New Year - NEW COUNTRY!

Happy New Year! "So don’t remember what happened in earlier times. Don’t think about what happened a long time ago, because I am doing something new! Now you will grow like a new plant. Surely you know this is true. I will even make a road in the desert, and rivers will flow through that dry land." Isaiah 43:18-19

Where to begin!  I honestly was not expecting to write another update email...and even if I did, I was not expecting it to be so soon...but it's funny how things change, and how our plans are not always in line with what the Lord has planned. Since I'm not sure where to start, I will just jump in.  I am moving back to California at the end of the month!  Or rather, beginning of February.  It was not a decision that I made lightly.  It is also not a decision that was really in my list of options until very recently.  I had every intention of staying in Europe. I really enjoy living here and what I am doing here.  I had been thinking of leaving where I am teaching, but even with that, I had not thought of leaving Europe.  Not really at least. But like I said, things have changed...the list of reasons is enormous...too many to really get into...but I think the reality is, the Lord has been working on getting me out of Europe since I left Romania.  I've been feeling the door closing to this time in my life for a while now, but haven't really known what it meant. I still don't really know what it means actually!  In 2007 I began this new way of living my life, a walk of faith and trusting in God to provide for me and lead me.  It has been an incredible journey...each time I feel like it has been a bigger step of faith than the previous time.  It's not easy friends...trust me...this life is hard...and sometimes it doesn't make a ton of sense.  But there is a peace that comes with it, and an assurance that the Lord knows what He is doing even when I don't know what He is doing.  And I am in that place again. This morning I had what I am sure will be one of many breaking down moments this month.  I was crying at the thought of leaving, not because I am not excited to be back in the US, but because the end of anything is sad...but also there is a fear of, "What the heck am I doing? I don't even have a job to go back to this time??"  I've never turned in my notice without a job waiting for me before.  Even when I moved home from Romania last time I had a job waiting for me. So this morning, I was praying, and I asked the Lord if He would be faithful like He has in the past and confirm to me this is the right move.  No joke friends, He did, as He always does through my devotional time.  I went to a coffee shop, opened up my devotional to today's date, and...well...my mouth hit the table.  It was like Jesus was having a conversation with me, replying to all of my doubts and fears. Here is what I opened my devotional to:

Will You Go Out Without Knowing? By Oswald Chambers “He went out, not knowing where he was going.” — Hebrews 11:8 Have you ever “gone out” in this way? If so, there is no logical answer possible when anyone asks you what you are doing. One of the most difficult questions to answer in Christian work is, “What do you expect to do?” You don’t know what you are going to do. The only thing you know is that God knows what He is doing. Continually examine your attitude toward God to see if you are willing to “go out” in every area of your life, trusting in God entirely. It is this attitude that keeps you in constant wonder, because you don’t know what God is going to do next. Each morning as you wake, there is a new opportunity to “go out,” building your confidence in God. “…do not worry about your life…nor about the body…” (Luke 12:22). In other words, don’t worry about the things that concerned you before you did “go out.” Have you been asking God what He is going to do? He will never tell you. God does not tell you what He is going to do— He reveals to you who He is. Do you believe in a miracle-working God, and will you “go out” in complete surrender to Him until you are not surprised one iota by anything He does? Believe God is always the God you know Him to be when you are nearest to Him. Then think how unnecessary and disrespectful worry is! Let the attitude of your life be a continual willingness to “go out” in dependence upon God, and your life will have a sacred and inexpressible charm about it that is very satisfying to Jesus. You must learn to “go out” through your convictions, creeds, or experiences until you come to the point in your faith where there is nothing between yourself and God.

God is faithful.  So I don't have a lot of answers right now..I am pretty overwhelmed by the idea of moving back to the states honestly...so I covet your prayers for me. I need them! I want to finish this journey in Poland well, and I want to leave having been a blessing.  I also ask that you pray for my future and what God has in store for me next.

Lots of love,
Rachel

20 years!!!!!!

Yes, it is true. Today, July 4th, marks 20 years since I first set foot on Romanian soil.  How am I this old?  I cannot honestly believe it. On top of this being 20 years since my first trip to Romania, I am also nearing 6 years in total out of those 20 of my actually living in this country.  Looking through all my pictures from my many journeys here, I am in awe and amazement at how good God is. At how He has blessed me. At how His plans are so much more amazing and better than my plans could have ever been for my life.  These 20 years show God's faithfulness to provide, to lead, to love me even though I have not deserved His goodness.

This post is not about "me", this post is about HIM. It's about a God who loves me, a God who loves the orphans and gypsy and Romanians and Hungarians of this beautiful country.  It is a post about a God who works through a shy, sometimes disobedient girl.  It is a post about a God who has promised to be with me and never forsake me, and these past 20 years have proven this promise of His 100 times over.

WOW...that's all I can say...well...wow and THANK YOU JESUS!

Here are some pics of me 20 years ago, and then again this year in the spots!

Timisoara - 1997 and 2017

 

Petrosani - 1997 and 2017

 

Sighisoara - 1997, 2007 and 2017

 

 

Brasov (my home now!) - 1997 and 2017

 

 

St. Patrick

Lorica of Saint Patrick

I arise today
Through a mighty strength,
The invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a mulitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength,
The invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation

St. Patrick (ca. 377)

We Have It All

 

Such a great devotional reading this morning. 

Seek ye first the kingdom . . . all these things shall be added unto you.Matthew 6:33

How much time have you spent in your Christian life meditating on the plain instruction from our Savior?—“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

The God who has revealed Himself to needy men and women wants us to know that when we have Him, we have everything—we have all the rest!

Any of us who have experienced a life and ministry of faith can tell how the Lord has met our needs—even for food and the essentials of life.

Brethren, we ought to learn, and learn it soon, that it is much better to have God first and have God Himself, even if we have only a thin dime, than to have all the riches and all the influence in this world and not have God with it!

Let us go on to know Him and to love Him more dearly, not for His gifts and benefits, but for the pure joy of His presence. Thus we will fulfill the purpose for which He created us and redeemed us!

 

Dear Lord, help me make the transition from wanting more and more “things” to being satisfied—and overjoyed—with only Your presence in my life. 

-AW Tozer

Redeeming the Time with Intention

I have had this idea in my head over the last few days.  The idea of time and how my time is the Lord's to do with as He would.  The Bible says,

"But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord;
I say, 'You are my God.'
My times are in Your hand..."
Psalm 21:14-15a 

This idea has been tossing around and so for the next month I want to do something about it!  I want to redeem some extra time I have in the mornings.  I need and want to be intentional about it. 

I spend time each day in prayer for friends, family and even people I don't know.  But I want to be specific here, I want to spend time praying for specific needs and requests.  And I want to pray for you!  So if you have anything specific you need prayer for, please send me a private message and I will pray for you!  This is a private thing I want to do.  It will only be between you, me and the Lord.  So if you are need of prayer, about anything, big or small, please send me a message.  I know I won't be able to pray verbally for you to hear with time differences and distance and such...but I will commit to pray for you during this.

I want to redeem the time the Lord has given me and I hope that I can use it pray for any of you who may need it.