Happy Easter!

Good Friday thoughts...

I've been thinking a lot lately about security.  Specifically, the security that comes from resting in God's beautiful love for me.  Why is it that I so often feel that His acceptance of me somehow rests on what I do...how I act??  Human nature, maybe...we are taught from a young age that a good performance earns more praise, positive reaction, better report (and rightly so perhaps, in most cases).

Yet this attitude so often carries over into my relationship with my Father in heaven.  Lately though, He's been gently showing me that His love isn't something that I will be able to fully understand during this life.   It's deeper...wider...stronger...than any earthly love I will ever experience.  And nothing will ever separate me from that Love.

Nothing I do will make Him Love me more.  At the same time, as the realization of the fullness of that love slowly dawns on me, it fuels my desire to please Him, trust Him, obey Him.

On Palm Sunday, one of our church elders shared a message that has come to mind again and again this week.  We looked at the account of Jesus' trial, when Pilate gave the people a choice between Barabbas and Jesus....and saw the meaning of Barabbas' name: "Bar" = son, and "abba" = father (in an endearing way; daddy).  Barabbas could have been any one of us - he stood already condemned because of his sin...he is representative of all humanity.  When Jesus took his place - the perfect Son of God - He gave Barabbas, and all of us, the right to be called the true son of our Abba Father, should we choose to accept that gift.

That fresh insight on this beautiful, sobering old story filled me with new wonder at the Love that would do the unthinkable for me.  And for you.  May this thought never grow old, and may His love fill your heart this weekend as we look forward to celebrating His resurrection on Sunday.

Blessings,

Rachel Elisabeth

April 13, 2011

"We have the choice to deliberately think about the Lord
       in the moments our hearts begin to become {overwhelmed with the circumstances of life}.

        It is a choice we make and one that can eventually become a habit.
   In every situation, every day, in all things, let us consider Christ, who He is and His promises for us.

'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever' (Hebrews 13:8).  

He never changes. He who was able to keep Paul and John until the end is {able} to keep you as well.
          The only One whom we can draw strength from and depend on for all that we need is Jesus."

-K.P. Yohannan (Seeking Him)

Kiel & Sarah

Long past are the carefree summer afternoons with the cousins...playing tag barefoot in the backyard and marco polo in the pool...eating popsicles in wet bathing suits, and catching black snakes in the garbage can (ok, we only did that once).  Over the years, other friendships, interests, and, eventually, jobs replaced those afternoons....but this summer, we have several weddings to look forward to.

My cousin Kiel is one of the first of my cousins to get married - his wedding and my brother's wedding are only a few weeks apart.  I took their engagement pictures towards the end of last year, and had fun getting to know his beautiful fiancee, Sarah.      

I love Sarah's ring - it's gorgeous....good job Kiel :)

Blessings,

Rachel Elisabeth

April 2, 2011

You can call me strange, but I think one of the best smells on earth is that of warm, moist soil on a snowy morning in late winter....it smells like life to me - everything all around me pushing, pushing against the cold and promising new growth and new life.  

I started going to Michael Brother's Nursery when I was 14 years old...watching, helping, learning...and continued there every spring until after I graduated high school. It was my first experience working outside of home, and I absolutely loved it.  

I remember thinking surely I had the best opportunity ever, especially those mornings that it would be snowing outside and we'd be in the warm, quiet greenhouses, transplanting little seedlings.  I always felt that I got a head start on spring, watching those little plants grow week after week.  My sister Rebekah still goes there every once in a while to help out, and I'm always happy for the chance to visit again.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord...for as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there, but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater...so shall My word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose..."

{Isaiah 55:8-11}

Blessings,

Rachel Elisabeth

March 27, 2011

"We pray for wisdom,

                            Your voice to hear,

    And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near.

We doubt Your goodness,

                              We doubt Your love,

    As if every promise from Your word is not enough.

All the while, You hear each desperate plea,

       And long that we'd have faith to believe.

'Cause what if Your blessings come {through raindrops},

What if Your healing comes through tears

And what if a thousand sleepless nights 

Are what it takes to know You're near?

What if my greatest disappointments

Or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy?

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights,

Are Your {mercies} in disguise."

-from "Blessings" by Laura Story

Dominican Republic - March 2011

My suitcase is lying on the floor of my bedroom partially unpacked, and there is a basket of laundry that needs folded, yet here I am sitting at my computer sorting through pictures and listening to Spanish music...somehow that's all I usually feel like doing the first few days after returning from a missions trip. I am so glad we have the ability to capture bits and pieces of these trips through photography and video - so much happens during a week like this, and pictures help spark memories after returning home.

This was my third trip to the Dominican Republic, and try as I might, it was very difficult to go back without having expectations of what was going to happen.  And of course, those expectations were way off...but the Spirit spoke to my heart in powerful ways.  I'm still processing all that He revealed and did, and will be for a while...for now, I'll pretty much let the pictures speak for themselves. :)

There were about 35 of us that travelled down together...most of the group coming from Pitt University, on their spring break.  We spent most of the week in a small sugarcane village, scraping and painting the row house, and developing relationships with those that lived there.  We were challenged by the Spirit through morning devotions led by Kim Costanza, enjoyed gorgeous weather and local church services, and survived a 24-hour stomach flu virus.  We spent a morning witnessing door-to-door in the barrios of Hato Mayor, had a baptism service, and a house dedication service.  It was a good week :)

Danilo, one of the local boys that works with MGM.

The first day we were there was a fairly relaxed day, as we had just travelled all the night before.  We played basketball with several of the local boys, and had a service at the compound...

The road we travelled through the sugarcane field.

This is the village we spent most of the week at...this picture was taken on the first day, as we were preparing it for the primer and paint.

Pastor Ney and several others repair the leaky roof as the rest of us were painting.

Cleaning up on the third day, when the project was finished.

The whole group of us with the villagers right before we said goodbye for the last time.

Elizabeth, Ruthie and I with a dear friend from one of the neighboring villages, Loida.  Liz had known her for several years, and I had met her and her mother when I was in the DR last July - it was really good to see her again.

On our third day in the sugarcane field, a few of us went with Kim and Pastor Ney to visit some of the other villages.  We rode in the back of the pick-up truck and had fun taking pictures and playing with the kids while we waited for Kim and Ney.

Ney's house was completed and he and his family had moved in by the time we arrived.  On Thursday, we added some of the finishing touches and had a communion service to dedicate the house.

Loida and one of her friends came to the compound for the dedication service.

The last day we were there, we had a baptism service at the pool in Hato Mayor - 

four of the girls on the trip were baptized.

Liz, Keally and I

And a few more shots of the kids...I can't resist :)...

Here is a quick video I put together with several more photos and clips from the week.  The song I used is a Christian Spanish song called Un Viaje Largo by Marcela Gandara.  In English, it translates to "the Long Journey", and I thought the words were very appropriate for some of what the Lord was speaking to my heart throughout the week.  The song talks about the long journey of coming to see God's eternal purposes...the valleys of insecurity we walk through and the cost we pay to believe and follow Him.  And then finding His love within all His plans for us - it's worth every price we have to pay.  I feel sometimes that this is a life-long journey, through seasons of doubt and seasons of trust...but this journey will end someday, and with that ending will come full understanding of all His reasons.

Many thanks to all of you who were praying for us.  You were part of us this week...

Rachel Elisabeth