Soul Work

August 31, 2017 By Rachel Lee 1 Comment

Psalm 103:1-5

Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me.

Bless His holy name.

Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits;

Who forgives all our iniquities,

Who heals all our diseases,

Who redeems our lives from the pit,

Who crowns us with steadfast love and mercy,

Who satisfies our desires with good things,

So that our youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Isn’t it interesting that David seems to be talking to himself in this passage?

In fact, he is!

Why would David need to tell himself to bless the Lord?

It’s easy to sing God’s praises when life is good. When things are going as they should, praise and thanksgiving naturally spring up from within us, and flow out of us, without much thought.

But when faced with hardship; when pressed in on every side, it takes some serious effort to bring our praises to the Lord.

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Fount of Living Water

August 31, 2017 By Rachel Lee 2 Comments

And He said to her,

“Come. Sit with me.

Lay your head on my shoulder.

Rest.

Life has been hard.

You’ve been depleted; running on empty.

Struggling to stay afloat with what little resources you have.

Why do you insist on trying to find your way in a dry and barren land?

Why do you grope about in the wilderness?

This is no way to live.

I am the fount of living water.

Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.

Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water, springing up to eternal life. (John 4:14)

Let me fill you.

Take a deep breath.

Breathe in my life-giving spirit.

Do you feel it?

Welling up inside you?

Filling you from head to toe?

Now just rest.

Rest in my arms.

Rest in my love.

Daughter, you must make this a daily habit.

You must continue to be filled day after day.

I am faithful to fill you- if you will let me.

Only then will your river never run dry.”

~Your Beloved

Are you dry and thirsty, seeking to find mercy?

Does your soul feel empty down inside?

Just come unto Jesus, He’s waiting now to fill us,

For He has a bountiful supply.

~ I Will Give You Water, by Jerry Thompson

Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” ~John 4:14

The Danger of Isolation

August 31, 2017 By Rachel Lee 2 Comments

Recently, I heard a pastor speak on the subject of solitude, and the importance of recognizing the difference between solitude and isolation. It was a good message; one that is near and dear to my heart.

I am the type of person who craves, requires, and thrives in solitude.

This may surprise some of you. After all, I am 95% extrovert. I love being around people. I enjoy meeting others and making new friends. Crowds don’t give me anxiety. In fact, I rather enjoy a good party!

But the remaining 5% of me is hardcore introvert. This is the part of me that processes my thoughts, feelings and emotions. The part of me that contemplates and rejuvenates, is done in solitude.

I don’t wear my heart on my sleeve. On the contrary, my heart is buried deep within, rarely rearing its head in front of others, but most assuredly always in solitude.

Believe it or not, I have actually been accused of being heartless and fake because I fail to show emotion. This is not because of pride. It is simply the way God made me.

For all of you introverts out there, let me encourage you by saying that there is nothing wrong with you. You’re not bad or weird or cold. You and I just process differently, and that is okay.

The danger for both extroverts and introverts alike is trying to maintain a healthy balance.

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Grieving What Would Have Been

August 31, 2017 By Rachel Lee 3 Comments

Most people acknowledge May 5th as Cinco de Mayo. But our family acknowledges this day as Savannah’s birthday.

She would be 13 today.

In the Lee household, the 13th birthday is a BIG deal. It is the day that signifies a coming of age- when a child makes those first wobbly steps into young adulthood.

We gather round our closest friends and family members. We eat and drink, share stories and laugh.

We read scripture, and bless, and pray.

And we present the celebrated one with their purity ring, after weeks of discussion revolving around “the talk.”

But I don’t get to do any of this with her. Instead I am reduced to merely imagine what this day would have brought.

Would she have come bounding into our bedroom in the early morning, with excitement written all over her face?

Would she raffle off her desired wish-list to attentive ears?

Who would her closest friends be?

Who would SHE be?

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What I Love About My Man

August 31, 2017 By Rachel Lee 3 Comments

This week, (August 23rd 2016), my husband and I celebrated 20 years together!

As a way of honoring him, I have compiled a list of the top 20 things I love about my husband!

This is my tribute to the man I love. It’s a bit long, but you know you want to read it

And if you would like to create your own list for the man YOU love, I’ve created a FREE PDF at the bottom of this post, for you to do just that!

Whether you’ve been married for 5 years, 10 years, or 50 years, our men deserve to know that they are loved and appreciated! I guarantee this is sure to make their heart melt.

20 Reasons Why I love My Man

1. He is a hardworking man.

He gets up every day at the crack of dawn to provide for his family- rarely ever missing a day- and hardly ever complains. He sees providing for his family as his responsibility- his ministry. And I love him for it!

2. He always tells me that I am beautiful.

(Regardless of what I actually look like at any given moment). No make-up, or all dolled up. Sporting sweats and a stretched out t-shirt, or wearing my sexy jeans and a fashionable blouse. Whether I haven’t showered in two days, or I’m clean and fragrant. At my heaviest, or at my smallest. Even nine months pregnant and HUGE, with greasy hair, and the acne of a 13 yr old going through puberty…well, you get the picture. And the thing is, when he calls me beautiful, he REALLY means it! Every time. How awesome is this guy?!

3. He makes me laugh.

Even after all these years, we can laugh together. That’s HUGE! Truth be told, sometimes he makes me laugh even when I don’t want to laugh- when I’m trying to be serious. But I’d take a man who can make me smile over a stoic, boring, doesn’t-know-how-to-have-fun kind of guy, any ol day!

4. He is humble.

He is not afraid to admit when he’s wrong. Always the first to say he’s sorry, whether it’s to me, or our kids, or whoever. He doesn’t think of himself as holier than thou, (despite what he might like you to think).

5. I LOVE his beard!

Every length, style, and color. Yes, the colors- the browns, the reds, and even the grays. (However I don’t love how he chews on his beard when he’s bored. Gross.)

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“Come. Sit with me.

Life has been hard.

This is no way to live.

I am the fount of living water.

Let me fill you.

Filling you from head to toe?

Rest in my love.

Only then will your river never run dry.”

20 Reasons Why I love My Man

1. He is a hardworking man.

2. He always tells me that I am beautiful.

3. He makes me laugh.

4. He is humble.

5. I LOVE his beard!

Join the fun!

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