Thursday, November 3, 2011

My Imperfect Story- {Featuring Katie Bulmer}

Welcomes:
Katie Bulmer writer of
Imperfect People in love with a Perfect God 


Instead of blogging about the amazing casserole she made last night you are more likely to find a story of her REAL life, how she burnt dinner, her 2 yr old ate her lipstick, and lessons in every day faith.  You can find her on twitter or facebook or subscribe to her blog!
Please Welcome Katie to
Beautiful Mommy Feet!

It was my junior year in high school, classes were changing and I was at my locker getting my books.

My locker was right beside "Natalie". Natalie was the girl who never missed church. She was always very sweet and the only Christian I really knew.



Unbeknownst to her I looked to her as my example of what a Christian looks like. We began talking about our weekend. I was very surprised to hear that Natalie was not the perfect Christian girl I thought she was. She was drinking, sleeping with her boyfriend, and partying just like every other teenager I knew.


If the "church people" do it then it's okay right?


That was the false idea that sent me down a reckless road during my high school and college days.

With my desire to be accepted coupled with a typical first born people pleaser; it wasn't long before I was partying and everything else that comes with it. I was popular, I had friends and boyfriends, I was having fun.

I was incomplete.


The parties promised to be "fun" and the guys promised we would be "forever". The next several years were full of hangovers, hiding, and heartbreak.


My heart had been broken so many times I didn't know if there was anything left. I felt like I was grabbing onto the pieces that were left and trying to see how (or what) could fix it. I would soon find out there is only one who could make it whole again.

At the age of 22 my friend "Sarah" invited me to a bible study. I still remember clear as day she was sharing with us the story of the woman at the well. She drew a picture of a cistern. Saying the woman was filling up her "cistern" with men and it didn't truly fulfill her, it was only temporary.

That was so me! I thought finding the right guy, the right party, the perfect outfit would bring me happiness. There were so many things I was filling in my "cistern" that only lasted a short while. Then she talked about how Jesus promised living eternal water so she would never thirst again!

That was all I needed to hear. I remember praying a very un-fancy but totally genuine prayer that went something like this, "obviously my way of doing things isn't working, I'll try your way." I didn't even know what that meant but God started changing me. He held my hand during the next several fragile weeks. All of a sudden so many things had lost their appeal. The party scene was no longer of interest to me. I stopped wasting money shopping and began loving what I had more and wanting less. My heart was being healed by the great physician. The more I fell in love with my heavenly father the less I needed anything else. I wasn't longing for something, I had it!

My roommate slipped a note under my door that said, "I just wanted to let you know I see the changes in you and I'm proud of you."

I started visiting a church that happen to have a really cute youth pastor and for some reason he seemed to like me too. I had huge issues trying to understand why a youth pastor would want anything to do with me. I tried, in my mind, to push him away because even though I knew I was a new creation to God, how could a human look at me that way? But he did. My sins are as far as the east is from the west to him. That Katie died in the baptismal waters the new me is who he was interested in. I finally embraced that and we were married in 2004.

I thought I would find happiness in all the wrong places but when I fell in love with my heavenly Father he blessed me with the most amazing husband I could ever ask for. He models Christ to me on a daily basis. Today we have two precious little girls (that look just like their daddy).


God has used me to break down walls in relating to other women who feel "not good enough" to come to church.  I thought wives of church members were all perfect, until I became one.  I assure women none of us are perfect (hence the title of my blog). I am daily learning more about what it means to be a child of God. I don't have it all figured out and never will, but loving the journey He has given us.


Are you filling your "cisterns" with things that are only temporary?



Let me encourage you, Jesus is truly the only thing that can make you whole. He is so in love with the beautiful perfectly imperfect you. He has a well full of eternal water just waiting to be poured on you,



Will you hold out your cup?



Katie Bulmer

 






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13 comments:

  1. Hi Melissa and Katie - its great to see that although we are far from perfect, God is perfect yet gracious and merciful. He sees what He created us to be, not what we currently are!
    God bless
    Tracy

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  2. What an amazing story! I know several women who are doing just the same thing you were, and I pray I can find an opening to bring Christ in to quench their thirst. Thank you so much for sharing. This was very encouraging!

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  3. Great post! You almost described me to a "T"! Thank you for being so honest with us.

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  4. Oh wow what a wonderful post. I am crying right now. I have felt so many of those things over my years until I met the one who could take it all away, Jesus. Thank you for honesty and boldness to share your walk to Jesus.!! Blessings to you!

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  5. Love this! Jesus is such an amazing, merciful Savior. Thanks for sharing!

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  6. Beautiful testimony, Katie! Your story is powerful and I am sure it is penetrating into the stories of many other women who haven't felt good enough for God. I never get tired of hearing how God uses people to reach us, and then turns around and uses us to reach others! It is a beautiful cycle!

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  7. Great post. You describe so many girls and what a powerful statement, "If the church people can do it, it must be okay." Something to remember as we teach our teens. People are always watching. What will they see in us? Thanks for always being real.

    Blessings,
    Mel
    Please feel free to stop by: Trailing After God

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  8. I only want to be filled with what God has to offer. The things of this world will never satisfy. My soul longs for more of God. Beautiful testimony, Katie.

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  9. Truly an awesome post! Thanks you for sharing your story, Katie! Look forward to following you in blog world! Headed over right now! And thank you Melissa for hosting such an awesome Thanksgiving of Praise!

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  10. Thank you for such an honest and beautiful testimony, Katie! I love it! It never ceases to amaze me how God prepares us for the people we will someday minister to through our own mistakes and shortcomings in life! What an awesome God! Thanks Melissa for sharing all these wonderful testimonies!

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  11. Oh Amen. So easy to fill ourselves with things that are temporary because they are visible to us. Praise God for opening our eyes to Hm! And thank you for sharing a story others need to hear but may be afraid to share themselves.

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  12. Thank you for sharing your wonderful story! I knew so many friends in college who fell into similar traps and it always made me sad. Until they were rescued by God's grace and started to really LIVE.

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  13. Just stumbled across your blog, this is awesome! Thank you Kaite for sharing your testimony and Melissa for providing a place to do so. So thankful for this message of God's unfailing love today.

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