Book Club Resumes next Monday, the 22nd! Come Join Us! (We’ll be discussing Kisses from Katie—A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption)
Grab a friend and head over to Middletown United Methodist Church (MUMC) next Monday night, September 22nd!!! Branches Book Club is resuming and you won’t want to miss the first gathering! The meeting will be from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. MUMC is located at 11902 Old Shelbyville Road.
September’s meeting will focus on an incredible book: Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption by Katie J. Davis and Beth Clark. Even if you’ve not read this book yet, please do come join us– because you will want to read it, especially after you hear the discussion!
I was blessed to read Katie’s book in conjunction with another fascinating book, The Millennials: Connecting to America’s Largest Generation by Thom S. and Jess Rainer. Thom is the president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources.
I about fell out of my chair when Rainer mentioned Katie Davis and what a perfect example of a millennial she is! The fact that she left a very safe, affluent lifestyle in Nashville, TN, not to mention her family, nice house, nice car, etc. to up and move to Uganda was astonishing. (Keep in mind she was fresh out of high school!)
Once in Uganda, she had a 10-month commitment to teach preschool. Immediately her eyes were opened to the conditions in which these children lived. She realized she could not go home. Not only did she ultimately make a lifetime commitment, but one by one, she adopted thirteen children!!! Thirteen daughters!!! Can you imagine???
Equally stunned by Katie’s only-God-could-pull-this-off story, Author Ann Voskamp took her daughter, Hope, and flew to Uganda in July of 2013, thanks to an invitation from Compassion Canada.
Ann and Hope had the opportunity to spend three days with Katie, then 24 years old, and her 13 children. Ann says they made six pans of lasagna one night, serving 22 people. Random people drop in, some healthy, some sick.
After experiencing this, Ann remarked, “Our actual theology is best expressed in our actual hospitality….Hospitality isn’t for the good housekeepers—it’s the grid of life for anyone keeping company with Christ.” I hope all you perfectionists out there are hearing this….Trust me, I’m preachin’ to the choir…
“Hospitality means if there is room in the heart—there is always room in the house.” Bigger ouch.
Read all of Hope’s and Ann’s experiences with Katie and look at Ann’s photographs. They’ll take your breath away. (Ann’s website is: www.aholyexperience.com and you can read about their experiences by clicking here.)
So, in addition to joining us next Monday night for some great conversation about Kisses from Katie, checkout the organization Katie founded which helps feed these children, many of whom are orphans. The organization’s funding helps keep the children in school, getting them three meals a day, which in effect, is their only lifeline to success. www.amizma.org
Ann observed from Katie: “Katie takes Jesus at His Word: Real life is lived on your knees.”
Come and bring a friend!!! Monday, September 22nd, from 6:30 – 8:00 at Middletown United Methodist Church! Please RSVP to Nancy Tinnell at (502) 245-8839 or NTinnell@Middletownumc.org.
MORE GOOD NEWS!
Mark your calendars, save the date, and tell all your friends about Monday, October 27th, when author and pastor Robert J. Morgan will be joining us! We’ll be discussing one of his many amazing books, The Red Sea Rules: 10 God-Given Strategies for Difficult Times.
Rob is driving in from Nashville where he pastors Donelson Fellowship Church. If you’re ever in Nashville, his church is only about five minutes from Opryland. John and I’ve been blessed to hear him preach several times. (www.donelson.org)
Men are also welcome at our October meeting. You do NOT want to miss this opportunity!!!
‘Til next time!!!