July Goals

July goals?!?!?!?!  But it is still June.  I know, I know but getting a head start is never a bad thing.  I'm learning that the earlier I set my mind on things, the earlier I get them started and the earlier I feel a sense of relief when they are complete.  Sooooooo, here goes.


1) Keep up the healthy lifestyle I blogged about yesterday.  I have been working at it for a few weeks but I could always use more discipline.

2) Get up early on a more consistent basis.  From 5:00-6:30 AM is my time.  It is the time that I do my devotion.  I make a cup of coffee and I curl up on the couch with little Lu for some quality time in the Word.  I always open the living room door so that I can listen to the sounds of the early morning and it does really good things for my soul.  Plus, I get some time with Lu while Andrew and Ellie sleep and I really appreciate soaking it up.

3) Enjoy some time with old friends.  I have a friend from college that is getting married in July and the wedding is in Portland.  I haven't seen her in a few years and I am really looking forward to spending 4 or 5 days exploring the city with such an awesome lady.  Not to mention, Meredith is going as well and we are practically going to be inseparable.  I mean seriously, 5 days with your best friend is really all anyone could ask for.  Well that and new bicycle.  But, I digress.

4) In a month where I will be constantly traveling, and by constantly I mean 3 out of 4 weekends, I want to make it a goal to slow down and appreciate my time as an engaged 27 year old.  Times like these are priceless and I want to make sure I soak in the blessings of getting married and watching close friends do the same. 

Well, I think that is it.  What are your goals for July?

Much Love,
Rachel Elizabeth

The Struggle

I'm going to say it... I won't be the first and I won't be the last.  I struggle with my body image and feeling happy in my skin.  Andrew and I are engaged which is a really special time and I'm enjoying the planning and dreaming part of having a wedding and marrying the love of my life.  But, I'm also struggling with how my body looks and worrying about how I will look on my wedding day.  I know that Andrew loves me and I do not think I am overweight.  I am however realizing that my metabolism as a 27 year old is completely different than it was as a 17 year old.  When I eat junk, I look and feel like junk.  I've put on some weight around my stomach especially but a little bit all over.  The scale doesn't bother me as much as when I look in the mirror.  You may be thinking I'm crazy but I know when I am healthy and right now, I am not healthy.  I've noticed too that what I eat dramatically effects my bodily functions and when you don't feel well, naturally it doesn't bring out your best self.  So, I've decided that I'm going to stop treating my body like I'm 17.  I'm going to go to the gym and run my butt off.  I'm going to lift weights and tone my muscles (maybe one day I'll be able to open my own pickle jars).  I'm going to stop eating meals with calorie counts that could last me all day.  I'm going to hold myself accountable for my feelings.  No one else is making me feel as if I need to do this.  This is something that I can control and something that I know will make a huge difference in my life.  I know how beneficial a healthy lifestyle can be and I plan to reap the benefits of it now and for many years to come.  Eventually, Andrew and I will have children.  In fact, we've already discussed it and God-willing, it will be sooner rather than later.  How can I teach a child to live a healthy life both physically and spiritually and not do that myself?  It's time to get my body and my mind in shape.

I feel like if I am going to make a change, I need to set some goals and, I love making lists.  So, here goes:

1) Join a gym.  Done.
2) Create healthy weekly meal plans and take my lunch to work more often.
3) Stop stepping on the scale.  That is not what this is about.  This is about the inside.  When I shape up the inside, the outside will follow.
4) Pray that I will learn to see myself as God sees me and stop feeling so harsh toward my ever-changing body.

I'll post updates on my progress as this journey unfolds.  Who is with me?

Much love,
Rachel Elizabeth

Asking for grace

I fail, a lot.  I'll say something or do something and then be disappointed in the way I handled a situation.  I'm not sure how I could be so incredibly grateful for the enduring love that God provides and yet not be able to turn around and show that love to someone else.  I find that sometimes it is easier to go with the flow than to break free and live how God has asked me to live.  I fail him again and again and he never fails me.  So, I've been asking Him for a lot of grace lately.  Scratch that, I've been begging Him for grace.  I know that there is nothing I can do to earn it but the more I ask Him for it, the more I'm reminded to show it to others.  I am not perfect but He is and He reminds me everyday that He never falls short.

Much love,
Rachel Elizabeth

Home isn't so far away

Two weeks ago, I called my mom because I was missing her something fierce.  I go through stages where I feel really down because I can't drive across town and have dinner with my mom or wake up at Mamaw's house and help her can some jelly.  The most amazing memories I have from my childhood were spent next door at Grammy and Papaw's house, on their back porch watching the Braves play and breaking beans.  Or, having a cookout at Mamaw and Papaw's house with our entire, extended family on holiday weekends.  I miss the closeness I had with all of them.  I don't make it home very often because I make excuses about how it is a long way to drive for just the weekend.  Well, no more excuses.  My mom and I decided to figure out how to meet in the middle because not seeing one another is just not an option.  On a Friday morning, we decided to go camping...that night.  We met at a state park, around Knoxville, TN and we rented a little cabin.  Just the two of us.  Just perfect.  We hiked, we grilled, we read, we laughed, we talked, we cried.  We had the most amazing fellowship and it was just what I needed.  I've decided that I need this with more than just my mom.  I will no longer let the fact that I live so far away, come in between myself and those I love.  

Here are just a few pictures from our awesome weekend.

Much Love,

Rachel Elizabeth

Heart of the Matter

Y'all, every day I find a new way to serve.  God has blessed me with so many amazing opportunities and I want to make sure that I am not letting them slip away.  He has put so many things on my heart recently and I feel like I need to invest more of myself in order to really do His work.

On my heart's to do list:

I sponsored a child in Zimbabwe and I want to make sure she knows not only that she is loved by me but that she is loved by a God that is much bigger than I am.  She has lived in an orphanage all her life and it makes me wonder if she understands that she has never been alone, even when it seems that no one wanted her.  Through my correspondence with her, I want to show her the love of a God who will never leave her.  I would also love to visit her one day.  I know there will be opportunities for this in the future and I plan on making this a reality.

I began supporting the Economic Freedom project with Mocha Club but I want to give more than just my money.  I want to give my time and prayer to this organization and this cause.  I truly believe that Mocha Club is doing amazing work and I want to be there with them as they grow and experience the beauty of Africa.  Our pastor always says"give until it hurts" and he is talking about way more than just a financial contribution.

I took over leading a community group at my church.  I've been getting to know these ladies over the past nine months and I can't even tell you how much their love and support means to me.  I'm so excited to lead them through our next study and really dig in deep with them.  I think that the relationships I have with these women are good for the soul and I want to foster them in any way I can.

Does your heart have a to do list?

Much Love,
Rachel Elizabeth

Busy Bee

These next few months are going to be CRAZY!!  I have a lot going on for the next couple of months and I absolutely cannot wait.

First, I am running a half marathon.  I've never run more than a 5k.  I'm very intimidated.  This all started out as a fun thing to do with Andrew and a way to get more exercise.  Back in November we signed up for the Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville.  Well, we started training and actually did pretty well and then we stopped.  Don't ask me why.  Basically we would run for a couple of weeks and then not run for a couple of weeks.  We weren't getting anywhere with our training and almost decided to throw in the towel.  But, I've already paid for this thing and I refuse to quit it.  So, for the last month we've gotten pretty serious about running.  We've built up our mileage pretty quickly (I don't think that is how you are supposed to do it).  We take long runs every Saturday and I have to say that it is quickly becoming one of my favorite times of the week.  Running 6 miles, 8 miles, 10 miles takes some time.  I love having an hour or two to myself.  We go run in beautiful places and I get a lot of time to just clear my head and live in the moment.  It's therapeutic.  Not to mention, I get to wear my new purple running shoes!!!

Also coming up is my brother's wedding!!!!!  I'm so excited about this wedding.  They are getting married in late May and the month leading up to it will be filled with tons of joyful family time.  You see, my brother and his fiancé have been living in Montana for the past few months and I hardly ever get to see them or talk to them.  I can't wait to spend some quality time helping them prepare for this awesome journey into marriage. I'll be traveling home to Asheville at least three weekends in May and although it will be exhausting, it will be a blessing as well.  They don't know it yet but I'm pretty much just going to attach myself to them while I'm home and make the most of our time together.

Aren't they awesome together?  Too cute!

I also can't wait to spend some quality time with my best friend, Meredith, while I'm home.  She seriously gets me and I can't wait to have some best friend dates.  It's hard when your two best friends live in different cities.  Meredith is a long car ride away and Kayla is even further.  We do what we can to see each other when we are home for the holidays but let's face it, that is not enough time.  At some point in the near future, Meredith and I are going to fly up to New York to see Kayla but in the mean time, I am going to be seeing a ton of Meredith.  My heart is so happy about this.  She seriously rocks my world.

Sometime after May, Andrew and I are planning a weekend to St. Louis.  We've been planning it for a while but life has gotten in the way.  We were first going to do it over my birthday weekend but then I found out that I had to work all weekend.  We pushed it to the next weekend but then my grandfather passed away and we had to go home to Asheville for a few days.  We finally planned it for mid April but Andrew just found out that he will be out of town with his job over that weekend.  We will get there, mark my words.  We just have to find the right time.  Since May is already super busy, we'll probably shoot for June.  Who knows?

My life is pretty crazy right now but I love that!  I'm so glad that God has blessed  me with so many wonderful people.  I have no idea what I would do without them, well except maybe sit on my couch and have nothing to do.  That wouldn't be any fun.

Get excited because I'll share everything along the way!

Much Love,
Rachel Elizabeth

A God Moment

Have you ever heard people say they had a moment where they knew God was talking to them.  Something happened and they knew it was meant for them; it was meant to teach them something.  Well, I have always hear people say this and sometimes I am begging for God to give me a sign.  Please Lord, show me what you want me to do.  Teach me!!  A couple of weeks ago we were at church and I had a God moment.  I know what you're thinking, you were in church and you had a God moment...how novel.  Well, it was so blatant that it almost knocked me off my feet.

I'll start at the beginning...

I have a real problem with being judgmental.  I try so hard to be kind and not make judgements on people, especially before I've even met someone but my humanity gets the best of me sometimes and I pass judgement.  It's something that I constantly ask God for help on and something that I have to pray about regularly.  

We went to church and it wasn't just a regular day at church, it was the very first service in a new building.  That's right, our church had just relocated and we were there, full of anticipation, for the very first service.  It was slightly chaotic as we were all trying to find our way around and lots of people filed in late.  I was sitting with Andrew's whole family in one of the riser sections and about five minutes after the service began, I saw this woman walk in who was dressed in a costume and had a huge purple wig on.  I'm ashamed to say but I immediately judged her. I looked at her and assumed that she knew how important this day was to our church and she had worn a costume to pull attention to herself and away from God.  In actuality, she probably only pulled my attention but nonetheless, I was upset with her.  She sat down just a few rows in front of me so I naturally kept my eye on her.  My judgmental tendencies pulled my attention from God.  I could have just shrugged it away and listened to the sermon but I sat there and thought of all the possible reasons that she might have worn such an odd get-up to church.  

At the end of the sermon, we took communion in our new church.  I got up, took my bread, dipped it in the juice and just ate it without thanking Jesus for His sacrifice.  I watched this woman the whole time.  I was selfish.  I watched her walk to the front of the auditorium and take communion with everyone else.  When she filed back around to her seat, she couldn't sit down because a young man had entered the auditorium and sat in her seat to pray.  He had his head bowed and he was sobbing.  You could tell that he was asking Jesus for help, the kind of help that only He could give.  The woman with the purple hair just walked out of the auditorium.  I sat and watched that young man and thought to myself that I should go lay a hand on him and pray with him, for him.  I wanted him to know that he was not alone and that Jesus wasn't the only person on his side, that I would be as well.  I wanted him to feel loved.  But, I was too scared.  I stood there and didn't show him the love of Christ.  Instead, I embraced my selfish tendencies and stayed where I was.  After all, I didn't want to embarrass myself.

Then, the woman changed my heart and made me ashamed of my judgements.  

After a few minutes, she walked back in the auditorium and over to the young man.  She bent down and placed not only her hand but her whole head on him and prayed for him.  She hugged him and prayed over him.  She made sure he knew that he wasn't alone.  You could see him sobbing.  He was sobbing so hard that you could not only see his body moving but her's too as he took deep breaths.  Eventually, she lifted up, kissed him on the back of the head and walked out.  It was all I could do to hold back my tears.  This woman, that I judged, was able to do what I wasn't.  She showed the love of Christ to someone in need.  

I believe that God sent her to help that man.  Sent her to make sure he knew that he was loved.  I think God also sent her for me.  To show me that judging people is not my place and that there is more to people than what meets the eye.  I still think about how I felt that day and how it affected me.  I'm praying even harder now for God to keep helping me with my thoughts and attitudes toward others.  We never know someone's story.  

I found out later that the woman I saw had been helping in the kids' ministries and she was dressed up as a character for their first day in the new building.  She didn't want to take attention from God.  She was serving Him in more ways than I can count.  She was important in that young man's life and in mine.

It was a God moment and I needed it.

_______

Do you find that there are certain people that you have a hard time loving?  For example, a particularly difficult person at work or a very needy friend?  I have those people and I practice finding the good in them and being Christ-like to them.  It isn't always easy and I mess up a lot.  But, I'm trying and I know ever-so-much-more how important it is to first show people love.

Much love,

Rachel Elizabeth