Kathrin

 
The first time I met Kathrin was in May. She was attending a conference in Budapest that Dennis and I had registered for as well. My stateside friend, Marlae, had emailed me to let me know that Kathrin was going to be in the city and encouraged me to get together with her. Kathrin is from Switzerland and fills the role of Moms In Touch (MITI) Regional Director in Europe, while Marlae serves as Executive Vice President for MITI.

Little did I know what a grace-filled gift she would be! Kathrin radiates with joy. Her love for Jesus is contagious. We met several times in a matter of days, and just like that, I felt like I had found a life-long friend. We shared deeply, prayed together, and laughed together. She was a breath of spiritual fresh air!

One evening we sat outside the conference center on a park bench following the dinner hour. I read out loud from Isaiah 40:26-31 - verses I have known for years, but Marlae had recently sent them in an email as an encouraging reminder. I needed to be reminded that God never grows weary or tired. That his understanding has no limits. That he gives new energy to the tired and worn out; fresh strength to the powerless. That he is the Creator of all the earth.

Just as I was nearing the end of the chapter, I felt drops on my arms. I finished the passage a bit puzzled as to where the drops were coming from. Was there a bird in the tree above us? It was a beautiful day with blue skies and sunshine. I soon realized that I was feeling the first drops of a fine spring rain. 

"Kathrin, it's raining." We looked at each other with wonder, and then we started to laugh. Kathrin said the Holy Spirit was raining down on us. It seemed so fitting. We immediately stood up searching the sky for a rainbow. Though we didn't find one, we were certain there must have been one hiding behind trees and buildings that were blocking our view. 

In a matter of minutes, the rain stopped as quickly as it had started. We saw it as an expression of God's trustworthy nature that we had just read about minutes earlier.

We sat back down on the bench to pick up where we left off.  Kathrin took my Bible and suggested that since my friend Marlae couldn't be with me, she would pray those precious verses from Isaiah over me for her! Very deliberately she softly and slowly prayed the scriptures, sometimes repeating a phrase three times to let it soak into my being. 

Don't you know that the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? 
He never grows faint or weary... He never grows faint or weary... He never grows faint or weary. 
No one can measure the depths of his understanding. 
He gives power to those who are tired and worn out... He gives power to those who are tired and worn out. 
He offers strength to the weak. He offers strength to the weak.

I don't think I'll ever forget that day that Kathrin and I sat on the park bench. The Holy Spirit "rained" down on us in more ways than one.

Kathrin was (and still is) a timely gift. She is one of my grace-filled gifts of summer 2011.