Katchi Kapshida

I told you in a recent post that my time at the Allume blogging conference was different this year. Last year was all about community, and this year was more about time for me and God. Just the two of us.

Except it wasn’t just the two of us. There were three of us.

Last year at Allume, I met Morgan from Living a Page Turner. I was so excited to meet her because she was first person I had met who was my age and in the same life stage as me. Morgan and I kept up with each other through our blogs, and when Allume rolled around this year she asked me to room with her at the hotel.

I jumped at the chance to stay with Morgan. In this big blogging world, we can all use a friend — especially one who seems to be on the same road as you. I was looking forward to connecting with Morgan more.

The truth is part of Allume was difficult. Like I told you before, I had some major pain I needed to address. God was there, listening and comforting. And so was Morgan.

I hadn’t planned to tell Morgan what was going on in my life. I wanted her to think my life was just as great as hers. A great job, a growing blog, a happy marriage, traveling adventures, a new house, joy, and laughter — all wrapped into one pretty face and cute outfit. I didn’t want her to know beneath the stylish shirt, my heart was hurting. 

Morgan knew something was up, though. It’s hard to hide the pain when you are sobbing through a speaker session. One day, Morgan asked if we could go sit outside and just talk. I can’t remember what she asked me. Something about what I was learning through the conference — an open ended question that had a much bigger answer than she may have been expecting.

The words poured out. Morgan listened. Morgan cared — I could see it in her eyes and in her responses. She cared deeply for the pain I was feeling, the pain I had been addressing at the conference.

It was a relief to share even just a small amount of my pain with someone else. At the end of our conversation, Morgan asked to pray for me. She sat right there in public with people all around, and she closed her eyes and she spoke to God on my behalf. It was absolutely beautiful. True friendship.

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2

Morgan’s not the only one who has helped carry my burdens.

Recently, I had something big come up that I knew was going to take a lot of courage. I knew during this venture Satan would do everything he could to attack me and defeat me. I was in a spiritual battle.

I called on women I know are prayer warriors. My mother and grandmother are two of those women and they committed to praying hard for me that day. I know they were praying for me every hour — holding up my arms to help me win the battle. I know they were because I could feel their prayers. God was preparing me and strengthening me, and He was fighting for me too.

And I got through that day. I won the battle that day thanks to their many prayers.

You see God has been showing me that this spiritual battle that we go through each and every day, it can’t be won alone. 

My husband taught me a new saying recently. Katchi kapshida. It’s Korean for, “We go together.” Here in Korea, this saying is used between the American and Korean Armies as they work together.

That hard day where I had to fight off the battles Satan threw my way, that saying became a motto for my husband and I. We go together. And together, he and I got through that day. He was with me every step of the way.

Together, we will fight these battles. Together, we will defeat Satan and his schemes. Together, we will fix our eyes on Jesus. Together, we will have courage.

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. – African Proverb

Katchi kapshida. We go together into the battle. We go together to fight. We go together to defeat and overcome and win.

Friend, you cannot defeat your battles on your own. If you have pain to address, take it to God. But it may also help to let someone else carry your burdens too. Talk to someone. Ask for prayer. Don’t do this alone. Go together. Katchi kapshida, my friend.