Kisses from Katie

I am reading/re-reading Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis.

So. Many. Things. To. Say. First of all, I've started this book before, but each time I've been on the beach or at the pool, and I find myself desperately wish I had my journal so I could scribble down basically every other sentence of the book.

A mini introduction to Katie.
She's from Nashville.
She's 23.
She was class president, homecoming queen, and had it all.
But she left her "perfect" life.
After her senior year of high school she moved to Uganda.
Now she's adopted 13 daughters.
She's established a ministry.
She feeds and cares for hundreds of people.
She shares Jesus with them.
She is changing the world. One person at a time.

I wish I could say Katie and I have a lot in common... But she's out there making an impact, and I'm still just writing about it.
Yuck.

Unlike Katie, I followed the norm and came to college. And now I'm in grad school. I love teaching. I am SO happy I get to be an elementary school teacher. It is, without a doubt, what I know I'm supposed to be doing.
But right now it stinks. To be reading about Katie actually doing things that matter while I sit here making another lesson plan for imaginary students.
BUT most of the sentences from Katie's book that I've written in my journal can be applied to my life right here, right now.

Here are some of my favorites.

"People who want to make a difference in the world usually do, in one way or another... They hold unshakeable convictions that individuals are extremely important, that every life matters."
I'm here with individuals. A lot of whom don't know Jesus. I come in contact with tons of people every single day whose stories I don't know. And yet, most of the time I fail to treat them as if their lives truly matter. It's not that I think that they don't matter, it's that I am far too consumed with my own life to really even think about theirs. Ouch. How's that for public honesty?
"So the last will be first, and the first will be last." Matthew 20:16

"... I will not change the world. Jesus will do that. I can, however, change the world for one person."
There are people here, in Knoxville, that I know I have the power to change their world.  
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" Matthew 25:40

That's all for now. 
Happy Sunday:)