When Love Finds Love Blog

22 Years

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 13:17:52 GMT

Jesus Changes Everything

On this morning twenty-two years ago, Jesus changed everything for me. I was twenty-one years old.

At 14, I became the prodigal daughter. Oh, how much I thought I knew about life. I was a deep well of insecurity, but simultaneously full of adolescent pride. I didn't know what I was looking for at the time. But I had to go find it - somewhere else and/or in someone else. As long as I can remember, I had a relentless sense that I was made for some grand adventure ... a great love story that was worth something. I couldn't bear to live another life. The longing was too excruciating. And so, I went searching.

Seven years later, I found myself with heartache so deep that I suffered a significant mental and emotional breakdown. I couldn't run anymore. My first call, as I walked across U.K.'s campus was to my mom. My parents welcomed me back home and cared for me like a young child. I didn't deserve this love, but they gave it to me anyway. In every way they knew, they offered me the ring and the robe described in Luke 15.

But even so, little time passed before I realized that I desperately needed something beyond what any man could provide. The emptiness remained.

Less than a year later, after a gradual return to independent living, I woke up in my small campus apartment. I turned on the T.V., as I did each morning before heading to class, and I was overwhelmed by footage of the horrendous tragedy of September 11, 2001.

I can't explain what happened next, as I watched the footage alone in that little apartment living room. But I wept as I heard the voice of God. It wasn't audible, but it was equally clear. It was a deeply personal invitation. These are the words I heard from the Lover of my soul:

"I have great plans for your life, child, but you must decide. Will you walk in the light or will you walk in the darkness? I need you to choose."

None of my years of searching could accomplish what the voice of God did in a few moments. And yet, He had been there all along. That's who He is. He is the One who relentlessly loves us and calls us Home.

That morning, I said yes to God and to His purpose for my life. I've never been the same, and every good fruit that has been born through my life is most assuredly because of my Savior, who came for me that day, in undeniable love and power, and rescued me from the pit. He set my feet upon a rock.

There is only One worthy of our complete devotion. There is only One who can give us the unfailing love and eternal purpose for which we were created, and there is only One who can fill us with the kind of love and power that can sustain us through all things and can change the world forever.

There is nothing, nothing, nothing like being loved by Jesus. Remember Him today. Remember your own history with Him. Remember that He is to be the One above all else in our lives. As we seek first the Kingdom of Heaven, He will be faithful to give us everything we need and so much more. It's who He is.

Grace and peace to you, friends. May He be the King of our hearts forever.

The Kingdom is Coming in Kentucky

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 14:14:13 GMT

Made for this Family

God is in the stillness. And the wildness. The quiet moments. And the rowdy ones. Always waiting, and yet always working. I remain captivated by His ability to love humanity in so many ways. I've been thinking about that this morning, as I reflect on all that I've had the privilege to be part of these past few months. I'm thankful to be alive in 2023.

A month ago, we wrapped up our very first discipleship school, The Table - Youth Edition 2023 . The Table is our newly-formed discipleship school, and we believe that we'll eventually offer opportunities for various ages of people. But this year, we felt led to offer the first session to youth. Oh, how deeply thankful I am that we had the grace to follow that leading.

There were 22 youth involved in The Table this summer, over 25 adult leaders from at least five different states, and together, we represented over a dozen different churches.

It was a summer that I hope to remember for all eternity.

Some days were fun and wild. Others felt peaceful and contemplative. Lots of days involved meandering down the Elkhorn Creek in kayaks and curling up on sofas sipping hot tea, as we learned from the wisdom of a beautiful collection of teachers. The questions of these students rivaled those of seminary classrooms. And yet, these amazing teenagers enjoyed so many childlike moments - in a space where they had nothing to prove. We shared lots of laughter, and we also shared moments that were quieted by an awareness of God's sweet Presence.

And we grew together ... steadily, one day at a time. That's life in the family of God.

Before we finished the school, many students were already asking if we'd do it again next year. :-) Lord willing, we will! (FYI for those who are wondering ... the tentative dates for The Table - Youth Edition 2024 are June 11-July 25!)

As if that wasn't enough to leave a heart overflowing, I had the privilege of partnering with Fontez Hill, the youth pastor at Church of the Savior, and Brad Easley, the pastor of King's Church, to plan a youth conference on August 11-12 called Kingdom Culture . It was amazing. We shared incredible moments of worship, were blessed by the teaching of some treasured local leaders, and were thoroughly challenged by Robbie Dawkins, who was our guest speaker both evenings. Over a dozen churches were involved in this beautiful gathering of youth from throughout our region. It was an honor to play a small part in seeing God bring such a powerful weekend to fruition!

On Tuesday, the Lord blew me away again.

Luke Long is the founder and leader of 2:22 Dwelling Ministries. He and his wife Allison are dear friends of ours, and for the past 9 months or so, I've served as a worship leader with 2:22. Recently, Luke and I were talking about how cool it would be to partner in hosting a tent style worship and prayer event somewhere in Lexington this fall. As we considered locations, Brevede Coffee came to mind (the home of our Global Justice Boutique). On Tuesday, that door was opened! We are beyond excited about this opportunity. (Thank you, Viorika!) On September 15-17, there will be 50 hours of continuous prayer and worship outside Brevede Coffee in the Distillery District . If you are interested in serving as a worship or prayer leader for this event, please see the details here: https://www.222dwelling.org/50hours.

On that note, our Global Justice Boutique, located inside both Brevede Coffee locations, continues to do well! It's so much fun to purchase and sell these beautiful goods, knowing that doing so allows us to help support so many incredible ministries. When you need to purchase gifts, please keep the boutique in mind! And while you're there picking up your gift, you can grab a yummy cup of coffee from our dear friends at Brevede. It's a win on many levels. :-)

And I have one more piece of exciting news! My dear friend, Samantha Hill, will be joining When Love Finds Love as a full-time staff member within the next month. She'll be supporting some of our existing work, but she will also be starting a new initiative in Anderson County called Salt & Light Tutoring . I'll send more details out soon regarding that initiative, but I believe it's going to be wonderful! If you know Samantha, you know she's an incredible teacher and a wonder of a woman. :-)

Do you know what I love so much about all the amazing things above? I could never have accomplished any of them on my own (or even with my small army of a family!). We all need Jesus all the time! But we also need each other. Praise God that He has designed His family to work in this way! I'm convinced that as we grow in this revelation, we will continue to see God do miraculous things before our eyes.

Today, I'm enjoying the beauty of the farm and some home time with my family. Because in the end, who we are in God, and the condition of our hearts, is what matters most to Him. But I'm also continuing to dream and plan with Him as we look toward the coming season. If you'd like to talk about partnering with us in any way, or share what God's doing in your corner of the world, I'd love to hear about it. :-) You can email me at katie@whenlovefindslove.com.

If you feel led to contribute financially to When Love Finds Love, or specifically support the work of the The Table or The Global Justice Boutique, we'd be so grateful. Though we personally sow into this work regularly, we depend on your support as well. You can do that here: https://www.whenlovefindslove.com/donate.

Blessings to each one of you! I consider it no small thing that you've taken the time to read this update. You are such a blessing to our community of faith!

Ordinary and Supernatural

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 02:05:16 GMT

The Life of Discipleship

Last night, I had the privilege of sharing a delicious meal with one of my dearest friends and three amazing young sisters in the faith. We gathered around steak, veggies and waffles with a purpose - to talk about what it could look like for these three young women to serve as the very first interns of The Table. Our conversation meandered many different places, as most rich conversations do. It was far less of a planning meeting and much more of a vibrant and beautiful exchange of life. Together, we considered what it means to be loved by God, to walk as disciples of Jesus, and to disciple others in His way.

There were lots of revelatory moments around the table last night, but one thing that God seemed to be showing us over and over again was this: true discipleship is both deeply ordinary and profoundly supernatural.

In our hurried world, it's easy to miss the supernatural invitations that God extends in our "ordinary" moments and interactions. We (myself included) tend to scarf down our meals, rather than enjoy them in community. We too often text rather than talk. We strive toward efficiency in our work, and yet our "efficiency" frequently leaves us exhausted rather than fulfilled.

I'm convinced that all the while, Holy Spirit is graciously extending one invitation after another to a different and far more fulfilling way of life. I say this (both to myself and to you) without condemnation or shame. As Christ followers, our lives have been bought with the redemptive blood of Jesus Christ. But surely, God has better things for us. Over and over again in Scripture, God calls the weary and wandering unto Himself (Matt. 11:28-30).

Here's the interesting part though. Hebrews tells us, through what seems like a contradiction (but clearly is not) that we must "be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest ..." In short, this other way of life isn't just going to happen to us. As heirs and co-laborers with Christ, God invites us to partner with Him in this mysterious and grand adventure. Yes, we are new creations. The old has gone, and the new has come (2 Corinth. 5:17)! And yet, we are still in the process of "becoming" that which God has already declared over us.

This summer, with an incredible group of young people, we will fix our eyes on Jesus, believing God has so much more in store for all of us. We'll seek to know Him more deeply and to further understand what it means to wholeheartedly follow Him. It's going to be an amazing adventure, and we're sure to have so much fun along the way.

If you have youth (12-17 years old) in your life, please consider sharing this opportunity with them. If you don't have youth in your own home, maybe you can financially help make this opportunity possible for a youth whom the Lord has placed in your life in another way.

H ere's the link to the The Table webpage if you haven't had a chance to check it out yet:

https://www.whenlovefindslove.com/the-table---a-school-of-discipleship.

We'd love to have all student applications in by April 15th, because our desire is to start cultivating this community many weeks before the summer experience begins. If you haven't heard yet, it's also worth noting that we're working with several parents to coordinate a carpool from south Lexington. Our hope is that the distance to the farm won't keep your youth from what we believe will truly be a transformative summer experience.

F eel free t o reach out to me directly with any questions or for the student application! Every conversation is a sweet joy. :)

Much love from our family to yours. May His Kingdom come!

Katie B.

Hosting Him

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 16:13:04 GMT

Getting Ready

We live within about an hour drive of Asbury University, the site of the recent outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We've visited there several times these past two weeks. It has been a precious and sacred time for me personally and for our family. There are some experiences in this life for which words are simply lacking. This has been one of them for me. But here are some words that have frequently come to mind.

Peace. Healing. Beauty. Wisdom. Joy. Restoration. Truth. Rest. Deliverance. Sovereignty. Goodness. Grace. Unity. Love.

There have been so many questions surrounding this event. What is it? Why there? Is this revival ? Among whom? And how do we steward such a thing?

But I find myself honed in on a couple of other questions.

The first is this: Am I ready ? Are we, the Church, ready ?

No, I'm not about to launch into a hell fire and brimstone message. But I do think it's time for us to take the fear of the Lord very seriously. I'm aware that "fear" can be a trigger word for many, due to past struggle and/or trauma. I've lived those things, too. So, let's consider another phrase. How about holy reverence?

Am I living my life in holy reverence to the One who knit me together in my mother's womb? To the only One who can actually satisfy my seemingly endless needs and desires? Am I choosing, by grace, to prepare myself, as a bride does for her most beloved bridegroom?

I believe the next question is the necessary counterbalance to the one above.

Do I truly believe that within the holy Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - there is a love to be found to which none other compares? Is this the primary relationship grounding my life and defining my identity? It is only through daily, or better still, moment by moment communion with God that we will be stirred toward readying our hearts and minds for Him. It is His grace and His Presence that will further move and compel us to prepare ourselves for our coming Bridegroom. But we must make space for Him.

The name of our organization, When Love Finds Love , is based on 2 Chronicles 16:9: "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose hearts are fully committed to Him."

When the Lord finds hearts that are fully committed to Him, those who are genuinely willing to be living sacrifices of love, the most amazing things can and will happen.

I believe this is happening right now.

For those of us who have walked with Jesus for many years, it is time to ask the Lord how we might better mother and father those who are newer to this wonderful journey. But as we offer ourselves to the Lord and to them, may we do so with the utmost humility and childlike faith, ready to embrace this new movement of the Spirit. We have much to learn from these incredible young voices, many of whom who are crying out in this very hour with deep desperation and hunger for God.

This is the very heart and essence of The Table , the discipleship school we're launching this summer. It is no accident that the Lord saw fit for us to extend this invitation at this moment in history. If you (or your youth) are between the ages of 12-22 and are interested in joining us on this amazing summer adventure with Jesus, in community with others, please reach out to us! Applications for both students and summer interns are available now. We currently plan to accept applications through April 15th, and space is limited. Our hope is to have our summer group determined by May 1st, so that we can then begin to collectively prepare our hearts and minds for all that God has in store!

Grace and peace to you, friends.

The Table: A School of Discipleship

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 16:58:52 GMT

His Faithfulness, Our Joy

God is unfolding such beautiful things in our region!

I’m writing today to share what’s going on in our little corner of the world and to testify to the goodness of our God!

We are excited to announce that this summer we will be launching a discipleship school - a ministry we are calling The Table. The Table is a place for longing hearts to come away with God. It's a space where, together, we can learn to more deeply rest in Him and trust Him, allowing Him to shape and mold us into the people we were created to be.

For years, I’ve been dreaming with the Lord about a discipleship school in our region. Though I’m finishing my Master’s in Divinity this year and have been deeply blessed by my seminary journey, it's the discipleship school vision that has repeatedly tugged at my heart. There have been some “almost” moments along the way, but the timing has never seemed quite right.

However, in January 2021, when the Lord led us to leave the neighborhood we so deeply loved and buy a piece of land outside the city, we knew God was up to something new. We started from the beginning. No driveway, no electricity, no water, no house. As we co-labored with the Lord (and many contractors!) to build this new home, the Lord was simultaneously working some things out within us.

In early June 2022, the house was nearly finished, and we excitedly moved to the farm. Three weeks later, I was diagnosed with cancer. I'd counted the weeks to move onto the land with plans to quickly start working. But the Lord allowed things to play out differently. For the next seven months, our lives were turned upside down (in the natural sense), as I underwent surgeries and wrestled with treatment decisions. I was forced to stop doing many things. I spent far more time at home doing “nothing” than I would have ever chosen on my own. But the Lord was shaping and forming parts of us that needed His deep, healing, transformative touch. He had called me into an extended Sabbath.

New rhythms have been forming in our lives since then. While I have long since cherished intimacy with the Lord, He has taken our family to new depths with Him. And yet, in the midst of this slowing down, our Father gave me a clear directive: I was not to stop dreaming. So, as I sat, healed, pondered, and rested, I have been joyfully dreaming with God . And that’s how we arrived where we are today.

In the early days of dreaming, I assumed that if the Lord ever led us to start a school, we’d begin by working with young adults. But over these last many months, the Lord has had something different and surprising to say about this.

He has made clear that His first priority for us in this new work is investing in the youth. God wants these young ones to know and experience, all the more, His extravagant love. He wants to further anchor their identities in Him, and He wants to make their value within the Body of Christ abundantly clear - to them and to all of us. He wants to further equip them for this very moment in history.

And so, it is with great joy that our first discipleship school session will be for youth, ages 12-17. We will also be accepting a few young adult interns to join us on this beautiful ride! The school will be in session from June 13th-July 27th and will meet two days each week. We believe God is going to do amazing things!

To be clear, we believe the school will expand in time, and we believe that eventually God wants to invite people of all ages on a similar journey. But this summer … the focus of our time, heart, and energy has been made clear to us. The Table: Youth Edition

If you have a youth (or you are a youth!) who is interested in applying for the school, please contact me by using the “Get in Touch” button on the website. I will send you the application you need in addition to more details. Parents, please reach out to me with any questions at all. We know and feel the weight of shepherding youth, because we know what they mean to God.

Blessings to you in the name of our beautiful Lord, Jesus.

Just Getting Started

kdbodager@gmail.com (Katie Bodager) — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 13:43:59 GMT

Held and Loved

There are so many places we could start. There are so many thoughts to explore and experiences to share. We’ll get to those in time. But as I asked God where to begin our journey together, the words of a pastor/songwriter were the first that came to mind. (Thank you, Jason Upton.)

“For we are shaped and formed by the hands of God

We are held long before we can hold on

We are loved long before we even know how to love …”

As an organization that exists to serve others and to see the world transformed by Love, it couldn’t be more important for us to begin here. We are loved. We were made with the greatest care by the hands of the One who created the heavens and the earth. And we were made for a purpose. Every single one of us. We were made by Love for the sake of Love.

If you feel like this perspective is simplistic or childlike, you couldn’t be more right. While there are few things I enjoy more than wrestling through the deeper matters of life with God and others, at the end of the day, I was made for dependency. To be human is to be needy. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 (NLT) has this to say to those who have been rescued by God:

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

Are you feeling weak and vulnerable in this season? Me, too. Learning to let go and trust Love is a journey. I’m surely still on it. But there is one thing I know for certain. Freedom, joy, and fulfillment awaits for those of us who choose to humbly embrace the truth that we desperately need God. And we desperately need each other.