On July 7, 2002, I asked Jesus Christ to come into my heart.
Today, 10 years later, I gratefully celebrate His presence and His work in and through my life. (Read my testimony of God's awesomeness here!) Praise be to God for redeeming and illuminating my life with His great love, mercy and grace!
It is mind-blowing to reflect on the person I was 10 years ago (not to mention how mind-blowing the whole "decade of life" thing is) and how dramatically God has changed things for the better in my life since then. The girl I was at seven years of age seems like a distant memory of another life; yet at the same time, it feels like only yesterday that my mother was kneeling with me beside my bed, assuring me even at such a young age that the reason I was sobbing uncontrollably and felt terribly afraid of asking Jesus into my heart was because the devil was trying to stop me from doing it, because he knew that if I did, really good things would happen. I am so thankful for my mother.
The day that I took my first breath, it was 7/7 and I was seven years old; today, it is once again 7/7 and I am seventeen years old. Seven is the biblical number of completeness or perfection. God has been and continues to be so incredibly gracious every day to bring everything to completeness and perfection in Him. His Word promises that "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6), and just today Jesus said, "I've brought you this far; I'm going to lead you through." It is so wonderful to know that there is a God who loves us and who will not EVER give up on us, and who has a perfect, ingenious plan to give each of us hope and a future! He has created a brilliant masterpiece with each of our lives that is far more wonderful than we could ever ask or imagine, and He who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23) to accomplish it!
Glory to God, not only for the works of His hands, but also for the perfect love and beauty of His heart.
He is faithful to the end!
God bless,
Rachel Lauren
I was so deep,
So incomplete
Til' You rescued me
Yeah, You rescued me
You rescued me
You are mine, I am Yours
You rescued me
And I am Yours forever
You saved me, remade me
-TobyMac, "Me Without You"
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
The Sky is Vast. (perhaps too vast to analyze)
Lyrics to Fuzzy Blue Lights by Owl City, from the album Of June.
If I could look across the country
From California to New Jersey
Then I would count the parks and lake resorts
And number all the jets and airports
All those rather dreary rain clouds still bother me
Cuz I look through the camera eyepiece and cannot see
If I could open up my window
And see from Tampa Bay to Juneau
Then I would survey all those open miles
And line them up in single file
Everywhere I look I see green scenic sublime
And all those oceanic vistas are so divine
If I was standing on the balcony
And you were walking down below
I'd feel rather depressed and out of place
And lonely just to watch you go
If you were swinging from the highway overpass
Within the western hemisphere
I'd feel rather afraid and insincere
If you began to disappear
If I was walking through a sad art gallery
And you were driving through the night
I'd feel rather alone and ill at ease
Beneath the brilliant showroom light
If I was flying on a plane above your town
And you were gazing at the sky
Somehow I'd feel intact and reassured
If you began to wave goodbye...
If I could look across the country
From California to New Jersey
Then I would count the parks and lake resorts
And number all the jets and airports
All those rather dreary rain clouds still bother me
Cuz I look through the camera eyepiece and cannot see
If I could open up my window
And see from Tampa Bay to Juneau
Then I would survey all those open miles
And line them up in single file
Everywhere I look I see green scenic sublime
And all those oceanic vistas are so divine
If I was standing on the balcony
And you were walking down below
I'd feel rather depressed and out of place
And lonely just to watch you go
If you were swinging from the highway overpass
Within the western hemisphere
I'd feel rather afraid and insincere
If you began to disappear
If I was walking through a sad art gallery
And you were driving through the night
I'd feel rather alone and ill at ease
Beneath the brilliant showroom light
If I was flying on a plane above your town
And you were gazing at the sky
Somehow I'd feel intact and reassured
If you began to wave goodbye...
Monday, January 16, 2012
I Have A Dream.
In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I thought I'd post a little something. Back in the fall, when the 2011-2012 school year first started, my AP Language Arts class was given an assignment: we were to use parts of Dr. King's "I Have A Dream" speech to write a speech about a dream that we had, mimicking King's writing style. I wrote the following speech in response to that assignment.
It's fun to look back and see what was going through a person's head during a particular season of time. It's also a good way to maintain focus. And stay grounded.
Enjoy.
I Have A Dream.
Go back to freedom, go back to our passions, go back to who we truly are, to the glory of our true identities, go back to that inner man which we have kept hidden for so long in a cage of fear and isolation, go back to being ourselves, go back to chasing what really matters, go back to hope, and love, and joy, and peace; go back to dreaming big.
Dreaming big means that no matter how difficult or seemingly impossible circumstances become, we as dreamers keep moving forward and press on with confidence and optimism in light of the knowledge that this hardship is not the end and that there are indeed brighter days to come. Dreamers do not simply ignore the troubles of life, but they believe in spite of them – they believe that in the coming days, their dreams will indeed come true, and that everything they have hoped for will finally come to pass according to the great and glorious promises of faith.
I have a dream that one day every dreamer will rise up and live out the true meaning of who they are, of their wonderful identity as a dreamer. Our potential is incredible! We were born to do great things, and we can and will do them.
I have a dream that my generation will be the generation who makes the choice to dream big – that they will be a generation who intentionally pushes past anything and everything that tells them that they can’t do it, that they aren’t good enough, or that their dreams are too impossible or too wild to ever come true, a generation who against all odds will pursue their dreams to the end of all things and back again because they have such great faith in these dreams that they recognize them as an unfolding reality rather than a far-off fairytale awaiting the arrival of its happy ending.
I have a dream that even in America, where our identities and paths in life often seem to be decided for us by powers such as culture, media, industry, money or even our own families, that even in a place like this, the true dreamers will come out of society’s molds and step forth into the brilliance of their true selves, independent from every sense of fear, insecurity and pressure to be someone they are not, because they have finally realized that who they are is immutable, and that their dreams mean something, that they can change the world.
I have a dream that every lonely dreamer will come together and with all their individual dreams, build a bigger dream that could revolutionize the way we think and dream forever.
Friends, when nothing seems to work out, the answer is to dream and dream big. Every mountain can be toppled, every valley raised up, and every rough road be made smooth with a dream; and when we let ourselves dare to dream big in every area of our lives, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing with joy, “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty, we are free at last!”
It's fun to look back and see what was going through a person's head during a particular season of time. It's also a good way to maintain focus. And stay grounded.
Enjoy.
I Have A Dream.
Go back to freedom, go back to our passions, go back to who we truly are, to the glory of our true identities, go back to that inner man which we have kept hidden for so long in a cage of fear and isolation, go back to being ourselves, go back to chasing what really matters, go back to hope, and love, and joy, and peace; go back to dreaming big.
Dreaming big means that no matter how difficult or seemingly impossible circumstances become, we as dreamers keep moving forward and press on with confidence and optimism in light of the knowledge that this hardship is not the end and that there are indeed brighter days to come. Dreamers do not simply ignore the troubles of life, but they believe in spite of them – they believe that in the coming days, their dreams will indeed come true, and that everything they have hoped for will finally come to pass according to the great and glorious promises of faith.
I have a dream that one day every dreamer will rise up and live out the true meaning of who they are, of their wonderful identity as a dreamer. Our potential is incredible! We were born to do great things, and we can and will do them.
I have a dream that my generation will be the generation who makes the choice to dream big – that they will be a generation who intentionally pushes past anything and everything that tells them that they can’t do it, that they aren’t good enough, or that their dreams are too impossible or too wild to ever come true, a generation who against all odds will pursue their dreams to the end of all things and back again because they have such great faith in these dreams that they recognize them as an unfolding reality rather than a far-off fairytale awaiting the arrival of its happy ending.
I have a dream that even in America, where our identities and paths in life often seem to be decided for us by powers such as culture, media, industry, money or even our own families, that even in a place like this, the true dreamers will come out of society’s molds and step forth into the brilliance of their true selves, independent from every sense of fear, insecurity and pressure to be someone they are not, because they have finally realized that who they are is immutable, and that their dreams mean something, that they can change the world.
I have a dream that every lonely dreamer will come together and with all their individual dreams, build a bigger dream that could revolutionize the way we think and dream forever.
Friends, when nothing seems to work out, the answer is to dream and dream big. Every mountain can be toppled, every valley raised up, and every rough road be made smooth with a dream; and when we let ourselves dare to dream big in every area of our lives, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing with joy, “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty, we are free at last!”
Friday, December 30, 2011
Once Upon A Dream.
As we do drown in deepest sleep,
Submerged in seas of so-real dreams,
They wash us, cleanse us, make us new,
Yet there is nothing we can do
To put a stop to the kick and drop
That shocks us so we do float up
Back to land and consciousness
Forgetful of the time we spent
Dancing on the balcony
And whispering in the garden
Secrets shown for us to see
As they'd never be forgotten
For soon it all amounts to naught
As back to busy life we're brought
Awakened to the morning rays
And all the glories of the day
Walking out into the sun
A brand new story just begun
Unraveling the former seams
Which wrapped us in our former dreams
And sewing new and noble themes
Into life's rainbow tapestry.
© 2011-2012 Rayla.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Keep On Keeping On.
Song: Keep On Keepin' On
Written: 10-29-11 @11:41pm
---
Keep on keepin' on. 2x
Memories
Locked up tight
Deeply embedded in your mind's eye
So in this vision and in your dreams
Seize your hope and rise up with the eagles' wings
Look in the mirror
What do I see
A vague reflection of the ideal me
But to this truth, I will tightly cling
Tomorrow will be a better picture
Keep your eyes wide open
And don't you dare stop hoping
The sun will soon be showin his face
And you'll be covered in grace
As you rise with a brand new day
Life is romantic in its own little ways
Take the love as it comes with every twist and turn of fate
Love each other seize the day before it is too late
Carry on keep fightin strong till you rise to a higher place
Yeah Carry on keep keepin' on till you rise to a higher place
Look at our picture
And what do you see
A future snapshot of who we will be
You and me, I can tell we will be
Alive together
A reunited family
Keep your eyes wide open
And don't you dare stop hoping
The sun will soon be showin his face
And you'll be covered in grace
As you rise with a brand new day
Life is romantic in its own little ways
Take the love as it comes with every twist and turn of fate
Love each other seize the day before it is too late
Carry on keep fightin strong till you rise to a higher place
Yeah Carry on keep keepin' on till you rise to a higher place
Just by lookin around
It is easy to tell
Everything is beautiful in time
Very soon you'll see,
An even greater glory
So don't worry
Just put your trust in Me
Life is romantic in its own little ways
Take the love as it comes with every twist and turn of fate
Love each other seize the day before it is too late
Carry on keep fightin strong till you rise to a higher place
Oh and take the rain as it comes fallin down on your cold face
So carry on keep keepin' on till
Love come blow this place
Love's gonna blow this place
Yeah, Love is gonna blow this place!
Keep on keepin' on. 4x
Written: 10-29-11 @11:41pm
---
Keep on keepin' on. 2x
Memories
Locked up tight
Deeply embedded in your mind's eye
So in this vision and in your dreams
Seize your hope and rise up with the eagles' wings
Look in the mirror
What do I see
A vague reflection of the ideal me
But to this truth, I will tightly cling
Tomorrow will be a better picture
Keep your eyes wide open
And don't you dare stop hoping
The sun will soon be showin his face
And you'll be covered in grace
As you rise with a brand new day
Life is romantic in its own little ways
Take the love as it comes with every twist and turn of fate
Love each other seize the day before it is too late
Carry on keep fightin strong till you rise to a higher place
Yeah Carry on keep keepin' on till you rise to a higher place
Look at our picture
And what do you see
A future snapshot of who we will be
You and me, I can tell we will be
Alive together
A reunited family
Keep your eyes wide open
And don't you dare stop hoping
The sun will soon be showin his face
And you'll be covered in grace
As you rise with a brand new day
Life is romantic in its own little ways
Take the love as it comes with every twist and turn of fate
Love each other seize the day before it is too late
Carry on keep fightin strong till you rise to a higher place
Yeah Carry on keep keepin' on till you rise to a higher place
Just by lookin around
It is easy to tell
Everything is beautiful in time
Very soon you'll see,
An even greater glory
So don't worry
Just put your trust in Me
Life is romantic in its own little ways
Take the love as it comes with every twist and turn of fate
Love each other seize the day before it is too late
Carry on keep fightin strong till you rise to a higher place
Oh and take the rain as it comes fallin down on your cold face
So carry on keep keepin' on till
Love come blow this place
Love's gonna blow this place
Yeah, Love is gonna blow this place!
Keep on keepin' on. 4x
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Move.
Sometimes, life is pretty painful. And difficult. And tearful. And disheartening. And just downright icky. But this fact has always been a given... while we are in the world, we will be subjected to ickiness. The real issue, however, is not that we must face ickiness, but that we must willfully choose how to respond to it.
Because when you're sitting in class thinking about how you dragged yourself out of bed, out the door and into school that morning after a 3-hour-or-less night's sleep on account of what felt like eternal homework and you feel like a wreck cause you've had a horrible day in general and all you want to do is just go to sleep and dream sweetly of marching band and Switchfoot and rainbows and subterranean parlors with comforting fire filling the hearth and radiating out towards the warm-colored upholstery that looks like it could have been salvaged from the Titanic den, yet you choose to make the effort to connect with your faith and move your behind into gear anyway... well, quite honestly, you might still feel pretty crummy, but you know that the choice you just made was a righteous one and it will be very rewarding in the end, so you become confident and take heart as you press forward and plough through the mucky circumstances which you face now and on towards the hopeful promise of a better tomorrow in utter faith. This perseverance and faith must be one of the most noble and beautiful forms of worship to ever take place. Worship is sacrifice: when you give your heart to God, and He gives His to you, you are sacrificing your personal needs and problems on the altar to come before Yahweh and receive from Him a spirit of unity and love that comes from faith in His character and His word - that is worship.
Because when you're sitting in class thinking about how you dragged yourself out of bed, out the door and into school that morning after a 3-hour-or-less night's sleep on account of what felt like eternal homework and you feel like a wreck cause you've had a horrible day in general and all you want to do is just go to sleep and dream sweetly of marching band and Switchfoot and rainbows and subterranean parlors with comforting fire filling the hearth and radiating out towards the warm-colored upholstery that looks like it could have been salvaged from the Titanic den, yet you choose to make the effort to connect with your faith and move your behind into gear anyway... well, quite honestly, you might still feel pretty crummy, but you know that the choice you just made was a righteous one and it will be very rewarding in the end, so you become confident and take heart as you press forward and plough through the mucky circumstances which you face now and on towards the hopeful promise of a better tomorrow in utter faith. This perseverance and faith must be one of the most noble and beautiful forms of worship to ever take place. Worship is sacrifice: when you give your heart to God, and He gives His to you, you are sacrificing your personal needs and problems on the altar to come before Yahweh and receive from Him a spirit of unity and love that comes from faith in His character and His word - that is worship.
"We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." (Psalm 69:9) For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written:
“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;
I will sing hymns to your name.” (2 Samuel 22:50; Psalm 18:49)
I will sing hymns to your name.” (2 Samuel 22:50; Psalm 18:49)
Again, it says,
“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." (Deut. 32:43)
And again,
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and sing praises to him, all you peoples." (Psalm 117:1)
and sing praises to him, all you peoples." (Psalm 117:1)
And again, Isaiah says,
“The Root of Jesse will spring up,
one who will arise to rule over the nations;
the Gentiles will hope in him." (Isaiah 11:10)
one who will arise to rule over the nations;
the Gentiles will hope in him." (Isaiah 11:10)
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
-Romans 15:1-13
I'm thinkin' bout how to live
Even though what I did
Was not the best response to what's always going on (and)
I'm working out how to walk
Cause all I ever do is talk (and)
Step by step I'm movin' still inside my heart I'm groovin' (and)
Soon I will be movin' on, movin' movin' on and on and on.
("Moving On," 10/12/11).
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Good Night, and Good Luck.
The following video is a trailer for the 2005 film, Good Night, and Good Luck. We watched this movie in one of my classes recently: very powerful and inspiring; utterly brilliant and beautiful. Rather than write about all the wonderful words spoken (and sung) in this film, I decided to simply post some of Ed Murrow's speeches, for I probably couldn't put them into words of my own even if I wanted to or tried. I highly recommend seeing the whole movie in context after viewing these clips. Enjoy.
And with that said, I'll let Mr. Murrow do the talking.
I wouldn't change a word.
And with that said, I'll let Mr. Murrow do the talking.
(These two clips are from the same speech. The latter picks up approximately where the former leaves off. Unfortunately, I couldn't find one video containing the whole speech on YouTube.)
(This one is from Ed Murrow's original 1958 See It Now speech.)
I wouldn't change a word.
Goodnight, and Good Luck.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)