:: Hitched ::

Hello Dear Ones,

I pray all is well in your lives and that you are witnessing the sweetness and faithfulness of the Lord in all sorts of fresh, new ways. I can’t begin to describe the feelings of joy and gratitude that arise in my heart as I ponder the goodness of God in my own life, especially as of late,and must force my mind to focus as my thoughts race through innumerable instances of His faithfulness.

I apologize for the lack of “updates” recently, though that fact, in and of itself, is a perfect segue into my explanation of the new season that God has placed me in. There haven’t been any huge plans or happenings to report because that is precisely the way God wanted it. Since returning home from Nashville, I have felt an undeniable shift in the fast-paced transience that has defined the life of Katie Doud for so very long. Over the last 5 years, I have lived in 6 different countries, worked for 3 separate organizations, studied

medicine, music, missions, and

language, and returned with more parasites and diseases than I can count. And it has been absolutely sensational.

When I look back at the cultures I’ve joined – the relationships I’ve built – the love I’ve been blessed to receive and give away – the knowledge I have shared and obtained…there is not one fraction of my being that would regret or change this adventure of life that has been mine.

However, as I have walked through such incredible experiences and loved on so many diverse and unique groups of people, I’ve found that the wild, intrepid desires that once burned so uncontrollably in my spontaneous young heart have begun to deteriorate a bit – not out of weariness or disillusionment, but instead, out of a true and sweet sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. I feel like God is now forming new desires in me from a place of understanding and

realization of the importance of family, community, and investment in relational-ministry. He has called me home, not just for a stop-over between big and exciting plans, but home tostay for a while.

I am learning what it truly means to abide, not just in a place, but abiding in my spirit - investing my passions, my experience, my vision, and my heart into family, community, and the living, breathing body of Christ. And as I have yielded my anxious desires to know what’s next, God has met me in that place of surrender and opened my eyes to the unbelievable relationships, community, and ministry that He has been preparing for me in this place since long before I found my way home. I am captivated by His perfect provision in every area as I step, unafraid, into everything He has for me…right now.

So, on the practical end of all of this, life has been moving at an unbelievably fast pace. When I graduated from my school of Worship in Nashville, I decided that I wanted to fully

wait on God in the area of ministry and leading, intentionally lying low until the time and opportunity that He desired would be clear. And He has made good on His promise to prepare the way. Since returning to Fort Collins, I have been overwhelmed with invitations and opportunities to use the passions of my heart to serve The Body. I have been leading worship in 3 different churches, co-leading a women’s bible study every week, and immersing myself in new relationships and community.

I am working full-time as

the billing specialist with a home healthcare company, which keeps my days full, and ministry fills many of my nights and weekends. However,

one of the sweetest additions to this new season is the incredible blessing of being with my family. Living on separate

continents for years has shown me how absolutely integral family is, and how beautiful it is to do life with them. I truly adore this time.

Now please don’t misunderstand me – in all of this talk of home and settling, by no means has my passion and call to the nations diminished or changed. God simply has me in a season of learning and growing in a different environment, and though I am not living in these places, as I once did, my heart still beats with them. A midst my involvement and commitments here at home, there are always times set aside in which I can retreat from the busyness and simply invest time praying for and communicating with the precious people and groups that I was a part of in these nations that weigh so heavy on my heart. God has also promised to provide opportunities for me to reach the nations on a smaller scale, while still remaining in this place that he has called me to for now. And He has recently provided just that chance as I have been asked to join a small team from my church to travel to Nicaragua in July. We will be spending 10 days working in a group home for children and young adults who have been abandoned – either biologically or socially. The majority of these children are coming from environments of prostitution, abuse, and neglect, and are just beginning to walk the process of healing and restoration from the only life they have ever known. I have been spending countless hours praying for each individual child, walking through their histories and investing in their hearts before I even meet them. My heart is burning with a desire to simply bring life to these children, as well as the staff. I plan to devote hours a day to simply sitting and conversing with them – hearing their stories, praying with them, assisting them with any duties that may relieve some of the constant pressure they are under as staff, and just being a source of refreshment and joy. As you know, God has placed such a passion in my heart for relational, love-ministry – to invest time in simply walking with individuals and placing an interest and importance on their life and circumstances. To love and relate just as Jesus did – in simplicity and authenticity.

Though I am ecstatic that God presented this amazing opportunity to me, the reality is that it did come quickly and unexpectedly, allowing me only a few weeks to raise the $1700 I will need to meet the travel and living costs for this trip. However, as daunting as that sum may appear, I do truly believe that God has challenged me to trust in his ability to provide. This means surrendering my pride and control, and being willing to humbly ask for help. As I have always said, I believe any bit of financial or prayer support offered towards a missionary’s cause is a powerful, tangible investment in the mighty work that God is doing in the nations, and it is simply an honor to be a steward of that investment. So in all humility and trust in God’s call in this time, I ask that you would prayerfully consider contributing to this goal. When I prepare for a trip such as this, my heart and mind naturally focus on the great need and potential for God to work there, and the finances become less and less of a worry. I trust that if God asked each of us to go in this specific time, he will provide the means to fulfill that call. So if you are at all interested in being a part of that provision and answer, I would be so very grateful for your assistance. Tax-deductible donations in check form can be made out to Vineyard with nothing written in the memo line, and sent to me at 1620 Buckeye Street, Fort Collins, CO, 80524.

As always, I am SO blessed by your constant prayers and encouragement. It is an incredible gift to have a group of people so full of love and faith that commit to standing with me as I walk through this beautiful journey that God is leading. You are precious to me and I cherish your faithfulness.

Delighting in Him,

Katie

Happy Nearly New Year, everyone.

I've been so anxious to have a means of communication again, as we rarely had internet for the 3 months I was on the base, nor during our two months out of the country. It has been SO difficult not being able to communicate, but I know there was a reason God had me in a season of total solitude. He has required from me such an utter dependence upon Him alone during this time, and it is so clear, as I look back, how necessary that solitude was for my healing. Heading into this season, I knew the Lord was calling me to “return to Him,” but I did not fully understand what that truly required until I arrived and began digging deep into a process of surrender, healing, and

restoration that spanned the entire 5 months I was here. It's so funny to look back over this half -year, and realize that, even though I received some great musical training as a worship leader, God's actual purpose for bringing me here was a total transformation and restoration of my identity.More than any of the music, this was a season of healing. Week after week, I was poured into by various leaders, pastors, and speakers – being counseled, prayed for, and taught by some of the most godly people I have ever met. Not to mention the incredible family I had in my fellow students. We were just 7 – but I have come away with some of the deepest, most precious brothers and sisters I have had in all my life.

During our lecture phase, I was stretched and challenged in my view of nearly every aspect of my faith. We were trained and taught in SO many different areas – from Intimacy with our Father, to the biblical basis of worship,how to lead a worship team, how to record and produce music, and most importantly, how to be fully led by the Holy Spirit in every aspect as we develop a worship ministry.We wrote music every single week, led worship in churches and events in and around Nashville, and received some

amazing training in music studios, vocal lessons, and instruments.

It was an incredible experience that has prepared me for SO much more as I step out into writing music and leading worship wherever God takes me next.

We traveled to Mexico for our last 2 months (we didn't end up going to Spain because of some financial issues – so we remained in Mexico the entire time). Our days were spent working alongside innumerable churches and communities, serving, leading worship, teaching seminars, and spending the majority of our time in personal, and consistent relationships with individuals.God was able to use our team immensely in this currently war-torn country.

We spent many weeks working in Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation centers, praying for healing in hospitals, and feeding the homeless. During some of our other open evenings, we often worked in a place that we named "Death Street." It is known as one of the most dangerous streets in the city, not only for the drug abuse, trafficking, gang violence, and murder, but it is also one of the most highly saturated areas of witchcraft, Satanism and worship of Santa Muerte (Saint Death). It was a risk, but we continued to return (even after a local gang member tried to stop us and tell us it wasn't safe), because our hearts were passionate for the desperate people in this area.

Our months in Mexico were filled with beautiful opportunites to leave a piece of what God poured into us during our school in the lives of these precious people.

I recently flew home to be with my precious family for Christmas, and to spend some time resting as I prepare for the next season of my life. I'm returning as a woman completely transformed by the healing power of my sweet Father, and am anxious to continue walking in all that he has begun in me this year.

If you find time, would you mind praying for this transition phase that I am entering into? I have done it so many times before, but it is never easy returning home after such an intense season of growth and change. Please pray for sweet time with my parents, and for a heightened trust and assurance in the plans that God has waiting for me – even when I can't see them fully. That I will truly be able to receive this time of rest that He has blessed me with, and seek His face every single day, drawing deeper and deeper into the intimacy that He and I have rediscovered during this time. And that my natural desire to plan and know what's to come would be overwhelmed by my confidence and trust that my Father has a perfect plan for my future, and that He is already preparing the way.

I pray for a beautiful transition into this new year for each of you. May it be a season filled with new and magnificent things.

October in Nashville

Good morning, Faithful friends!

I know I haven't been great with my communication lately. Please forgive me for that. We don't have internet here, and hardly ever a cell signal, so I have been out of touch with life for nearly 2 months. School has been totally overwhelming, as our schedule has us running from 7am to about 11pm with barely enough free time to sit down for 5 minutes. We have lectures most of the day, intercession meetings, base-wide worship sessions, work-duties for a few hours every day, and by the time everything winds down at night, we get right back to work on our out-of-class work – papers, song-writing, music theory studies, etc. It is very intense, but SO wonderful.

I have been stretched and challenged

in so many areas in the past few months, and I am now anxiously beginning preparations for our trips to Mexico City and Madrid. God has really been preparing the way for a powerful time of “love ministry” in these places. This is definitely going to be a different trip than many I have taken in the past. There will be a lot less practical ministry – building, teaching, med clinics, etc. - but rather our heart for these months is to invest in personal, love-ministry. Building relationships with the people who are unheard and unloved – sitting down with them and tangibly demonstrating the love of Jesus by investing in their lives. I am SO excited and anxious for the chance to do this – as well as the other opportunities we will have to open doors through our music. It should be an incredible season of experiencing the raw, real heart of Jesus – Love Him and love People.

God has been ROCKING our team and truly bowling us over – binding us together and pouring out his power in order to release us into these nations for this “love ministry” that He has placed on our hearts.

Our outreach is going to be far less about worship than it is about just investing in every one of the lonely, broken people we encounter. There is an incredible refreshing happening in my life – SO much healing has happened during these weeks in my heart, and God is raising me up for something bigger than I ever could have imagined. I want to waste it all on Him and His kingdom – pour out ALL of my oil at his feet ONLY so that He can fill me enough to pour it all out on his beloved lost ones. I am so, SO desperate to see people transformed and revolutionized! My heart is racing, just writing the words. He has transformed me in ways I can't begin to describe.

I have truly begun to walk in the inheritance that I have as his daughter – in this “Sonship” lifestyle where nothing is too much or too great for My Father to lavish upon me. When I ask for the nations – He is going to bring them to me! I am no longer on a hunt for my destiny and calling and purpose – I am walking in each one of them, because my destiny is to be like Christ and to walk in the authority I have as his daughter. All the rest, He is preparing and guiding every step -revealing a little bit more every day. I am so incredibly and completely SATISFIED in Him.

Again, please forgive me for not having the means to better communicate during this season. We truly have been without all forms of communication and technology since I arrived. But I trusted in the Lord, all the same, that He was caring for and providing for each of you during this time, just as he has been for me. And as I depart for Mexico City this coming Thursday, the 7^th, I will continue to entrust each one of you into the hands of our Father.

Would you please pray for safety for our team? We will be driving to Mexico, traveling non-stop for 5 straight days, and it is likely that we will encounter many different law officials and border control who are often very corrupt. Pray for divine protection and swiftness as we trust God to get us to our destination, so we can begin to love on the precious people of Mexico City. We will be returning to the U.S. In early November, and immediately flying to Madrid. Please join me as I continue to trust in God's financial provision, as I am leaving the country with only half of the money I need to survive. But my trust has not and will not waver – knowing that my Father is a God of miracles, and since He has asked me to go to these nations out of His brokenness for the hurting, I am more than sure that He will pay my way.

I am so very thankful for each one of you, and it would bless me so much to hear from you, if you have a chance. I am praying that we will find occasional internet access in Mexico and Spain, but if, for some reason, you do not receive a response from me, it is because I have not yet been able to find a connection. Just know that my prayers for you will not be interrupted. Thank you for standing with me and supporting the work that God has asked me to do as I find my heart breaking for the things that break His heart.

I pray that you have a beautiful rest of your day, and I look forward to hearing from you!

His,

Katie

Hello Sweet Ones,

I want to give you a brief update on some big changes in my life. Over the past 5 months, God has not taken me out of the wilderness (as I had hoped he would) but has actually asked me to step deeper into the desert. After many confusing and painful months of fasting and separation, God has made it clear to Esteban and myself that this is not HIS time for us to begin a marriage. He has asked many things of each of us, and as painful as it is to our human hearts, we have chosen to obey and walk this difficult path that the Lord is calling us to. Above all else, we are HIS. We do not belong to each other, and so, when God asked us to surrender our plans and desires and devote a season of our lives to seeking and serving Him alone, we said yes. We trust in the sovereignty of our mighty God, and stand secure, knowing that He is only continuing to prepare our hearts for the grand future He has in store for each of us.

God has opened the door to an exciting new season of opportunity and growth for me as I have sought his direction these past few months. I have been accepted into YWAM's School of Worship in Nashville, Tennessee, beginning July 11th. The School of Worship is a 5 month, encounter-driven training course that is set on knowing the Spirit of Truth so that we can worship Him in spirit and truth. As we come to encounter Him in a real and intimate way, both corporately and individually, we behold His glory(his ultimate beauty and magnificence) and therefore are transformed from one glorious state to another. We also learn from the biblical history of worship to get the foundations and then work with the Lord for new revelation on how to use those foundations in todays church, and world.

Jesus said in Matthew 22 that the greatest commandment is to “first, love God with all your heart, soul, and mind; and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself.” We see worship and missions as the marriage of the first and second commandment to obey the greatest commandment Jesus gave us. We also recognize that He had an order to that commandment and that loving God comes first with love-driven ministry following.

In this school as we are trained to minister to the Lord and love Him with all we have, we will be filled with His Spirit and sent by Him to our neighbors in spiritual and practical ways. We will minister on outreach every week in Nashville after lectures to give away these truths in power to a lost and blind world. We also engage on an 8 week foreign outreach after the 12 week lecture phase to take the life we receive from worship and bring healing and restoration to the nations. (Rev. 22:1-2)

I am SO excited and blessed to have been accepted into this life-changing school. I know that God is asking me to continue walking in the grand calling he has given me to love him and take his love to the nations, and that is exactly what he is allowing me to do in this new season.

Thank you for allowing me to share my heart and circumstances with you
(even in the most painful of times) and to call on you for your support in both prayer and finances. Your prayers are the greatest gift you can give. Please also let me know how I can pray for you! I will be sending out frequent updates upon my arrival in Nashville, as well as throughout our travels overseas. Thank you, with all my heart, for walking with me through the trials and adventures God has set before me. He is my life, and I will give everything in me to glorify him and take his hope and healing to the ends of the earth.

"You were wearied with the length of your way, but you did not say 'it is hopeless'; you found NEW LIFE for your strength, and so you were not faint." -Isaiah 57:10

Faithfully and Forever HIS,

Katie