Proverbs 31 devotional

So, I have been getting this new emailed devotional and it's really good. If you are interested in having the daily devotionals emailed to you, just go here. I posted today's devotional at the bottom. Check it out!

Tonight is always very special to me. Gregory asked me to marry him on New Years Eve, 3 yrs ago. We are excited to bring in the New Year with some good friends tonight. Happy New Year to you. And be safe tonight! Until next year, much love and many blessings!

-Rachael

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The Night I Lost All Hope

31 Dec 2008

Elaine Bonds, She Speaks Graduate

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
I remember it so well – the night I lost all hope. I had been hoping that my prodigal son was not lying to me. While I was 99% sure he was, I still clung to the 1% chance he was telling the truth. My heart simply refused to give up that final thread of hope.

As a condition of living in our home again, we asked that our 21-year old son attend a weekly support group meeting. We wanted him back home; his other living choice was not a good one. But we needed to establish boundaries , offering a safe place to live without tolerating or enabling his destructive behavior. We wanted to start rebuilding the trust we had lost. One building block was his Friday night support group meeting. Though our son said he was attending, in my heart I felt something was wrong.

One night I just had to know if he was living up to his commitment. I drove to the place where his meeting was held and my fears were confirmed: he was nowhere to be found. I went right home and waited. When he came home I asked about his meeting. “The meeting was fine. I’m tired and going to bed.” I had caught him in a lie!

Hope left me and discouragement came quickly to replace it. I couldn’t even confront him – at least not yet. I needed time to wrestle with the loss of the 1% of hope. It was just a tiny bit of hope. No big loss, right? … Wrong! That last 1% of hope is what I held onto the tightest. I was so angry and crushed. But then, God spoke. He cho se a friend to speak His Words to me the very next day. She had no clue what was happening with our son. She just prayed what God prompted her -- for me to have HOPE! She emailed me her prayer:

“Father, You are the God of all hope. Your Word tells us that those who hope in You will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, and they will walk and not be faint. I pray this for Elaine this morning … that she will place her HOPE in You and You alone …”

Reading her prayer, it suddenly became clear to me. My hope had been in my son and in that weekly meeting. The hope I had lost – that 1% I’d been clinging to – was human hope. That kind of hope is in limited quantity, and when it runs out, you are left drained, discouraged, disappointed and …hopeless! Oh, it may masquerade as “hope,” but it is completely different from the hope that God provides. God’s hope renews and refreshes. It empowers, uplifts, and strengthens. God’s hope does not disappoint! There is an unlimited supply of God’s hope.

God knew I had been clinging to human hope, and He knew that last 1% of weak, feeble hope would run out. He wanted me to cling to Him, the God of true, lasting, unlimited hope. So, as I wiped my tears, I waited as the winds of God’s hope blew my way. My circumstances were still the same, but my heart was now filled with the hope that only God can provide.

Dear Lord, Thank You for Your wonderful, everlasting hope. Please help me always put my hope in You and You alone. Thank You that with You all things are possible. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Application Steps:
Pray today about a situation you’ve considered hopeless. Ask God to give you His perspective and His hope.

Reflections:
Ask God to reveal where you are placing your hope. Are you hoping in your husband, your bank account, your job, a program, a promise from someone? Or, are you truly placing your hope in the Lord?

Let 2009 be a year that you place your hope in God alone.

Power Verses:
Psalm 42:5, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” (NIV)

Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (NIV)

Psalm 147:11, “The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” (NIV)

© 2008 by Elaine Bonds. All rights reserved.

New blog for the new year

I started a new blog for the new year...check it out and let me know what you think!!

http://totheallmighty.blogspot.com/

Merry CHRISTmas!!!

Well, I was going to type up a little Christmas message for everyone. But as I was reading my other friends blogs-I came across my good friend Ashly's. After reading hers I knew I needed to share it on mine as well. So-Merry Christmas to you all. I couldn't have said it better than Ashly. This is what it's all about. Ashly is such an inspiration to me. I am so thankful that God placed her and her amazing hubby,Denny, in my life! Click here to read the Christmas entry and if I were you I'd add her to your blog reader. Her entries are always very inspiring! The Tucker family blog

Love always-
RW

Vegas trip with the Owens!!!

We took a random last minute trip to Las Vegas with some great friends. We enjoyed it so much that we might make it an annual trip. We were there from 12/18-12/23, stayed in the Flamingo right in the middle of the strip. It was AWESOME! The best part is we took money to spend on lunch, snacks, taxi rides, and a little gambling. We ended up coming home with more money that we brought. We were lucky on roulette, craps, and sports betting! Anyway-below are a few pictures...ENJOY!

Here's me and hubby just chilling at dinner :)

And this is the Owens, who we love very much!

Yup, Gregory and I met the real Elvis...haha...seriously, he was great!

This me and Kristen, or as I call her Dinny!

And the fours of us-outside Caesar's Palace!

A peace that transcends all understanding...

So this morning, I woke up feeling strange. I just started my day with being what I like to call "emotional". It's not a good thing. I cry for no reason and just feel sad. But as I finally got up, I checked my email and had two things that God really spoke to me. One was an email from my mom. It had these verses attached to it.

John 15
The Vine and the Branches
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2.He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3.You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4.Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6.If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7.If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8.This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10.If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11.I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12.My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13.Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14.You are my friends if you do what I command. 15.I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16.You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.

Isaiah 55:8-9

8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

The next thing was a devotional called Proverbs 31 Ministries. It had a verses and some truths to meditate on.

“Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.”
Psalm 61:1-4 (NIV)

Shifting Emotion:
I don’t always feel noticed by other people. Everyone just seems to be wrapped up in their own lives. Sometimes I even wonder if God notices me.

Solid Truth:
God not only notices us, He is with us at all times. We are to keep ourselves in God’s love whether we feel Him or not. By praying, and filling our minds with God’s truth, His love will grow in us and through us. Then we won’t be so consumed with wanting others to notice us. We will become people who notice others and let God’s love shine on them. Jude 1:20-21, “But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” (NIV)

Shifting Emotion:
I don’t feel very loved. Therefore, I don’t feel like being very loving towards others.

Solid Truth:
We are dearly loved by God. His love enables us to display compassion, kindness and patience even when we don’t feel like it. Colossians 3:12, “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (NIV)

Shifting Emotion:
Does God really care about this situation I’m in?

Solid Truth:
God is with us. As we cry out to Him, we are reminded of His help. Proverbs 61:1-4, “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.” (NIV)

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I'm hanging on to the words of God today. Thanks for saving those who are crushed in spirit! I love my BIG God!!!

Always, Never, All, Will, Belong

"Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. "
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

So I read this verse today and thought about me. I'm not ALWAYS joyful. Sometimes, I forget to pray. And I know I'm not thankful in ALL circumstances. But I do know that I belong to Christ. That is where I find my identity. I need to have a change of heart. I know God is trying to teach me to be patient but it's hard. My flesh wants to crawl up in a ball and hide in my closet. Please pray for me. i'll write more later!

Thanks!

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas!

I was just browsing the internet and decided to have some fun. Gregory and I were laughing so hard at this! ENJOY :)

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Meet Savannah!

We met this sweet 4 month old black/chocolate lab at a pet adoption over the weekend. We couldn't leave her once we met her. So we decided to give her a good home. She is our first baby girl and is very special to us! Hope you get to meet her soon!

I was tagged!

HAHA! My good friend Kelli tagged me in her blog and i'm supposed to list 7 random facts about me. So, here goes nothing!

1. I knew my husband's family before I knew him! His sister introduced us, I was her RA in college and meet her and his mom first.

2. The farthest I've been from home is Cambodia. I went there on a mission trip this past summer.

3. I was a premature baby and almost didn't make it because I only had three chambers of my heart. I spent almost the whole first year of my life in and out of hospitals. So i'm a miracle baby!

4. I have one of every type of brothers. I have a full brother, Matthew 21. A half brother, Jacob 6. And a step brother Joseph 16. Crazy huh-all brothers and no sisters. Good thing I have friends that I call sisters! (and Natasha as my sis n law!)

5. I paid for college all my myself. I had to work 3 jobs plus take extra classes so I could graduate in 3 years. But it was all worth it. I'd say that's my life's biggest accomplishment so far.

6. I've been in a discipleship group over the year of 2008 and we have memorized over 40 verses to date.

7. I write out goals for myself for the whole year and I actually check them off to make sure I complete them all! (I know that's sad-but organized!)

And now to tag 7 other friends :)

Kelly Moreton www.thebeautifulsurrender.com
Kristie Poll http://nycpink.blogspot.com/
Karin Coibion http://coibionfamily.blogspot.com/
Kristen Franklin http://kfranklin.wordpress.com/
Julie Kent http://juliekent.wordpress.com/
Jason Robertson http://www.atlantaclimber.com
Seth Hathcock http://sethhathcock.com/

A Life Message....

What is your life message? What have you learned that you need to teach to others? I read this morning in my devotional how important it ts to show Christ to others. The best way to witness is to live a life that leads to why. I have answered the following questions to help me determine my life message and I encourage you to do the same!

• What has God taught me from failure?
• What has God taught me from a lack of money?
• What has God taught me from pain or sorrow or depression?
• What has God taught me through waiting?
• What has God taught me through illness?
• What has God taught me from disappointment?
• What have I learned from my family, my church, my relationships, my small group, and my critics?

Have fun! :)

Nuts

I know what your thinking and you have a dirty mind! I got this little encouragement in my email and I just had to share it with you.

Tender Adjustments

Have you ever seen a cashew in its shell? Me neither. It turns out that a cashew has caustic oil between the nut's inner and outer shells. To rid this delectable treat of its acerbic element, the outer shell is burned or roasted off, and then the nut is boiled or roasted again to remove the inner shell.

Life's hardships often feel as though someone has turned up the heat on us, and we wonder if we'll survive. Yet I find when I've been "roasted" long enough in life's difficulties, my outer casing of bad attitudes, preconceived notions, and high-mindedness is burned off. I'm left meeker, less defensive, more pliable, and less caustic.

Jesus died for every "nut" in the land . . . even the hardest one. And for that, I'm particularly grateful.

-Patsy Clairmont

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My closing thoughts:
I have felt that the heat is getting hotter. But I have to remember that God is simply "roasting" me so that in the end I will be better. Do you ever feel like this? Or is it just me?

Patience

It's hard to even write that word-patience. That is what God has been teaching me over the last 6 months. I feel that I have been really learning but lately it's been worse. This last month, almost everything I did had me waiting. Even yesterday, when I was so sick-I had to wait 2 1/2 hours at the doctors office. Then when I went to pick up my prescription I had to wait another 45 minutes. There are a few other instances just recently that have happened that are just too personal to share. But I have to wonder why. I read this in my morning quiet time today:

"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." Hebrews 10:36

And what I got out of that is that even though it;s hard to keep going when I feel such resistance. I have to keep moving. You know when you are walking in the ocean against the current? That's what I feel like. But I have to step back and remember these two things -"Be still and know that I am God" and "I can everything through him who gives me strength". So, I share this with you today so that you will know what I am struggling with. I ask for your prayers. There are a lot of unspoken prayer requests here too.

Thanks in advance for your prayers :)

Waiting for January!!!!

Gregory and I can hardly wait for 2009 to get here because Lost will be back! If you don't watch this show-you have to! It's amazing :) Enjoy the video!

Love-RW

Fall leaves changing...

Dear sweet father in Heaven,

Today as I was driving home on 400 north. I noticed the leaves were really starting to change. They are so beautiful-thank you Lord. I started thinking about that whole process. You know Chlorophyll is what makes the leaves green. As the nights get shorter and cooler the leaves begin to lose the Chlorophyll and they change colors. And the interesting fact is that the leaves are actually dying. And I find it really interesting that the leaves become more beautiful as they are dying. Anyway, I'm just wondering if this has any correlation with the fact that life gets more beautiful the closer we get to dying? Or that true life starts once we leave earth and end up in Heaven with you? You are such a BIG God. Even the little leaves show your majestic ways. Life is a fragile thing and I work everyday not to take it for granted. Every moment I have is very special to me. Lord, this month I have been writing this verse on the tablet of my heart. Thank you for your words of encouragement. I will now speak your words back to you.


13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Psalms 139:13-16

I love you Abba,
Your little girl-
Rachael


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To my blog readers, this is an example of a new blog I have started. What do you think?

My one and only political entry...

I'm really sick of hearing all the political stuff and cannot wait for the election to be over. My mom sent me this email and I thought was definitely blog worthy. Enjoy, this is the truth you need to hear. And it goes hand and hand with Andy's sermon "Letters to the Next President". You can find that here http://www.youtube.com/user/northpointministries

Top 10 Truths No Matter Who Wins the Election

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.

2. Prayer will still work.

3. The Holy Spirit will still move.

4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.

5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.

6. There will still be singing of praise to God.

7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.

8. There will still be room at the Cross.

9. Jesus will still love you.

10. Jesus will still save the lost when they come to Him.

ISN'T IT GREAT TO KNOW WHO IS REALLY IN CHARGE!! AMEN!

For all you that feel invisible sometimes!

A friend of mine sent me this video yesterday. I watched it and really felt lead to share this with others! It's Nicole Johnson speaking at a Women of Faith conference. What she says really touches my heart. We as woman get so busy sometimes and do feel invisible and unimportant-but we must remember we are working for Him and His glory! Hope you all have a blessed day and feel loved like a princess from the King Almighty.

in His mighty grip-
Rachael

What my faith is....

Today's devotional was so perfect and it really made me think. So, below is the devotional and then after that are my thoughts-ENJOY!

Faith Is Active
by Rick Warren

"When will you ever learn that “believing” is useless without doing what God wants you to? Faith that does not result in good deeds is not real faith." James 2:20 (LB)

Is faith simply a frame of mind? Some see it that way … a passive attribute of a Christian waiting to see what God has in store for you: a promotion, cancer, depression, betrayal, blessing, wealth, or injustice. They might say, “I’ll just wait to see what God is going to do for me and go with the flow.” That’s crazy talk.

Faith is active. It’s not passive. It’s a commitment. Look at your lifestyle and see what kinds of actions follow as a result of it. If you’ve got the real stuff, faith can be demonstrated.

When you were baptized you made a statement to God and the people around you. You said, “I’m in!” But it doesn’t stop at baptism – not by a long shot! What else do you do? You start following the pattern of Jesus. Faith is proven by how we live. Don’t misinterpret this. What you do – your walking around, everyday life – doesn’t get you into heaven. It doesn’t make you saved. It doesn’t mean you’re a Christian; it shows you are a Christian.

The next steps:

· Celebrate the lavish gift of grace. You were saved because Jesus is crazy about you and wants you to be with him in heaven. Revel in it!

· Show your faith. Wedding rings don’t make you married, but they say yes in a visible way. In the same way, baptism isn’t the thing that will get you into heaven but it’s an act of obedience. (Jesus commanded us to baptize and be baptized.)

· Share your faith with the people around you. If you are excited about what God has done in your life, then why not share it? There are lots of ways to do that. Get plugged into serving God. There are literally millions of possibilities. Point people to Jesus and love them like Jesus did. It’ll be something you will relish for eternity.

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My question for you is this-when you look at your life do you see the common thread of Jesus? I know when I look over the years of my life, I couldn't have made it without Jesus. I think of my faith journey as "never let go". Because that's what He did for me. Even when I didn't want to call on Him-I didn't have to because He was standing beside me. My decisions, actions, mindset all depends on the Lord. I know that I didn't personally walk with Jesus but I do know what it means to have a personal relationship with him. I know He is with me at all times and i honestly don't understand how people do life without Him. I love the Lord with all my heart, with all my mind, and with all my strength. And I will impress that upon my children (someday) Thanks for reading today-hope you have a wonderful day!

LOVE-
RW

Letters to Abba blog?

So, i'm thinking about starting a new blog where I write letters to my Father in Heaven. I was wondering if that would be something you would read? Let me know. I'm trying to decide if it should be private or public :) I appreciate your input!

Love-RW

Are you discouraged?

How to Overcome Discouragement
by Rick Warren


Then the people of Judah said, “The work crews are worn out, and there is too much rubble. We can’t continue to rebuild the wall.” Nehemiah 4:10 (GWT)

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Discouragement is curable. Whenever I get discouraged, I head straight to Nehemiah. This great leader of ancient Israel understood there were four reasons for discouragement.

First, you get fatigued. You simply get tired as the laborers did in Nehemiah 4:10. We’re human beings and we wear out. You cannot burn the candle at both ends. So if you’re discouraged, it may be you don’t have to change anything. You just need a vacation! Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is go to bed.

Second, you get frustrated. Nehemiah says there was rubble all around, so much that it was getting in the way of rebuilding the wall. Do you have rubble in your life? Have you noticed that anytime you start doing something new, the trash starts piling up?

If you don’t clean it out periodically, it’s going to stop your progress. You can’t avoid it, so you need to learn to recognize it and dispose of it quickly so you don’t lose focus on your original intention.

What is the rubble in your life? I think rubble is the trivial things that waste your time and energy and prevent you from accomplishing what God has called you to do.

Third, you think you’ve failed. Nehemiah’s people were unable to finish their task as quickly as originally planned and, as a result, their confidence collapsed. They were thinking, “We were stupid to think we could ever rebuild this wall.”

But you know what I do when I don’t reach a goal on time? I just set a new goal. I don’t give up. Everybody fails. Everybody does dumb things. So the issue is not that you failed – it’s how you respond to your failure.

Do you give in to self-pity? Do you start blaming other people? Do you start complaining that it’s impossible? Or, do you refocus on God’s intentions and start moving again?

Finally, when you give in to fear, you get discouraged. Nehemiah 4 suggests the people most affected by fear are those who hang around negative people. If you’re going to control the negative thoughts in your life, you’ve got to get away from negative people as much as you can.

Maybe you’re discouraged because of fear. You’re dealing with fears like, “I can’t handle this. It’s too much responsibility.” Maybe it’s the fear that you don’t deserve it. It’s the fear of criticism. Fear will destroy your life if you let it. But you can choose to resist the discouragement. Say, “God help me get my eyes off the problem – off the circumstance – and keep my eyes on you.”


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If you are discouraged let me know-i'd love to pray for you!
Love-RW

A year ago...

(I know the date is wrong on the actual photo)

I was thinking this morning that a year ago this month-Deana and I walked 60 miles in the 3-day walk for breast cancer. It's hard to believe it's been a year since then. Seriously, I cannot believe how fast time goes by. So much has changed since then. Just to list a few things:
* Gregory is almost halfway done with his Master's
* All my bridesmaids are married or engaged(this year-Deana, Kristen, and Lauren have been married and Megan is engaged)
* I am doing a completely different job at work
* We are ready to start a family soon
* I've memorized 35 verses so far
* We are a year older and smarter :)

I could keep on and keep on. But I will leave it there. When you look back over your last year, what do you think is your best accomplishment?

Change...

I needed some change in my life-not sure if this was the right move. I miss my hair! But the good news is, I'm sending it to Pantene Beautiful Lengths and they will use it to make a wig for someone with cancer.

That's 9 inches of my hair!

The side view, looks like i'm about to kiss Gregory's knee :)

The other side view and no i'm not kissing his feet~ haha

So whats the verdict??

Praying for you!

I have had my blog readers on my heart lately. I feel the need to write to tell you I am praying for each of you. I wanted to ask...

What can I specifically pray for you or praise God about?

I'm so thankful for you reading my life story.

Love-RW

Infinite Grace

Yes, that's me-i'm pretty tired! But i'm holding a ticket to the Women of Faith conference I went to with my mom this weekend. It was absolutely amazing! God's timing is so perfect. The topic was Infinite Grace and what better time to show that to me. Below are some notes from the conference that really stuck out to me. My favorite speaker was Patsy Clairmont. You can check out some of her stuff on YouTube.com. Also she has a blog and you can visit it-http://www.patsyclairmont-blog.com/ She is just a REAL women of true faith. Also, before I go into my notes I wanted to tell you about a series Andy just finished this week called "The Fives Things God uses to Grow your Faith". Today's sermon was on Pivotal Circumstances. I encourage you to watch the sermon http://www.fivethingsgoduses.com/pivotal Andy even mentions Ashly and Denny. I now see some good in that situation-God has used their story to touch over 20,000 people this Sunday. Praise the Lord!

OK, so I know you are ready to see what I learned this weekend! Here it goes-
The Pre-Conference "I Second that Emotion"
This was all about how woman have so many emotions. And we can't just wear them on our sleeves. We should be reminded that "Emotions don't have a brain they are only feelings." Patsy did a visual aid by using tangled up rubber bands. Sometimes as women we wake up all tangled. We must keep God on our minds at all times. Satan is out to devour us and he will get all up in your thoughts. The enemy comes into our thoughts to condemn you. As Christian women must be in the Word of God so we can be protected. Jan, another one of the speakers, spoke right to me as she said these words-"God has not forgotten you". Also, I was reminded that "we must do what we know to do and then trust God with the rest." What a concept-in good times it's so easy but in the low parts of life-that's when it's hard! Anyway, it was all very encouraging!

The Conference
It started off with some wonderful praise and worship from the worship team. One of the songs spoke to me and I have the words below. It's a beautiful song-so look it up when you can.

Rescue

You are the source of life, I cant be left behind
No one else will do, I will take hold of you
I need you Jesus, I need you Jesus
My heart is yours for life, I need your help in mine
No one else will do, I put my trust in you
I need you Jesus to come to my rescue where else could I go
There's no other name by which I am saved-capture me with grace
I will follow you, I will follow you
You are the source of life-I cant be left behind
No one else will do father, I will take hold of you
I need you Jesus to come to rescue where else could I go
There's no other name by which I am saved-capture me with grace
I will follow you, this world has nothing for me
This world has nothing for me, this world has nothing for me
This world has nothing for me this world has nothing for me,
I need you Jesus to come to rescue where else could I go
There's no other name by which I am saved- capture me with grace
Cause I need you Jesus to come to my rescue where else could I go
There's no other name by which I am saved capture me with grace
Capture me with grace, capture me with grace
I will follow you, I will follow you
This world has nothing for me, this world has nothing for me
I will follow you!

Now, doesn't that song just sum it all up for you! I need you Jesus to come to my rescue. That's exactly what I have been crying out. And here it is in a worship song. Max Lucado also spoke and he was great! My favorite quote of his was this- "John 3:16 is 26 words of hope beginning with God and ending with life." What a beautiful summary of truth! The next day we were taught about true grace. We all have weaknesses. And God will meet you in your weakness and fill in the gaps. My weakness is anxiety, fear, busyness, and lots more. But God always finds a way to show me a verse or speak to me through a friend. What is your weakness? Will you allow God to take over? If you feel abandoned-know that you are not! For encouragement you can read Isaiah 41.

To sum it all up-it's like my soul was refreshed and I needed that! I hope you enjoyed my summary. I will leave you with a video of "Redeemer" by Nicole C. Mullen. I hadn't really listened to the words lately. I found this video with the words right on it. For me, this was a reminder of just how BIG God is. He knows every hair on my head and every thought in my mind. Praise be to HIM!

Thanks for reading! Sorry for such a LONG post-I had a lot to share with you all :)

Tell me how was your weekend???

In HIS mighty grip-
Rachael

God works in mysterious ways

So as you all may know I have been very angry with God about the whole situation with Ashly and Denny. I have only talked to God about it once and will again when I'm ready. But I find it funny-that today I open up my daily devotional and this is what I get...

(Wow, I'm always reminded how God works in mysterious ways-he speaks to us in many different ways)

How to Deal with Your Anger
by Rick Warren


If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day. Don’t give the Devil a chance. Ephesians 4:26-27 (GNT)

*** *** *** ***

Conflict happens. There’s no avoiding it, and so there’s no avoiding anger in your life.

In fact, ignoring or denying your anger will simply make things worse. When conflict comes up, deal with it head on and quickly. Don’t let it fester. It’s a big mistake to think, “Let’s ignore it and hope it will go away.”

The Bible teaches, in Ephesians 4:26-27 (GNT), “If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day. Don't give the Devil a chance.”

Some people are surprised by this verse; they ask, “Is it ever right for a Christian to get angry?” Yes.

How do I know it’s all right for a Christian to get angry? Well, let me ask you this: Did Jesus ever get angry? Yes!

Did Jesus ever sin? No. Evidently there are times when anger is appropriate.

In Ephesians, we’re told, “If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin.” This implies there is an anger that leads you into sin, but there’s also an anger that doesn’t lead you into sin. There’s a right way to get angry and there’s a wrong way to get angry.

How do you know the difference?

The wrong kind of anger is anger that is not resolved quickly. It’s becoming angry, and then just staying angry all day and then the next day and the next. The Phillips translation of this Ephesians verse says, “Never go to bed angry.”

That will keep a few of us up sometimes! If you said, “In our marriage, we’ll never go to bed angry,” you might resolve problems a little more quickly.

Anger that is not dealt with turns into resentment and then into bitterness. Bitterness is always sin. Resentment is always sin. Those emotions are always wrong.

The Bible says to deal with anger quickly. Don’t let it hang on. Resolve conflict as quickly as possible.

Awesome Song...

I usually don't post this quickly but I just listened to this amazing song and I had to share the lyrics! It's called "The Light Will Come" by Phil Wickham. Its truly beautiful, look it up and give it a listen if you can :)

To the one with the wounded heart
The years fighting have left you scarred
Wait the light will come
To the one with the distant eyes
All this crying has left you dry
Wait the light will come
Wait the light will come
Lift your eyes
The sun has overcome the night
Come alive
As we shine in loves true light

Here is laughter beyond the tears
Here is courage to face your fears
Look the light has come
So rise you daughters and stand you sons
Claim the victory that Jesus won
Look the Light has come
Look the Light has come

Hope

Today was definitely the saddest day of my life. I have experienced death before but to see that small grave was more than I could handle. I still haven't been able to truly process what happened today. All I know is, Brooks was and is being rocked by Jesus. What a lucky baby! To never have to experience hurt, sadness, pain at all. Brooks will grow in the presence of our Lord. As we go through this valley, I really wonder what people do that don't have Jesus. We are able to cling to the words of our Savior. I haven't been able to really finish talking with the Lord. I know that I will have to be on my knees crying out to God. I just don't understanding why he took Brooks. I know we won't know the answer until we are in Heaven asking Him. But, I do know that we can cling to the cross to get us through this tough time. When I was in Cambodia, we taught the kids about Joseph. We taught them about how no matter where Joseph was, he trusted God. So I guess I need to learn from my own lesson and trust the Lord in this valley. In this difficult time, I want to be a light to Ashly and Denny. I don't have any words to say but I can just stand beside them. I was looking around at some words for comfort and I found some amazing verses. I thought I might share them with you...

Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit

Psalm 37:39
The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble

Psalm 46:1-2
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.

Isaiah 40:18-31
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

What verses do you cling to during a difficult season?

Never let go because rescue is coming...

But where is it? That's my question today! My heart is literally broken. I just feel as if I'm in a bad dream. I want to wake up, I want everything to be different. But it's not! I know we are supposed to consider it pure joy when we endure trials and tribulations because that develops perseverance and character. Seriously, I don't know if we can take much more. I have listened to these two David Crowder songs over and over this evening and I want to know when is the rescue coming? I do trust in the Lord and my trust is the Lord. But I just hurt so much for the Tucker family. I just saw and felt Brooks moving in Ashly's womb. I know God will never let go, we just have to stand firm.

I guess I should start over and tell those of you who don't know whats happened. My friend Ashly (from work) was a week out from her due date. She went for her checkup yesterday and the doctors couldn't find a heartbeat. It was determined that he had gone to be with the Lord. So starting at 8pm last night she was induced into labor and at 8am this morning the shell of Brooks arrived. It was a very hard day at the hospital. Lots of tears shed, lots of love surrounding, and lots of people their to support them.

Well, the day is over. I'm home now-left with this feeling of sadness. I want to do so much for them but I know they must be alone right now. Please lift them to the Lord. This is such a hard time. With God, we will get through it, I don't know what people do without Jesus.

Here is a video that has been encouraging to me tonight... (below it, I have the words to the "Rescue is Coming" song I referenced)

Rescue is Coming
David Crowder

There’s a darkness in my skin
My cover’s wearing thin, I believe
I’d love to start again, go back to innocent
And never leave

Don’t give up now
A break in the clouds
We could be found
There’s nothing wrong with me
It’s just that I believe things could get better
And there’s nothing wrong with love
I think it’s just enough to believe

Rescue is coming
Rescue is coming
Rescue is coming
Rescue is coming

And there’s nothing wrong with you
And nothing left to do
But believe something bigger
And there’s nothing wrong with love
I know it’s just enough to believe

Don’t give up now
A break in the clouds
We will be found
Rescue is coming now

I've been thinking...

I had a breakthrough today. After coming back from Cambodia, I took a good hard look at my life. I realized a lot of things that I wanted to change. The things I wanted to change was stuff with work, home, and me. When I came home I had a new vision...I wanted everything to be different! A month after the trip and I was depressed. I wasn't sure what the problem was until today. I'm in this discipleship group and the leader has become quite the mentor to me. I met her for lunch today and was telling her all the stuff on my mind. And she in one sentence summed it all up for me! "Rachael, who's life are you investing in?". After I thought about it, I realized i'm not :( Starting today I will pray about starting a discipleship group of my own. I can't decide if I should just lead a group of ladies or college students or early 20's. All I do know is I do want to lead. And I have learned so much over the last 9 months that I need to pour that into other woman's lives. We will see what God reveals. And if you read this and say to yourself that you would be interested-let me know! God speaks to us in three ways...through His word, circumstances, and/or other people. I'm excited to see what He tells me to do.

Love-
Rachael

Another awesome devotional...

Helping Each Other Through Change
by Rick Warren


“I hope you will be patient with me ….” (2 Corinthians 11:1a, NLT)

In order to manage change, you must remember four things –

Love each other

The first mistake most people make during change is to focus on what they’ve lost, instead of what has been gained – and that creates fear. The antidote to fear is love: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear ….” (1 John 4:18 NKJ)

It’s impossible for love and fear to exist in the same environment – If we’ll focus on loving each other, then we’ll break out of the self-centeredness that often emerges during change. The love that conquers fear involves thinking about others instead of focusing on your own needs – and the more you love, the less you fear.

Listen to each other

During transition, we must be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry ….” (James 1:19 NIV) If we get the first two right (quick listening, slow speaking), then the third (slow anger) will become automatic. It reflects the concept of “seeking to understand” before trying “to be understood.”

“Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear.” (James 1:19 MSG)

Level with each other

We must speak the truth in love to each other if we’re going to walk together through change. It is human nature to avoid confronting someone directly, but then we fall into problems – even gossip – by talking to other people about the person we need to confront.

We can’t get close to each other until we deal honestly with our fundamental differences. “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15 NIV)

Liberate each other

Finally, we need to show each other grace – “cut each other some slack” – during transition. Liberating each other means letting go and treating someone else the same way Jesus treats you.

In other words, we shouldn’t lean into legalism or lording mistakes over others. People will make mistakes, and our response should be to recognize that these things will happen. The goal is not to make those who make mistakes feel bad, but rather to let them get over it and move on.

God's love

This was in my devotional this morning and it was just so good-so I had to share. Also, this week I am focusing on the material things that I have and praising God for them. I started making a list today and WOW, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I have my list at the bottom of this post.

Also-I want you all to know, I really appreciate all your comments lately. They have been so encouraging to me! I love you all dearly :)

In faith, I know these things to be true:

• God is full of love and grace, and he fills me with his love and grace.
• God’s work within me is to clear a channel for his love and grace to flow through me into the lives of anyone and everyone I meet.
• I may not be there yet, but I am “confident of this, that he who began a good work in [me] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6 NIV).
• And I know “God is able to make all grace abound [in me], so that in all things at all times, having all that [I] need, [I] will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV).
• He will make my joy complete because I no longer live in darkness, but I now live in the truth and have fellowship with God (1 John 1:4; 1 John 1:6).
• Through the “Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,” I am, at all times, filled with grace, mercy, and peace (2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV).
• This is what I believe to be true and I will walk accordingly, allowing God to do his work in me from the inside out. Father, make it so. I believe; help my unbelief.

Praise God for the materials he has provided for me:

1. a house
2. air conditioning/heat
3. a car
4. a job
5. money in the bank
6. 2 computers in our home
7. furniture that matches in our bedroom
8. decorations on the walls in our house
9. a phone (cell and home)
10. clothes
    
11. food in the fridge
12. books to read and increase my knowledge
13. a wonderful church to go to
    
14. shoes (more than one pair)
15. running water in our home

And I could just keep on listing and listing....praise be to YOU God!


***One more thing to add, I finally finished my wedding scrapbook!!!! Yes I know 2 years and 4 months later, but hey better late than never :)****

Introducing David Michael!!!!

One of my very best friends, Karin, just had her first baby yesterday! Today I went to the hospital with Denny and Ashly Tucker to visit Jake, Karin, and new baby David! This first time mommy is doing wonderful, she is truly an inspiration to me. CONGRATULATIONS to the Coibion family :) Below are some pictures from the visit.
Love you-Aunt Rachael

The happy family!

Karin with her sister and baby David

I'm loving on David, I definitely want one of these sweet angels :)

Ashly is practicing for what she will have in 3 weeks!

Me, Karin, and David

Doesn't he look just like Jake?

He is fearfully and wonderfully made

Jake and Karin are so blessed from above!

Complete the sentence...

Lets play a game...

Just complete the following sentence by commenting

God is teaching me _______.

Fun time with friends

Meredith, Me, and Deana

Kristie, Joel, Greg, Matthew, and Majors

Me and Gregory

Justin, me, and Kristen

Me and Candace

Me and Kristie

Me and Matthew

And last but not least-me and Gregory!


*******************************************************************

For Gregory's birthday, we went to the Sweetwater Brewery in Atlanta. The have beer tasting and also take you on a tour to show you how the beer is made. It was so much fun! Thanks to everyone for coming out. We love you all! There was more people at Mellow Mushroom after the brewery but I forgot to take pictures :(

Happy 26th Birthday Gregory!!!

Today is Greg's 26th birthday, so in honor of him I'd like to list 26 things that I or others love about him :)



1-He's fun to be around
2-He always makes you laugh
3-He always has a positive attitude
4-He balances me out so together we make a super human
5-He is one handsome man!
6-He's really smart (made Dean's list all 4 yrs of college)
7-He is a true friend for life
8-He's a total sweetheart
9-He loves children (obviously since he teaches 2nd grade)
10-He is extremely responsible
11-He can have fun doing nothing
12-He likes things neat and organized (just like me)
13-He has a great sense of humor
14-He puts God first
15-He has good taste in clothes
16-He is a great decorator
17-He loves working in the yard and it shows
18-He is a great planner
19-He is fearfully and wonderfully made
20-He loves the Lord with all his heart
21-He is an awesome dancer
22-He is an amazing leader for our family
23-He always has a smile on his face
24-He is a diligent worker
25-He loves me so much and is really good to me
26-And last but not least he is the best husband around and will be an amazing father someday!

Just like Joseph...

I've hit a low...

I don't know why and I don't know exactly when this happened. But I have hit a valley in the roller coaster of life. It reminds me of the story we taught the kids in Cambodia. Joseph had a hard and a good life. He went through ups and downs. But through it all he had God. I haven't been sleeping good the last two weeks. And I feel very emotional-I cry on my way home, at home, and even in the car on the way to work. Why, you may ask...well, I wish I knew. I guess it's still left over from my trip. I came home with such a renewed vision for my life. I had lists of things I wanted to change and one by one that list is slipping away. I'm clinging to the Lord because my trust is in Him and my trust is Him. But I'm just sad. I type this so that you will be a prayer warrior for me.

Thank you friends!

I know this will pass it's just a season, but I hope it passes soon!

True love...

Aren't we so cute together! I really love my hubby and I'm so blessed to have him in my life. His birthday is this upcoming week and I have made him a special gift that I know he is going to love. I love our little family and the life we have just him and I. I have really been praying for him lately because between his job, getting his masters, and church-he has a busy life. I just love that in the middle of all that craziness he finds time to send me a text or call me just to say I love you. I know this is a sappy post but I just love him so much and i'm so lucky he's all mine! I will leave you with the verse I have been praying for him. Hope you are as blessed as I am to be married to your souls one true mate!
Love-RW

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8

True accountability

I don't know if anyone reads my blog on a consistent basis. And thats ok, but it is weird for me to write to myself. So I don't know how much longer I will do this blog thing :) Anyway, I had a great morning devotional and I wanted to share it. Hope whoever is reading has a GREAT day!
Love-RW

A Mutual Dependency
by Rick Warren

I mean that I want us to help each other with the faith we have. Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you. Romans 1:12 (NCV)

*** *** *** ***

In authentic Christian fellowship people should experience a mutual dependency. This mutuality is the art of giving and receiving; it’s depending on each other.

The Bible says, “The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part” (1 Corinthians 12:25 MSG).

Mutuality is the heart of fellowship: building reciprocal relationships, sharing responsibilities, and helping each other. Paul said, “I want us to help each other with the faith we have. Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you” (Romans 1:12 NCV).

All of us are more consistent in our faith when others walk with us and encourage us. The Bible commands mutual accountability, mutual encouragement, mutual serving, and mutual honoring.

Over fifty times in the New Testament we’re commanded to do different tasks for “one another” and “each other.” The Bible says, “Make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” (Romans 14:19 NIV).

You are not responsible for everyone in the body of Christ, but you are responsible to them. God expects you do whatever you can to help them.

Songs of worship...

I have to tell you that I love worship music. I love to praise the Lord through songs. I don't know why but music has always had a special place in my heart. I even have an item on my bucket list that says "I want to sing on stage at my church". Who knows when that will ever happen :) But anyway, I am listening to the "Night of Worship at Buckhead Church right now online. It's a live stream. Yup thats right, I said live stream isnt my church amazing! I really do love technology and how far we've come. Back to my main point, I'm curious as to what your favorite worship song is? Please comment and let me know. Then i will write another post with my favorite one and the lyrics :)
Thanks-
RW

Those who wait upon the Lord...

As my first full week of being home comes to an end I am reminded of just how amazing our God is. Jet lag was like nothing I have ever experienced. I was tired, then wide awake, not hungry, then really hungry and all of the ab0ve was at the wrong times. I was depending on the Lord to make me well and He did! This week I have realized I am very different and it's for the better. I thought I might list the top ten ways I'm different (in no particular order), so here it goes! ENJOY!

1-I'm extremely grateful and blessed for everything in our house
2-I love my job and i'm so blessed to have it, but it is not my whole life
3-I am much more patient
4-I found compassion in my heart (I thought I didn't have any)
5-A piece of my heart was left with those kids in Cambodia
6-I want others to have the passion for missions that I have now
7-I realized how blessed I am to have a husband and family that is good to me
8-I depend on God A LOT more (basically depend on him for everything)!
9-I'm ready for kids and I'd really like to adopt a child (either international or from US)
10-I have lost 8 more pounds which puts me below my goal weight!!!

"O Lord you have searched me and you knew me. You know when I sit and when I rise, you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my laying down, you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in-behind and before, you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; If I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me. , your right hand will hold me fast, If I say "surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me, " even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
Psalms 139

Post Cambodia

(I sent this out to a distro list on my email, but thought I would post it here as well)

Hey friends and family,

Well, i'm home safely! The trip was amazing. Its so hard to put it into words but I will try to give you a little bit of an update. First of all, if you would like to see pictures I have tried to sum up all my pictures into an album and you can view it here http://picasaweb.google.com/rwalkup520/CambodiaMissionTrip. Also, if you want to see the detailed day by day account you can go here http://missionincambodia.blogspot.com. I will also continue updating the blog as I get updates from the Pastor there. And there is a team going in December so if you are interested you can continue to get updates. Ok here goes what I have to say...

20,000 miles of traveling, 74 hours of travel time, 13 hour time difference from home, 37 kids, 10 team members...with ONE mission...showing Jesus' love by personally loving these children. As I wrote in my journal, I left the US excited to see these children and just love on them. When I arrived in Cambodia, tired and jet lagged, my heart was FULL of compassion for this country. I have never seen such poverty in my life. We spent a lot of time traveling in a bus and for as long as you can see on dirt roads is rice fields and markets. There was children taking care of children. Everywhere we went children and adults we trying to sale whatever they can. "Lady, you buy-one dollar, please, you buy" is etched in my memory. But the second we pulled up to the orphanage and these precious little angels were jumping up and down excited to see us and as the door opened they are bowing at your feet saying "chumree-uhp soo-uh", my heart filled up with love. I had been praying God would allow me to see the children as He sees them and my prayers were answered. Our time was limited with the kids and I wish so bad I would have had more time. But the time we did have was precious. I just fell in love with the kids. It's amazing to me that I could make such a deep bond with kids that don't even speak my language. I felt God there and saw Jesus in their eyes. They were the most well behaved children I have ever met. Always satisfied, smiling, content, and loving. Seeing their faces as they played in the Ocean was so rewarding. The hardest point was leaving them. I can see their tear stained faces chasing after the bus as we left. It was so sad to leave them but I know they are right where they need to be. These children are the future of Cambodia. Less than 1% of Cambodia is Christian and it will take these warriors for God to change Cambodia. It can happen! The Pastor there at the orphanage says he has a 3 part mission- 1)take care of the kids (give them food, shelter, and love) 2)train them with some type of skill and teach them English and 3)lead them into a growing relationship with Jesus. He has the kids from the time they come into the orphanage until the time they graduate college and get a job. I'm so excited to support this ministry too. Especially since I have personally met the children. It only costs $360 a year to send one of the kids to college. If you are interested in sending a child to college, please let me know! I know you weren't there and it's much different for me, who was there, but I would love to help them as much as possible. Overall, the trip was a success and I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me next. Thank you so much for all your support both financial, prayer, and encouragement. I definitely could not have done any of this without you! I have never been so uncomfortable in my life but I have also never learned so much and felt so close to the BIG God I serve. The trip was totally worth it and I will do another one as soon as I have an opportunity. I love you all very much! in Khmer, "Knyom sraw-line ne-uh nah"

With Christ's unfailing love-

--
Rachael Walkup


"O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them." Psalm 40:5

A slideshow for you to enjoy...

Just a small taste of my trip :)

I'm back!!!!

I will post on here a few paragraphs and pictures to sum up my Cambodia trip. i'm just not ready for that yet. But I got this in my email and firgured it was worth sharing :) so enjoy!!!


I've learned .... That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I've learned .... That when you're in love, it shows.

I've learned .... That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day.

I've learned .... That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I've learned ... . That being kind is more important than being right.

I've learned .... That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I've learned .... That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

I've learned .... That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I've learned .... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I've learned .... That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I've learned .... That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned .... That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

I've learned .... That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned .... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned ... That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned .... That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I 've learned .... That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I've learned .... That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned .... That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I've learned .... That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I've learned .... That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I've learned ... That life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned .... That opportunities are never lost, someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned .... That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned .... That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.

I've learned .... That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I've learned .... That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned .... That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.

I've learned .... That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

I've learned .... That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.