This world has no hold on you when you know where you are going.....

I hope people are still hitting Becca's blog. During her chemo treatments, Rebecca befriended another cancer warrior, her name is Marylin. They would often sit and receive chemo together. anyway, Marilyn called me this week and informed me that she has been given 3-9 months to live (by doctor)and she is stopping treatment. She desperately needs your prayers. She contacted me hoping that our family can help walk her through the last part of Becca's life...helping her prepare herself and her family for what is to come. she is a believer and is ready to "go Home". As we learned with Bec, even though one can be ready to go none of us are taken until HE is ready for us and that too can be tormenting. I mourn for Marylin for the rough days that will come for her yet on this earth yet I shed tears of joy knowing she will be with Bec soon. Please pray for her. In typical Becca fashion, before ending her call with me, Marilyn asked me if she could pray for me when it should have been the other way around. This woman and her faith are amazing. Sounds familiar doesn't it??????

Be Blessed,
Rachel

Becca's blog book order site

Our cousin Nick found a site that allowed him to compile Becca's blog and blog photos into a book- allowing those who would like to purchase it, in it's entirety- the cost is for the book only. Nick does not profit from this. what a gift for Lauren and jack......even if you don't plan on purchasing one you can sample the first 15 pages of it. You do need a facebook account to preview it. if you have questions you can respond to this blog and I will get whatever info you may need. Check it out!
Be blessed,
Rachel

http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/826702

Viewing and funeral information

I know a lot of you are wondering what the viewing/funeral information is. Here you go:

Monday August 17th viewing 2pm-8pm at Demoney & Grimes Funeral Home Columbia City
Tuesday August 18th calling from 9-11am at South Whitley Methodist Church, South Whitley Indiana. Funeral to follow at 11am. Burial at South Whitley Cemetary

Goodbye Rebecca.....

Throughout her running career Rebecca has won many ribbons and medals but all them pale in comparison to the reward she received this morning when she ran home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We cannot begin to thank you all for your faithful and ceaseless prayers over these past 3 years. We ask that you continue to lift up Jade, Lauren and Jack in prayer. We pray your hearts will be convicted of this. Lauren asked that I let you all know "thank you for praying for my mommy. I love her". These children are so precious.

When Rebecca asked me to post her final blog I knew I could not end it unless I ended it like she would and that is in prayer....

Let's pray..
Lord, thank you for your child Rebecca and the joy, love and inspiration she has been for so many people. You chose her and equipped her for this battle. you used her for your glorification and for your kingdom. Lord, you above all know the sacrifice and pain of watching a child go through a physical death. I know you mourn for Rebecca but I know you are holding her now and she is feasting at the banquet you have prepared. We mourn for Rebecca but we celebrate that she is whole and standing in your glory. Lord, we have no illusions that these next days and weeks will be challenging for all of us and ask that you hold each of us tightly. Convict our hearts to live for you. Thank you again for your child Rebecca Janelle Hollenbaugh.- Amen

God Bless you all,
Rachel

Wednesday

Another devotion from Girlfriend's in God


August 5, 2009
A Contrite Heart
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6 NIV).

Friend To Friend
In the Old Testament, there is an interesting account of two kings, two sins, two convictions, and two responses. What makes it interesting is that one king's sin doesn't seem so bad, but his kingdom was taken away, and yet the other king, who committed a heinous act, is referred to as a "man after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14). But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's take a look at these two stories.

King Saul was "elected" the first King of Israel, mainly because he was tall, dark, and handsome. He would have looked great on TV, if there had been such a thing back then. Oh, he didn't really want to be king at first and hid when the people began chanting his name. But, he sheepishly accepted the kingship, and God anointed him with the Holy Spirit. Things went pretty well for King Saul at first. He won a few battles, gained the respect of his followers, and gathered the booty from the conquered foes.

As a matter of fact, Saul became so confident that he decided being a King wasn't so hard after all. He decided he didn't need God or the prophet Samuel who was appointed over him. After each battle, Saul was supposed to wait for the prophet Samuel to come and offer sacrifices to the Lord. But Saul disobeyed God, and offered the sacrifice himself -- basically making himself a prophet. Samuel arrived just as Saul was putting the finishing touches on the sacrifice.

"What have you done?" Samuel exclaimed.

Saul replied, "When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash, I thought, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord's favor. So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering" (1 Samuel 13:11-12).

Oh, I could quote Saul word for word, but let me sum it up for you. Instead of repenting of his sin and asking for forgiveness, Saul...

Defended himself
Justified his actions
Blamed others
Tried to cover up his sin
Acted as though nothing had happened
Was more concerned with looking good to his peers than repenting of his sin (1 Samuel 15:30).
What was Saul's most heinous sin? I don't think that it was actually assuming the role of prophet and the offering of the sacrifice. I believe that was an outgrowth of his sin. Saul's sin was pride. And even though he was caught red-handed with the blood of the animal sacrifice still on his hands, Saul did not repent of the sin of pride. He was an unrepentant, unbroken man.

Now let's look at the second king, with the second sin, and the second response.

King David was Saul's successor. While Saul was the people's choice as king, David was God's choice. One day, while the rest of the men were at war, King David was lollygagging around the palace. While strolling on the roof, he noticed his next door neighbor bathing on her roof. He saw, he wanted, and he took. David committed adultery with his neighbor's wife, Bathsheba, and subsequently plotted the murder of her husband to cover it up. Several months later, when David was confronted by the prophet Nathan, he did not try to defend himself, justify his action, blame others, or cover up his sin.

David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord" (2 Samuel 12:13).

David repented before the Lord, mourned before his people, and penned two beautiful psalms humbling himself before generations yet to come. Yes, he was "a man after God's own heart."

As we see with these two kings, God is more concerned with the depth of our repentance than the breadth of our sin. As Martin Luther once said, "God creates out of nothing. Therefore until a man is nothing, God can make nothing out of him."

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, forgive me of the sin of pride in my life. I admit that I have tried to take things into my own hands, have not waited for Your direction, and have thought more highly of myself than I ought. Help me to be more like Jesus, who, "being in the very nature, God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing" (Philippians 2:5,6) Break my pride, Lord, as a loving master breaks the stubborn will of a wild mare.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Amazing devotion, that's all I can say

August 3, 2009
Messenger from Heaven
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:16-17 NIV).

Friend To Friend
Katie lay in her bed trying not to think about the pain in her abdomen. For years she had taken care of many patients as she nursed the sick back to health. But now she was the patient. Just four weeks had passed since her doctor said those words that kept echoing in her mind.

"Katie, it isn't an ulcer, like we originally thought. It's cancer - pancreatic cancer. And it has already spread to your liver and your lungs."

"How long do I have?" she questioned.

"I'd say about three to six months," he replied.

Three to six months. She replayed her past fifty years on the stage of her mind. Her thoughts were filled with frantic questions. "How did this happen? What went wrong? How did I get to this point?"

Katie had accepted Jesus as her Savior when she was a young child. But that seemed like a lifetime ago, and in a way it was. Now her thoughts were filled with shame, regret, and guilt. The verses of the woman at the well came to mind. Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman and said, "Woman, where is your husband?"

She answered and said, "I have no husband."

Jesus replied, "You have well said, 'I have no husband,' for you have had five husbands and the one who you now have is not your husband."

"Lord, you know all that I've done," Katie prayed. "How I've fallen away from following You. I've been married twice and the man I'm living with now is not my husband. Is that why this is happening to me? Am I being punished? People have told me that You still love me, but I feel so alone. Have you left me too, like all the other men in my life?"

Katie reached for her Bible and it fell open to Luke 3 where John baptized Jesus. "And the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven saying. 'Thou art my beloved Son; in Thee I am well pleased.'"

Tears ran down Katie's dry cheeks like streams in the desert. "Where are you Lord? Please don't desert me."

Katie turned her head to look out at the sun glistening over the tranquil lake in her backyard. Suddenly, as though he emerged from the pages of Luke 3, a dove fluttered to her window sill and perched on its ledge.

Katie hugged her Bible to her chest as she and the dove locked eyes. He seemed to say, "Yes Katie. I do love you. You may have strayed away from the path that I had marked out for you, but that hasn't changed My love. I never left you and I'll stay right here by your side until the day I come to take you home."

The dove stayed on the window sill for quite some time, and Katie thanked the Lord for sending this messenger like the one from long ago. Indescribable warmth fell over Katie's body as she realized that God did indeed still love her.

Three months later, that dove came again to my friend Katie. Only this time, when he soared back toward heaven, Katie's spirit went with him.

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, Thank You that there is no sin so great that Your grace will not forgive, no place so far that Your love cannot reach, no heart so cold that Your mercy cannot melt. Thank You for saving me -- for taking my filthy rags and giving me a robe of righteousness, for taking my sinful nature and making me into a new creation, for taking my sorrow and giving me Your joy.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Tough one

Yesterday was a really rough day. For some reason I couldn't get on top of the pain and cramps. It was so frustrating. I have had to increase my meds a little and I think it is helping--finally. I hate doing that though. My hospice nurse is great and I know she wouldn't stear me wrong.

I was especially disappointed b/c I had plans to spend time with a friend. She came over with her kids, but I wasn't good company. She is so understanding, though. I hope that today will be better.

I think I slept a little better last night, so that is a good sign. However, I had to take my pain meds every 3 hours again through the night. Let's pray that I can get this spaced out a little more.

Belinda is coming back tomorrow afternoon to stay a few more days. I shall take it easier this time around.
THis devotion is a good one. Please enjoy!

July 28, 2009
The Chosen Woman
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I made you in your mother's womb, I chose you" (NCV).

Friend To Friend
After teaching elementary school for several years, I decided that my students would never again play any game that required children to choose teams because, inevitably, the least popular or most athletically challenged children would be left standing alone, on display, easy targets for derogatory labels and ridicule. We began choosing teams on the basis of birthday month, favorite flavor of ice cream or color of clothing worn that day. The result was that every child was chosen.

The reality is that we all long to be chosen, loved by someone who sees us as we really are and recognizes our worth. Esther was chosen by God but like many of us, felt unworthy of that choice. Esther was an orphan, an insignificant and unknown Jewish girl living with her uncle, Mordecai, when she was chosen to be Queen, the wife of Persian King Ahasueras. Esther reigned for only a short time when Mordecai learned of a plot to assassinate the King. Mordecai told Esther who told Ahasueras. The guilty men were executed and the king's life was spared but life for the Jewish people became extremely difficult.

Haman, a very influential but evil officer in the king's court, was promoted to the second highest position in the land. Haman hated the Jews and convinced the King to issue a law that all people had to bow to the King or they would be executed. That law would mean certain death for not only Esther and Mordecai, but for every Jew who bowed only to God. And there was one other small problem. The King did not know that his new queen was a Jew. As Esther and her people fasted and prayed for God's direction, Esther planned a banquet for the king and Haman. During the banquet, Esther revealed Haman's plot and the fact that she was a Jew. The King condemned Haman to die and saved the Jewish nation. In short, God raised Esther up to save her people.

Esther was a woman just like us, with hopes and dreams, strengths and weaknesses. She was imperfect, insecure and also chosen to be queen.

Esther 4:14 "And who knows, you may have been chosen queen for just such a time as this" (ICB).

Esther was chosen - not just by a King but by God. God placed Esther in a high position of leadership at a very special time and for a very special reason. The same is true in your life and in mine. You are no accident and where you are is no surprise to God. Situational ethics is now being taught in many schools. One teacher, wanting to illustrate that human reasoning is many times wrong, gave the following situation to a class of students: "How would you advise a mother who was pregnant with her fifth child based on the following facts. Her husband had syphilis. She had tuberculosis. Their first child was born blind, their second child died while their third child was born deaf and the fourth child had tuberculosis. The mother is considering an abortion. Would you advise her to have one?" Most of the students agreed that she should have an abortion. The teacher then announced, "If you said 'Yes' you would have just killed the great composer Ludwig von Beethoven!"

You and I were created in response to the loving plan of God.

Psalm 139:14-16 "I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well. You saw my bones being formed as I took shape in my mother's body. When I was put together there, you saw my body as it was formed. All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old" (NCV).

We were created in love ... for love. God Himself supervised our formation. We were created for a special purpose and with a unique plan for our lives. In other words, we were created by God for God!

Psalm 100:3 "Know that the LORD is God. He made us, and we belong to him; we are his people, the sheep he tends" (NCV).

In this verse, "LORD" literally means "Father" or "dearest daddy." We were not created to be His puppet. We were created for an intimate relationship with God. He created us and chose us. And just as God had a special plan for Esther, He has a special plan for you.

Jeremiah 29:11 "I know what I am planning for you," says the LORD. "I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future" (NCV).

The best plan for our lives rests solely in the hands of the One who created us. In the early days of the automobile, a man's Model T Ford stalled in the middle of the road. No matter what he tried, the car wouldn't start. Finally, a chauffeured limousine pulled up behind him and a wiry, energetic man stepped from the back seat, offering his assistance. After tinkering for a few moments, the stranger said, "Now try it!" Immediately the engine leaped to life. The well dressed man then identified himself as Henry Ford. "I designed and built these cars," he said, "So I know what to do when something goes wrong."

God is our creator. When our lives are broken, He can heal them. When the plan falls apart, He can fix it. We are wanted, loved and cherished by God. We belong to Him. We are chosen.

Let's Pray
Father, thank You for loving me. Thank You for the plan You have for my life. I want to follow You and obey you each day - for Your glory, Lord. I want others to examine my life and know that the only possible explanation is You. When I am in trouble, remind me to turn to You first for the answers I need. Help me to walk in the Light, to doubt my doubts and to celebrate the fact that because I am chosen ... I am blessed. I love You, Father.

In Jesus' name,
Amen.