I cannot wait to get a plane tomorrow and go back to Zambia. I am in Macon at my grandparent's house watching Secretariat with my aunt and my cousins and awaiting 7:15 pm tomorrow when I board the plane to Johannesburg. It is a 17 hour flight and I do not have first class this time but I am still so excited! My uncle is amazing and worked out all the flight details and everything. I am so ready to see Sawyer and Joe and finally meet Rhonda and Gil. Keep praying for Gil. Him and Rhonda are going back to the states to get treatment for Gil's illness. I also cannot wait to meet the boys and girls that I will be able to tuck into bed at night and teach everyday. I am also excited about visiting Victoria Falls and going on a Safari. I will dearly dearly miss my family, my friends and my boyfriend. My dear friends are going to write me emails and letters which I cannot wait to receive. I got to skype Sawyer two nights ago and found out about what to expect and cannot wait!!! Africa has been a desire of my heart for many, many years and the Lord has granted me that desire not one, but two times. The Lord has been so faithful to see me through this trial my family and I have had to face and has taught me so much. One it has humbled me and shown me that the first time I went to Africa it was mostly about me and some about Jesus. The second time around it's all about Jesus and none about me. He has provided every dollar. He has provided every flight. He has provided every detail, every need and even every want. HE IS FAITHFUL, and WILL REMAIN FAITHFUL. HE IS LORD OF ALL.
I cannot wait to serve HIM and HIS precious children in Macha, Zambia. More posts to follow.
<3 rach
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
HE PROVIDES
wow...what can I say?
HE IS JEHOVAH JIRAH, JEHOVAH RAFFA!! HE IS GOOD, SO GOOD.
The Lord has blown me away by his provision in the last two weeks. I was really under alot of stress financially and did not know how I was going to be able to get back to Zambia. I was praying, Lord, not my will, but yours BE DONE. And leaning on the promise of His Word where it says, He will accomplish the things that concern you. I had just found out about the prices of the flights that I needed from Johannesburg to Lusaka and then Lusaka to Macha and they were more than I had expected but I was still trusting that the Lord would provide a way and He SURE DID. I was able to have enough money to get all the flights I need to get to Macha and I am leaving from Atlanta at 7:15 Sunday night. I will arrive in Johannesburg 5:15 pm the next day and then hopfully get to Macha that night or in the morning. The Lord has been so good to Sawyer and Joe while they have been in Macha as well! Sawyer sends me email updates frequently and just posted her pictures on facebook of Africa so far. That truly blessed me to see pictures of where I am going to be spending the next month and a half. God knows exactly what you need and when you need it! I also got some very exciting news today. I received a phone call from a dear friend, Laura and she told me that I got the job at Camp Highland this summer and can work as a Counselor if I still want the position and I literally screamed with excitement! Camp Highland is an outdoors camp located in Elijay, GA up near Jasper where Sharp Top Cove is. Camp Highland is where my best friend, Liz Patton has worked as a camp counselor for two years and so has my boyfriend. My boyfriend and I met at Camp Highland this past summer. If you know me, you know that kids are my passion and I am going to be able to work with them 24/7 for the whole summer!! YES! I know that it is going to be challenging at times but I know this is what the Lord wants me to do and I am so excited for this opportunity. He is so faithful and has guided and carved out every step of the way. I am so excited about this new journey I am about to embark on...HERE I AM LORD, SEND ME!
HE IS JEHOVAH JIRAH, JEHOVAH RAFFA!! HE IS GOOD, SO GOOD.
The Lord has blown me away by his provision in the last two weeks. I was really under alot of stress financially and did not know how I was going to be able to get back to Zambia. I was praying, Lord, not my will, but yours BE DONE. And leaning on the promise of His Word where it says, He will accomplish the things that concern you. I had just found out about the prices of the flights that I needed from Johannesburg to Lusaka and then Lusaka to Macha and they were more than I had expected but I was still trusting that the Lord would provide a way and He SURE DID. I was able to have enough money to get all the flights I need to get to Macha and I am leaving from Atlanta at 7:15 Sunday night. I will arrive in Johannesburg 5:15 pm the next day and then hopfully get to Macha that night or in the morning. The Lord has been so good to Sawyer and Joe while they have been in Macha as well! Sawyer sends me email updates frequently and just posted her pictures on facebook of Africa so far. That truly blessed me to see pictures of where I am going to be spending the next month and a half. God knows exactly what you need and when you need it! I also got some very exciting news today. I received a phone call from a dear friend, Laura and she told me that I got the job at Camp Highland this summer and can work as a Counselor if I still want the position and I literally screamed with excitement! Camp Highland is an outdoors camp located in Elijay, GA up near Jasper where Sharp Top Cove is. Camp Highland is where my best friend, Liz Patton has worked as a camp counselor for two years and so has my boyfriend. My boyfriend and I met at Camp Highland this past summer. If you know me, you know that kids are my passion and I am going to be able to work with them 24/7 for the whole summer!! YES! I know that it is going to be challenging at times but I know this is what the Lord wants me to do and I am so excited for this opportunity. He is so faithful and has guided and carved out every step of the way. I am so excited about this new journey I am about to embark on...HERE I AM LORD, SEND ME!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Bieber FEVER...
Oh, like baby, baby, baby Oh! Baby, baby, baby... ok so I think I have a case of bieber fever! I just went to see Never Say Never with one of my best friends, Heather! It was a blast! The film was GREAT and was a documentary about Justin's life and it was a legit 3D Concert. I am now pretty much obsessed with his music and like Usher a little more too:) He is so cute and my brother actually got mistaken in a bar for Justin Bieber haha!!! I want to go to one of his concerts with some of my friends I know...I sound like a 15 year old girl and I love it! His music is legit and makes me feel like im in middle school or high school again:)
Here's the lyrics to my favorite of his so far...
Ohh wooaah (3x)
You know you love me,I know you care
Just shout whenever, And I'll be there
You want my love, You want my heart
And we will never ever ever be apart
Are we an item? Girl quit playing
Were just friends, What are you saying
Said theres another, Look right in my eyes
My first love broke my heart for the first time,
And I was like
Baby, baby, baby ohhh
Like baby, baby, baby noo
Like baby, baby, baby ohh
I thought youd always be mine mine
Baby, baby, baby ohh
Like baby, baby, baby noo
Like baby, baby, baby ohh
I thought youd always be mine,mine (oh oh)
For you, I would have done whatever
And I just can't believe, we ain't together
And I wanna play it cool, But I'm losin' you
I'll buy you anything, I'll buy you any ring
And im in pieces, Baby fix me
And just shake me til' you wake me from this bad dream
Im going down, down, down, dooown
And I just cant believe my first love would be around.
And I'm like
Baby, baby, baby ohh
Like baby, baby, baby noo
Like baby, baby, baby ohh
I thought youd always be mine, mine
Justin Bieber Baby lyrics found on http://www.directlyrics.com/justin-bieber-baby-lyrics.html
Here's the lyrics to my favorite of his so far...
Ohh wooaah (3x)
You know you love me,I know you care
Just shout whenever, And I'll be there
You want my love, You want my heart
And we will never ever ever be apart
Are we an item? Girl quit playing
Were just friends, What are you saying
Said theres another, Look right in my eyes
My first love broke my heart for the first time,
And I was like
Baby, baby, baby ohhh
Like baby, baby, baby noo
Like baby, baby, baby ohh
I thought youd always be mine mine
Baby, baby, baby ohh
Like baby, baby, baby noo
Like baby, baby, baby ohh
I thought youd always be mine,mine (oh oh)
For you, I would have done whatever
And I just can't believe, we ain't together
And I wanna play it cool, But I'm losin' you
I'll buy you anything, I'll buy you any ring
And im in pieces, Baby fix me
And just shake me til' you wake me from this bad dream
Im going down, down, down, dooown
And I just cant believe my first love would be around.
And I'm like
Baby, baby, baby ohh
Like baby, baby, baby noo
Like baby, baby, baby ohh
I thought youd always be mine, mine
Justin Bieber Baby lyrics found on http://www.directlyrics.com/justin-bieber-baby-lyrics.html
I have the FEVER!!!
-rach
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
im running to YOUR arms...my heart will sing no other name JESUS
Jesus is all we need. His grace is sufficient for us. He is our ultimate lover and redeemer. HE IS THE CHRIST, the SON OF THE LIVING GOD.
I have to admit it was kinda sad not being with my boyfriend yesterday for Valentine's BUT he called me on His way to class and I had a wonderful date with Erin. It was fabulous! We had good conversation, tomato soup and burnt grilled cheese thanks to me:) I had a great afternoon walking at the pier and taking a nap and watching a movie. Then off to CONVERGE to practice for worship last night. I did not realize how much I have missed my CONVERGE body and being part of something bigger than myself. I love worshipping God, especially with people who are genuine worshippers. God is so worthy of our worship and worthy to sing our praises to. Madhur spoke on Acts and the significance of the church and the body of Christ. Very powerful and challenging. Just what I needed. He spoke on the importance of the body of Christ and the command that Jesus gives us at the end of Matthew and in Acts 1:8: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all of Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth."
It is a command to go and teach and preach the gospel. You don't have to literally preach the gospel, if you are a believer but you need to show the gospel in everything you do, who you are and how you live your life. It should all radiate the KING of KINGS. O God, I pray that I will preach Christ crucified and raised as long as I live and I will be worthy of you. Jesus I long to be with you but in Phillipians Paul says, For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. I will ever praise you, O God you are my God...
I cannot believe it but 9 days from now I will be headed back to Zambia!!!! PRAISE JESUS. The waiting has been the hardest thing for me but I truly believe that God called me back to the states for such a time as this. I have been Esther and been in a waiting room and now it is time to live out the Great Commission, not only in my life now, but in Africa too. I am so excited that He has allowed me to go back and finish what I have started. Please continue to pray for Sawyer and Joe and Joel and Sue Bolthouse and Rhonda and Gil Krause. Rhonda and Gil are going to have to return to the states for treatment for Gil's cancer but we will stay until April 7th with all the teachers and students. So I will be in Macha for a month and a half. Pray for traveling details that they will work out and I will have enough money. If you feel led to donate or to pray please respond with your address so I can send a prayer card. Also if you feel led to contribute financially, my address is 12 Country Club Ct. St. Simons Island, GA 31522 and you make the check out to "Rachel Harden". But most of all I need the prayers! Pray for safety and for the Lord to continue to prepare my heart for the environment I will be entering. That i will have enough strength to be a living, breathing example of the gospel daily, that Jesus would live through me and I would glorify HIM in ALL I do. Thank you so much! Know and believe that Jesus' loves you more than you could ever imagine. HE has wiped your sins as far as the east is from the west. When he looks at you He sees His SON. Live your life for Him for He is worthy!
I am running to You Jesus!
-rach
9 days till Zambia, 4 days till Jackson:)
I'm one happy girl:)
Rachel, me and Joe! cannot wait for our reuniting!
Quick and I on our first date:)
MACHA, ZAMBIA HERE I COME!!!!
I have to admit it was kinda sad not being with my boyfriend yesterday for Valentine's BUT he called me on His way to class and I had a wonderful date with Erin. It was fabulous! We had good conversation, tomato soup and burnt grilled cheese thanks to me:) I had a great afternoon walking at the pier and taking a nap and watching a movie. Then off to CONVERGE to practice for worship last night. I did not realize how much I have missed my CONVERGE body and being part of something bigger than myself. I love worshipping God, especially with people who are genuine worshippers. God is so worthy of our worship and worthy to sing our praises to. Madhur spoke on Acts and the significance of the church and the body of Christ. Very powerful and challenging. Just what I needed. He spoke on the importance of the body of Christ and the command that Jesus gives us at the end of Matthew and in Acts 1:8: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all of Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth."
It is a command to go and teach and preach the gospel. You don't have to literally preach the gospel, if you are a believer but you need to show the gospel in everything you do, who you are and how you live your life. It should all radiate the KING of KINGS. O God, I pray that I will preach Christ crucified and raised as long as I live and I will be worthy of you. Jesus I long to be with you but in Phillipians Paul says, For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. I will ever praise you, O God you are my God...
I cannot believe it but 9 days from now I will be headed back to Zambia!!!! PRAISE JESUS. The waiting has been the hardest thing for me but I truly believe that God called me back to the states for such a time as this. I have been Esther and been in a waiting room and now it is time to live out the Great Commission, not only in my life now, but in Africa too. I am so excited that He has allowed me to go back and finish what I have started. Please continue to pray for Sawyer and Joe and Joel and Sue Bolthouse and Rhonda and Gil Krause. Rhonda and Gil are going to have to return to the states for treatment for Gil's cancer but we will stay until April 7th with all the teachers and students. So I will be in Macha for a month and a half. Pray for traveling details that they will work out and I will have enough money. If you feel led to donate or to pray please respond with your address so I can send a prayer card. Also if you feel led to contribute financially, my address is 12 Country Club Ct. St. Simons Island, GA 31522 and you make the check out to "Rachel Harden". But most of all I need the prayers! Pray for safety and for the Lord to continue to prepare my heart for the environment I will be entering. That i will have enough strength to be a living, breathing example of the gospel daily, that Jesus would live through me and I would glorify HIM in ALL I do. Thank you so much! Know and believe that Jesus' loves you more than you could ever imagine. HE has wiped your sins as far as the east is from the west. When he looks at you He sees His SON. Live your life for Him for He is worthy!
I am running to You Jesus!
-rach
9 days till Zambia, 4 days till Jackson:)
I'm one happy girl:)
Sunday, February 13, 2011
beautiful day
i love sundays. i always have...it is such a beautiful day! JESUS is worthy and worthy of our praise! HE IS HOLY, majestic, beautiful, powerful, kind, loving, just, Creator of ALL!
i am in awe of how much God loves us and adores us! He has blessed me with time with good friends and family this past week and I am grateful. One of my good friends, Zach traveled down to visit St. Simons and was on a southeastern recruiting trip for Camp Highland in Elijay, GA. I might work there this coming summer and it is where my best friend, Liz Patton worked for two summers and where I met my boyfriend, David Quick. Camp Highland is dear to my heart and I loved getting to visit and talk to Zach. While he was here he and my family all went to the pier and Boneyard at Jeckyll Island and was able to see all the driftwood. It was absolutely gorgeous this weekend and so cool to see all the old wood on the beach... last night we hit up the town with my first Georgia Coastal College Homecoming Dance at the King and Prince and danced the night away!! It was so fun to dance with my girlfriends and let loose!!:) i missed my dancing partner but i get to see him in 5 days!! wohoo!!
God is so gracious and allows us to see Him everywhere, if we only look for Him. He is the reason I live and move and have my being!! Blessed be the name of the LORD.
Lyrics from Bethany Dillon- beautiful
I was so unique
Now I feel skin deep
I count on the make-up to cover it all
Crying myself to sleep cause I cannot keep their attention
I thought I could be strong
But it's killing me
Does someone hear my cry?
I'm dying for new life
[Chorus]
I want to be beautiful
Make you stand in awe
Look inside my heart,
and be amazed
I want to hear you say
Who I am is quite enough
Just want to be worthy of love
And beautiful
Sometimes I wish I was someone other than me
Fighting to make the mirror happy
Trying to find whatever is missing
Won't you help me back to glory
[Chorus]
You make me beautiful
You make me stand in awe
You step inside my heart, and I am amazed
I love to hear You say
Who I am is quite enough
You make me worthy of love and beautiful
love you all!!
-rach
i am in awe of how much God loves us and adores us! He has blessed me with time with good friends and family this past week and I am grateful. One of my good friends, Zach traveled down to visit St. Simons and was on a southeastern recruiting trip for Camp Highland in Elijay, GA. I might work there this coming summer and it is where my best friend, Liz Patton worked for two summers and where I met my boyfriend, David Quick. Camp Highland is dear to my heart and I loved getting to visit and talk to Zach. While he was here he and my family all went to the pier and Boneyard at Jeckyll Island and was able to see all the driftwood. It was absolutely gorgeous this weekend and so cool to see all the old wood on the beach... last night we hit up the town with my first Georgia Coastal College Homecoming Dance at the King and Prince and danced the night away!! It was so fun to dance with my girlfriends and let loose!!:) i missed my dancing partner but i get to see him in 5 days!! wohoo!!
God is so gracious and allows us to see Him everywhere, if we only look for Him. He is the reason I live and move and have my being!! Blessed be the name of the LORD.
Lyrics from Bethany Dillon- beautiful
I was so unique
Now I feel skin deep
I count on the make-up to cover it all
Crying myself to sleep cause I cannot keep their attention
I thought I could be strong
But it's killing me
Does someone hear my cry?
I'm dying for new life
[Chorus]
I want to be beautiful
Make you stand in awe
Look inside my heart,
and be amazed
I want to hear you say
Who I am is quite enough
Just want to be worthy of love
And beautiful
Sometimes I wish I was someone other than me
Fighting to make the mirror happy
Trying to find whatever is missing
Won't you help me back to glory
[Chorus]
You make me beautiful
You make me stand in awe
You step inside my heart, and I am amazed
I love to hear You say
Who I am is quite enough
You make me worthy of love and beautiful
love you all!!
-rach
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Wake Up and Quick
Wake Up is the best coffee shop EVER. It is located in St. Simons Island and it offers so many different coffee flavors and expresso drinks. It also offers Fair trade accessories and jewlery and handmade bowls and different things for your home...It is a great place to have a good conversation and to support fair trade and other countries. Wake Up is a Christian organization and believes in helping others. Wake Up is designed in a way that is soothing and appealing to all. It has wood floors and walls, wood tables with red chairs and three leather chairs with a plasma tv and card games galore. It is a great place to drink coffee and have a date. Please support it if you live on the island...:)
us at Civil Wars
Calloway Gardens
Chapel at Calloway Gardens
Indian Mounds in Macon
I cannot wait for my road trip next Thursday I'm headed up to Athens to get Vi the Volvo and then headed to see my boyfriend David Quick I cannot wait to see him and spend the weekend with him for a late Valentine's celebration. He is awesome:) and I like him a WHOLE LOT.
Friday, February 11, 2011
JOY pure JOY continued... blank check
Anyway so something happened and I could not continue to write on my blog...my thoughts toward Platt's sermons on the book of Acts was I want to have a church or be a part of a church like the church of Acts! Platt challenged everyone to 10 reasons why we need to give God a blank check in our lives and in our churches...A blank check means: Ok, Lord I am giving you my life, my church etc to do whatever you want with it. I give you permission to rule and to reign however you please and to give or take away as much as you want as long as YOU are my KING JESUS. The 10 reasons are:
1. Jesus is worthy of absolute surrender- Luke 9:23-24, Luke 12:22-34, Luke 9:57-62, Luke 10:3, Luke 14:26-33, Luke 18:18-24
2. Because Jesus is working to advance His Kingdom- Acts 1:24
3. Jesus is and has clothed every single one of us in His power- Acts 1:8, Acts 4:13
4. Because Jesus has given every single one of us the same purpose- We are his witnesses, We need to preach the GOSPEL everyday by living our lives totally surrendered to JESUS
5. Because our world is our goal--take HIS NAME to the ends of the earth
6. the WORD is our guarantee--Acts 1:16, the scripture is fulfilled
7. Because the SPIRIT is here--Acts 2:1-13
8. Because the stakes are high--Acts 2:37-41, People's souls are on the line!! Are we willing to risk EVERYTHING for the sake of the Gospel?
9. Because the Glory of Christ leaves us no other option-- Acts 2:36 He is the LORD of ALL.
10. Because the coming of Christ leaves us with eager anticipation--Matthew 24:14
We need to DIE trying to preach the gospel to the nations so that we can see the Great Commission be fulfilled in our lifetime and we can see JESUS return in ALL of His glory. Will you die for the sake of the gospel? Are you willing to risk everything just as long as you receive Jesus? Is HE really enough for you??
Listen to this:
http://www.brookhills.org/media/series/acts/
1. Jesus is worthy of absolute surrender- Luke 9:23-24, Luke 12:22-34, Luke 9:57-62, Luke 10:3, Luke 14:26-33, Luke 18:18-24
2. Because Jesus is working to advance His Kingdom- Acts 1:24
3. Jesus is and has clothed every single one of us in His power- Acts 1:8, Acts 4:13
4. Because Jesus has given every single one of us the same purpose- We are his witnesses, We need to preach the GOSPEL everyday by living our lives totally surrendered to JESUS
5. Because our world is our goal--take HIS NAME to the ends of the earth
6. the WORD is our guarantee--Acts 1:16, the scripture is fulfilled
7. Because the SPIRIT is here--Acts 2:1-13
8. Because the stakes are high--Acts 2:37-41, People's souls are on the line!! Are we willing to risk EVERYTHING for the sake of the Gospel?
9. Because the Glory of Christ leaves us no other option-- Acts 2:36 He is the LORD of ALL.
10. Because the coming of Christ leaves us with eager anticipation--Matthew 24:14
We need to DIE trying to preach the gospel to the nations so that we can see the Great Commission be fulfilled in our lifetime and we can see JESUS return in ALL of His glory. Will you die for the sake of the gospel? Are you willing to risk everything just as long as you receive Jesus? Is HE really enough for you??
Listen to this:
http://www.brookhills.org/media/series/acts/
JOY pure JOY
ok so I have to confess that I haven't really given Matt Damon that much attention in my life time...my obsessions with actors include Jude Law, Brad Pitt, Tom Welling and Cary Grant, Matthew McConahey, (don't know how to spell his last name...) I recently have developed a little cruse on Matt Damon thanks to Good Will Hunting. I could not sleep Wednesday night and got up and found 'Good Will Hunting' on tv unedited...it had a lot of cuss words in it:( but was an excellent movie about loving who you truly are and discovering who you are and what you want in life. Anyways...Matt Damon plays the main character Will Hunting and he is a 20-year old orphan who gets in much trouble and has dropped out of school, but is apparently a mathematical genius who could basically, rule the world. He is EXTREMELY good looking and meets this girl named Skyler in a bar one night and they begin to date. Skyler is a trust fund baby and is a senior at Harvard and going to graduate and go to Med School in California, Will works as a janitor at Harvard and a construction worker with his best friend, Ben Affleck. This movie is awesome you should totally watch it edited:)
anyway enough of talking about Good Will Hunting...I had some good girlfriends over last night and we continued our Matt Damon obsession and watched 'The Legend of Bagger Vance' another great film that you should see!!! It stars yours truly, Matt Damon, Will Smith and Charleze Theron and it is about the great golf legends Bobby Jones, Walter... and Junah, who is played by Matt Damon. If you like golf you will LOVE this movie:) it is filmed in Savannah , Ga and taken in the late 1930's early 40's right after and during the Great Depression. It is a very heart warming film and it is clean!! anyway Matt Damon looks hot as usual and is a great golf player:)
talking about this somehow gives me great JOY and also I wanted to add that JESUS gives me COMPLETE JOY. I just got done hearing a sermon from my pastor in Birmingham, David Platt on the book of Acts. As a faith family, Brook Hills, my home church, is going through a series of studying the book of Acts and how the church in Jesus' time was formed and what Christ had called the church of Acts and is calling the church today to do.
talking about this somehow gives me great JOY and also I wanted to add that JESUS gives me COMPLETE JOY. I just got done hearing a sermon from my pastor in Birmingham, David Platt on the book of Acts. As a faith family, Brook Hills, my home church, is going through a series of studying the book of Acts and how the church in Jesus' time was formed and what Christ had called the church of Acts and is calling the church today to do.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
TRUST
ok so I am finally back on the Island again...
going back and forth to Macon and the island is kinda stressful for me and my mom but we are hanging in there:) anyways...I went to the doctor for the last time on Feb. 8th to get my stitches out. Dr. Melinda got all the stitches removed and was able to tell me when I was able to go back to Africa!!! I get to go back in 3 weeks!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!! Words cannot express how excited I was when my mom told me an actual date that I could go back on we are aiming for the 28th of Feb or 1st of March. I cannot wait to be re-united with Rachel and Joe and the people and especially the children at MICS. Goodness waiting is hard but the Lord has definitely taught me that HE is in control and HE is the one who directs and guides my steps. Trusting HIM with everything has been hard at times but it also makes me sigh in relief because I am not in control. I think sometimes we think that if we are in control everything is better and it will go smoothly, but that is a LIE that Satan throws at us. If we are in control of things, we can almost know there WILL BE disaster waiting on the other side. BUT, If we surrender to Jesus and HIS ways and HIS plan for our lives then everything else will fall into place. It might be a little different then we might have done it or seen it happening but it is always the BEST. Romans 8:28 says, "That in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to HIS purpose."
I have been called to a higher purpose that is greater than myself and greater than my hopes or dreams. Christ has forever set me free and I am forever His servant living to do His will and HIS work. The Lord is always faithful and HIS timing is perfect. I am so thankful that HE is allowing me to heal so quickly and allowing me to return to Africa fairly soon after the surgery. Thank you all so much for praying for me and my family we definitely felt the prayers and the support through all of this. I have one request that you would please pray for my best friend Craig. Craig has been battling cancer, Hodgkin's/Lymphoma for 4 months now. She has done 6 chemo treatments, had a staff infection, and had to get her port removed twice. She had surgery today to remove her port and will have to get the remaining two chemo treatments without the port, which is a very painful process. Please pray that she will not get as sick as she has been getting after the treatments and that she will start to feel better and recover quickly from the surgery. Pray for continued healing in her body and for peace and strength for her and her family and my best friend Liz who is helping to take care of her. It has been extremely difficult to hear about Craig suffering and not being able to do anything about it hardly. She is such a strong lady of the Lord and loves Jesus so much. Her laughter and joy for life is contagious to anyone who meets her. She is BEAUTIFUL inside and out. Please continue to pray for her.
Thank you for trusting Jesus with me!
me and craig getting my hair cut for locks of love!!
I love my JESUS Craig, Liz and I
rach
going back and forth to Macon and the island is kinda stressful for me and my mom but we are hanging in there:) anyways...I went to the doctor for the last time on Feb. 8th to get my stitches out. Dr. Melinda got all the stitches removed and was able to tell me when I was able to go back to Africa!!! I get to go back in 3 weeks!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!! Words cannot express how excited I was when my mom told me an actual date that I could go back on we are aiming for the 28th of Feb or 1st of March. I cannot wait to be re-united with Rachel and Joe and the people and especially the children at MICS. Goodness waiting is hard but the Lord has definitely taught me that HE is in control and HE is the one who directs and guides my steps. Trusting HIM with everything has been hard at times but it also makes me sigh in relief because I am not in control. I think sometimes we think that if we are in control everything is better and it will go smoothly, but that is a LIE that Satan throws at us. If we are in control of things, we can almost know there WILL BE disaster waiting on the other side. BUT, If we surrender to Jesus and HIS ways and HIS plan for our lives then everything else will fall into place. It might be a little different then we might have done it or seen it happening but it is always the BEST. Romans 8:28 says, "That in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to HIS purpose."
I have been called to a higher purpose that is greater than myself and greater than my hopes or dreams. Christ has forever set me free and I am forever His servant living to do His will and HIS work. The Lord is always faithful and HIS timing is perfect. I am so thankful that HE is allowing me to heal so quickly and allowing me to return to Africa fairly soon after the surgery. Thank you all so much for praying for me and my family we definitely felt the prayers and the support through all of this. I have one request that you would please pray for my best friend Craig. Craig has been battling cancer, Hodgkin's/Lymphoma for 4 months now. She has done 6 chemo treatments, had a staff infection, and had to get her port removed twice. She had surgery today to remove her port and will have to get the remaining two chemo treatments without the port, which is a very painful process. Please pray that she will not get as sick as she has been getting after the treatments and that she will start to feel better and recover quickly from the surgery. Pray for continued healing in her body and for peace and strength for her and her family and my best friend Liz who is helping to take care of her. It has been extremely difficult to hear about Craig suffering and not being able to do anything about it hardly. She is such a strong lady of the Lord and loves Jesus so much. Her laughter and joy for life is contagious to anyone who meets her. She is BEAUTIFUL inside and out. Please continue to pray for her.
Thank you for trusting Jesus with me!
rach
Sunday, February 6, 2011
HELD BY HIM
WOW.
What a two weeks it has been!! I had PET SCAN Friday: came back clear then Quick, uncle Randy and aunt roslyn, matt and laura came to celebrate that night and we had a blast!! Saturday Quick and I had a wonderful time at Washington Park eating Twila Faye's and exploring the Indian Mounds in Macon then we had a delicious meal at the Hunt's and prayed and talked for hours Saturday night. We went to North Macon Pres Sunday and got to hear Hunter Stevenson deliver God's Word and eat lunch with Matt and Laura at Jeanine's!!! Then we took a little nap and Quick had to leave :( Then that night I drove up to Kennesaw to eat dinner and watch a movie with Quick and his friends and then Monday I had pre opp. Pre opp went well just a bunch of blood work and paper work and we waited for Tuesday. I thought tues was going to be the worst day but it ended up being one of the easiest. I had to get a radioactive shot injected into my mole and i thought it was going to be way more painful then it actually was!!! YAY that was over and I had to be at the hospital at 7 AM Wed morning for the surgery. I had to prep for surgery and sleep in clean pajamas, clean sheets and clean pillow cases. I woke and I was ready to get this over with. We had about a two hour delay because of a surgery Dr. Martin was in but that was ok. Then Dr. McLendon came in with some scary news my platelet count was extremely low and they might not be able to finish the surgery...the surgery went more than great and they got clean margins and clear lymphnodes!! I am still in the process of recovering keep praying for healing to be speedy and for me to be ready to go back to Zambia in 2 weeks!! Sawyer and Joe are doing great and cannot wait to have me back and the new children cannot wait to meet Mrs Rachel!!! please continue to pray for MICS, the teachers and the staff, for Gil and Rhonda Krause and for the people of Macha. Pray for Sue and Joel Bolthouse as they will be visiting their sons in Kenya this week!! Thank you for all the prayers I feel Jesus is right beside me and has been holding me through this whole process.
thanks for being the body of christ,
rach
ps thanks to Laura to being the best sister a girl could ask for:) and to mom and dad for being the best parents and for tay for being the coolest and most sweetest brother ever and to Quick for being my support and boyfriend! I love you all!!
What a two weeks it has been!! I had PET SCAN Friday: came back clear then Quick, uncle Randy and aunt roslyn, matt and laura came to celebrate that night and we had a blast!! Saturday Quick and I had a wonderful time at Washington Park eating Twila Faye's and exploring the Indian Mounds in Macon then we had a delicious meal at the Hunt's and prayed and talked for hours Saturday night. We went to North Macon Pres Sunday and got to hear Hunter Stevenson deliver God's Word and eat lunch with Matt and Laura at Jeanine's!!! Then we took a little nap and Quick had to leave :( Then that night I drove up to Kennesaw to eat dinner and watch a movie with Quick and his friends and then Monday I had pre opp. Pre opp went well just a bunch of blood work and paper work and we waited for Tuesday. I thought tues was going to be the worst day but it ended up being one of the easiest. I had to get a radioactive shot injected into my mole and i thought it was going to be way more painful then it actually was!!! YAY that was over and I had to be at the hospital at 7 AM Wed morning for the surgery. I had to prep for surgery and sleep in clean pajamas, clean sheets and clean pillow cases. I woke and I was ready to get this over with. We had about a two hour delay because of a surgery Dr. Martin was in but that was ok. Then Dr. McLendon came in with some scary news my platelet count was extremely low and they might not be able to finish the surgery...the surgery went more than great and they got clean margins and clear lymphnodes!! I am still in the process of recovering keep praying for healing to be speedy and for me to be ready to go back to Zambia in 2 weeks!! Sawyer and Joe are doing great and cannot wait to have me back and the new children cannot wait to meet Mrs Rachel!!! please continue to pray for MICS, the teachers and the staff, for Gil and Rhonda Krause and for the people of Macha. Pray for Sue and Joel Bolthouse as they will be visiting their sons in Kenya this week!! Thank you for all the prayers I feel Jesus is right beside me and has been holding me through this whole process.
thanks for being the body of christ,
rach
ps thanks to Laura to being the best sister a girl could ask for:) and to mom and dad for being the best parents and for tay for being the coolest and most sweetest brother ever and to Quick for being my support and boyfriend! I love you all!!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
much to say...
So much has happened since my last post...where to start?? Its Feb. 1st today, the beginning of a new month and more importantly the release of my favorite band...THE CIVIL WARS...first CD comes out today!!!! WOHOO!!!! I have been waiting for this day a long time and its finally here! Here is a little taste of this amazing duo:) all i can say is WOW. their harmony is unbelievable. I cannot get enough of them!! I am actually going to Athens to hear them in concert on Feb. 7th with some of my good friends and cannot wait!! you can download their EP online for free and listen to you tube videos galore of them in concert.
ok...I MISS AFRICA. Sawyer emailed me yesterday and updated me on all the activities that they had done over the last two weeks. Please continue to pray for the village of Macha and MICS. She said it is harder to connect and communicate than she thought. Their are seven beautiful little girls that are boarding that we will take care of and the lady that is over the boarding children is named Sylvia. Please pray for Sylvia that God will soften her heart and allow her to have HIS joy. Sawyer said smiling is a rarity for her and she treats the children harshly. Pray for wisdom and grace for Sawyer and I as we try to minister to Sylvia and the rest of the staff at MICS. Sawyer and Joe are teaching 5th and 6th grade math and get to help out with a theme day that they have every Friday. Last week was SNOW DAY. Most of the children of MICS have never seen snow before so they were able to watch videos and make snowflakes out of paper and finished out the day with a snowball "paper" fight:) This Friday is going to be Valentine's Day theme!!! Please continue to pray for the teachers and administration and staff at MICS and for Gil and Rhonda Krause, Sue and Joel Bolthouse, Joe and Sawyer. Pray for opportunities to share the gospel and live out their faith visibly to the Zambians. I cannot wait to be re-united with them in two weeks!
I had my pre-opp yesterday and that went really well. I am looking a ok for surgery. I have my radioactive dye shot today and I am a little nervous. The doctors will shoot an injection of dye right into the mole on my hairline and this radioactive dye will travel to whichever lymph node needs to be removed. Pray for least pain possible and that the lymph node will either be in my neck or behind my ear. This will be the easiest for the doctors to get to. This appt. is at 3:30 this afternoon and then my surgery is tomorrow at noon. I will have to go into the hospital early tomorrow morning to get the results of the dye read and then they will preform the surgery. I also have contracted a sore throat starting yesterday please pray that that will heal up AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I cannot be sick!!
The Lord continues to show his faithfulness and goodness to me and my family. While I was napping yesterday, my dear friends, the Thompsons came over and delivered delicious cupcakes from the new store "Hello There Cupcake" in Macon and made me precious cards. Olivia and Emory are the little girls that I babysat regularly in Macon before we moved. Olivia is why I have such a heart for special needs children, Olivia has down syndrome. She just turned 8 years old and is the sweetest girl you will ever meet. Her Joy is contagious and her attitude towards life is so inspiring. Her mother Katherine was discipled by my mom while she was in high school and babysat for me and my brother alot. She is like a big sister to me and I thank God that she entrusts me with her children every now and then. They are such a blessing and have changed my life so.
He is good so good... thank you for continued prayer and interceding for my family and I. I will def update tomorrow after the surgery!! Love you ALL!
Psalm 91
rach
ok...I MISS AFRICA. Sawyer emailed me yesterday and updated me on all the activities that they had done over the last two weeks. Please continue to pray for the village of Macha and MICS. She said it is harder to connect and communicate than she thought. Their are seven beautiful little girls that are boarding that we will take care of and the lady that is over the boarding children is named Sylvia. Please pray for Sylvia that God will soften her heart and allow her to have HIS joy. Sawyer said smiling is a rarity for her and she treats the children harshly. Pray for wisdom and grace for Sawyer and I as we try to minister to Sylvia and the rest of the staff at MICS. Sawyer and Joe are teaching 5th and 6th grade math and get to help out with a theme day that they have every Friday. Last week was SNOW DAY. Most of the children of MICS have never seen snow before so they were able to watch videos and make snowflakes out of paper and finished out the day with a snowball "paper" fight:) This Friday is going to be Valentine's Day theme!!! Please continue to pray for the teachers and administration and staff at MICS and for Gil and Rhonda Krause, Sue and Joel Bolthouse, Joe and Sawyer. Pray for opportunities to share the gospel and live out their faith visibly to the Zambians. I cannot wait to be re-united with them in two weeks!
I had my pre-opp yesterday and that went really well. I am looking a ok for surgery. I have my radioactive dye shot today and I am a little nervous. The doctors will shoot an injection of dye right into the mole on my hairline and this radioactive dye will travel to whichever lymph node needs to be removed. Pray for least pain possible and that the lymph node will either be in my neck or behind my ear. This will be the easiest for the doctors to get to. This appt. is at 3:30 this afternoon and then my surgery is tomorrow at noon. I will have to go into the hospital early tomorrow morning to get the results of the dye read and then they will preform the surgery. I also have contracted a sore throat starting yesterday please pray that that will heal up AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I cannot be sick!!
Zambia is in blue:)
My precious Olivia!
Emory and Olivia Thompson:)
My girls!
He is good so good... thank you for continued prayer and interceding for my family and I. I will def update tomorrow after the surgery!! Love you ALL!
Psalm 91
rach
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