Galatians 2:20a
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not i, but Christ liveth in me:
My Life Verse

Ephesians 6:6

Not with eyeservice, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Pictures Justin Odell Sent from YC 


The theme this year was to take care of that 800lb gorilla in your life,
the secret thing only you & God know about


People on the bus

Bro. Frankie, DRIVING...

Shiv being a bum.

Street View of the Church

View from SHBC youth groups seats

There you have it, that was the majority of the pics i got.

Till then,
Rachael
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Friday, July 17, 2009

Long Lost Pictures from Labor Day Picnic '08


Awwww...don't let the sweet look deceive you!

Cool veiw!

GO SCOTT, he got hopps!!!

Wow Jacob...this look says it all!!!

Ain't we cute???

Ethan is a nut=) wat is with the stewarts being ready for the picture and me and NB are like WHAT???

Ok so that was a blast from the past...

Till Then,
Rachael
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Can You Jump????

Some of these people can....and some...well...they can't!















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Thursday, July 16, 2009

Roller Coaster Trivia (change of plans)

Ok so none of us have probably been to Japan to ride the coaster below...but i found it's name and i want you to guess...that is your new Roller coaster Trivia=)
You'll have to do your homework to get this one!!!


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Wordless Trivia??? or Roller Coaster Wednesday???


It can't be wordless wednesday because obviously its not wednesday, and it can't be roller coaster trivia because i can't find the name of this coaster. (apparently it's in Japan)

But doesn't that look AWESOME!?!?!?!
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More About Me


So some of you may already know these things about me, but thought i'd share them with the rest of the world=)

1. I can't stand to touch velvet.
2. I can't even begin to describe how much it urks me to touch chalk, much less write with it
3. My room door MUST be closed and SNAPPED if i won't be walking through it in the next 2 minutes. (especially if i am sleeping)
4. Justin Odell makes this odd whistling noise through his teeth, that doesn't seem to bother ANYONE ELSE, but drives me insane!
(and he does it intentionally for this purpose)
5.Sometimes i break out in hysterical laughter and can't tell you why.
6. Occasionally this laughter is so uncontainable that i start to cry, and you'd think i was hurt.
(sometimes its just good to cry, and even better when your not sad=)
7. Diet Pepsi gives me hiccups
8. My cd's in my room are in alphabetical order
9. I call most of my friends by their first and middle name, i can't really tell you why and i don't always do it intentionally. I guess because it gets their attention more than just saying their first name that they have heard OVER and OVER again and have learned to ignore=)
10. I will jokingly share my life "theories" with you, such as,
a. calories are airborne
b. bird communicate telepathically
c. fish, however, communicate by sonar=)
i used to have one that Indians didn't have tear glands, but then i witnessed Shivangi cry

Well that is all i can come up with just now...yes i am odd...but its ok=)
Till then,
Rachael


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Youth Conference Messages

Ok so i've been watching as much of YC as i can on the live streaming and i wanted to share some notes i've gotten from the awesome messages so far=)
These are all notes I took from their preaching.

Opening Speaker Last night was Bro. Mike Ray.....He opened with some funny statements and jokes to get our attention....he said "Lo Children are and heritage of the Lord"
God is talking about height!!! (you kinda had to be there...or be watching it live=)

I didn't get to see his whole message because we went to church last night but he mainly spoke on giving God your all. He used a great illustration to show us how much time in our life we spend sleeping, eating, getting ready, driving, etc. and that once you subtract that time from your life span...there's not a lot left to give Him. (so when God asks me for my all....He isn't asking a lot! After all, it is my "Reasonable Service"!!)
But then Bro. Ray pointed out...if you turn all those things into His service that gives a lot! Driving for a bus route, getting ready to serve Him soul winning, etc.

This morning I got to hear Bro. Chris Teft speak..the title of his message was "Walking With God"

"It's not the length of the prayer but the DEPTH!!!"
"Love God when everyone is watching, Love God when no one is watching!"

Bro. Teft pointed out that we all have "Tendencies of similarity" with the pharisees.

1. Pharisaical
(Exactly what it sounds like)
We are the separated ones. (or supposed to be!)

"Your not separated just to be separated, you are separated because you will be more efficient in the use God has for you!"

The pharisees didn't have a purpose for their separation, we do!

2.Hypocritical
We are all hypocrites! (Romans 3:23)

Don't ever forget where you came from! You may have come down a ruff road, but did you know God gave you that experience so you could help others down it later???
Don't criticize them, help them!

3. Typical
You ought not want to live a "pretty good" life. (which would be typical)
Rise above the Normal!!!

4. Skeptical
Trust God, he maketh No Mistake!!!

Bro. Ray then quoted this poem by A.M. Overton modernized by Adrian Vermeulen-Miller:

My Father’s way may twist and turn,
my heart may throb and ache.
But in my soul I’m glad I know,
that He makes no mistake.

My cherished plans may go astray,
my hopes may fade away,
but still I’ll trust my Lord to lead,
for He does know the way.

Though night be dark and it may seem
that day will never break;
I’ll pin my faith, my all on Him,
for He makes no mistake.

There is so much I cannot see,
my eyesight’s far too dim
but come what may, I’ll simply trust
and leave it all to Him.

For by and by the fog will lift
and all things plain He’ll make.
Through all the way, though dark to me,
He made not one mistake.

5.Critical

Don't be critical...GET ON WITH LIFE!!!

(Proverbs 3:34)

Be humble too, humility isn't thinking lowly of yourself, but not thinking of yourself at all!

Do right when its convenient, Do right when its NOT!!
Do right when its the popular thing to do, Do right when its NOT!!!

In conclusion Bro. Ray stated
"Just please God, He'll take care of the rest!"

Next was Bro. Stewart Mason
He preached a message titled with the theme of this conference...
"Will You Be the One?"
(each point was given with the illustration of when Bro. Mason was on a sports team...not really on it at first, just the unnoticed helper, then the one on the bench, then the player)
1. You have to WANT to be THE ONE!!
-you have to desire it more than anything, doesn't matter how unimportant my job is, as long as i am part of the team! I'll do what ever you want me to Lord!

2. You have to be READY when God calls you!
-Be ready when sitting on the bench, stretched and warmed up, because if you aren't ready the first time He calls, sometimes He won't call on you again.

3. You must be WILLING to do what He wants you to do!
-Don't argue with God!
As stated before, He knows what He is doing and doesn't make any mistakes! Trust Him!

4. You have to be willing to be the one to BE COUNTED ON!!!
-When your "game" (testimony, ministry, etc) is on the line are you the one that can be counted on??

So far i have really enjoyed the preaching and skits and i hope all my friends get as much as i have out of this conference!

Praying for you peeps!!

Till then,
Rachael

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Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Youth Conference=)

I may not be able to be there, but i have my ways of getting information about what is happenin=)

Information credit for this one goes to Justin Odell, apparently they gave out "Stress Monkeys"

This is Before=)



And this is After (the war)

War with what??? i'm not sure!?!? must have been fierce!
Justin, are you stressed about something???
Poor little monkey didn't survive half as long as grippy jr.!!

Till Then,
Rachael
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I Have Been Blessed!!!!


THE ROOM

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room.
There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to
catch my attention was one that read "Girls I have liked." I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was.

This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.

A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I have betrayed." The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird "Books I Have Read," "Lies I Have Told," "Comfort I have Given," "Jokes I Have Laughed at." Some
were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things I've yelled at my brothers." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done in My Anger", "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents." I never ceased to be surprised by the contents.

Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth.
Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.

When I pulled out the file marked "TV Shows I have watched", I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of shows but more by the vast time I knew that file represented.

When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts," I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content.

I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!" In insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it
and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.

Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.

And then I saw it. The title bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel With." The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.

And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt. They started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this
room. I must lock it up and hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him.

No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw
a sorrow deeper than my own.

He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again.
He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.

Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card. "No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name
of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood. He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side.

He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished." I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.
- Brian Moore