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Seasons of Life:

Seasons/Phases/Chapters... whatever you want to call it. I entering a new one. Life as I know will be different from here on out.
It's interesting that my last post on here was about how hard waiting is, and now here I am almost exactly a year later to tell you how God has worked some miraculous things out for me. This year has been full of surprises and has been eventful to say the least.
Here are a few of the big ones:
1. I Had a couple seizures in march. I found out I have epilepsy. I got a medical suspension on my license because of it.
2. Erik asked me to date him in may. I gladly said yes ;)
3. I worked at Servants Heart Camp Ministries over the summer as Sr. counselor. God worked in so many incredible ways there!

Here is what is happening now:
1. I quit my job at country table restaurant.
2. Tomorrow i move in with Mrs. Curtis!!!
3. I applied to Millersville University. I am trying to start school this semester, but the admissions office is very bad at communication! I have not gotten the final ok yet. It's frustrating not knowing this close to school, but God knows best!
4. I retook my medical tests to try for my license again. Jan 26th I know the results!

It seems like things are starting to come together for me. I still have some waiting to do, but God is starting to gently push me along. Every step of the way I know He is guiding me. It's such a comforting thing to have someone to believe in! I don't know how people can survive without God! He is my consent strength when I am failing!

Last years theme verses for me was from psalm 71:

20Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

21Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.

I used these verses over and over again when the going got tough. I always think of that second verse as a figurative "Hug from God" that may seem strange, but isn't that what a hug accomplishes? It comforts us on every side. (Wraps itself around us). Not only did God use my struggles and these verse in my own life, but He was was able to use them in the lives of the many campers i counseled who need to hear these same verses!
All I can say is that God was good yesterday, He is good today, and will continue to be good tomorrow. Don't ever doubt His goodness!

Waiting.... isn't easy!

I have been doing so much research lately for my future. I feel like I don't have any idea how I am going to ever get to college, and I don't know where exactly God is leading me, but I know I have to be willing to do whatever He wants, and I also know that I can't just sit here and expect Him to do all the work. So, basically I've been doing a lot of research and a lot of praying. But during this time I have also bee doing a lot of searching in the Bible for verses that will help me trust Him with everything I've got. I feel like God is trying to teach me something about waiting... so why not try and learn it? ;) So, here are some of the verses I have found.
Psalms 33:

13The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. (WOW!!! The God in heaven beholds us!!!!!)

14From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.

15He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works. ( He not only notices us, but he pays attention to what goes on in our lives)!!!

16There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. (We can't look to ppl to help us... it is God alone who has the BEST solution!)

17An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

18Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

19To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

20Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.( here it is.... God is a help for those who wait on HIm!)

21For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.

22Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.

In closing, here is one other verse.

2 Thessalonians 3:5
And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

Waiting isn't easy, but for those of you in the same boat as me, remember what we are waiting for! We are waiting for direction from: THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE! If your heart is in tune with God, He will lead you, whether or not is was where you expected or wanted to go.

Rachel D

Watch this Amazing video!!!

If you Don't stand for something you'll fall for anything.

PEI scrapbook

Free photo slideshow personalized with Smilebox

P.E.I. Sep. 2010

Graduation

Graduation went really well! I am glad it's over, but yet anxious to see what the future will hold...

My Uncle Russ...

Please pray for my uncle Russ. My Aunt Cheryl sent us an email yesterday and here is part of it:

Dear Family,
We didn't get very good news today. Russ has been in the hospital for a few days with an infection, and found out today that his artificial heart valve is covered with staph infection and is leaking. In the next week or so he will have to have the valve replaced again. This time he will have a human valve and aorta - which is quite rare. Actually, all that has been happening is very rare.
We covet your prayers.
Cheryl

PS He is hoping he doesn't get the heart valve from a woman!

There are some aditional issues as well, so please pray for God's wisdom, peace, and grace for this rough time!

Thanks for praying,
Rachel

Spring and babysitting Fortney kids ( and my photography attemps)

Trip....

Will see them soon!!!... Can't wait

snow, snow, go away!!!

Snowed in is the story from here! Four feet of the white stuff and drifts that reach above my head! (some of those drifts are in the middle of our driveway.... Unless our "neighbor" comes to bail us out we will be here until the snow melts! When I was little I used to love the snow.. it only meant playing in it, but now it means a whole lot more than that. However, I have been able to enjoy it somewhat. Chrystal and I crawled on our hands and knees to the end of our 1/4 mile long driveway because it was impossible to walk it. I have also gotten some great pictures of the birds trying to keep sheltered by our front porch. I have kept the camera with me pretty much at all times!

My latest drawing...

Psalm 61

¹Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.

²From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

³For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

⁴I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.

⁵For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.

⁶Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations.

⁷He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.

⁸So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

Mary's surgery

Mary's surgery is today at 2:00, so please keep her in your prayers! I would really appriciate it! Mary beleives that God has forgotten about her, Pray that she will see that He hasn't!
Rachel

Mary and Stacy.

Mary has been working as much as she feels up to because she knows that she won't be able to after surgery. She looks great, but when she stands she is a little unstable, and she is still in pain, but she doesn't want to sit and mope at home so she comes in to work. I haven't really had any chances to really talk to her, but pray for oppertunities. 

Stacy was gone all this week, and I didn't know until today why. Her grandfather died. Stacy was really close to her grandpa, but hasn't seen him in about two years. She was talking about him just last week saying that she really needs to visit him. But a couple days ago, he excused himself from the table because he wasn't feeling well, and an hour later he was dead. His heart failed him just like that! So now Stacy is beating herself up that she didn't visit him (he lived in Mass.) The point is, God is really, really working on her! But, please pray for her and her family as they go through this time. 

Thanks!

Rachel

Another update:

Mary's tumors are cancerous. They scheduling surgery within the next 10 days to try and take it all out. However, the Doctors said that the cancer seems to be very advanced, and it doesn't look good at all. Also, Mary was living with, and taking care of her sister who is very sick also. Now that Mary is in bad condition there is no one to take care of Lee. Please pray for that angle of this whole situation. 

Also, keep praying for Stacy because I'm afraid that this whole thing might push her away from God instead of bringing her to Him. I really believe that only through our prayers will she realize that God is in control no matter what. (We also told her that we would ask our church and our friends to pray... so please remember!) 

Some of you may have gotten this in a email, but if you could maybe share a verse of an encouraging thought that we could share with either Mary or Stacy please send it to me and I'll make sure it gets to them.. Several people have already done this. I know both Stacy and Mary would appreciate that people, who don't even know them, are praying and caring! 

God is watching over!

Rachel

Update:

Chrystal called Stacy today to see if there were any new updates on whether the Tumor is cancerous or not. Stacy hadn't heard of any, but is planning to go visit Mary tomorrow. We did find out however that both of Mary's parents died from cancer, and that Mary is too weak to even dress herself right now. I was shocked because I just worked with Mary last Sat. and she seemed fine. Stacy thinks that Mary - who never complains anyways- didn't go to the doctor because she couldn't afford it. 

Chrystal was also able to talk to Stacy for about 20 min. in which time she shared her testimony and also prayed with Stacy. Stacy -who doesn't have a very good opinion of Christians - didn't mind at all. God is definitely using this situation to soften her heart!

I am going to be working the next three days, so just pray for opportunities with the other co-workers as well as conversations occur.

Keep Praying!!!

Thanks, 

Rachel

Please Pray!!!!

Some of you may have heard about this at church, but I would really appreciate your prayers for my co-worker Mary. She just found out she has a tumor that is very possibly cancerous. She is in her 50s or 60s and not saved. Also, Stacy (another co-worker whom many of you have heard us talk about) is taking this really hard because she and mary were really close. Stacy is either 22 or 23 and def. not a christian. Anyways, Stacy called the other day simply to ask Chrystal and I to pray for Mary, and to have our friends pray as well. She said she knew she could depend on us. That in itself is a huge step for Stacy! Also, it's neat that she knew she could call us because we have never outrightly told her that we are christians, but somehow she knew! So, you can pray that I will have opportunities through this to share Christ with them. The Lord is trying to get ahold of Stacy, and already I have seen her softening. 

I know you all will be praying, so thank you in advance!!!

I appreciate  you guys so much!

Rachel