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Rachel W. Rains
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Rachel W. Rains

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WHY am I here… [finding meaning in the journey]
A Meaningful Journey | Christian Blog | Faith Blog

WHY am I here… [finding meaning in the journey]

ONE YEAR AGO—we landed in Hometown, OK, began what was to be a short, but hard-fought cancer journey for my mama, escaped the first cases of Corona in Nashville, lost a dear, sweet friend the night before our departure, and started a sabbatical, career journey still on the fly! What we gained far outweighs what…

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Every time I hear of another school shooting, I al Every time I hear of another school shooting, I always return to the same, recurring thought. “Woe is the suffering/misery this person surely endured to have committed such an unfathomable act of horror.” Often you’ll read the words, “I hope the killer rots in hell.” But clearly they’ve already experienced hell. Hell on this earth. A hell [quite likely] perpetuated by careless, wounding words and deeds. Often hurled by people like you and me. Words harm. Each person—no matter how unlovable we may deem them to be, bears the image of their Creator. I think the biggest question for each of us to consider is this, Why can’t we just be a little kinder to others, a little gentler in our responses, a little more understanding in our affliction and a little more patient with our love for a fallen, imperfect world full of messy, broken people? South Nashville/Green Hills was our home for 20 years. I’ve passed this school thousands of times over the years. When the shooters age was revealed, reality set in. The shooter was of the same age as my daughter. Because of our proximity, it was quite possible we could know the shooter. Turns out we knew his/her first grade teacher, who stated “Audrey was bright, funny, creative, and completely adorable. She came from a wonderful family.” Lord, not [just] how long will the wicked triumph, but how long will we, as your children, continue to withhold our LOVE from a hurting, watching world. Pray for the families of all involved. PRAY for our nation as we approach yet another season of school shootings. Pray not one more child of God is lost to the darkness of the enemy through the unloving words and deeds of others. Oh “to be so full of God’s love, none of us [ever] fathom speaking an unkind word or committing an unkind deed.” This is my quest… and battle-cry, friends. Join me?! 🙏🏻🤍 “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” Matt. 5:44-45 #lovingtheunlovable #lovingothers #loveyourenemies #lovewins #lovegoals #loveGodloveothers #acceptthelovechallenge #thelovechallenge #prayforournation #wordsmatter #whyGod #hope #hopewriters
Our hearts are breaking... Please pray for these f Our hearts are breaking... Please pray for these families. And PRAY for our nation as the maddening season of school shootings sets in. “It's the elementary school shootings that make absolutely no sense,” said my #Stormygirl. We lived in South Nash/Green Hills for 20+ years. This school is less than five minutes from our former home and we attended Stormy’s baccalaureate here in this chapel. "Lord, how long shall the wicked triumph?” Psalm 94:3 🙏🏻🤍🙏🏻🤍🙏🏻🤍🙏🏻🤍🙏🏻🤍🙏🏻🤍🙏🏻🤍🙏🏻 📸: @ba_eagles_tn
This is real love—not that we loved God, but tha This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 1 John 4:10-11 NLT I haven’t fully returned to this space yet, but I wanted to share the beautiful quote I *tweaked* a bit. We’ve just reached the halfway mark in the #TLCcommunity Bible study. Come join us for the last few weeks [link in bio]. 💕 *insp by Chip Ingram quote #acceptthelovechallenge #mondaymantra #thelovechallenge #tlcjourney #scripturestudy #scriptureoftheweek #biblestudy #bibleverseoftheweek #christianinspirationalquotes #womenintheword #hopewriters #lovingothers #loveyourenemies #encouragement #Godslovewins
The daffodils are blooming and melancholy sets in The daffodils are blooming and melancholy sets in like a thick fog I can’t shake. It was this week, 3yrs ago, we left Nashville with heavy hearts, but with a giant dose of hope in our back pockets. Seemingly ready and eager for what God had in store for us in this new season, the quickly unfurling red flags signaled hard days ahead . It was ten days after putting our house up for sale that we learned my mama had cancer. And it was wee in the morning of our leaving Nashville, we learned the sudden passing of a dear friend. A friend who, days prior, helped me dig up daffodil and iris bulbs in a cold wintry mix of mist and fog, so I could bring a little piece of Nashville to Hometown, OK. With heavy hearts--now heavier, and no time to stop, we drove by the devastation of the previous night’s tornado. Leaving behind the only home our daughter knew [along with a vocal coaching career spanning 30+ years], we knew God had answered our prayers. Some decades in the making. We moved into our new home on Thursday. And it was on Monday, the world shut down. Pandemic was the diagnosis. Along with pancreatic cancer. The days were hard, but hopeful. And then, slowly, darkness crept in. And the miracles, seemed to cease. But did they? Or was it simply my faith, being tested. Winding through the Green Hills of south Nashville, running right along Radnor Lake, is a cut-through we often took over the years. We called it Hubby’s Road. It was our own little respite, in the middle of Nashville proper, where we counted the deer and marveled the beauty of Buttercup Hill each Spring. We loved it so. So, perhaps you can envision how the arrival of daffodils rouses such emotions in me?! Yet, I desire to plant more. Maybe the heart really can hold space for both sadness and joy? Someday, I hope to survey a field of daffodils while standing watch at the kitchen window, reminding me... “To trust God in the light is nothing, but to TRUST Him in the dark, that is FAITH.” - Spurgeon 💕 #faith #hope #trustingGod #nashville #hometownok #daffodils #joy #sadness #answeredprayers #lightinthedarkness #hopewriters #Christianwriters #Faithblogger #ameaningfuljourney #devotional #encouragement
So much of the Alex Murdaugh case reminds me of my So much of the Alex Murdaugh case reminds me of my own days of chasing justice. When you come up against pure evil, it becomes life changing. You truly grasp the reality that evil walks amongst us. And the enemy of our souls is indeed present on this earth and hard at work to destroy us. We can not fight an enemy that we do not acknowledge, friends. But, as was the case in our own fight with evil, when God decides enough is enough, the floodgates of truth fly open and expose the enemy for who he really is--a liar and a deceiver. Justice has prevailed. But let us not forget to weep for the souls of those left standing in the wake of such devastation. Pray God can use this tragedy to bring generational healing to the Murdaugh family. Pray Murdaugh, himself, comes to trust the love of Christ. And pray each one of us will better guard our own hearts. So, that this side of heaven, we live our lives [solely] for Kingdom purpose. God will not allow satan to reign on earth forever, friends. SHARE GOD’S LOVE [through the supplication of prayer] with a broken, unlovable world. “To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer for that person.” - Luke 6:27-28 💕 📸: Pictures taken of Cousin Carl and me, late Dec. 2019, as we celebrated the end of the long, hard-fought journey of chasing justice--one challenging circumstance at a time. #justice #truth #evil #Godswordistrue #womenintheword #scriptureoftheday #bibleverseoftheday #prayforyourenemies #acceptthelovechallenge #thelovechallenge #faithblogger #Christianwriters #hopewriters #ampraying #cousincarl #carlandme
This tattered, incomplete set of 1950’s commenta This tattered, incomplete set of 1950’s commentaries may not look like much to you. But to me, they are proof of God’s love for me. As I prepared this week’s #TLCcommunity study, I thumbed back through some old notebooks. It was then I had the thought, I wish I had the Barclay commentaries that I enjoyed so much at the BBC library in Nashville. It seemed so impossible in the moment. I doubt I even gave it as much thought as to even whisper a prayer. And believe me if I’d have thought of it, I most certainly would’ve prayed for it. It was the next afternoon that God showed up at an estate sale to prove just how ‘possible’ things are for those who love Him and called according to His purpose. It’s as if God wanted to remind me of all the ways He has been exceedingly faithful. You see driving by this expansive ranch every day, literally reminds me, I live a stones throw away from I-35. The vast, open fields allow me to clearly see traffic flowing. It was 2019, when I uttered, “Lord, either move everyone who needs caring for to I-65 or move me to I-35.” But on this day, a sign appeared. Estate sale. I love a good estate sale. And the thought of a breath taking view enticed me to pull over. It was there amongst the treasures of a life well-lived that God demonstrated just how immeasurable His love truly is. What I didn’t even dare to dream or pray for, an out-of-print set of commentaries, suddenly appeared. God heard the simple desire of my heart. And He delivered, in Hometown, OK?! My next door-ish, rancher neighbor held these books for who knows how many years, just so that on this day, I could know I am seen and loved by a God who cares. All things are possible for those who love Him. And He demonstrates HIS GREAT LOVE in seemingly impossible ways, and in spite of my often grumbly nature. “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” - Romans 5:8 Has God ever demonstrated His love for you in an unexpected way? How did it make you feel? 💕 #Biblestudy #devotional #dailydevo #scriptureoftheday #bibleverse #womenintheWord #shereadstruth #Godisgood #Faithblogger #Christianwriters #hopewriters #hope
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