Wow. Tomorrow is the start of a November, a brand new month... woohoo!
Lots of exciting things have been going on, which makes Lifegate Church a hoppin' place!
Lifegate just released their official CD, "Brand New Day"! And the crowd goes wild!!! It is incredible, and I am personally excited to have extraordinary worship to listen to in my car! (Bonus feature: My mom is on the back cover of the CD... What can I say? The camera's love her ;] )
More exciting news: starting November 3rd, IBEX is putting on IBEX Family Dinners on Wednesday nights at 5:30! So please, come visit us at The Goat Trough! Meals are jsut $3, and you can come fellowship, find out what is going on in IBEX, and eat a great meal! All proceeds go towards our Global journies to Kyrgyzstan and Thailand!
As far as IBEX goes, we are still busy, busy, busy! The 1/2 marathon is creeping up on us like none other! Just a little over 3 weeks now I do believe. We are counting on God to give us the strength to press on, because we are very tired! We ran 9 miles this past Thursday! To be honest with you, I never would have seen myself doing this in life! It's crazy!
I am really enjoying my classes this cycle! Learning all about discipleship in Pastor Tracy's class. This past week, we dug really deep into a passage, and looked at the context of things, including some Jewish customs that really explain the scriptures more. I was so intrigued! I really want to do Biblical studies now, because just that little tidbit was eye opening, and really understanding the background of who wrote the Bible, and when it was written really opens your eyes to what the scripture means!
In Dr. Deb's class, we took our strengthfinders test and are now learning about our strengths. We also are working on a genograph, which is sort of like an in-depth family tree! It is cool seeing where you came from, and looking at your strengths, and really just allowing God to show you how he sees you, and how he is forming you!
I feel like, for me personally, IBEX is really peeling back the layers and showing me who I really am! I am learning so many things about myself (some good, some not-so-good!) that I had never seen before! I am definately being shaped and formed right now, and to be honest, some of it hurts! But God is good and I trust Him!
Y'all should be proud of me- I am taking a sabbath! It was hard for me to arrange it, but I got most all of my "work" related things out of the way on Friday and Saturday, so I could rest today! And I'm not gonna lie, it is reeeeaaallly nice to sit and do what I want to do!
I think that is all I have to update you on for now! I'm looking at another busy week ahead, but I feel energized and ready to face whatever may pop up!
Prayer requests
~Financial provision
~Energy and motivation to finish my training and run the marathon to the best of my ability!
~Healing of injuries- shin splints, pulled tendons, and the aches and pains that come with running
~Sleep- and dreams and visions from God!
~Purpose- I don't want to lose purpose in what I am in IBEX for- I want to continue seeking God and what he has for me
~Open ears to hear God's voice, and then quick obedience!
Once again, I thank you profusely for your support and encouragement as I walk through this crazy adventure. I am so blessed to have friends and family like y'all around me!
In closing, I have a verse that has been speaking to me, and I would like to leave you to ponder on:
Romans 5:5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Chew on that, and I hope your week is filled with great things!
~Rebekah
Sunday, October 31, 2010
The Night of October 21st...
The Night of October 21st
A short story
She was just wrapping things up in the office. It had been a long week. After finishing all of her grueling tasks under the close watch of her nazi-boss, she finally was locking the place up. Fried goat just doesn't sound good, she thought. But it will do, I'm so hungry! It had been a hectic day, getting ready to lead an overnight trip to Monte Clair for a group of young, adventurous students. As she walked out to her car, fumbling with her keys, and checking her phone, she heard something behind her. Footsteps. She walked faster, just ten paces from her car now. More footsteps. Finally there. She dropped her keys. Unlocking and opening the door, she reached to put the keys in the ignition, but she was yanked back, and a sack was put over her head. Don't struggle, it will only make it worse, she told herself, although she could hardly believe what was happening. Stay calm. Think. Use your other senses. She tried to regain composure, as she was pushed along and forced into what she assumed was the back seat of a small car. She decided to buckle up, although it wouldn't save her from her kidnappers, it would protect her from the car chase that was bound to happen once people found out she was missing.
She heard the car start, and all of a sudden the car began to shake as the bass was blasted out of the speakers. The windows were rolled down, and the car was moving. As they picked up speed down what she assumed was a highway, she began to relax. This is my favorite song! We gonna light it up, like it's dynomi...And then she snapped out of it. She realized their tactic, and blocked the song out of her head. No way were her kidnappers going to entrance her that easily- with that song! She tried to pay attention to where they were headed, but she had lost all sense of direction- and her sunglasses. They had stolen her prized sunglasses.
The car was slowing down now. And finally, it parked. She heard the doors open, and someone said "They are all here", in a slightly mischeivous way. She was then yanked out of the car by the straps of her backpack, which they then ripped from her shoulders. After getting her legs under her, she was pulled across a cement lot. She put a hand out in front of her for fear of hitting the imaginary pole she kept seeing (Or not seeing, due to the blindfold) , or running into the ominous wall that seemed to be in front of her every step. I do wish I could at least see where they are taking me! Are they going to hurt me? What is going on? What did I do to deserve this? She heard a rusty old door creak open and many things filled her senses: obnoxiously loud voices laughing and yelling, a waft of something from a kitchen hit her nose, and reminded her how hungry she was. Before she could take the rest in, she was again pulled forward, back and forth, around and across a carpeted area. Again her unnerved senses kept telling her there were maybe stairs in front of her, or a wall in front of her masked face, and she took timid steps forward. All of a sudden, her captors let go of her hands. She took a few more timid steps, and then..... she was pushed! She could see herself falling through one of those imaginary holes! Falling, falling, falli- wait... She was still standing. She heard laughter. And then a multitude of voices:
"Take off the blindfold, Rebekah."
She cautiously reached up and untied the thing that masked her eyes, the one sense she relied most on. She was almost scared to find out what awaited her behind the cloth that so graciously saved her from seeing what could be the tools used to end her life.
She slowly pulled the fabric up over her head, and then blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dim bar lights hanging above her head.
"SURPRISE!" Everyone shouted! She quickly scanned the room and took in the scene. The TVs, the waitors, the tables stacked high with wings and cupcakes. Then her eyes landed on the source of the voices.
And she smiled. Fried goat? I think not.
This is a shout out to all my wonderful IBEX friends who threw me the best surprise birthday party EVER!!!
They surprised me with a dinner at Buffalo Widl Wings, one of my all-time favorite restaraunts! The story sort of follows how the night went! :)
Love you all, and thank you so much for the awesome surprise! You really got me!
*I hope you get the inside jokes I tried to include ;)
~RCM
A short story
She was just wrapping things up in the office. It had been a long week. After finishing all of her grueling tasks under the close watch of her nazi-boss, she finally was locking the place up. Fried goat just doesn't sound good, she thought. But it will do, I'm so hungry! It had been a hectic day, getting ready to lead an overnight trip to Monte Clair for a group of young, adventurous students. As she walked out to her car, fumbling with her keys, and checking her phone, she heard something behind her. Footsteps. She walked faster, just ten paces from her car now. More footsteps. Finally there. She dropped her keys. Unlocking and opening the door, she reached to put the keys in the ignition, but she was yanked back, and a sack was put over her head. Don't struggle, it will only make it worse, she told herself, although she could hardly believe what was happening. Stay calm. Think. Use your other senses. She tried to regain composure, as she was pushed along and forced into what she assumed was the back seat of a small car. She decided to buckle up, although it wouldn't save her from her kidnappers, it would protect her from the car chase that was bound to happen once people found out she was missing.
She heard the car start, and all of a sudden the car began to shake as the bass was blasted out of the speakers. The windows were rolled down, and the car was moving. As they picked up speed down what she assumed was a highway, she began to relax. This is my favorite song! We gonna light it up, like it's dynomi...And then she snapped out of it. She realized their tactic, and blocked the song out of her head. No way were her kidnappers going to entrance her that easily- with that song! She tried to pay attention to where they were headed, but she had lost all sense of direction- and her sunglasses. They had stolen her prized sunglasses.
The car was slowing down now. And finally, it parked. She heard the doors open, and someone said "They are all here", in a slightly mischeivous way. She was then yanked out of the car by the straps of her backpack, which they then ripped from her shoulders. After getting her legs under her, she was pulled across a cement lot. She put a hand out in front of her for fear of hitting the imaginary pole she kept seeing (Or not seeing, due to the blindfold) , or running into the ominous wall that seemed to be in front of her every step. I do wish I could at least see where they are taking me! Are they going to hurt me? What is going on? What did I do to deserve this? She heard a rusty old door creak open and many things filled her senses: obnoxiously loud voices laughing and yelling, a waft of something from a kitchen hit her nose, and reminded her how hungry she was. Before she could take the rest in, she was again pulled forward, back and forth, around and across a carpeted area. Again her unnerved senses kept telling her there were maybe stairs in front of her, or a wall in front of her masked face, and she took timid steps forward. All of a sudden, her captors let go of her hands. She took a few more timid steps, and then..... she was pushed! She could see herself falling through one of those imaginary holes! Falling, falling, falli- wait... She was still standing. She heard laughter. And then a multitude of voices:
"Take off the blindfold, Rebekah."
She cautiously reached up and untied the thing that masked her eyes, the one sense she relied most on. She was almost scared to find out what awaited her behind the cloth that so graciously saved her from seeing what could be the tools used to end her life.
She slowly pulled the fabric up over her head, and then blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dim bar lights hanging above her head.
"SURPRISE!" Everyone shouted! She quickly scanned the room and took in the scene. The TVs, the waitors, the tables stacked high with wings and cupcakes. Then her eyes landed on the source of the voices.
And she smiled. Fried goat? I think not.
This is a shout out to all my wonderful IBEX friends who threw me the best surprise birthday party EVER!!!
They surprised me with a dinner at Buffalo Widl Wings, one of my all-time favorite restaraunts! The story sort of follows how the night went! :)
Love you all, and thank you so much for the awesome surprise! You really got me!
*I hope you get the inside jokes I tried to include ;)
~RCM
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)