Traveling Thoughts

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." -John 13:34 This was it; this was the last time that all the disciples would be together with Jesus before he was killed. After three years spent together in the trenches of ministry: serving, healing, teaching, feeding, etc. it led them all to this last evening together around a table celebrating the Passover Meal. The first disciples probably thought they learned everything they could from Jesus, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.  “Maundy” is derived from the Latin word for command. On Maundy Thursday, the Thursday of Holy Week, Jesus did many new things: 1.       He began the Passover meal by washing the feet of each of his disciples, which symbolized a service of friendship and a mutual sharing of gifts. In the foot washing, Jesus challenges his disciples to do the same for each other, and to see that they are all equal in the K...

Email: "Hi Kate, hope you are doing well! We are starting up our second season of Upward Soccer and we have lots of children already registered. We are looking for more coaches and one of the teens said she would be an assistant coach if she could coach with you. What do you say? Will you be a soccer coach this year?" A soccer coach, are you kidding me? I only played soccer one day in my life during a pick up game at a summer camp. My soccer career promptly ended 15 minutes after it began when a ball got kicked into my stomach, knocking the wind out of me as I fell to the ground. How am I supposed to coach a game I’ve never played? Also, I’m just starting to get used to working with children with the new position of Pastor of Children and Youth, my niche is working with teenagers! It was the beginning of 2016 and I was given the opportunity to get out of my comfort zone in serving. Believing the best leaders are servant leaders that led by example and understan...

            Jesus was a name I heard the adults talking and whispering about around town. People couldn’t stop talking about the healing and teaching that Jesus was doing around our community. So, I was excited when my mom told me we were going to follow and see Jesus for ourselves. Packing my things quickly for this adventure, we joined the multitudes to search for this man called Jesus.              Once we found him on this mountain, I took advantage of my size as I weaved in and out of the crowd towards the front so I could hear Jesus’ words for myself. He was teaching his close friends but what I overheard was amazing. I had never heard anything like it: “Blessed are the poor in spirit…those who mourn…the meek…those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…the merciful…the pure in heart…the peacemakers.” He promised the Kingdom of Heaven, comfort, being filled, receiving mercy, an...

"What is an 'Any-a-gram?'" I asked. "It's called the 'ENNEAGRAM! " my friend retorted. My first introduction to the Enneagram was in January 2017 at the UMC Lead Conference  in Charlotte, North Carolina. I could barely say the word, let alone begin to spell it. People from the conference encouraged me to start my Enneagram journey on the drive home by listening an episode from The Liturgists' podcast. I imagine this advice came because it was safer listening to a podcast than reading a book while driving. It was two hours , but it was so engaging I barely noticed the time and after it ended, I was eager to learn more. It's episode 37 in case you want to check it out for yourself. The Enneagram is perhaps best defined by Enneagram author and expert Suzanne Stabile as, "nine ways of seeing and nine ways of processing our experiences in the world. Additionally, there are nine ways of answering some of life's basic ques...

Five years ago today, I was in Cambodia with a group from Methodist Theological School in Ohio . This group spent two weeks in Vietnam and Cambodia for a cross-cultural immersion .  When I start any trip, as a way to reflect daily, I make room in 3 pages these prompts: ·       First Time ·       Person of the Day ·       Kodak Moments This is a practice I started as a teenager thanks to the coaching of a mentor. I have found this way to reflect and remember on trips so meaningful that I encourage others to do some sort of daily reflection practice too. Hence the "Pro Tip" post.  How often do you go on a trip and return home with many stories to share or find yourself unable to fully articulate your experience? This idea is one way to tangibly share your story with others.  Kodak Moments are moments that will continue to stick with you post trip and moments that yo...