Way to go Sara!

I'm exhausted. Yesterday, my mother and I drove to Las Colinas to see my cousin, Sara Grace, graduate from Heartland School of Ministries. When we got home, it was close to 2 am! Anytime you see someone that you care about graduate, you are proud. I was especially proud watching Sara graduate, because 1)she was graduating...duh 2)it wasn't just any graduation, it was a graduation from the studies of missions and evangelism....what better job on earth could there be than doing the Lord's work & 3)because this graduation was nothing short of witnessing a miracle of one of God's children.
I don't think she would mind me sharing a brief history of her life. I won't go into all the details...let's just say up until a couple years ago, her life was absolutely consumed by drug addiction. She was raised by her mother and father in a very loving, Christian home...one that as growing up, and coming from a broken home myself, I considered ideal. Once the addiction took hold, I can't tell you the places she lived or what she looked like, of the things she did...heart shattering to see someone you love and care for in such a state. Truth is, I'm sure I don't even know the half of the horror stories that took place during this phase of her life, and don't feel the desire to. While so many people had to distance themselves, and let go, the prayers continued to go up. In the Bible there is a verse that says if you raise your children the way they should go, when they are old they will not flee from it. God made good on His promise. Sara's parents heard of a place called Teen Challenge, and only by the grace of God, did she agree to go. From there, they helped her find God again, and he proceeded to not only change her, and her life, but did great works in my cousin, who I love beyond measure. From Teen Challenge, Sara got the desire in her heart to work for God, to help win those lost souls for His kingdom. In a couple of weeks she will be leaving to live, not just visit, in Honduras. She will be doing missions work there, and I believe helping plant a church. For those of you that don't know her...you just can't imagine where I'm coming from...this is a miracle to have her come up from such a wretched, evil, dark, consuming place, to being one of God's servants. This is the same girl, that a few years back, sat in the passenger seat of my car and told me she didn't even really believe in God. Daily I am amazed by His works, though I don't know why, because with Him, all things are possible. Turning a drug addicted, dishonest, selfish girl who was basically killing herself into what she is today...that is nothing to Him...he does these things constantly because of His love for us. Sometimes I forget that he is our Father, and what would a loving father not do for His child?
Thank you Lord, for the transformation in Sara's life. Thank you that it was her graduation and not her funeral I was attending. Thank you for all your blessings in all of our lives. Thank you for never giving up on any of us, even though we are so unworthy. Thank you for letting us be your vessels, and filling us daily with your love and blessings.
I just wanted to let you all know about my little cousin (she turned 26 last month, 3 yrs. younger than me!) and let you know how proud I am of her...how thankful I am for her. This is the very condensed version of her life up until now, but I felt it needed to be shared. I want to ask that you say a little prayer for her, that she is kept safe, healthy, and is blessed and able to do great things while in Honduras. We all get discouraged sometimes, and being so far from home in an unfamiliar place, I know she will have let downs and disappointments, and get homesick, and probably wonder, at times what she has gotten herself into...so please pray as well that her faith is kept strong, and her eyes and heart remain lifted to the Lord, that he will guide and comfort her.
Never give up on those you love and care about. Even if it is too hard to be around them, you can and must continue to pray for them, and lift them up to the Lord. God has an individual plan for each of us, and until you have walked in someone else's shoes, you really can not understand where they are coming from...really. So, if you are going through something, like an addiction, with a loved one, never give up hope...
"Hear our prayers, O God; Incline your ear to us,and grant us your peace. " ~G.W.
With love today, Katy

PS. They read my FAVORITE verse @ the graduation last night...

2 Corinthians 4: 8 - 9
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.


I just had to throw this one in...we all hope to hear these words from the Lord when our time on earth is over...but I like to think of it as Sara's new motto...

Matthew 25:23
"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'

PSS. G-ma, I know your watching from Heaven...how proud are you of your grandaughter??!! We all missed you being there...see you soon <3