Learning to trust as God calls me to give money

  

One morning this November, we looked at the story of the good samaritan who took time and  

money to love a stranger.  I was challenged by how I needed to trust God to lead me in knowing  

who to help and when to give money. I decided that when I felt God was puting a need in my 

way, I would be generous. 

 

God brought me an opportunity to live out His love within hours. I gave money to a young  

stranded man, sharing my trust in God. He was truly touched, realizing that God had not  

abandoned him. He was amazed that I trusted him. I was also not sure I should trust him, but  

God calls us to trust.  

 " ove trusts.." 1 Corinthians 13:7  

  

I was excited to work with God, happy that God had given me money to share, and had brought  

the desperate man my way.   

 ~Katrina Stine 

Update with PICTURES!

 Leaving Gleanings on July 18th making a stop in Czech, I headed to Uganda, meeting with a David, who would then travel with me to Yei, Republic of South Sudan, (ROSS,) where we taught about 37 hours of the YWAM Discipleship Training School, spending a total of two week in ROSS.

God was so faithful to teach through me, helping me access the library of knowledge that I have had the privileged to build through my first world education and simply the time I have spent with God.

One on ones with the students may be what will have the most lasting affects.  A beautiful setup was arranged, so that we stayed in the same building as the students, thus getting to spend quality time with them, hearing their stories; talking and praying through their questions and fears.

 Finishing that time we traveled back into Uganda and built on the relationships that I started there about two years ago, with missionaries in Arua and Kampala area. 

One night in Aura, Uganda I helped lead and direct worship for two and a half hours, during a prayer meeting where the speaker of the week prayed for any of the twelve students who wanted to be filled with the Holy Spirit (baptized with the Holy Spirit,) or/ and to receive power to speak in tongues.  It was a very special meeting and a privilege to get to help facilitate such an outpouring.  

 On August 23rd I arrived back in Czech, started settling in and seeing how I could serve YWAM Cheb, Czech Republic.  The first week of September I applied for my visa in Berlin, also visiting my amazing sister Charity, who is on staff with YWAM Berlin.

  I also visited the Melendez family at Herrnhut as they dropped of Daniel for his rad revive school. 

 Tomorrow I start another adventure WITH my new team.  We are going to a faith and conflict conference in Bosnia, and then making our way back through Hungary spending a night with one of the team members family.  We are driving all the way there and back, so we will see quite a few countries!

 Thanks for looking into where, and what I am doing. Please pray for me, as what I am doing is not easy, going after strong spiritual forces as well as against powerful people. Do not fear for me, always have faith in our God of wonders, the One who will reign forever and ever. 

Always let me know if you have questions!

 

May the Peace of Jesus be with all of you, my loved friends. 

 Your servant, Katrina Joy Compassion Stine. 

Prophetic art!

Coming to the end of my journal, I want to share some of the art journey.

Each of theses was prayerfully painted while in Africa.

I hope God communicates to you in some way through them.  

Thank you Brittini and Ray for the lovely gift, it has served me so well.

This one is The life giving prayer.

 Questioning fear. 

 Thinking in  His presence.

 Prayer for Growth.

 Passion...

 A cry for peace in unrest.

I have no clue really, but I know it's something about power and giving life.

Talk about Favor and Blessing!

Financially for one thing God has provided so well on this trip. Through friends and family being moved to give and also by strangers who feel all the sudden that they want to be generous!  Some of these have been Christian locals who have a culture of hospitality but some have not, like the guy yesterday in line who asked me if I knew if credit cards would be excepted at the store, I told him I was in line with the same question. So, when we found that they did except, but with a minimum purchase of ten dollars, we looked at our small items, he turning to me and saying, "Tell you what, let's grab ten dollars worth and I will pay for it."  "All I wanted was this." I laughingly replied, but he insisted that I must find something more.  So, I chose a nice looking cheesy pastry and he chose a chocolate bar for me, proceeding to generously pay for everything.  This is an example of the favor that has been following me, thank you for praying for favor!

Some of the other blessings have been wild life.  On the bus ride from Arua Uganda to Kampala Uganda, I saw baboons, antelope, little monkeys strange birds and two elephants! 

I also have been able to see some natural wonders like lake Albert, lake Victoria and a teak forest.

The two biggest blessings of all though have been the rich spirits of the African people and the closeness of The Lord through it all.

I thank Him for being Emanuel, "God with us."

Love you all! 

Tomorrow out of Africa

Four beautiful weeks, and now tomorrow I will be out of Africa.

Uganda, "The pearl of Africa," is where I am ending my trip, and though this is a lovely country, with welcoming people, my heart is left in South Sudan, and with it's people. I spent two week there, mainly teaching the YWAM DTS, which was an amazing experience. listening to God to direct sessions and doing one on ones with students, learning there stories and looking to God for answers for each of their situations. They grew to be fond of me as I grew to love them, touched by each and every one of their strong gentile spirits. 

 Leaving South Sudan was the difficult goodbye, I was truly tempted to let go of all else and never leave that wild land, It was a test in my faithfulness to the callings God has given me, and I have passed, overcoming my desire to stay put, knowing that God was growing a love that will make my move there in the future, all the more beautiful, pure and powerful.

 As I let go of Africa for now and try to prepare myself to reconnect with God's heart for Czech, I feel a little lost and emotionally tired, but because I know God to be faithful and finish what He has started, I can be sure that in no time I will be fighting for the light in Czech with all the passion and life of a poet.

For now I will travel and rest, waiting on God for another encounter with His heart to move me forward in His strength.

Praise the Lord for His faithfulness!

Bless you all, and thank you for praying for me. Continue praying for my transition! 

Greetings from S. Sudan!

  I have been teaching 11 hours in the last three days all on the Character of God. Oh, God was so good, and blessed my sleep and health so much.

David Departe has joined me for this out reach, and has been a huge blessing, just making my laugh makes a bug difference in my uncertain days.  He has been praying for me as I teach as well as doing some teaching himself and loving on the students and the staff kids. Yesterday he helped harvest peanuts!  This is a picture of some pulled up...

It has been sixteen days since I packed up the last of my stuff and drove away from Gleanings to whatever new things God had for me, I am doing well, and have hope for much that God is doing.

Pray that God would help me teach, pray for my protection and pray that the students would become strong in the Lord.

Thank you for your friendship, God blessing you and show you His glory! Amen 

Your Sister,  Katrina Joy Compassion Stine

Because He is Good

Today, yesterday and the day before in fact, I had the itching thought, "What if this is not really going to work, five to ten years in Cheb, Czech... Do I really know what I am getting into?..."

I don't really mind having these thoughts, because they don't scare me, they don't because I know that even if I have heard God wrong, (WHICH I DON'T THINK I HAVE,) He will make something beautiful from my time here, because He is good and all powerful, but also because I am trying to follow Him and He can always use a person who is simply trying to follow Him.

I don't feel guilty either about having such doubting thoughts, because demons whisper discouraging things all the time.  I know that it is my job to not entertain these thoughts, and I think that if focus on how much I believe God is going to work wonders through my being the places God calls me, then I think the demons may even give up on that lie, I for one will not give up on the truth of God's goodness. Praise Him! and pray for His Kingdom to come!