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Kari Kampakis, Writer

3 days ago

Friends, please help!!! Francis Hagan is senior at Mountain Brook High School, a kind, joyful & beautiful 17-year-old girl with her whole life in front of her. She needs a kidney soon, and since no one in her family is a perfect match, they must trust and rely on God to bring forth the perfect donor. This could be anyone's daughter or son, so please view this through that lens - as if you were at the mercy of another human willing to give your child a kidney that would sustain them for the next 15-20 years. If you're willing to be screened as a donor, please fill out this UAB form (uabmedicine.org/patient-care/treatments/kidney-transplant/donor-form) There is no commitment if you take this step, and since time is crucial, sooner is better. (you can message me to get Francis' birthday)Please pray for Francis, her family, and her medical team. Share this flyer with your church community, Bible study, or anyone who may be willing to forever change the life of a teenage girl. As you think about the season Francis is entering, it becomes clear what this gift could mean. This 1st kidney transplant could take Francis through college, into a career, into marriage and potentially motherhood -- all major milestones with a profound ripple effect. Thank you for getting the word out and helping the Hagans cast a wide net. The surgery will be done in Birmingham with all costs covered by the recipient's insurance. God already knows who this perfect match is, so let's pray for clarity and conviction from the Holy Spirit as this person steps into the story of sweet Francis. For more information on being a living kidney donor: www.uabmedicine.org/transplant/living-donor-program ... See MoreSee Less

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Kari Kampakis, Writer

3 days ago

When my kids were small, I thought car time was mundane. But as they got older, I realized the car is where the magic happens. The car is where you have the best conversations - where you can tell what kind day your child had by their facial expression as they walk toward the car; where you get to know, talk, and laugh with their friends as you drive carpool; where you can have awkward conversations because it’s easier to be honest when you’re not facing a person (learned that in a psychology class); where you can pray or share a quick story/life lesson as you take them to school; where you get one-on-one time and a chance to tell your child how proud you are of them; and where you can connect with your teens and keep a pulse on their lives (especially if yours are like mine and stay up later than you, bringing nighttime rituals to an end 😴).I’ve written about seeing car time as a blessing to enjoy, not a burden to endure, in a post called “Be the Driver” and also in #loveherwellbook. And now that I have 2 teens driving and only 2 kids left to carpool, I realize what a small window of time we have to be a taxi cab. Don’t waste it by wishing the time away. I remember my mom saying that when my little sister (the youngest of 5) turned 16, she’d been driving carpool for 25 years. As a teenager, I thought that sounded absolutely miserable! But as a mom, I realize how fast that time flies, and how it doesn’t feel that long, because so many great memories are made along the way. By the time my youngest turns 16, I will have driven carpool for 23 years. I know already that I’ll see it as a badge of honor — and that I won’t regret a single second being anyone’s taxi driver 🤍*For more inspiration join Kari Kampakis, Writer or check out these bestselling resources for mothers and daughters:LOVE HER WELL: amzn.to/2EtDBFX10 ULTIMATE TRUTHS GIRLS SHOULD KNOW: amzn.to/2niGdf9LIKED: amzn.to/2na8fds ... See MoreSee Less

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Kari Kampakis, Writer

1 week ago

I talked to an old friend this week who went through a dark and scary health crisis with her husband two years ago. He is doing well now, but at the time, it was all uncertain. Doctors said he had a 50/50 chance of returning to normal. She told me, “God doesn’t let me forget. When someone calls me because they’ve had a similar scare, I can cry with them. I can easily go back to that time and remember how I felt. And sometimes, when I find feel discouraged and am waiting to see what God will do next in my life, I remind myself to look back and think about what He already did for our family. How He carried us through that hard time.” I love this because it reminds me that faith is best understood in hindsight. Only as we look back on a trial can we see God’s presence and protection. Only upon reflection can we see how different pieces of the puzzle ultimately fit together. In the book Boundaries, the authors say that the Bible is full of God’s reminding His people of what He did in the past to give them faith for the future. One of my favorite examples comes from ancient Israel, where they stacked stones to memorialize and remember God’s goodness and faithfulness. As Joshua led the 12 tribes of Israel into the Promised Land, he told each tribe to pull a stone out of the river and stack them in a memorial to remind people that God had safely led them on their journey to Canaan. Every time they looked at these stones, they’d remember God’s miracles. These stones would also tell about God’s faithfulness to future generations as they asked what the stones meant. Right now, we are surrounded by heartache, trials, and bad news. And when the crisis involves someone we know and love, it’s a challenge to feel hope. It’s difficult to believe God even exists. In these moments, we can remember what He’s already done. We can create a stack of stones in our lives where each stone represents a past miracle or trial He carried us through - and let the past give us hope for the future. Hope is rooted in memory. And though it is painful to go back and remember dark seasons, God is gracious in not letting us forget🤍 ... See MoreSee Less

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Kari Kampakis, Writer

2 weeks ago

"Unfortunately, my first interview was a flop. I was so nervous going in, and in the formal atmosphere—where multiple people took turns asking questions—I grew self-conscious and tongue-tied. It was an embarrassing experience I couldn’t escape fast enough.Nevertheless, I held out hope. Ever the optimist, I convinced myself it wasn’t as bad as I thought. Maybe they hadn’t noticed the tremor in my voice or the fragmented answers. Maybe they could see a diamond in the rough—and would grant me a second interview to redeem myself.Suffice it to say my name was not on the list posted two days later at the Ferguson Center. Everyone I knew made the cut, everyone but me. For the first time in my life I wasn’t even a finalist, and the reality that I’d bombed something very important to me was crushing.It was Ash Wednesday, and trying to keep my priorities straight I attended Mass that evening. Throughout the service, I dwelled on the day’s events until I felt much worse. Needing some affirmation, I drove to my parents’ house—fifteen minutes from campus—immediately after church." ... See MoreSee Less

Ashes to Ashes

www.karikampakis.com
There’s one day a year that I wear my faith on my forehead. Yes, on Ash Wednesday anyone who crosses my path can see that I’m a Christian. And while I’ve been wearing the ashen cross si...

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Kari Kampakis, Writer

2 weeks ago

At the end of the day, only two questions matter: 1) Am I pleasing God and 2) Do I like who I'm becoming? Being kind helps you answer "yes" to both questions. In a world that's quick to point fingers, criticize, and hate, choose kindness when possible. Remember that being kind is a sign of strength, not weakness, because it takes self-discipline and character to be kind even when those around you are not.*For more inspiration join Kari Kampakis, Writerr or check out these bestselling resources for mothers and daughters:LOVE HER WELL: amzn.to/2EtDBFX10 ULTIMATE TRUTHS GIRLS SHOULD KNOW: amzn.to/2niGdf9LIKED: amzn.to/2na8fds ... See MoreSee Less

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