with my Great Uncle and it is the most incredible thing I have ever seen.
3. I own 4 pairs of Chacos, all of which I have named after National Parks.
4. My favorite fruit is the banana and I am terrified of 1) Bananas going extinct 2)Dying from a potassium overdose
5. I can play guitar, ukulele, and mandolin.
6. I was in Chorus for 7 years and spent 3 years in a children’s honors choir.
7. My favorite store is REI. The flagship store in Seattle is what heaven will look like and you cannot convince me otherwise.
8. My favorite type of chapstick is the Vanilla Chap-et. I will kill for this stuff.
9. I have to sleep in complete darkness with white noise. It’s not weird, okay?
10. I have never left the country.
11. I LOVE professional football, particularly the Green Bay Packers. And yes, I do own a cheese hat.
12. In my lifetime, I have had 12 cats. I am convinced my mom loves them more than she loves me.
13. I have an unhealthy obsession with star shaped sticky notes. As a matter of fact, I have 4 stacks of them in front of me right now.
14. I will only eat chocolate that is darker than 70%. I love the kind that has almond slivers in it, too.
15. I am the queen of bad puns (but don’t ask me for one, they have to come naturally).
16. When I was 6, I went to a Miley Cyrus concert, except I thought she was really Hannah Montana in real life, so I wore my purple Hannah Montana shirt to the concert. I was rather disappointed Hannah never made an appearance.
17. I have seen The Lion King, Wicked, Once, and School of Rock in theater. I also got to see the Blue Man Group.
18. I was a cheerleader for 3 years and hated every second of it.
19. My favorite TV show is NCIS. DiNozzo and Ziva are life!
20. My favorite band is Needtobreathe and my favorite song is Testify. You should go listen to it now. Like right now.
21. I have been to over 20 christian concerts. I have been to 3 non christian concerts. There is clearly an imbalance here.
22. I talk to myself. A lot.
23. I am almost never bored. My mind is too exciting of a place to be bored there.
24. I get car sick very easily. It makes driving super fun!
25. Goats are my favorite animal. I love goats. Goats are life. Go Goats! Goats.

Leave some fun facts about you down below! I would love to hear from you!