“Feasting with Him is sitting in a position of rest and peace” – Katie Krehbiel
Since graduating in 2013 I have had many seasons of “rest”, months where God provided time for me to wait on him, to pause, to stop running, but I can honestly say I never rested well. Part of that, I believe, is because I don’t think I knew what it meant to rest well. Fast forward to this past December and I needed rest physically, emotionally, spiritually, and so I quit my job! Again I had time to rest and for the first time in my life I did it right!! I kicked it off with a week in Seattle visiting my sweet friend Sarah. Then I had a great birthday weekend with friends and a surprise visit from my family. I got to have extended time at home for the holidays with family and friends, and lots of card games around the kitchen table! Then I came back to Minneapolis so excited to return to the place that has become HOME! I then took a little weekend break to visit friends back in Atlanta and soak up some sun rays! I remember flying in returning from that trip and as the plane cleared through the clouds I looked down at the city and knew I was home!
These past 2.5 months of rest have been so good! I have been filled with more joy then I have ever known and it has been such a sweet time of trusting in the lord and hoping for his sweet provisions. Trusting that his plan and timing and ways are so much better then mine. Minnesota has become home, I never thought I would feel home here, but I am in love with this place, our sweet little home in south Minneapolis, and more then anything the beautiful, wonderful, amazing people who make this place home! It is filled with people that I absolutely LOVE and a community that encourages me, loves me well, and champions me on, and a church family where I have had the safety and freedom to grow in my relationship with Christ and my confidence and security in him like never before! Knowing I am home here, I wanted to find a job that I could see myself at for a long time and so I only applied for specific jobs. Part of the reason it took longer to find a job was because I was being picky, but also trusting that the Lord had the perfect thing for me!
So last week I interviewed at St. Anne’s, an emergency shelter for moms and their children. Last year 2/3 of the mothers at St.Anne’s were under ether age of 30! During my interview the director mentioned her mom was a pastor and so I felt freedom to talk about the Lord. When she asked me what my 3 strengths were I said 1 would have to be that I have a relationship with the Lord, that I know who I am in Christ, and I have complete security and confidence in that! She then said “YES! That is definitely a strength, don’t you ever shy away from that. I always tell people you’re either going to hire me and my Jesus or you’re not going to hire me at all”! Ok Lord I’d like to work for this women! And then a week later I got offered the job! WHAT?!?! I am the new Family social worker at St. Anne’s and I get to spend my days helping the 16 moms and their children living there! I get to help them with jobs, food, and housing, but even more I get help them find freedom, love themselves, have hope again, and start better lives for them and their children! God is so good!
As I mentioned earlier I don’t think I rested well because I didn’t really know what that meant. I also think many of my times of rest were after something big, hard, painful, and at times, even heartbreaking had happened in my life. I was in this place where the devil was attacking me and instead of sitting at the table with Jesus and feasting with him, I ran. But not this time! This time I sat at the table with the Lord and feasted, I sat in the presence of an enemy and Jesus fought on my behalf. And in this place, testimony of God’s goodness and provisions were built! I sat there in complete dependence on the Lord, fully trusting him, and he showed up and showed out. He brought me to such a sweet place of rest, where I had peace and continually experienced joy!
I don’t know where you are at in life, but I do know you are always invited to take a seat at the table! You can choose to sit across from the Lord and joyfully feast, and then other days you will need to move around the table and sit weeping in his lap. Just know you always have a place at the table, and trust me, sitting and feasting is so much better then running!
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.Then it was said among the nations,“The Lord has done great things for them.”The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalms 126: 1-3
He Passionately Pursues Me! 