For God so loved the world...

Focus on the Family paid for this 30 second commercial during a Broncos game. I am SO amazed and blessed by their boldness. And, people have already gotten saved through this! Isn't that SOOO awesome!? God wants to speak through His people to the world. :) 

War with the bugs!

I miss this porch in Texas.

Two nights ago, as I was working through my "Experiencing God" Bible study, this statement stood out to me from page 40, "If you are not willing to be faithful in a  little, God cannot give you a larger assignment." It immediately convicted me of my restlessness, my need to go constantly, and how I am always unhappy with the smaller assignments (especially around the house, it seems).  I asked the Lord to make me willing to take whatever HE gives me a good attitude, making me someone HE can trust with larger assignments. Little did I know what I asking....

Last night, we were sitting around for a while after dinner, so my youngest sister decided to run up and take a quick shower. When she came back down, she asked me to wrap her hair up in a towel like she sees us do. :) I said, "Ok, flip your hair over." To my horror, shock and disgust, I say teensy little bugs in her hair. Of course, being the dramatic girl that I am, I let out a slightly horrified, "UGH! There's bugs in her hair!" and stepped away quickly. Suddenly all the memories of all the times different friends had had lice in their hair came running back to me. "Oh no! We're going to have to clean EVERYTHING. And throw all her stuffed animals away. And cut her beautiful long hair."  Yeah, I was running through all the worse case scenarios possible in my brain.  (Like I said, at some points I can be a bit dramatic. Praying about that too!)

Mom rushed over and confirmed it was, indeed, my horror, LICE. ewwwwwwww.


**At that moment, I declared war on those nasty little pests!!** 


NO WAY would they get the better of me. Nan took over combing through Boo's hair, and Aimzy and I went to work.  We ran upstairs and stripped all the beds, and grabbed anything she had touched, sat on, etc... we had bags of things to wash. Then, I grabbed the vacuum and ran that wonderful contraption over every bare floor space possible. Dad said, "It sounds like a tornado up there, is everything ok?"

The whole time I kept thinking, "Thank you Lord for giving me small tasks to be faithful in, so You can trust me with the bigger assignments."

As of right now, we can't find anymore lice in her hair. (Thankfully our friends have a special solution/remedy that we used on her hair.) *phew* I'm glad that's over, but I'm still on the lookout.

Now I am just trying to be prepared for whatever might be next. :)


Have a lovely Monday,

Great Joy!

God is doing some amazing things in our family! Restoring relationships, healing, helping bring about forgiveness... I'm so excited to see what else the Lord is going to do in 2012. At some point in the next week or so, I am going to write about how the Lord brought me home. It is actually a really neat, and really hard story, but I know it will speak of the Lord's MIGHTY, capable hand in our lives, and also testify of His faithfulness. 

For those of you looking for a good Bible study to do, whether alone, with a small group, or with your family, I highly recommend "Experiencing God," by Henry T. Blackaby and Claude V. King. Our family is doing that study right now and it's SO good. My eyes have been opened to areas in my life where I was trying to MAKE things happen, instead of letting God us me to fulfill HIS purposes.

Also, Anna and I started going to a  Ladies community group from our church on Wednesday nights. All of the Comm.Groups are doing "The Gospel-Centered Life," by Bob Thune and Will Walker. This, likewise, is a GREAT study that I would suggest to any Believer. It really calls us to examine our hearts before the Lord and to see the areas where we are minimizing God's holiness and magnifying our own "goodness." I have been so blessed and encouraged AND convicted by this book. :)

Other than that, God is giving each of us little tasks and assignments to carry out for Him. Sometimes I feel so worthless and useless here. However, the Lord is showing me the things HE wishes to do through me. And, knowing I'm in the center of His will helps me to overcome fear and doubts. 

A little later today we are going to be visiting a nursing home to "adopt" someone as a grandparent! I think this will be a great opportunity to bring light into a place that is so sad. :)

**Be looking for the story of how I came home sometime in the next week!!**

Have a lovely, wonderful, happy, blessed day!!

Meal planning, laundry, and cleaning!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This might seem random, but then, that's what blogs are for, right?!*ahem*
Anna and I are now each in charge of every other week cooking. (I get a week, she gets a week!) *scary!*This is to help mom out so she can get more things done around the house AND to help us with our cooking skills! Woot. :) Today was the start of my week, let me know what ya think!
Oh, and please feel free to leave links to recipes or recipe ideas in "comments"! I'm sure they will be used in the future!

**This may not be as interesting and abounding in variety as I would like, however, when you have someone with stomach issues and can only have things with NO seasoning, NO butter/oil, & No fat; along with someone who can only REALLY have lean meats and TONS of vegetables, along with someone else who cannot have bread, and, of course, trying to find things everyone would like...*whew* Menu planning can be a LOT more difficult than one might think! :) However, God seemed to lead me as I planned, and each night there are things each person can have. YAY!

Monday: Marinated & baked chicken strips (with Sesame ginger orange marinade), rice, steamed broccoli & fruit salad. CHECK. :)

Tuesday: Homemade Beef Vegetable soup, Homemade bread with butter and/or jam. (Anna is the official bread maker though!)

Wednesday: Meatloaf (I know, SO healthy, right? *sigh*), Mashed potatoes, lima beans, & corn. (AWESOME corn my aunt gave us from her garden that we've frozen!)

Thursday: Either Pesto Chicken or a non-breaded "Chicken Parmesan," Angel-hair pasta, Salad & Green Beans.

Friday: Homemade Pizza (with lots of veggies on it!), Fresh Salad & Sliced Veggies with dip. *our traditional Friday night meal!*

Saturday: Chicken stir-fry (loaded with veggies) & Rice. *Our Aunt L, Uncle E, & Cousin T are coming this weekend for birthday celebrations! Anna is going to make an awesome cake!*

The most important ingredient of all is PRAYER. Seriously, I pray over everything I make. It may seem weird, but then you can give God all the glory-- it definitely helps with that pride issue we all have, and need to be rid of. :)


Blessings Friends,

TRUE Freedom In Christ

I've been meditating on what TRUE freedom in Christ means. People talk about "Freedom in Christ" or "He is our liberty" all the time. However, there are times I truly wonder if they know about the freedom which the passages throughout scripture are talking about.

This freedom, true freedom, is not freedom to do whatever we want, when we want it. This freedom is not to put people down, stand up for our "rights" or the freedom to "live it up." This freedom is beautiful, sacred, true, wonderful. This freedom is the difference between slavery and walking as a free man.

As Jesus was talking to the Jews in John 8:34-36 He says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed."

Those who don't know Christ, walk in the Kingdom of darkness. Unbeknownst to them, they are slaves to sin. This means that whatever temptation satan sends their way, they cannot resist it. They can't go against the flow and fight the attacks of the enemy. If someone is mean to them, they punch them, spread rumors about them, etc... They are drawn in by every evil thing that goes against the character of our precious Savior. Just as a slave has to obey it's master, so those who are slaves to sin obey their master...

When we are "transfered from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light" (When we repent of our sins, receive God's forgiveness, ask Him into our lives and turn away from sin. A redemption that is offered to anyone who would receive it!) God does an amazing thing. He breaks the chains of bondage that has been holding us SO long. Sin is no longer our slavedriver. Those who have struggle with addictions suddenly have the power to resist and turn from those things. Those who have been perpetual bullies their whole lives suddenly don't HAVE to be mean anymore.   When those chains are loosed...WOW...it's awesome!

We need to live in that freedom everyday! Think about the 10 Commandments, for instance... this freedom helps us so we don't HAVE to lust after someone else's spouse, we don't HAVE to want other poeple's things, we don't HAVE to steal from others, we don't HAVE to argue with our siblings/parents/spouse. If someone says something mean, our freedom is turning away silently. (Yes, don't stand up for yourself. God can and will take care of it.) Our freedom is that we can become more and MORE like Jesus. He gives us the power to say, "No. I don't have to fall for that temptation. I don't have to think badly of my friends. I don't have to bad mouth my spouse! God has given me freedom!!"

Just think what would happen if we really, TRULY started living in that freedom! Ask the Lord for Strength to live and walk in such a freedom that we want to do good, and not evil.

In Christ,

A Godly Christian Magazine...for real?

Are any of my girl readers interested in a good, Godly magazine? Well, let me tell you something... SetApartGirl magazine is awesome. (www.setapartgirl.com) I've only read a few of the articles but everything is SO Biblical, edifying, inspiring. I mean, really, I could go on and on. My mouth was hanging wide open as I read. Where has this magazine been my whole teen-age hood? So thankful I found it now. And, I just ordered one of Leslie's books. Can't wait to read it!

I'm thinking about going to this conference....

http://setapartgirl.com//2012-MayConference_files/widget1_markup.html

Oh, and it's FINALLY snowing here! Wahoo! Enjoy your day!

~Rachie

One of my Favorite songs!

This is sung by my dear friend! :) I just love this song... it lifts my thoughts. Hope you Enjoy!

~Rachie

Looking back at 2011.

Hi Everyone! As we are only 4 days into 2012, I thought I would show a few highlights from 2011. God did amazing things! I am in awe. Hope you enjoy these pics that I've LOVED going through again.

~In January, God let me go back to UMBI~

*Unashamed Ministries Bible Institute, based on Prince Edward Island, Canada. www.theskys.org

~I turned *20*!!!~

Along with my two "brothers" who were also born on my birthdate. We all just happened to come to the same Bible school. Neat, eh?

~A lovely Canadian Winter~

My first REAL winter EVER because we built a SNOW FORT!

~Anna graduates from PVCC~

All the family and her two best friends!

~Family Williamsburg & VA Beach trip~

Silly sisters face! :)

~Several Friends got engaged!!~

Here is and engagement Picture I took of Leigh Ana and Charlie.
Congrats on your recent October wedding! :)

~A week in Connecticut in June~

My first castle! What a highlight!
And, finding out that Sarah and I are WAY more kindred spirits than I ever thought. So thankful for her friendship!

~Independence Day~

We spent the weekend at our Grandparent's cabin on the lake.
Oh, and participated in a REAL LIVE Southern parade in style...hehe..

~Gabriel & Tai Sophia's wedding!~

(You can tell how relaxed I am by how tightly I'm holding on!) LOL

September 17. What a day! My first experience as a bridesmaid.

~The BIG E~

If you don't know what that is, don't worry, you just aren't from New England.
I didn't know what it was either. But if you like food, GO.

~Fall Tour 2011 (October 15- December 15)~

(Corpus Christi, TX Thanksgiving Day)

We covered over 11,00 miles, traveling almost completely across Canada.
Then down to Texas, across to Mississippi and then up to New York. God did amazing things on this trip.
Miss all you crazy hooligans.

~Christmas 2011! Fun with family...and food!~

"And He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." Isaiah


God is so good. Countless other things happened....good things, hard things, sad things...but God allowed all of it for the shaping of my character. I am so thankful for 2011 and pray that 2012 will be a blessed year for everyone!

Love in Him,
~Rachie

Hello World!

Well, I'm back into blogging. :) Yay...? I love to share what's going on, stories, pictures, etc... Facebook is just too... boring for those things sometimes. Also, I wanted a way to share what the Lord teaches me through something other than statuses.


So, here's to another go at it.