tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.comments2014-09-06T08:09:45.619-05:00Puzzling PeaceRachel Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10130833908873263282noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-61361103765162723932014-09-06T08:09:45.619-05:002014-09-06T08:09:45.619-05:00Emma, I am SO sorry that I am just now seeing your...Emma, I am SO sorry that I am just now seeing your comment! For some reason, I never saw it. Thank you for reading and for taking the time to share your own journey :-) It is encouraging to know others have fought similar battles.... <br /><br />A brief update: I still anticipate rejection, but I've been doing the same things you mentioned. Last March, the Lord told me it was time for the wall to come down and that He was going to take it down stone by stone. Ironically, He is using men to do it. This past year & a half have been SO good and yet SO uncomfortable. Everytime I have wanted to run away or hide, the Lord gently nudges me to lean in instead.At 30, I'm still not where I "dream" of being... but sometimes our dreams are overrated ;-) I'm discovering a new intimacy with the Lord.. and learning to trust Him. Every time I think I've beat fear of rejection, I realize it's not very far away from me... taunting... and I just begin to remind myself of the Truth... I am Beloved. And, God has a plan for my life... always... and it's good.<br /><br />How about you?Rachel Leonardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10130833908873263282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-67957598099762583572014-06-02T15:00:50.793-05:002014-06-02T15:00:50.793-05:00Hi Rachel, this is a great post. Thanks for sharin...Hi Rachel, this is a great post. Thanks for sharing. My story is similar to yours. Over the last year, God has led me to understand that I have been anticipating rejection for the majority of my life (I'm 27), which affects my friendships, my love life (or lack there of) and relating to my colleagues.<br /><br />I find that certain situations are worse than others. When or before these situations come up do if I can anticipate them, I declare the Word of God over them, that I am His daughter, that I am adopted and accepted by the most high God and because of that I can love freely, without fearing any other rejection.<br /><br />I repeat it until I feel it reaching my heart, when it is no longer just an 'intellectual' thing if you know what I mean. <br /><br />I've seen a change. It's not completely how I would want it to be but I think sometimes it can be a slow process to change the way one thinks. <br /><br />I've noticed you wrote this in 2011. How have things been at your end when it comes to anticipating rejection? Have you found other ways of stoping it?<br /><br />I'd love to hear more.<br /><br />EmmaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-52622160456710867582013-07-03T16:00:23.054-05:002013-07-03T16:00:23.054-05:00Thank you for reading, Courtney! Thank you for reading, Courtney! Rachel Leonardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10130833908873263282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-74332275044314213012013-07-03T12:45:24.374-05:002013-07-03T12:45:24.374-05:00Your words reflect God's heart aching for thes...Your words reflect God's heart aching for these people. Thank you for sharing!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05654112010273090438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-29587339192350000892013-07-02T18:17:58.104-05:002013-07-02T18:17:58.104-05:00Thanks, Amanda :-) she's a precious woman ... ...Thanks, Amanda :-) she's a precious woman ... I hope I have the opportunity to see her again. Pray for the awesome workers who are serving the neighborhood every day.Rachel Leonardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10130833908873263282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-84651359704874467422013-07-01T21:03:49.802-05:002013-07-01T21:03:49.802-05:00Wow. No words seem right here, Rachel. I will be ...Wow. No words seem right here, Rachel. I will be praying for your new friend. Amanda MacBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01333540126086381630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-16751909289539368652012-10-15T09:53:38.427-05:002012-10-15T09:53:38.427-05:00Beautiful!! I love your heart, sweet friend! Beautiful!! I love your heart, sweet friend! melihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12596922085898045460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-66064789903744082912012-10-08T14:46:49.462-05:002012-10-08T14:46:49.462-05:00Can you be both? (Honestly asking because I do not...Can you be both? (Honestly asking because I do not know.) It seems to me Jesus did a lot of His best work hanging out in the Kingdom. And we don't really know what He did those first thirty years. I am not advocating lazy-ness. I too find myself wondering, "What happened to me? What happened to what I thought was God's call on my life? Can those change? Look different? Evolve? AGH!" So I think I am posing these questions to myself as much as to you. I think if you know you are right where God wants you to be at this time - even and especially when it doesn't really look to make sense - then you are being who He has called you to be. If you know in your heart He has called you somewhere or to something else at this time and yet you choose to be "just hangin' out in the Kingdom," then that is when there is a serious heart/rebellion issue. I pray that everything you are learning and doing now for your time in Springfield will someday (soon-ish) be applied for the next place/thing God has called you to. And I pray that in that next season He will give you the gift of being able to see and say "Ah-ha! That is why I had such-and-such experience in Missorui." Love you and your heart, Rachel.Amanda MacBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01333540126086381630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-27924809018634938762012-09-02T23:11:53.655-05:002012-09-02T23:11:53.655-05:00This is a good one! I've missed her a lot late...This is a good one! I've missed her a lot lately!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01087252599983320336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-87764400160062243002012-08-27T21:52:10.427-05:002012-08-27T21:52:10.427-05:00Thanks, Grant :-) it's nice to have someone He...Thanks, Grant :-) it's nice to have someone Hear what I'm saying & agree :-)Rachel Leonardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10130833908873263282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-16170660942375976402012-08-23T09:19:23.305-05:002012-08-23T09:19:23.305-05:00Very well articulated. This passage is so often us...Very well articulated. This passage is so often used to enforce gender-oppression. Revolutionary love, demonstrated by Christ put humility front and centre such that we can follow Christ's command to love others as ourselves and that means mutuality. As we present ourselves as living sacrifices (as Christ) we will no longer be conformed to the pattern of this world's selfish, gender-biased oppression. PTLgrant efferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17792347418111349583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-49019385481383758452012-05-16T23:03:51.657-05:002012-05-16T23:03:51.657-05:00Hope you are having a good time at home, Rachel. ...Hope you are having a good time at home, Rachel. I have nominated you for a Liebster Award - a fun way to make some new blogging friends. If you want, check out the details on my blog. See you in a couple of weeks!Amanda MacBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01333540126086381630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-26128276150554664782012-04-06T17:30:01.977-05:002012-04-06T17:30:01.977-05:00Trust does not lead to purpose, trust equals purpo...Trust does not lead to purpose, trust equals purpose - I had never thought of it like that before. So true.Amanda MacBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01333540126086381630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-45842420074742094352012-01-28T15:05:45.606-06:002012-01-28T15:05:45.606-06:00I love, I love, I love you! Rachel, you are so ins...I love, I love, I love you! Rachel, you are so inspirational. Keep on inspiring! Thank you!Emily Blakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13243034300383887979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-65133663192960631262012-01-27T22:14:41.424-06:002012-01-27T22:14:41.424-06:00GREAT post, Rach!! And I love that I know the name...GREAT post, Rach!! And I love that I know the names and details behind your story. Miss you!!Hollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13382041886236358990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-41288717919526171992012-01-13T07:17:19.995-06:002012-01-13T07:17:19.995-06:00I read both of them and love how transparent you a...I read both of them and love how transparent you are!!!Melaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15719477394303138967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-2657473056276510822011-12-12T19:03:57.301-06:002011-12-12T19:03:57.301-06:00I am loving reading your blog, Rachel. "I th...I am loving reading your blog, Rachel. "I think community requires much more from Us than what most people are willing to offer. " ouch - soooo true - that whole paragraph was extremely powerful to me. I have struggled much of the time I have been in Springfield (this time around) to really connect in community, but the last few months God has prompted me to really get out of my comfort zone and trust Him. And He is at work. Sorry for the long comment. :)Amanda MacBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01333540126086381630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-75958012340758375262011-09-09T09:51:26.081-05:002011-09-09T09:51:26.081-05:00Oh Rae-Rae - if you remove this post, I will drive...Oh Rae-Rae - if you remove this post, I will drive out to Springfield, kick ya, then hug ya, then drive back to Kentucky.<br /><br />This is the Rachel that I know - reading every word I just kept nodding my head thinking that is true....that is true....that is true....I feel so special to know you and know all of this about you! I love how you're bringing all of this out into the light! People love you! <br /><br />I can't believe I hadn't read this before now....I love you Rae-Rae!!!!Melaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15719477394303138967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-27272564016184752372011-08-18T07:38:55.435-05:002011-08-18T07:38:55.435-05:00I love Rachel!
Break lose girl!I love Rachel!<br /><br />Break lose girl!Jesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04641569835764774365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-75753519791692318132011-08-15T17:47:44.760-05:002011-08-15T17:47:44.760-05:00Thank you audrey :-) it's taking a lot not to ...Thank you audrey :-) it's taking a lot not to remove this post... But I'm trying to face myself head on...so here it is ...my heart ...right out in the open :-)Rachel Leonardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10130833908873263282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-13447832348448855212011-08-14T22:28:52.631-05:002011-08-14T22:28:52.631-05:00i LOVE this. :) your transparency is beautiful. i ...i LOVE this. :) your transparency is beautiful. i am finding that vulnerability often takes more courage than we would like to admit. :) i admire your courage. :)audreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17660916737452192409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-81440671018087787812011-08-11T20:01:16.427-05:002011-08-11T20:01:16.427-05:00Oh jess :-) I want to hug you too!!!Oh jess :-) I want to hug you too!!!Rachel Leonardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10130833908873263282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-90295119137204164792011-08-10T21:14:54.898-05:002011-08-10T21:14:54.898-05:00I want to hug you!!!!I want to hug you!!!!Jesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04641569835764774365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-66377975901713634352011-04-18T08:40:39.730-05:002011-04-18T08:40:39.730-05:00THanks, Mica! I just found your comment...but I...THanks, Mica! I just found your comment...but I'm glad it made sense...sometimes I wonder if I'm just rambling :-)Rachel Leonardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10130833908873263282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786016029538374168.post-44470469973385832762011-03-30T08:00:00.695-05:002011-03-30T08:00:00.695-05:00Hi Rachel! I love YOUR blog. And this post is SO t...Hi Rachel! I love YOUR blog. And this post is SO true for my life as well - trying to listen, but always looking to the next phase of my life instead of living in the now and talking over what God is trying to tell me. I love the comparison to music - perfect!Micahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13858077852660778326noreply@blogger.com