Friday, September 18, 2015

A Star for my Dad

For those of you who know my dad, you know what a strong man of God he is.  It's hard to imagine a time when he didn't know the Lord because God's love just pours out of him.  He has countless people tell him his sparkly blue eyes make them feel like Jesus himself is speaking to them.  I couldn't agree more.

In one of my trips up to Oklahoma over the last year I got to hear a part of my dad's salvation story.  I won't tell it as good as he does but I'm going to try to hit all the high points.  In February of 1975 my dad found himself married, with two daughters and feeling like there was more to life than the current lifestyle he was living.  They lived in the country and he stepped outside their trailer home and spoke out loud to God asking if he was real.  He asked him to show him in that moment if he was real.  God spoke to his heart and told him to look up at all the stars.  God said that he knows the number of stars and knows them all by name.  That was an important moment in my dad's salvation because he knew that if God knew all those stars he must know him.  And he learned that God still speaks to his children.  The coolest part of the story is that it wasn't until months later when my dad was reading the Bible that he realized God was speaking scripture to him that he had never read:

Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing.  Isaiah 40:26
Over the last few years my dad has had heart problems.  This last week he had another trip to the ER because of it and this time he wasn't sure he was going to make it.  When I got the call that he wasn't doing well I started interceding in prayer for him.  As I was praying I saw an image of Jesus walk up to his bed in the hospital, lay his hand on his body and it was as though a surge of new life went through him.

By the grace of God he is out of the hospital now and feeling much better.  When a near death experience hits so close to home it really makes me stop and think.  It makes me remember the brevity of life. Just as it says in James 4:14 "Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.".

How much different would we all live our life if we kept this verse at the forefront of our mind?  I'm not saying plans and dreams are bad(in fact they are from the Lord) but I do think it's important to keep an eternal perspective.

With that said, I decided to do something for my dad that I may normally think to do after he is gone. A letter to my dad:

 Dad, I am so honored to be your daughter. I'm thankful you chose to ask God if he was real 30 years ago. I chose your birth year for the date of your star because I felt God say he knew you from the moment you were conceived and from the moment you took your first breath. He knows your name and He has great plans for your life. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future.  He sees you, loves you and is so proud of you.  He delights in you and loves how you allow His spirit to shine through you for all to see.  You have made an impact in the lives of thousands, more than you will ever know in this life.  Your strength, joy, compassion and integrity is contagious. You will never be forgotten.  We have many years left on this earth to enjoy together.  I love you daddy.  Love, Rachael Joy





Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Why I'm taking a break from blogging

Hi friends!  You may have noticed from my last few posts there are a lot of changes in my life right now. From homeschooling our kids to my Revelation Wellness journey and on to my involvement with our church and business my life is very full.  Despite all that I feel very called to write. I never dreamed I would enjoy writing as much as I do but the Lord has really birthed it within me over this past year.  Just like exercising, or any other habit, it is good to schedule regular time to do it or it won't get done.  So for the last several months I have had one day a week that I sit down and write a blog post.  So why am I taking a break?  

The Lord has dropped a dream/idea for a book and/or small group curriculum for fitness on my heart.  I began to write a portion of it this last summer when I lead a fitness group at our church.  God gave me the format and so many ideas to go along with it.  I haven't written any more on the curriculum in a few months simply due to time.  Every time I run God gives me more ideas and revelation for the book.  Today as I sat down to write my weekly blog post I asked God what he wanted me to write about and his response shocked me "nothing on the blog, work on the book".  This is exciting and a little scary at the same time!

As I said yes to God in taking the time I would usually blog and instead work on the book I felt I would just keep it to myself.  Because you know, it can be scary to share dreams.  What will people think?  Will they laugh?  Judge me?  But then God reminded me that it's good to bring things into the light and I want all of you to know that I didn't just give up on blogging!  I will still write from time to time but it just won't be on a set day weekly for a short season.  

I don't want to share too much about the book yet but I do want to give you a glimpse into what it will cover so far:

  • Small group curriculum for a fitness life group with format and devotional for each class
  • Daily fitness related devotionals
  • Appendix with workout ideas
  • Appendix with games/partner drills for your classes
  • Power verse & power thought cards you can cut out of the book
  • Healthy and whole eating tips/recipes
  • 10 Minute workouts you can do at home
This is how I need your help:
  1. Pray for me!  Pray for wisdom, ideas and favor as I write and move forward with this project. I have no idea if it will get published but I feel God calling me to write it so that's my part, the rest is up to Him.
  2. Give me your feedback!  You saw the ideas I have for the book above but I would love to hear from you.  What would you like to see in a book like this?  I want this to be a resource for people, and churches, who want to incorporate fitness in to their lives but just need a little help getting started. It's time to put some of this fitness knowledge of mine to a better, higher call. :)
Thanks for all of your love and support, it means the world to me!