In my defense...

The other night, I snapped at one of my best friends.  I snapped at her because I was getting defensive...of my knowledge of baseball of all things.  (For those who don't know me well, a generous summation of my knowledge of all sports is: "limited.")  And pretty much immediately, maybe even before I was done with my stupid tyraid, I regretted it deeply. I freakin' hate when I do that kind of thing.  So ugly.  Why couldn't I have just let it go?  Or responded with a nonchalant "oh, actually I do know that reference...amazing right?"  Why did I feel such fire in my belly to come to my own defense at the expense of someone else?  (someone I really love and respect)  What is it in me that is so desperate not to be humiliated?

In one study I did of the gospel of Matthew, I studied specifically Jesus' words and then wrote at the tops of the pages in my Bible words that seemed to sum up his attitudes and/or his commands.  Guess what word is written at the top of nearly every page of the book of Matthew in my Bible?  Humility.  And um, am I the only one who notices the uncomfortable similarity in the words  "humiliate" and "humility"?  Ugh.

Don't worry...I'm not actually about to delve into a blermon (that's blog + sermon, for you word mash-up novices) about humility and Jesus' commands and examples of it.  I'm just going to tell you this:  I'm wrestling with this today...noticing that whatever it is in me that arched its back and hissed at my friend when her words humiliated...uh, humbled me seems to be in direct opposition of something that will make me more like my true self.  

See, I'm not up for adding "humble thyself" to a religious to do list from which I will never scratch off a single item (so I sure as heck am not going to suggest anyone else do the same).  I have nothing to earn by being more humble.  But I do think I have a lot to gain from letting humility and even humiliation find a comfortable place in my world.  What I know is this: God designed me to be whole and perfect and sin messed all that up.  Jesus laid down his life once and for all to fix that colossal mess up.  And now, through relationship with him, I have the opportunity to become more and more like that true, whole self that He originally intended me to be...and that's what I want.  I want to learn how to humble myself because it was a clue that Jesus gave me to step closer to my true self.  And it's there that I expect to find a more full life.  Through that full life, I expect to honor God more consistently and more joyfully.

For the record, I have a pathetic knowledge of basically every sport known to man.  I did know who Mark McGwire was and that he'd had a big tie with someone else for home runs or something and that later it turned out he used steroids.  But in the spirit of full disclosure, when I got all huffy about it, I actually wasn't 100% sure if I was thinking of the right person.  I also just googled the name to make sure I was spelling it right.  It was totally fair to say, "She probably doesn't know what that means."

Lord, have mercy.  I want to see You.  


~KtH


p.s. Gungor - Beautiful Things...can't stop listening to this song.

What We Learned When We Were Face To Face

Fun Ashraya Mission fact: Until Friday, November 12, a certain Travis Fruge' had never been seen in person by two certain Katherine(Kathryn) Elizabeths.  (Yes, we have the same name...sort of...but also, not at all.)  Katie Beth and I (Kati Hultman - or KtH) met briefly in India one (eventually) fateful day in June.  But until last Friday, we were just taking it on good faith that this Travis person really existed.  Good news:  He does. 

 

Some of the amazing nurses KtH mentions below



Since Nashville is technically the center of our operations, and basically equidistant from New Orleans, LA (T's current home) and Kalamazoo, MI (KtH's current home), the Ashraya Mission trio decided to meet for the weekend for some business mixed with fun.  What an incredible weekend!  Here are some things that we learned:

1) The Lipscomb University Honors Freshman Seminar class is made up of basically the world's most awesome 18 and 19 year old world-changers.  On Friday night, we met with these students who have done (and are doing) fund raising and awareness raising for Ashraya Mission and for the issue of human trafficking as a whole.  These guys are passionate, driven, brilliant people who caught our vision and they're running with it.  They blessed our socks off...I just know that we were staring a bunch of world-changers (and hopefully future Ashraya Mission interns) in the face Friday night.

 

2) God is raising up an incredible supporting community around our organization.  Saturday night, Katie Bethy Crocker "whipped up" (read: toiled over a crowded stove, a blaring blender, and hot oven) an amazing dinner for a crowd of people who have showed support in many ways to Ashraya Mission.  KB's Daddio, Will the videographer, our fave Freshman, some of the greatest nurses in history, friends with great hats and musical inclination - just a sampling of the dear ones God is bringing up around us...more world-changers, no doubt.  Praise Him.



Friends with awesome hats and musical inclination



Another amazing nurse with our special guest Samson, a 200 lb great dane

3) When visiting a friend who does not drink coffee, it is a true blessing to be within walking distance of a Starbucks.

4) We are broken people in need of redemption.  Here's an exercise that we often do at my church in Michigan: Check your pulse...(go ahead...check it.)  Do you have a pulse?  (Yes.)  Okay, then you have issues.  I have a pulse...I have issues.  It's as simple as that.  There is so much beauty in realizing and recognizing that we all have junk and that because of Jesus, we are all redeemable.  I am a broken, messed up person.  And I'm not alone in that.  And Jesus paid it all so that I can have abundant life.  What. Good. News.

5) We are definitely going to need a piano at the Ashraya Mission home in India.  Thanks to the baby grand in KB's living room, we all got turns playing and listening to some good-for-the-soul piano solo stylings.  We're gonna need more of that.

Everyone's favorite late night piano

6) Sometimes, something that tastes like it's going to go into a pie actually ends up making a KILLER lasagna (butternut squash lasagna = culinary magic)

7) Pictionary Telephone is probably the most fun game ever.

8) Travis doesn't sit down much.

9) Katie Beth is extremely productive - even on 3.5 hours of sleep.

10) KtH hates squash, pumpkin, and other orange foods unless KB has made them into delicious muffins or lasagnas.

11) We like each other.  It might seem strange after these months of weekly skype conferences and (seemingly) endless emailing and text messaging, but really until last weekend, we'd never met each other.  I think we all had inklings that we would like each other but having time to spend together in person sealed the deal.  (Well, it did for me anyway.)  God is smart.  I'm so grateful for this trio he designed.

12) It IS possible for man and beast to have "guy bonding time" - Travis and Hubbell proved that.  (KB's dog Hubbell is basically the best black lab/Clydesdale mix on the planet.  We all love him.)



Puppy shot of Hubbell-too cute to not include.



13) Holding hands in a circle is a nice way to bond, and should always be an item on the “to-do” list.

14) We can basically do business anywhere...via skype, text messages, and phone calls, of course.  But also in the car, in the kitchen, and in Katie Beth's bedroom (Don't judge us just because we signed our final 501c3 paperwork while sitting on a queen-sized bed together.  It's just how we roll.  At least until we have an office.)

T-Doodles signing our 501c3 on KB's bed

We leave for India in 19 days (20 for KtH).  We're working on firming up our connections in Delhi and Kolkata and still working out some details of our travel.  Please be in prayer for continued provision as our trip approaches.

Grace. Peace.

 ~KtH



P.S. All photography courtesy of Christy C, Katie Beth and Travis Fruge

P.S.S. Show some love to Andrew Peterson for this blog. "Counting Stars" is a great album.

Blessings,

KB

Redemption...so much better than perfection

Tonight I was listening to some youtube videos while working on a project for my church...just a little background music as I think and pray and plan.  One of the videos I stumbled upon was a song called "Redemption" by Kristene Mueller.  In a well-timed pause in my thinking and typing, I heard the words "Redemption...so much better than perfection..."  Mmmm...did you ever hear words that just hit you square in the chest and sunk straight to your bones?


I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgement. ~ Exodus 6:6


I know that my Redeemer lives and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. ~ Job 19:25


Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love. ~ Psalm 44:26


No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him - But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me unto himself. ~Psalm 49:7 & 15


But now this is what the Lord says - he who created you, he who formed you - 'Fear not; I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.' ~Isaiah 43:1




When I think about the issue of human trafficking, I get weighed down.  I sometimes can literally feel the weight of it in my body.  There is so much darkness surrounding this issue.  Such deep suffering and outrageous injustice.  When I dream about the future of Ashraya Mission, and imagine the girls who will come to our home, I am struck by the grim reality that these girls will be coming from dark places that I cannot comprehend.  The gravity of that truth cannot be minimized.  But if I believed that was the whole story, I wouldn't be here - we wouldn't be doing this.  There is hope.  I actually believe that.  I believe there is hope of restoration, renewal, and redemption for these girls.  I know that my Redeemer lives.  I know it.


"The darker the night, the brighter the day.  The fiercer the fight, the stronger the faith.  So I place my hope in You." ~ Kristene Mueller (Redemption)


~KtH