So Long, Farewell… (For Now)

This summer was the best, most intense time of my life.  Living in Spain…words cannot even begin to describe how amazing it was. Once I got back, I can’t tell you how many times I brought up my blog and just stared at it. All the posts I started ended up being deleted…not for lack of events to write about, but because the words just would come.

I love this blog, I loved being able to write, and share, and connect with people. But now I am at a place in my life where I am craving privacy. I realize how very much I cannot put my heart thoughts completely into words. I will leave my blog here because even though I haven’t been writing, it has still be useful to people around the world.

Who knows…maybe someday, maybe soon, I will begin writing again.

We’ll see.

Rebekah

I Will Go

Give me ears to hear Your Spirit
Give me feet to follow through
Give me hands to touch the hurting
And the faith to follow You

Give me grace to be a servant
Give me mercy for the lost
Give me passion for Your glory
Give me passion for the cross

And I will go where there are no easy roads
Leave the comforts that I know
I will go and let this journey be my home
I will go
I will go

I’ll let go of my ambition
Cut the roots that run too deep
I will learn to give away
What I cannot really keep
What I cannot really keep

Help me see with eyes of faith
Give me strength to run this race

I will go Lord where Your glory is unknown
I will live for You alone
I will go because my life is not my own
I will go
I will go
I will go

~ Steve Green

As I get ready to take the biggest step of my life, so many people are amazed that a young person would consider going across the world on their own. I get nervous when I think about it too hard, because this is WAY outside my comfort zone. I love my family, my friends who know me the best, and I love being able to eat my favorite food. But just like this song says, I will go where there are no easy roads. I will fly across the world by my lonesome (AH!), live in a country that I will be a foreigner to, and do hard things. I want God to take away my indepence on myself, and teach me to fully rely on Him. Hopefully  “I’ll let go of my ambition, cut the roots that run too deep, I will learn to give away, what I cannot really keep.” I want this journy, this change, this step of faith more than anything else I’ve ever wanted. I will make this journey my home.

Dearest Blog

Dear Blog,

I have missed you! I am so glad to be back, it has been way too many days. When I first got this full-time job I was able to keep up with writing, and posting pictures, and all those little things. But now, those little things are piling up. I get up, leave, come home late, eat, and go to bed. End of my life. And on top of that, all of the half-written articles and writing ideas I have typed up are on the other computer, which I haven’t seen in weeks. Then I started classes to get certification for my work, and had to finish ten hours worth of classes by, uh, Monday! Praise the Lord they are all done, and submitted. This weekend is crazy, considering it’s my birthday. One of my best gal pals Allie, is coming to help me celebrate. As I leave this non-stop year behind, I wonder what God holds in store for me. Whatever He has for me, I know that His dreams are far beyond anything I could ever dream. I am SO sorry to all my readers for not writing much this last month! Hopefully things will slow down a bit and I can get back to that. If not, oh well! Life is meant to be lived, and there is life outside of my computer. “Live, laugh, love!”

Rebekah

Come To Jesus

I have been listening to this song morning, noon, and night lately.

Favorite Authors

I’ve been tagged by my friend Kaysie over at Alabaster Box, Cross-eyed, and Inner Sanctuary. She’s a busy gal alright!

Who is your favorite author and why?

I would have to say Randy Alcorn. His book on Heaven captured my heart, and changed the way I look towards my Heavenly home. The Purity Principle is excellent. It’s the most straight- forward, honest,and biblical book on purity that I’ve read. It is also not too long so you don’t get overloaded with truth. He writes amazing novels also. I have never liked any author who writes both theological and fiction books. His novel Safely Home about the persecuted church brought me to tears. My absolute favorite book of his is one my brother got me for graduation. It’s called The Grace and Truth Paradox. That aspect of the Christian life is very important to me, and Randy Alcorn lays the truth out for you. Honest, biblical, and full of grace and truth. I guess that’s why I love his books!
Who was your first favorite author and why?
Laura Ingalls. We spent many hours with my mom reading her books, and they always held a special place in my heart. I can re-read them over and over again. I love how they just tell it like it is, but don’t get boring either! I would pretend to be Laura when I was little, complete with my little bonnet and everything. Although the bonnets and grass tea parties are behind me, the books are timeless.

Who is the newest addition to your favorite authors and why?

This one is the hardest for me. I absolutely love Linda Dillow’s book Calm My Anxious Heart. (Quotes coming soon!) It reminded me of my utter selfishness and lack of faith in God. I haven’t read anything else by her, so I’m not sure she would qualify. I think I have finally decided to like Elizabeth Elliot. I’ve had this back and forth like and dislike of her books. Her novels I really don’t care for, and some of her devotionals. Her book Passion or Purity is an amazing resource on that topic. My current favorite book that she wrote is Keep A Quiet Heart. Absolutely life-changing and heart stirring. (Not to mention convicting!!!)

Now I think I am supposed to tag 4 to 6 people…
I tag: Marcie, Tiffany, Deanna, and Allison.

Here are the rules:

1. Link the person who tagged you.

2. Answer the above questions.

3. Tag 4-6 people.

Hope you enjoyed! For those of you not tagged, what are your favorite authors?

Weird and Random – That’s Me

The instructions say: “write a blog of ten weird, random things, facts or habits about yourself.”

So here we go: weird, random, facts and habits?

1. I have an amazing memory (or so I’ve been told.) I also know that I have a horrible short term memory. Meaning I remember what someone was wearing the first time I saw them 10 years ago, but forget something you told me 4 hours ago.

2. I positively love pickles. They are the most wonderful food ever created. I am on a daily quest to convince my mom they count as veggies and I should be allowed to eat 10 a day. Somehow that seems to not be working. Wonder why?!

3. I am slightly ambidextrous. I can do most everything except write with my left hand, even though I’m right handed. When I played basketball the coaches knew I was right handed and during a drill asked me why was I dribbling with my left hand? Apparently I was, and it worked better than the right. It also worked the same in baseball! I have tried to write with my left hand but it does NOT work out at all.

4. Following the same lines, I was once on a basketball team. I was next to the shortest girl on the team, and the rest of the girls weren’t much taller. I did win a free-throw contest in warm-ups one time! I was probably the worst player on the team, and didn’t even understand all the rules. A friend was refereeing and called me on something. Apparently if you stand in one specific spot too long it’s baaaaaad. I heard this whistle blow, looked over, my friend shrugged, and I stuck my tongue out at him, but completely understood. In case anyone was wondering no, we never did win. The other girls were tall and violent.

5. I am not a tightwad, most of the time. That’s a little hard to do when your spiritual gift is giving, and that’s also your love language! If there weren’t things like college, cars, photography equipment, and plane tickets to my best friend’s weddings needing to be funded I would use up my entire paycheck buying stuff for my family and friends. I love love LOVE to give things away, and make people happy!

6. I love eating soup for breakfast. My family says my husband will have to be very understanding of my wierd habits. So maybe he will, but I betcha he’ll walk in, see me eating my soup, and think, wow, how did I get such a unique wife! RIIIIIGHT. Anyhoo, I love it.

7. I have this thing about textures. Foods that have different textures I greatly disdain. Allison thinks that this is terribly funny and quirky. Yeah, maybe so, but, it’s me. I don’t like foods like apple pie, different salads, peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches, just to name a few. Why? Apple pie has the crust and mushy apples, salads have different ingredients of varied crunchiness in creamy dressings, and peanut butter and jelly? Word. Talk about torture, when you take creamy and slimy textures, and slap ‘em together between bread. Yikes.

8. I can be quite contrary. I had a few friends that I knew how far I could push them, and they would push right back. Wit and sarcasm are my friends, and I pick on people I like (and those I don’t.) A friend once told me “you have a tongue like a sharp sword.” Hahaha, guess what he would say if he was my enemy.

9. I am fiercely protective over my family and loved ones. You know the saying “she’s my best friend. Break her heart and I’ll break your face”??? That’s me. You hurt my family you won’t know what happened to you. You try to mess with the people I care about and you will wish you never thought of it. I’m serious. You mess with my family and you’re messing with me. (Can you tell I grew up in a rough town?) My family members are the only people that will always no matter what love me. That kind of love deserves devotion and protection. If you stand beside me as a friend I will stand by you. There’s nothing hard about Christian love and loyalty. My name means Faithful and Steadfast, and I’m so glad, because that describes me perfectly. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable…” – 1 Corinthians 15:58. Jesus said it, those that betray and abuse are not followers of a loving God who never EVER gives up on someone. (Ok, so that was a nice little rant, next random fact).

10. I am slightly messy. Just an eensy weensy bit. (And don’t even think about asking my mom). But it’s all good, because I once won a cleaning contest with the best before and after pictures! My brother thought that was the funniest thing ever. I love my clutter, it makes me comfy!

The rules say I must tag 5 people soooo:

Kaysie, Marcie, Shawna, Felicia, Allison

Photoshop

Tragically this is so me.

Pick a Letter, Any Letter

I had been trying to decide on a good survey, fun type thing to do. I finally found one. The object is to name a few of your favorite things that start with the same letter. I was assigned the letter “P.” (It was actually a little hard and I found myself looking up words for a few)

1.) Pickles!!!!
2.) Puppies
3.) Purple nail polish
4.) Playing in the sand
5.) Praising God in song
6.) Photography
7.) Philip, my cousin/friend. We’re tight!
8.) Pacific Ocean, complete with dolphins
9.) Page numbers
10.) Painting
11.) Piano
12.) Palm Trees!
13.) Passports
14.) Peacocks
15.) Pearls
16.) Pennsylvania
17.) People

So there’s just a few! If you want a letter, just leave me a comment with a request–and I’ll give you one. Otherwise, just leave me a kind comment anyway!

Indescribable

“From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation’s revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untamable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name
You are amazing God
All powerful, untamable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
You are amazing God

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untamable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
INCOMPARABLE, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
You are amazing God
You are amazing God.”

~ Chris Tomlin

Because He Lives

God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus;

He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

And then one day, I’ll cross the river,
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to vict’ry,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

(Photo Copyright 12:9 Photography)