Gifts

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

2 Timothy 1:6,7

Paul tells us to fan into flame the gift of God, to turn on our gifts that God has so blessed us with. 

God has blessed me with the ability to run. I’m not saying that that is the gift he has so wonderfully blessed me with; I am still working on figuring that one out. But he has given me the ability to run. Maybe not gracefully or well but the ability to run nevertheless

On January 8, 2012 I am running the Disney World Marathon to grant a wish with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. There is a child who has the wish to go to Disney World and with your help I'll be able to grant that wish.

For a while I have been too scared to do this since I didn’t complete it last year and have just been worried that I won't be able to do this one. However, after having read these verses I know that I can do the marathon. Although I know that I am scared of not being able to complete the marathon, I also know that God has given me the power, love for running, and the self-discipline to actually go out and do it. 

So I am asking for your support.  I am asking for you to pray about how God wants you to support me, whether in your prayers or with your pledge. 

If you feel like God is calling you to pledge, pray about how much you should pledge whether it’s a dollar per mile or a cent per mile. Whatever it is, please email me at runningtothewell@yahoo.com.

You can also go to the Make-A-Wish site and read more about it.

http://friends.wish.org/049-000/page/katie-puckett/running-to-the-well.htm

Love,

Katie

The Great Adventure

“Then he said to him, ‘FOLLOW ME!’”

John 21:19b

I love it when Jesus says follow me.  I truly do.  And he tells us to each and every day!

He desires for us to follow him!…and when we follow him whole heartedly he takes us on a great adventure. 

Each run I go on is an adventure. God takes me up hills that I would not be able to conquer without him giving me the strength.  God shows me his glory in all the trees I am surrounded by.  God places things on my heart while I am running.

I want to go on the greatest adventure I can think of…which means that it will be 5374284732 times better than what I can actually think of because God is in charge!

I am going on an adventure with and for God! How ballin’ is that?!

When I follow God wholeheartedly he takes me on the adventure of a lifetime, he throws me on a rollercoaster, he sends me places I don’t want to go, he puts me in the most awkward situations, he leads me down roads that seem never ending, he is right beside me the whole way!

Heavenly Father! Take me on the great adventure that is my life!

Check it:

http://friends.wish.org/049-000/page/katie-puckett/running-to-the-well.htm

This wish that we will be granting will be one of the greatest adventures, not only I have gone on but one that this little boy or girl will never forget.  

Love,

Katie

God's Gifts

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

Matthew 7:11

Well I am shaking and very overwhelmed with what I am about to tell you! Because I just got off the phone with some people who told me some incredible news! I am not sure how to tell y’all this because it is just so wonderful.

I have been asking God to show me where he wanted me to serve him, He’s already showed me all the ways I can serve him in the Chi Omega house…but this is so awesome and I get to personally be involved. 

I guess I should tell you now…

My next marathon is in Disney World (The one in Florida). 

Ha that’s not the incredible news though…The incredible news is this…

WE, together, get to grant a wish for Make-A-Wish through this marathon. 

Since I wasn’t very good about logging my mileage last go around, things are going to go a little differently…you will only pledge to the 26.2 miles of the actual marathon and there will be a email I will send out that will tell you so much more and it will have a way for you to donate directly to our specific kid!

Isn’t this wonderful?!

Jesus wasn’t lying when he said the Father will give you GREAT gifts.

Love,

Katie

Nicaragua

"Dear children, let us not love with words or in tongue but with actions and in truth."

1 John 3:18

Nicaragua was amazing.  The people were amazing! I am not sure where to start but as of now I am doing fun rush things, so I can't tell you all of the wonderful stories.  But here are a few pictures that are some of my favorites.  Thank you so much for your prayers, they were definitely felt.  

Love,

Katie

Tomorrow

“Only be careful, and watch yourselves so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart for as long as you live.  Teach them to your children and their children after them.”

Deuteronomy 4:9

Tonight I will pack.

Tonight my mom will come in 50000000 times to remind me that I can only have one little baggie of liquid in my carry on.

Tonight I will not be able to sleep.

Tonight I will praise my GOD who is beyond wonderful!

Tomorrow I will wake up at 3:30 a.m.

Tomorrow my dad will be stressing as we leave the house.

Tomorrow I will cry tears of joy.

Tomorrow will be a day I will never forget.

TOMORROW I WILL BE IN NICARAGUA.

In less than 5 hours I will wake up to leave my house for the airport to fly down to Nicaragua, a place I have thought about everyday for two years.  I can’t put in words how overjoyed I am. 

I remember the day I started to plan this mission trip.  I got back from camp and instantly showed my mom Project Chacocente's website and told her that I was going to go on a mission trip there and that my small group had decided to plan a mission trip there.

IT’S ACTUALLY HAPPENING!

Words could not describe how excited I am.  Tears could not show how overjoyed I am.  Shouts of praise could only begin to show how wonderful our God is.  

I am going to Nicaragua.  Tomorrow. 

As we are down there please keep us in your prayers!

GOD IS AWESOME!

Love,

Katie

Off the Dump

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

2 Corinthians 5:17

Project Chacocente (Out of the Dump) works to get people off the dumping sites of Managua, Nicaragua.  However the people are not just handed their houses nor do they receive a pat on the back, they have to work for it.  These people who live on the dumps are offered the opportunity of a lifetime to get off the dump and start a new life.  They have to commit to seven years; in the seven years they help to build their own house, the parents pick a profession so they can provide for themselves, the kids have to be in school, and the parents have to take a parenting class.

Just as these people have the chance to get off the dump so do we. 

No.  I do not mean literally.  We have the chance to say “Alright, Jesus you are my Lord and Savior and the rest of my life I am going to serve you and bow down to only you, giving you all of my praises each day.” 

We have the chance to do that!  And the second we do that we become new again!  How awesome is that? 

But, uh oh, there’s a catch…

You see, we don’t commit to seven years, or building our own homes.  No, we get to commit to a lifetime in which we are so unworthy of having.  A lifetime of service.  A lifetime in which we should sing praises to our awesome and all powerful GOD each and every second of each and every day!  

And what’s even better…is that is exactly what God wants.  He wants to be your God and he wants you to be a new creation because, well, sometimes we just have too much trash.

And here’s a secret…

Lean in real close…

No seriously do it.

Are you ready?

In Christ, you’re a new creation.  Meaning you’re off that dumping site. 

Love everyone.  Serve God.  Be a new creation.  Today.

Love,

Katie

God's Bigness

“For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you?  And if everything you have is from God, why do you boast as though it were not a gift?”

1 Corinthians 4:7

In my opinion Paul asks a very reasonable question.  What do I have that is actually mine?

Nothing, Paul, nothing.

God has blessed me with every single thing I have in my room, in my car, in my house, in my heart!  Everything I have, I have received. 

At the end of Matthew 10:8 Jesus says “Freely you have received, Freely give.”

Those two verses put me in my place.  What are we doing that God could not do on His own?  Seriously think about it…

God created every type of tree we have, and each one has a different purpose. 

God created the Universe and Heaven.

God created me in His image (That one just makes me smile and so giggly).  God created you in His image.  Ponder that one.  Awesome, right?

God blessed me with everything I have.  He blessed me with the ability to run.  He blessed me with my car.  He blessed me with the parents who can send me to college.  I didn’t just come up with all of that or the money to pay for all of it on my own (nor did my parents), that is for sure. 

God gave me everything I have.  God gave you everything you have. 

Freely you have received, freely give.

Love,

Katie