Rachel's Radical Rantings

So God has been tugging at my heart for the past few weeks to write about generosity. Of course, the Christmas season was just a couple of weeks ago and that seems to bring out more generosity in people. Along with the season, I have been reading devotions on this very topic and lo and behold, it was one of the topics at Bible study the other night. So, I took that as my cue that God was speaking loud and clear! Now, when I talk about generosity, I don't particularly mean monetarily. I believe that when something comes up (especially in scripture), about giving generously; people automatically jump to the conclusion that we need to give all our money away. Wait a minute..." our money ?" Is it "our money?" Think about that for a minute. Scripture tells us that "Every good and perfect thing is from God." ~ James 1:17 The Message Bible states it this way, "Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven." So, here is a questio...

Wow! October is gone this year. I have to admit, there were times that seemed to drag on and others that were gone in the blink of an eye. The fall arrived with bursts of color and internally my colors seemed to fade. My most recent pregnancy test had come back negative, my in laws were due in, and my husband was preparing to head out to Afghanistan for his fourth deployment, so we had already started the process of getting into "deployment mode." Now, that means we do not just prepare physically. Most of the "preparation" is mental. Not only does all the equipment need to be inventoried and packed; but we both together have to prepare for the separation physically that we are about to face. There is a definite emotional and mental process that military husbands and wives go through. We get into a mode of: we need to make sure all of the important documents and bills are taken care of, what if there's an emergency, why does it have to be a year, and the ultimat...

Wow!! Okay, so it's been a few months since I have taken the time to sit and write again. I have had this topic in my head and on my heart for a while. This is something that we all, as humans, struggle with on a daily basis. So what, do you ask, is the reason for this title? Simple. I am not talking about living and dying in the physical sense. For the moment, I am referring to the power of life and death that spews forth from our tongues...every day! Whoa..yes I just went there! This topic is probably one that all of you have heard many times before. So, here is a question for you, "do you think about what you say to people before, during, and/or after you have said it?" Do you realize that your words alone can build up or destroy someone in a single breath? Scripture is filled with warnings and life lessons concerning our words. Proverbs speaks over and over about the words of the wise and the folly of the foolish. Websters dictionary defines folly as:the s...

Today I would like to talk about discipline and disciplined. Webster's dictionary defines the word discipline (n) as: (1)training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior.(2)Controlled behavior resulting from such training. (3) A state of order based on submission to rules and authority. (4) Punishment intended to correct or train. (5) A set of rules or methods. It defines disciplined (adj) as: possessing or indicative of discipline. Now, where am I going with this you may ask? Well, this week as I was praying about what to write on here next, God answered me clearly with at least four references to discipline and/or being disciplined. He showed me something in my own personal quiet time in my devotional, through a friend, through my memory verse in His word, and through actions I have been taking this week. I realized this week that not only did I need to be disciplined in my physical journey, I definitely need to be more disciplined in my spiritual wa...

Good evening! It's been too long since I have been on here to write something! I have been so busy that I have neglected sitting and listening to what God is telling me. I am getting back to that now and have some things on my heart. Lately I have been feeling sluggish, exhausted, and not motivated at all. Yesterday I was chatting online with a friend and we got to talking about doing something to better ourselves. I personally need and want to lose weight. I have done it before and felt so great seeing and feeling how my body changed. Now granted it wasn't a huge loss, but still a loss. I keep thinking about the triathlon I did two years ago. I was probably in the best shape mentally and physically that I have been in a very long time. I was able to swim longer than I had been able to, lift weights that before seemed to weigh me down, ride a bike for 7 miles, and actually run! It was an amazing feeling. Now why, you ask, would someone ever want to let that go? Laziness..pure a...

Well, as you have probably already guessed, I like to keep people thinking! I should actually be in bed right now due to having to get up early tomorrow, but I have something on my heart and I feel I need to share. The topic for today is guilt. Now, I don't know about you, but I struggle with guilty feelings on a daily basis. Twice today I have had conversations with people on this very topic. Both times, the guilt talk led to what the bigger picture is...sin. So, here is my first question, "have you or do you struggle with guilt?" If so, (and we all do it so we need to own up to it) how do you handle the feeling? What is causing that/those feelings? Is it past sin (sexual immorality, lies, pride, hateful thoughts, revenge/unrighteous anger..fill in the blank), is it present sin, or a mixture of both? I struggle with both sometimes. Here is the next question, "have you confronted your guilt/sin?" If not, what are you afraid of? Sometimes it takes years for us to...

This week has had me thinking about being thankful. Yes, we have all heard the scripture, "in all things give thanks." The word of God is overflowing with thankfulness and how to be thankful in all things. Some would argue that those rules pertain only to the individuals/groups of people in the Bible. WRONG!! There are certainly amazing stories throughout the bible of God's grace, mercy, provisions, forgiveness, love, and so much more. There are instances that people could have cursed him and turned from him completely. Look at Job, he was a righteous man who loved the Lord. Even through his suffering, he thanked God. His own friends were telling him to curse God and die. I think he got a glimpse of the bigger picture...or maybe an aspect of God's character that we could only hope to see. Paul had so much persecution thrust upon him just by carrying out the great commission. Through his love for the Lord he took up that cross and carried it. Now, I am not...