College Life...

This is my amazing new bestie Charlette! (Char for short!) We are like peas and carrots for sure! Shes like...my twin! Its scary but amazing all at once! lol. But yeah shes just amazing and Im so thankful that God brought her into my life! I am so blessed to have her!!

And this cutie pie is Becca!! She is probably the coolest young woman you will ever meet. Her and I are so much alike and we crack up at the most random things and laugh for about 3 minutes straight! For no reason! hahah. She is just so amazing and I love her to pieces!!


So this is my "lover" Carolyn! hahah. Not really lover but thats what we call each other when we're in a funny mood! haha. She's amazing and totally a new bff! Like seriously!! She's so flippin amazing I just cant express it!!

And this is my amazing roommate Katie! Shes from Maryland and she too is amazing! Shes quirky, and random but I love it! Shes a total doll and totally adorable!! Im so thankful that God brought us together as roommates! Shes just so wonderful!

SO!! That's pretty much the lowdown on what my life is like! lol. Full of friends, fun and amazing schooling! I absolutely love my classes and my teachers! They are so amazing and they really wanna see us succeed and do the best we can. I love Dr. B his class is Introduction to Bible Study! He's taught us how to look at scripture and examine it in a way I never thought possible! It really is amazing!! His so funny and random! I love it! lol. I also love Mr. Ricks Foundations of Western Civilization class. It's basically a History class. I love history as you probably know so I love it! So those are my two favorite classes! Thanksgiving in coming up in about a month and I know I'm gonna miss all my new friends! I honestly don't know how Im gonna get through Christmas break! 3 1/2 weeks without them!! AHHHH! I'm sure it'll be okay but I'm gonna miss them!! lol.

So thats about it from me for now!! I hope you enjoyed reading and seeing a little bit of what life is like for me here at EBC. Stop by soon to see any updates!! Love you guys!!

Registration Day!

So today I registered for my classes! I found that I have a high writing level and I was put in expository writing! Which is really cool! lol. I'm real excited about that! I also have Biology...which makes me nervous cause I dont know what to expect! No dissecting frogs for me! Hahah I don't know if they do that but my goodness I couldn't handle that! lol. Next classes are Spiritual Formation, Western Civ, Introductory Bible Study, and that it for this semester! Did I mention that I don't have a math class? Haha! Woot baby! I was so excited. I'm glad I don't have math this semester. I also got my new laptop! Its smaller than what I'm used too but I love it! Its all mine too! lol. Its pretty cool. So yeah! Today is a pretty chill day, I have like nothing to do all day! haha. So that's nice, seeing that classes start tomorrow ya know? So, yeah. lol. I'm loving every second of this, it's gonna be a great year! =)

College Beginnings

When I woke up on Saturday the day I left I had such a sense of excitement inside of me. "Today is the day I leave for Oregon" I remember thinking. The day progressed and got stressful as I tried to fit all I could for the year into three suitcases! Yeah...Three! What a chore that was. I had to call my Mom in to help me cause I was getting really frustrated. We struggled for about a half hour "trying" to fit everything. In the end not all fit, but the essentials I had. So that's the good part. After that I went and got Mom and I something to eat, we ate and had about a half hour to be together before we had to leave. We sat on the swing in our beautiful soon to be ex backyard. I will miss the beauty scene that laid before us there. God's creations are breathless sometimes. Finally it was time to go. We got a little bit behind because I forgot my wallet on the kitchen table! Haha! Yeah I did! So we ended up being a little bit late to the airport. As we were checking our bags in one of mine was 5 pounds over the limit. Choices were, I could either keep it and pay 50 dollars for a fine OR transfer somethings into another bag that had weight room. I opted for choice two! lol.

So I transfer my big CD case that was pretty much full and that took care of the 5 pounds! lol. After that Mom and I basically ran through the airport hoping we werent gonna miss our flight. We ended up getting there right in time to board with our boarding group! I felt like we were the family in Home Alone who always had to run through the airport to catch their plane! hah. Classic. We get into Portland and have dinner with my Grandparents and my Uncle Shane. We went to the Spaghetti Factory which is one of my favorite restaurants! So after waiting for over an hour we were seated and enjoyed our time together immensely.

On our way to my Grandparents' house in Albany something was happening to my Grandparents' car!! So we had to pull over on the side of the road stopping in front of a hilarious sign and had to wait for a tow truck! Yeah, I said tow truck! It was my first time in one of those and I have to say it was very interesting. As you can see by the pictures below...it was very interesting! lol. It ended up being a great night altogether. We got home around 10:30 and went to be shortly after that. The next day I arrived at EBC and registered! It was amazing fun! The girls were so great and I absolutely love my roommate. I'll get a picture with her this week and post it in a blog! But she's amazing and we are getting along famously! Its just been so great so far! My classes officially start on Thursday so I'll definitely try my best to write a blog Thursday night. Well, I better go for now. Gotta be up somewhat early. I get to sleep in at least, not having to be up at 5:30! Yay! lol. I'll write soon!

Its Coming Up Fast!

So today I got the joy of talking to my roommate!! Her name is Katie and she is adorable! Her and I are alike so much! Shes very bubbly and she added me on Facebook! Looking at her pictures and being able to talk to her..I know that God did me well choosing her as my roommate. We both have the same major so we'll be in all of the same classes! How cool is that!? Yesterday I got the Orientation Week Schedule as well! Every day it gets even more exciting! I am so excited! I honestly cant wait. God has shown me every day that He has my back and is taking care of me. He really is the only true Father that I've had. He is my Ultimate Poppa. I love God so much and he is holding me strong and steady in is arms. I was listening to some worship music last night and a song came on that touched my heart so much that I started to cry. The chorus is:

"I fear nothing at all
When I’m safe in the arms of my Father
And if I ever fall
I take comfort in knowing
That You are there."

I cried feeling my heart break all over again. I mourn the loss over my own real father...but I know that my Abba Father is taking care of me, he loves me, wants me, adores me...Im the apple of his eye like all of us are. Im just falling deeper in love with my Abba Father. He's my everything!

So its been a while since I've written. Things havent been real great. My parents are getting a divorce and my father...or so called father is out of my life for good. Thats my choice. I have lived the past 7 or 8 years of my life, watching him ruin our lives..and our family. This time, he's done enough to complete that goal. I dont know what he doesnt get about everything thats going on. Its like there this brick wall that is in his brain that wont let him grasp the reality of whats going on! He treats me like crap, makes up excuses, isnt helping my mom with anything when it comes to closing the house down and everything. He's just been a complete....sorry to say but a complete @$$!! There is no other way to describe it. He brings out the worst in me! How is that even possible that my own father brings out the worst parts of me! I dont get it! Hes clueless, and he's acting like a child! I cant stand him anymore. I wake up every morning and see my mom crying because of him! I cant take it anymore. He's outta my life for now and probably for good unless he changes. He doesnt seem to want too, so we'll see if it does happen. I believe God can do amazing things...but the person has to allow God to change them. My so called father doesnt want to change. So, I dont know. Its in Gods hands I guess. But for now, its just my Mom, Me, and my brother. Thats our family...whats left of it I guess. Im glad Im leaving for college on Saturday cause I need to get away of all this crap! I cant handle it anymore! College....will be my chance to get closer to God and be away from all of this...its coming at a perfect time I think. *sigh* Im just drained. Im over everything, Im just done.

Waiting...Walking...Wondering

Okay. So, I know its been a while since I've blogged. Things have been emotional and crazy lately. I've been struggling a lot with wondering if Im gonna have enough money for when I leave to Eugene in a month or so. The finances are just not coming in. Im working as much as I can with the little hours Im getting at work. Ive been so discouraged the past couple weeks. It just seemed to me that nothing was coming together and things seemed hopeless. Well today, Mom and I were out running errands and we were listening to Positive Life Radio. (A Christian Radio Station) and a song came up and I felt like crying. These are the lyrics....

While I'm Waiting by John Waller:

I'm waiting I'm waiting on You,

Lord And I am hopeful I'm waiting on You,

Lord Though it is painful

But patiently, I will wait

Chorus

I will move ahead, bold and confident

Takeing every step in obedience

While I'm waiting I will serve You

While I'm waiting I will worship

While I'm waiting I will not faint I'll be running the race

Even while I wait

I'm waiting I'm waiting on You,

Lord And I am peaceful I'm waiting on You,

Lord Though it's not easy But faithfully,

I will wait Yes, I will wait

I will serve You while I'm waiting

I will worship while I'm waiting

I will serve You while I'm waiting

I will worship while I'm waiting

I will serve you while I'm waiting

I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

I felt as though God was telling me "You're right on track Rachel, just wait for me and the right time. I will take care of you." It was such an amazing feeling. God is amazing and I feel real great knowing that God has it all planned and I'm going in the direction He wants. Its definately comforting.

Craziness!!

Hey! So I know its been a long time since I blogged last. Life has been crazy! Im working a lot and trying to get money for college...which this week I was hit with a major delima. I got my financial aid packet with how much aid I'll be recieving and I was surprised that it wasnt as much as I thought it'd be. Im 12,000 dollars short for tuition. My heart sunk a lot. Now Im hit with the choices to get loans that I'll have to pay back after school. If I choose to do all four years I'll have to pay over 500 dollars a month for payments. Now, theres no way I'll be able to provide for myself come time for that. Im so torn. I dont know what to do. So please, please be praying for me. I really am stressing and worried about what to do. I know I have to make this decision and its a rough one to have to make. I wish I was four years old again when life was so carefree and nothing stopped me from doing anything! lol. Its probably why God calls us to have a childlike heart so we can come to him without anything stopping us, and be carefree with lifes struggles. Amazing how God turns that around in someones life...especially after what I just shared. Okay God, you hit me on the head again...I get it. But prayers are still greatly appriciated! lol. Besides that, work is going well. Ive made some good friends and I enjoy working there. Those new friends of mine are a trip and they are each very different but they have grown on me a lot and have become very special to me. I sure will miss them when I leave in September. Grandpa is also doing better. His hair has grown back and he has his goatee back. He seems happier...but yet you can still tell that he's sick. We have no idea when his time is gonna end...I just pray it isnt soon. I still want him to see me get married and be in love. Hes always wanted that for me...and I just pray every day that he'll get to see that.

Life Is Great!

So yeah...life. Pretty good right now. I did get my job back once I was better which is SO GREAT! The day I went in to talk to my boss a girl quit by not showing up so her spot became available for me!! So I was just so grateful! God is so stinkin good! So Ive been working like crazy! Getting some money and everything. So. Its great. My job is great, I love it! Life is so much better. Life is just...GREAT! Its been such a long time since my life has been so positive. I have missed looking at life this way with so much excitement and hope for whats to come. Im looking towards September when I go to EBC and I get more and more excited every single day! Its so amazing how God is just putting all the pieces together for me. Taking care of my stress and worries...He is just so good and faithful! I love Him so very much! God is so good!! Yay! lol.

*Cough, Cough*

Yeah...so. By the title of this blog I met you know what I'm gonna talk about. Yes I am sick. With Mono no less. I woke up Thursday morning to get ready for work and felt like crap. I could barely get out of bed, my head was pounding like none other, I could barely move. I had to call into work, and my boss got real mad at me! I honestly couldn't believe it. Especially working with food and with this Swine Flu going around? Does she really want me to come in? Seriously. So, after I dealt with that my mom had to help me out of bed and take me to the Doctor. He said I had a viral infection, to drink Powerade and lots of fluids and if I'm not better by Monday (today) that it's probably Mono and I should get a blood test done. Sadly I don't have the finances and money to get a blood test done. Its killing my Mom and I both, but I just cant do it. So, with the way I'm feeling right now, I know I have Mono or its a really, really bad viral infection. Which doesn't have any antibiotics to counteract it. So I'm just sicker than a dog until I get better. My boss called me today to see how I was feeling and if I'd be able to return to work this week. I told her that I really did know when I'll be able to come back cause I have no idea when I'll be better. So she told me to call her when I am able to get back to work but no guarantees that she'll have a job for me because she's short handed already and has to hire people. So, that's really a bummer. But I know that God has it all under control, and His will is gonna be done. So I know that it's all gonna be okay. He wants me at EBC in September and nothing is gonna stop Him so I know the finances will come. I just don't know how. But God does so that's good enough for me. I sure do hope I get better though cause I feel like crap! lol. This too shall pass!

Just An Update

Hey Everyone!!

So, since I got my job two weeks ago things have been so crazy! Im working so many hours! Its great....but a lot of hard work. I was wondering if it was all worth it. Well...after getting my $317.59 paycheck today I can actually say....IT WAS SO WORTH IT! lol. There are some other issues our family and I are dealing with. But God remains faithful. Even though things right now are so uncertain with those issues...Im looking towards EBC in September and that gets me through this rough time right now. Work is also an outlet to get away from it all. I enjoy working at Paul Bunyan. The money is great, and the people are so fun to work with. It does get stressful and certain personalities come out that are sometimes hard to deal with. But its all good! I just give them their space and try my best to stay out of their way! haha. Its really all I can do. But like I said Im loving it! Keep the prayers coming, and I will write again soon! God Bless you! =)

Gods Provision

Just wanted to let everyone know that I got a job this past week!! Its at a burger joint in the small town that I live in! Not as stressful as Starbucks! Which is great! I am so thankful and praising God for giving me this job! Now I can have most of the stress about September ease away and now Im just busy making money! Which is always great! lol. So thank you all who have prayed with me and for me during this time. Keep those prayers coming cause the devil is really working over time to discourage and make homelife not so great. So please keep fighting with me. Be my prayer warriors next to me. I love you all! I hope you're having an amazing God filled week!!

Such Passon Sacrifice & Love

To reconnect ourselves with the true meaning of Easter my mom, grandparents and I decided to watch Mel Gibsons "The Passion Of The Christ". As soon as it started I flashed back to the very first time I saw it. My family and I went and saw it in the movie theater when it was released. I remember being uncertain on what to expect. I had seen movies about the Crucifiction before, seeing the whole story from begininng to end. As I thought about it, those movies were pretty clean when it came down to the Crucifiction part. Little did I know the gore and bloodshed I had yet to see. When it got to that heartbreaking gruesome part, I began to cry. Never realizing the actual price my precious Jesus paid.

As it continued I began to sob. When I looked around the theater I noticed that I wasnt the only one. Women and even grown Men were crying. It was heartwrenching for every believer who has ever seen the movie. Last night when we were watching it again I had the same reaction. With every sound of the barbed whip making contact to His body I flenched getting tears in my eyes. I couldnt control my emotions and I dont think I will when I watch the movie. I again was also reminded of the love, devotion and sacrfice Jesus had for all man kind. Do you know of anyone who would die a death like that just for you? Thank God that we all have Jesus.

He paid the ultimate price. No other man has ever loved me that much, and no man probably ever will. Watching that movie made me fall in love with Jesus even more. Even though it was heartbreaking, and gutwrenching to watch it was the truest depiction of what it probably was like for Jesus. Mel Gibson wasnt afraid to show the truth of what it was really like. Although nobody can know or say what it was like exactly, Im sure it was along those lines. Which makes sacrifice more meaningful and sweet.

My Jesus chose to die the same death of horrible, bad criminals. Thieves hung on both sides of him and he was innocent and pure. Yet as he was hanging there, dying slowly, Jesus forgave the sins of one of those criminals. He told the man that he would follow Jesus into paradise. Amazing huh? As blood flowed onto the ground, his skin mutilated, his body broken and mangled. Jesus forgave the sins of that criminal and forgave us all. He forgave us and our sins, wiping our slates clean. As innocent blood was shed we were wiped clean of all our iniquities. Jesus loved us so much and that was shown through the passionate sacrifice of his life by dying on the cross. May we never forget the love, passion and sweet sacrifice our Jesus has for us. Never forget.

Isaiah 53:5

"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed."

Pondering...

Lately...I've really been doing a lot of thinking about my future and whats to come. I know that EBC is in my future but whats gonna happen after I take that step? Is my future gonna unfold right before my eyes without me even noticing it? Or...is God gonna slowly show me the desires of my heart, to help me be more thankful for it all? Gosh thats just a little bit of what Im thinking about. So much needs to get done, and so much needs to happen before September. Im afraid Im not gonna get it all done in time. I dont know if Im gonna have enough money for it, I dont know if I'll ever get the things I need for college itself.

Im trying so hard to believe that God will provide all my needs. If he allowed me to be accepted to EBC apparently He wants me there...so nothing can stop that right? I know that God has my way paved and taken care of already...I just wish I had the peace that it will all turn out. Im trying so hard to find a job and I still havent found one yet. Time is just ticking away! The weeks are rollin by and I still dont have any money saved or earned! It gets really frustrating!! Ahhh! I hate that I cant do much more! If it were up to me Id have a job already and a laptop! (Which I need for college!) ARG!! Its so frustrating!!!

"His mercies are new every morning..." Its a saying that a lot of my friends have been posting on their Facebooks lately. Its interesting that so many of my friends at the same time have been spoken too by that same saying. So...I started thinkin about it. "His mercies are NEW every morning..." To me, that says, God has it taken care of, and every morning when you wake up know that you dont have to worry about whats going on in life. It's just like that other scripture.

Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

That scripture has become a daily reminder that God has it all under control. No reason to worry or fret and get yourself worked up into a tissy! No. God has it taken care of! So why worry yourself into the ground about it? True enough I think! Sounds good to me!

My Love Song

This is my love song to the Lord...


Oh my soul runeth over with love for you my Lord. I lift up your name with a brand new song. For you are worthy of such things. My heart is joyful as I abandon all with praise and devotion for my God and King. You speak softly to me and I hear you. I do not fear because I know my lovers voice. The voice that brings me comfort and peace. I praise you Lord for what you bring into my life everyday. I sing a new song unto you Lord for you deserve it. Worthy is the lamb, worthy are you my God. Singing to you brings me joy and happiness.

I come to you as a young woman in love with the man of her dreams. You are my lover. You are the only one who has given me reason to love you so deeply. I cannot live without my beloved for I would be lost without you. You are all I need my love, hold me in your arms tightly for I feel safe from harm in them. I hold tighter to you Lord because I am so desperately in love with you. I dont need riches and fame because I am your princess. All you desire is my love and devotion and that is what I give to you and more.

I've never felt so in love before. You give me all I need and you deserve all of me. I sing to you a love song, a love song for my precious one, my beloved. My love for you goes deeper than the deepest ocean. When I'm not with you or in your presence I yearn to be there. My heart you hold so delicately careful not to disturb or hurt it in any way.

I need no earthly man because I get all devotion and love from you my beloved. My heart is spoken for because you have it. I dare not take it from you because you are the only one who deserves to keep it. I love you my beloved, you bring a smile to my face when your name escapes from my lips. I am completely devoted to you. I give you all of me for forever. I will sing to you a new love song everyday. A song from your beloved, a love song from your cherished one.

Written by:
Me