I was really inspired by a post I saw on instagram a few days ago. Someone from the college I'm going to in a few weeks had decided to do a thirty day challenge in which he had five goals for himself to help grow in his relationship with God, others, and just create a healthy mind and body. I saw the post and was like "Wow, I really need to do something like this!" So after praying about it and spending time with God, I've come up with my five goals for the next three weeks. I'm so excited because they will really help me to put the focus off of myself and focus on God before college begins. And so here they are! Drum roll please... (haha, just kidding, I know I'm not that exciting)
1. I will spend at least an hour first thing in the morning reading God's Word and praying. I personally love doing my devotion time in the morning because it starts off my day focusing on God and just gives me a ton of peace and joy. God continually asks for our best and the firstfruits of all we do, so I am giving Him my mornings.
2. I will pray for a specific person every day. I will write down their name on my hand, and every time I see the name, I will pray for them. I've learned just how much prayer can accomplish, and this will help me to remain in prayer unceasingly. (I actually got this idea from my future roommate! She's awesome.)
3. I will do an act of kindness for someone every day. I will be intentional about this. The world needs more kindness.
4. I will exercise everyday, even if it is as simple as going for a walk. My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, and I want to honor Him with my body.
5. I will memorize scripture. For some reason, I've always really struggled with this. I want to have scripture in my heart so that God can speak to me with it. I won't always have my Bible with me, but I can have God's Word written on my heart.
I'm so excited for the next three weeks, and I can't wait to see what God is going to do. If any of you are inspired by this, I dare you to try it out! Make up your own goals and set your own time limit. God will definitely bless you for the time you spend with Him.
In Christ's love,
Rebekah
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Set Free
I recently got back from a mission trip to Jackson, Mississippi, and wow, it just was incredible. There's always the typical high you get from returning from something like a mission trip or retreat, but this is different. God reached down and spoke to my heart in a way He never has before. Not because He didn't ever want to, but because I've been so distracted and just never gave Him the chance. Anyone else struggle with this?
Flash back to a few months ago: I had been so caught up in finishing up my senior year, planning my future, talking to my boyfriend every night, working out and eating perfectly healthy, even distracted with "good" stuff like practicing for the worship band I was a part of. Then suddenly everything just fell apart. My parents announced they were getting divorced completely out of the blue, I broke up with my boyfriend, my two best friends got into a huge fight, etc. Every single thing I had been relying completely fell apart, and I was left with no foundation. At the same time, I was struggling with huge fears and insecurities that completely cut me off from people. I felt like a little girl trapped in a building on fire. The flames kept coming, and I just couldn't handle it anymore. I began to sink lower and lower, hiding behind my enormous walls that kept me trapped. Sin had its hold on me and I was just.. trapped. I was dying for someone to come rescue me and set me free from the hold the enemy had on me.
However, Christ is stronger than my most powerful wall. He broke through and rescued me, and I realized that He is enough. Finally free from all my distractions, I could finally come to Christ as I was: broken and wounded, but finally, truly seeking Him. The Bible says that if you come near to God, He will come near to you, and it's exactly what I experienced. I began to experience God in a powerful and personal way. I began to look forward to waking up early each day and just spending time with Him.
By this time summer had arrived, and I felt God's call to make this summer completely about Him. My biggest desire was to go on a mission trip, but just nothing would work out. Then one day I decided to go with my dad and sisters to this new church in our community. Right away, the pastor began talking about a mission trip they were planning on going on to Mississippi, and I immediately knew it was where I was supposed to go. The only problem was, I didn't really know anyone going on the trip. I'm a pretty shy person at the first, and the idea of going with people I didn't really know to a place I had never seen before completely terrified me. So I had a brilliant idea: I would invite my best friend to come along. I could hang out with her and not have to face my fear. God had a different plan, however, and it turned out that my best friend was unable to go. I had the chance to back out from the trip, but I realized that the trip was not even about me. I was so worried about myself when I was supposed to be following God's call to go serve others.
So, Friday night rolls around and I jump in a car with the pastor's wife and daughter for a twelve hour car ride. (We were actually supposed to drive six hours and stay at an abandoned house over night, but it was really sketchy. Like completely out of one of those horror films where you're screaming at the character not to go in the house.) The next day, as we were getting ready to head out to go minister to people, this dark feeling came over me and completely overwhelmed me. Thoughts like "how dare you go minister to people; you are totally useless. You'll never be able to reach people, so why even try?" filled my mind, and I felt all my old walls come back. I cried out to God and begged Him to free me from my walls and take me completely out of my comfort zone. And guess what, guys? He did! The entire week God just reached out to me and freed me from my fears. That night, a woman preached from John 4 about the woman at the well that Jesus talked to and completely changed. I'll probably write about it more later, but to sum it up, Christ used a prostitute woman that the entire town despised and rejected to reach and bring hundreds of people to Him. The message was such perfect timing that I knew it had to be God.
The rest of the week I got so many opportunities to just minister to people in the area and pray out loud with them. Before this week, I had been absolutely terrified to pray out loud in front of people. Like, "oh my goodness, what if I say the wrong thing, or sound stupid, and I could never pray like him.." I don't know if any of you guys struggle with this, but I promise God hears your prayers no matter how "good" they sound. Sometimes the simplest prayers are the most powerful. I saw people's walls breaking down after praying with them, and I realized God was using me. He was using me to help set others free.
This is why Christ came: to set us free. God does not want us to live a life ruled by fear. He wants to set us free so that we can spread His powerful, amazing love. I will no longer live a life hidden behind walls. I will no longer give in to the enemy, and the fears and sin he tries to enslave us with. It's time we give ourselves completely over to God to live in the freedom of His grace.
"I know that the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken for He is right beside me."
-Psalm 16:8
"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death."
-Romans 8:1-2
You have been set free. Trust in God and He will rescue you from any fear, from any wall. Just writing this blog entry and sharing my story was something I would never be able to do in the past, for fear of judgment and fears about what people will think. But none of that matters now. I am set free, praise God! And I pray that whoever you are that's reading this right now, will find the same freedom. I promise that God is right there and loves you with an unfailing, eternal love. Go to Him and experience His freedom!
In Christ's love,
Rebekah
Flash back to a few months ago: I had been so caught up in finishing up my senior year, planning my future, talking to my boyfriend every night, working out and eating perfectly healthy, even distracted with "good" stuff like practicing for the worship band I was a part of. Then suddenly everything just fell apart. My parents announced they were getting divorced completely out of the blue, I broke up with my boyfriend, my two best friends got into a huge fight, etc. Every single thing I had been relying completely fell apart, and I was left with no foundation. At the same time, I was struggling with huge fears and insecurities that completely cut me off from people. I felt like a little girl trapped in a building on fire. The flames kept coming, and I just couldn't handle it anymore. I began to sink lower and lower, hiding behind my enormous walls that kept me trapped. Sin had its hold on me and I was just.. trapped. I was dying for someone to come rescue me and set me free from the hold the enemy had on me.
However, Christ is stronger than my most powerful wall. He broke through and rescued me, and I realized that He is enough. Finally free from all my distractions, I could finally come to Christ as I was: broken and wounded, but finally, truly seeking Him. The Bible says that if you come near to God, He will come near to you, and it's exactly what I experienced. I began to experience God in a powerful and personal way. I began to look forward to waking up early each day and just spending time with Him.
By this time summer had arrived, and I felt God's call to make this summer completely about Him. My biggest desire was to go on a mission trip, but just nothing would work out. Then one day I decided to go with my dad and sisters to this new church in our community. Right away, the pastor began talking about a mission trip they were planning on going on to Mississippi, and I immediately knew it was where I was supposed to go. The only problem was, I didn't really know anyone going on the trip. I'm a pretty shy person at the first, and the idea of going with people I didn't really know to a place I had never seen before completely terrified me. So I had a brilliant idea: I would invite my best friend to come along. I could hang out with her and not have to face my fear. God had a different plan, however, and it turned out that my best friend was unable to go. I had the chance to back out from the trip, but I realized that the trip was not even about me. I was so worried about myself when I was supposed to be following God's call to go serve others.
So, Friday night rolls around and I jump in a car with the pastor's wife and daughter for a twelve hour car ride. (We were actually supposed to drive six hours and stay at an abandoned house over night, but it was really sketchy. Like completely out of one of those horror films where you're screaming at the character not to go in the house.) The next day, as we were getting ready to head out to go minister to people, this dark feeling came over me and completely overwhelmed me. Thoughts like "how dare you go minister to people; you are totally useless. You'll never be able to reach people, so why even try?" filled my mind, and I felt all my old walls come back. I cried out to God and begged Him to free me from my walls and take me completely out of my comfort zone. And guess what, guys? He did! The entire week God just reached out to me and freed me from my fears. That night, a woman preached from John 4 about the woman at the well that Jesus talked to and completely changed. I'll probably write about it more later, but to sum it up, Christ used a prostitute woman that the entire town despised and rejected to reach and bring hundreds of people to Him. The message was such perfect timing that I knew it had to be God.
The rest of the week I got so many opportunities to just minister to people in the area and pray out loud with them. Before this week, I had been absolutely terrified to pray out loud in front of people. Like, "oh my goodness, what if I say the wrong thing, or sound stupid, and I could never pray like him.." I don't know if any of you guys struggle with this, but I promise God hears your prayers no matter how "good" they sound. Sometimes the simplest prayers are the most powerful. I saw people's walls breaking down after praying with them, and I realized God was using me. He was using me to help set others free.
This is why Christ came: to set us free. God does not want us to live a life ruled by fear. He wants to set us free so that we can spread His powerful, amazing love. I will no longer live a life hidden behind walls. I will no longer give in to the enemy, and the fears and sin he tries to enslave us with. It's time we give ourselves completely over to God to live in the freedom of His grace.
"I know that the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken for He is right beside me."
-Psalm 16:8
"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death."
-Romans 8:1-2
You have been set free. Trust in God and He will rescue you from any fear, from any wall. Just writing this blog entry and sharing my story was something I would never be able to do in the past, for fear of judgment and fears about what people will think. But none of that matters now. I am set free, praise God! And I pray that whoever you are that's reading this right now, will find the same freedom. I promise that God is right there and loves you with an unfailing, eternal love. Go to Him and experience His freedom!
In Christ's love,
Rebekah
Thursday, July 17, 2014
It's Just Me
So I should probably introduce myself seeing that this is my first post. That's the thing though, introductions are so hard for me. Like what can I possibly say about myself that will allow someone to see me for who I am when I don't even know who I am. To myself I am a girl wracked by a terrible self-image, hidden behind walls that seem impenetrable to the outside world. I am a girl facing the sudden divorce of her parents and the loss of the one person I thought I would have forever, all while hiding behind the mask of "I'm fine, really. Don't worry about me." -Insert fake smile here- I'm terrified to let anyone in, scared that anyone who will see me for who I really am will quickly draw away in disgust.
However, Christ has not created me to live in this way. He created me the way a potter creates his art, with utmost care and love. My absolute favorite Psalm ever, Psalm 139, was written by a man who understood this love. David writes,
However, Christ has not created me to live in this way. He created me the way a potter creates his art, with utmost care and love. My absolute favorite Psalm ever, Psalm 139, was written by a man who understood this love. David writes,
"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!
I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
you are still with me!"
This is who I am. I am Christ's masterpiece. And this is who you are. Hear me on this: You are Christ's beautiful masterpiece, and you are loved with an unfailing love.
If you're anything like me, you have struggles and hidden inner pain. God sees that pain and knows exactly what you are going through. He wrote out your future before you had ever taken your first breath, and thinks about you so much that His thoughts can never be counted. Psalm 56:8 says that God has collected all your tears in His bottle and recorded each one in His book. He knows every single thing about you, from the number of hairs on your head to your deepest, darkest secret. And guess what? He still loves you. He still loves me.
So, back to my introduction...
Hi everyone! I'm Rebekah, and I am a girl deeply loved by her creator and savior. I am confident, forgiven, set free, cherished, and I am no longer defined by my past hurts and mistakes. I have a huge heart for worship, and I want to live in such a way that people will see the love of Christ in me. No matter what the future holds, I am securely held in God's hands. I'm learning that the nearer you draw to God, the closer He draws to you, so don't give up. He is there, and His love for you will never change.
All you have to do is trust Him, and He will never fail.
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