Katherine Hurlin is a member of the 2022 Alumni Service Team! Let’s get to know her a little more with a special Q+A.
Quick Facts:
Age: 22
Home State: Texas
Favorite things about Texas: Large variety in animals and topography.
Siblings: She is the 2nd oldest of 7 siblings.
Dominant hand: Left (Very passionate about this subject)
Favorite hobbies: Sewing, reading, crocheting, writing, and spending time with friends.
Major in college: Linguistics, at Dallas International University
Q&A with Katherine:
Q: Welcome, Katherine.
A: Thanks for having me.
Q: We have a few questions to get to know you better, so let’s jump right in! Because this is the Alumni Service Team, you have obviously gone through the program before. So how many years did you participate in the National Bible Bee?
A: I competed in NBBC from 2015-2018 (started when I was 14).
Q: Awesome! How did you first hear about NBB, and what got you to begin participating?
A: I first heard about NBBC from some friends back in 2009. We watched a livestream of the primary division reciting in finals, and I was shocked by how many verses these kids my age had memorized! I wanted to participate, but my family wasn’t ready yet! We finally took the plunge in 2015 and got to experience both the NBBC and the way that God’s word can change our lives when we hide it in our hearts.
Q: That’s great. Truly the best part of the NBBC is experiencing God’s Word constantly being proclaimed. Since you have studied a lot of God’s Word, who is a Bible character you especially admire and why?
A: A Bible character I especially admire is Esther. She was just an average Jewish girl living in already difficult circumstances in exile in Persia when she was plucked from her home and forced to marry a man she’d never met! Still, Esther responded with confidence and grace. She relied on God’s power, not her own, and so was able to change the fate of the nation of Israel and save countless lives. Like Esther, I want to be reliant on God’s power with the circumstances I face!
Q: While we are discussing the Bible right now, what is one of your favorite passages from the Bible, and why?
A: My favorite passage (at the moment!) is 2 Corinthians 1:3-11. I love this passage because it talks honestly about a time when Paul and his fellow companions felt really discouraged. Paul said it felt like they had received the sentence of death. But when they were going through that difficult time, they relied on Christ for comfort, and “the God of all comfort” comforted Paul in his affliction. Now, Paul was able to use that comfort to comfort the Corinthians, who were going through their own struggles. I think this is a great picture of the way God works in and through us as believers. When we are struggling, He sends us comfort only He can give, and then we can use that comfort to serve other believers going through the same kinds of things.
Q: Isn’t that truly amazing? That even in the hardest of circumstances, God can still bring peace to our souls, even in the most difficult of times. What a great insight. What is another insight that God has shown you when competing in the NBBC?
A: One thing that really impacted me as a contestant was the way reading large portions of Scripture reveals God’s heart. My first year, we studied the book of John and got to see Jesus performing miracles, sharing with people from His heart, and speaking the truth that was most needed in every situation. I realized through reading this that these weren’t just words on a page, and the Bible wasn’t just a book I needed to read to be a good Christian. The words of Jesus in the gospel of John, which changed people’s lives, had the power to change my life today.
Q: Wow, that is really good. God’s Word is truly living and active. What would you say to someone who is participating in the National Bible Bee for the first time?
A: I would tell a first year NBB participant to take it slow and focus on the meaning of the passages. You can have fun in the competition, but what you’ll learn the most from is the words that you’re memorizing. It may seem like the passage is boring or doesn’t make a difference in your walk with Christ, but you’ll be surprised by how God brings those passages back to you at the perfect time.
Q: Yeah, I completely agree. When we hide God’s Word in our hearts, He will remind us of the different lessons He has taught us, and bring it back to mind in the most needed and trying times. One last question: Since you have gone through the program, what is one way that participating in it has shaped your life?
A: Participating in the NBB shaped my life by giving me a firm foundation in God’s Word. Through memorizing the thousands of verses in the competition, I’ve fallen in love with the Bible and I want to study it more and more. Now, I have these verses in my head and in my heart, and God will bring them back at the perfect time. For example, this week I’ve been struggling to get my schedule figured out. I have so many commitments, and things keep changing at the last minute. I was feeling frustrated and discouraged, when God brought Psalm 18 to mind. It says, “The Lord, His way is perfect. The word of the Lord proves true; He is a Shield to all those who take refuge in Him.” I realized that I didn’t need to solve my schedule; I could trust that the things God was giving me to do were the things I needed to do, because His way is perfect. I just need to take refuge in Him.
Q: What a blessed assurance that we can take refuge in a loving and eternal God! Thanks for doing this interview.
A: Of course!
Written by NBB Alumnus: William Saunders
