Rooted with Rachel

Have you ever felt like something else was taking over your heart? It’s like someone or something suddenly jumped into the driver’s seat and now you are headed down a road you don’t want to go down, but you can’t figure out how to stop it. Oftentimes this can happen in our hearts when we have allowed unwelcome thoughts to invade and take over our minds. We need an umpire of sorts to step in and blow the whistle on unproductive imaginations, untrue thoughts about ourselves or someone else, and anxious worries that drive our decision making or leave us stuck and stagnant. Today, I want to leave you with three ways to keep your heart in check from Colossians 3:15.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rootedwithrachel.substack.com

Are you waiting for something? It seems that we are always in a season of waiting in some form or another doesn’t it? Yesterday (December 1) was the first day of Advent. The season of Advent is a time of longing and yearning for something (or Someone) who will come to break our bondage. It’s a season of waiting. Christmas is about Jesus entering into our brokenness and weariness bringing us hope.

Yesterday at church, the sermon was from Malachi 4:1-6. As I mediated on this passage, there were two words that leapt off the page at me.

Malachi is the last prophet in the Old Testament to speak God’s message to his people before a period of silence. The next four hundred years would be full of silence and scarcity of God’s Spirit. How dark and utterly depressing that time must have been? No messenger, no word from the Lord, no Spirit-filled prophet, just a darkness that you could hear.

The very last words on the pages of the Old Testament in your Bible end with this:

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” - Malachi 4:5-6

The two words from this passage that just leapt off the page at me were ‘BEFORE’ and ‘LEST’.

Before

This great and awesome day which Malachi speaks of was none other than the day of judgment of God on wayward people. But BEFORE he completely annihilates humanity, BEFORE the book is closed on living forever in this station of sin, God bestows undeserving grace on humankind. BEFORE the curtain draws on Act I, ushering in a four hundred year intermission, he extends a message of hope: He promises to send Elijah the prophet. The spirit of that great prophet will be resurrected resulting in changed hearts. The last word from God we hear is a promise to break the silence with a prophet who will turn the hearts of mankind back to the faith of their fathers, to the faith of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Lest

Then there is the last phrase before all is silent. “Lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” Repentance must happen, LEST, judgment falls with a finality with no promise of escape. The word ‘lest’ can mean ‘otherwise’, or ‘so that’. He extends this hope and promise SO THAT he will not come and strike the land with a curse. Before judgment falls, there is hope of repentance. That hope is what Christmas is all about.

A Bridge

We see this fulfilled as the curtain rises on Act II. Aged parents longing their whole lives for a child, are finally blessed with a baby. This child’s message will break the four hundred years of silence. He preached repentance in preparation for the Light who was to come. A bridge will be built offering reconciliation between fathers and children. That bridge is Christ and the spirit of Elijah comes in the form of Jesus’ forerunner, John the Baptist.

“And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” - Luke 1:17

Malachi gives us a peek at hope. The hope of a new era. The hope of a Messiah ushered in by the spirit and power of Elijah in John the Baptist as he carries the message of repentance. Get ready. He’s coming. It’s the anticipation of Advent as we wait for his second coming while remembering his first coming.

This season is full of waiting. Waiting for a holiday break. Waiting to give that perfect gift to someone we love. Waiting for Christmas morning. Waiting for a new year. If there could be one sentence that might sum up this season, it might be, “Hurry up and wait.” Maybe we need to slow down and savor this season, to make the most of the waiting, to remember.

The beautiful thing about the Advent season is the light breaking into the darkness. Sound breaking into silence. Hearts turning. Spirits reviving. Reconciliation renewing. It’s holding on to the hope Malachi leaves us with as the ink runs out on the last page of the Old Testament: Hope is coming! It has to come. Because if it doesn’t, there is no hope for humanity. A changed heart turns the tide of the tsunami of judgment heading our way. Unless hearts are changed, this is the only option. But thanks be to God, he provided a way. A child. Hope.

Wait for it. It’s coming. Let the Spirit work in your waiting. Seek repentance. Slow down and see Jesus in this season that celebrates light shining in the darkness.

Ways to Slow Down

I love taking advantage of this season and mixing it up a bit. Typically, I will use a devotional specific to Advent. This year I am using Not Overcome by Amy Gannett. Doing this only causes the anticipation to grow in my soul. If you find yourself in a season of longing, here are some resources for your journey. Or if you want something super simple, there are twenty-four chapters in the Gospel of Luke. If you read one chapter a day in Luke, you can be finished by Christmas. Look for that word or words that just jump off the page at you! You can also try some of the resources here.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rootedwithrachel.substack.com

We’ve all witnessed image after image from the devastation of Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina and in other areas. It almost seems unreal, doesn’t it? No doubt, you’ve been in awe as you watched videos showing the power of the flood waters sweeping away cars, houses, bridges and even entire towns. These images came to my mind this week as we studied Matthew 7:24-27 in the Sermon on the Mount. When the storms of life beat against your house, will it stand or will it be swept away? It all depends on your foundation.

At the end of Jesus’ famous sermon on a mountaintop, he extends a call to come to him. A call to take the narrow path, the way of suffering. He is inviting his hearers to put their feet into action, to walk in the path few find and recognize that he is the gate. He is the only way to gain entrance as a citizen of heaven. Jesus warns of dangers without (false guides) and dangers within (false saviors). He closes out his sermon with a parable of two builders, two houses, two foundations and an unrelenting storm.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” - Matthew 7:24-27

There are similarities and differences present in this parable. Both builders heard Jesus’ words. Both builders construct a house on a foundation. Both houses experience the exact same intensity of storm. The differences are one builder heard Jesus’ words and acted on them, he was labeled a wise man. The other builder heard Jesus’ words but did not act on them, he was called a foolish man. The wise man built his house on bedrock, a solid and sure foundation. The foolish man built his house on shifting sand.

Then, the storm comes. The rain smacked against the windows, the floods rose, the winds blew and beat against the houses. The parting clouds reveal the outcome. The house on the sand fell and it was a great fall, but the house on the rock remained standing. The ESV says the reason it remained standing (although, I’m sure battered) was because it was founded on the rock.

In those days, the foundation was almost as important, if not more important than the quality of the construction of the house. Great care was taken to ensure the foundation was solid bedrock. They had to dig down deep (Luke 6:48) to find bedrock before they could confidently build into that foundation. Otherwise, there would be no hope for that house when the storms hit.

This parable is a call to build our lives on Christ, the only sure and solid foundation. We must dig down deep into him and the truth of his word as the foundation for our lives if we are to withstand the storms of life. When financial struggles, sickness, persecution, job loss, ruptured relationships, or any other difficulties beat against your soul, even if all is lost, even if our house is battered and beaten, we have Christ as a sure foundation for our souls. What does your foundation look like? What are you building your life on? Dig down deep into Christ and his words. Layer by layer let them form the firm foundation you need to endure the storms of life.

Christ is my firm foundationThe rock on which I standWhen everything around me is shakenI've never been more gladThat I put my faith it Jesus'Cause He's never let me downHe's faithful through generationsSo why would He fail now?He won't

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rootedwithrachel.substack.com

Sometimes we are fully aware of areas in which we need to grow in character and in Christ-likeness. Other times, we are blind to the areas where we lack. God is always faithful to allow the Holy Spirit to point out those areas, whether through the means of time in his word, a line in a book, an article, a faithful friend, and sometimes, believe it or not, he might even use social media to pinpoint an area. It’s what we do in that moment of realization that is so important.

Today, I want to share with you three action steps from Scripture to take when you realize you are utterly empty and incapable of producing the fruit of the character of Christ on your own.

When our heart is convicted of our lack of patience or kindness, or whatever other Christ-like character we are bankrupt in, typically we might do one of the following:

* Wallow in self-pity and go down a spiral of self-defeat

* Turn to ourselves and try to muster up the willpower to do better

* Go straight to God with our desperate need, relying on his power to grow the fruit of his Spirit within us

The first two will leave us defeated and discouraged. But the third one, this is where God does a mighty work through his Spirit in our lives. This is where growth happens, where his character can flourish.

Heavenly Citizens

In Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, he is unveiling how to become a citizen of his heavenly kingdom. He uncovers what a citizen of his heavenly kingdom looks like here on this earth and to his hearers, it was upside down. Their view was one of self-righteousness, self-promotion, and self-exaltation. They had been taught to operate as a hypocrite, hiding their sin, overlooking their great offense, judging others out of a pseudo-righteousness that was empty and powerless.

The very first pre-requisite for entry into this heavenly kingdom was to simply be poor in spirit.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” - Matt. 5:3

Those who are truly happy, are those who recognize their bankruptcy of soul. The kingdom of heaven belongs to beggars begging for the bread of life from a place of spiritual emptiness. They know they have nothing in themselves and that God has everything. So they come with their bankrupt hearts to him and their hearts discover what true happiness is as a citizen of heaven.

But, how?

Later in Jesus’ sermon, after showing them what a good and gracious heavenly Father they have, who provides what his children need so that they need not worry or be anxious, he teaches them to not worry about their neighbors as well. We are so tempted, even as citizens of the heavenly kingdom, to fall back on resting in self-righteousness and judge others from a place of blind pride.

For example, we might observe a mom being impatient with her child in public and we are appalled and judge her actions without acknowledging we have done maybe the very same thing at different times. How can we discern our hearts and others? How can we even begin to live on this earth as a worry-free citizen of heaven seeking his kingdom and his righteousness? How can we? The answer to this question in one word is prayer.

Prayer is actually a big part of the Sermon on the Mount. This sermon is where Jesus teaches his disciples to pray. It’s where he encourages them to take their anxious hearts in prayer to their faithful and attentive Father. It’s where he exhorts them to find help to judge ourselves rightly instead of passing judgment on others; where we learn what it means to do to others as we would have them do to us. Prayer is the central form of communication with our heavenly Father while we live on this earth. Prayer is the highway to holiness.

So, it is no surprise after Jesus warns against our human tendency to judge others without first recognizing our own faults, without seeing the other person, it’s no surprise that he gives us three action steps to take leading us directly to the ‘good things’ he has for us. We are going to look at these three action steps and learn how they can be used in our lives.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” - Matthew 7:7-11

Ask. Seek. Knock. All actions resulting in a response. It will be given. It will be found. It will be opened. This is perhaps one of the most abused passages in Scripture. It has been twisted and used for getting what we want in material goods and desires. But that is not what Jesus is getting at here.

When you see this passage in the context of the rest of the Sermon on the Mount, you know it’s much deeper than that. Remember, we are learning what the kingdom of heaven is like and how it’s citizens behave. Getting that car or that house or whatever our hearts desire does not have anything to do with the kingdom of heaven. We can’t take those things with us. But, we can take, patience, kindness, faithfulness and his righteousness with us. Those are the kinds of things we are asking, seeking and knocking for. We know our spirits are bankrupt, so we ask, seek and knock for the Holy Spirit to make us worthy citizens of the kingdom of heaven.

Each of these actions move forward in intensity. These are also verbs that imply a continuation. Keep asking. Keep seeking. Keep knocking.

Let’s look at each one:

Ask - This is where we verbally pray for our spiritual need. Whether it’s recognizing a lack of patience or struggling with kindness, we use spoken words of prayer. We earnestly desire God to grow his character in our lives. We continually persevere in this prayer.

Seek - Not only do we verbally ask for this spiritual need to be met, (which, by the way, he promises we will receive) but we also continually seek. This requires action on our part to seek out ways to grow Christ-like character in our lives. We seek Jesus. We search his word, we read books that will help us grow, we seek counsel that will give us wisdom. It’s the efforts and labors of our prayers. It’s a prayer in action. He promises we will find what we are seeking, which is ultimately more of HIM.

Knock - If we do not find it right away, we keep asking, we keep seeking and we keep knocking. We persevere in this endeavor. We knock when we feel shut out. We knock until our knuckles bleed.

Audacious Prayers

In Luke 11, Jesus shares a parable with his teaching on persistent prayer.

Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. - Luke 11:5-8

Shameless persistence. Audacious. It’s that unflinching boldness of asking like a child would ask. Think about it, they don’t worry about what is perceived to be an acceptable ask. They hold nothing back and they KEEP ASKING don’t they? They are persistent until they wear you down. Jesus is saying, keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking and you will receive, you will find, and the door will be opened to you.

Just in case we are still confused as to how this is referring to our spiritual need, look at what Luke 11:13 says

So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.

The Holy Spirit is the ‘good things’ he gives to those who ask, seek and knock. He is a good Father. How much more gracious and generous is he than just your average sinful parent! He goes above and beyond our earthly needs, he reaches our souls and gives us his Spirit that will help us live as citizens of heaven on this earth. He gives us more of HIMSELF.

If you are frustrated where you are at spiritually, if you struggle to bear the fruit of the Spirit, if you long to see more of Christ grown in you, then keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. Pray audacious prayers and watch him change you more and more into Christ, not because of your sheer willpower, but because of the power of the Holy Spirit working his character in you.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rootedwithrachel.substack.com

Did you know that gratitude can actually make you happier? Gratitude releases two hormones in the brain that are responsible for our mood. When we practice gratitude, serotonin and dopamine are released into the brain, giving us a mood boost; it’s like a natural antidepressant. Today, I want to give you some ideas of how to cultivate gratitude in your life.

As we move into the month of November, it’s easy to think about being thankful because Thanksgiving is so close, but I want to talk about the benefits of gratitude not just for the month of November, but how to cultivate gratitude in our lives that will spill out into the next month and even into the next year.

The Goodness of God

The other day I was reading in Psalm 27:13-14 and landed on verse 13. It stuck with me because, I don’t know about you, but I find myself, especially in difficult times, looking at the glass as half empty instead of half full. As I meditated on this verse about the goodness of God, it reminded me that I need to be more aware of the goodness of God throughout my day.

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord! - Psalm 27:13-14

You might feel like you woke up today and things are just not going well. You have a feeling it’s going to be one of those days; like it’s going to be a doozy of a day. These are the moments where gratitude would serve us well. It’s so hard though, to find things to be grateful for in times like this; we have to search for it, we have to work for it a little bit, but it is in these hard moments when we need gratitude the most.

The Glad Game

I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the movie, Pollyanna, but I think her life displayed in this movie illustrates how powerful gratitude can be not just in our individual lives but how it can impact those around us as well.

Pollyanna was a young orphan girl. Her parents died when she was young. She lived with her aunt who was not very kind. Before her dad died, they would play a game he called the Glad Game. So, whenever something happened that was maybe disappointing or difficult or sad, he would play this game with her. He would make it a game to search for something to be grateful for. It could be anything.

Often it starts with the tiniest little thing, like you have breath this moment. You woke up this morning. You’re breathing. It usually started by looking for something very simple, but in doing this, it began a habit for Pollyanna that continued on into her life. She went around town sharing the Glad Game with others and it changed her community.

Then, she had an accident that crippled her and she was bedridden for a while. She found it difficult in that moment to find those things to be grateful for, to locate the silver lining, but she continued to play the Glad Game even impacting people from her bedridden state.

I think this is part of the struggle, it’s when we’re in those difficult moments that we need to look for it the most. We actually need gratitude more than ever because it releases those hormones into our body. It changes our perspective and alters our mood.

Just the other day, my daughter had some car trouble. She had a long and stressful day at work, then, she goes to her car and it doesn’t start. So, I came up to where she worked and we had to go through all the things to get it to start, but with no luck. We ended up having to call a tow truck, which required us to wait even longer. It was hard and frustrating.

In moments like this, it is easy to just go down the spiral of negativity and see the glass as half empty instead of half full. I just happened to look up out the window at the sky. It was just clear blue, like the bluest sky I’ve ever seen with the fall leaves in the background and I said, “Well, at least it’s not raining!” and that was my way of seeing the silver lining.

When you take the time to look for something to be grateful for, it really can turn things around and focusing on cultivating gratitude creates a habit where you end up naturally bending that way without even realizing it.

I want to encourage you this month to begin to cultivate gratitude. Gratitude is really an attitude. It’s more than just being thankful, it’s an attitude (you can even hear the word ‘attitude’ in gratitude). It’s about having a heart of gratitude.

Going back to Psalm 27:13.

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

We can lose heart so easily if we do not look for the goodness of God here, now. Think about what it would look if you lived your life believing and expecting to see the goodness of God today. What if you woke up with an expectation of experiencing the goodness of God in the land of the living, in the now?

I think a lot of times we go through life unaware. We don’t expect the goodness of God. We don’t search for it, instead we see the glass as half empty. I encourage you to use this month as a spring board to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Start some new habits. Begin your day by jotting down three things you’re grateful for. It could be you’re simply thankful that you woke up this morning, that you’re breathing. Write them down before your feet hit the floor. Ask God to open your eyes to his goodness today.

Continue to practice gratitude throughout your day. When you look in the mirror at yourself, express gratitude about what you see in the reflection. When you face difficult things throughout your day, look for the goodness of God in the land of the living; believe that you will see the goodness of God in the here and now because if we don’t, if we don’t cultivate a heart of gratitude, we will lose heart, we will see the glass as half empty.

Can you imagine what your life would look like if you lived with the expectation that you would see the goodness of God in the land of the living? Imagine what it might do to those around you.

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for and confidently expect the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for and confidently expect the LORD. - Psalm 27:13-14

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rootedwithrachel.substack.com

The storms of life can hit unexpectedly. They can be intense and long. Seasons of hard that bring so much heartache. Your faith may falter in the sea of troubles, but your Savior walks with you through the storm. On today’s episode, we will look at the story of Jesus walking on the water in the midst of a powerful storm. Peter asks to join him on the water. Everything is smooth sailing at first, until his faith faltered. Listen along as we discover three truths from this story that will bolster your faith when you face your own personal storms.

You’ve probably read this story in Matthew 14 and been encouraged, but let’s just step out of the familiar for a minute and pray that we will see this story with fresh eyes.

Two major events happened in Matthew 14 leading up to Jesus walking on the water:

* John the Baptist was beheaded - this sent the disciples into a tailspin and Jesus sought to find a quiet place to mourn the death of his dear cousin and forerunner.

* The feeding of the 5,000 - Jesus sought solitude after John the Baptist’s death, only to be pursued by a hurting and hungry crowd. At this event, the disciples witness a miracle of mega proportions, that leaves them in awe and disbelief.

Then, in verse 22, it says IMMEDIATELY, before they even have a chance to process all of this, IMMEDIATELY, Jesus sends the disciples out in a boat ahead of him while he dismisses the crowds. He sends them directly into a storm that will test the faith of these seasoned fishermen.

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” - Matthew 14:22-33

Keep in mind, these were fisherman who had spent their lives out on the sea. They no doubt had witnessed many storms on the Sea of Galilee. Perhaps they had heard of fisherman tell tales of apparitions or strange happenings on the open water. So, seeing a man walking toward them in the dark of night in the middle of the swirling sea, must have sent a shock through their bodies, making their hair stand on end. What do we learn about God in this passage and what do we learn about ourselves?

Here are three truths to help bolster your faith when life’s storms hit out of nowhere.

* God wills storms to enter our lives in order to increase our faith

* God watches over us in the midst of our storms and comes to us

* God walks with us through the storm until we reach safety

A DEEPER LOOK

Let’s look at each of these truths a little deeper. First, God wills storms to enter our lives in order to increase our faith. It says that Jesus immediately sent the disciples out ahead of him. He sent them ahead, knowing what they would face, knowing that they needed to learn something about God and about themselves. In Mark 6, we see a little more detail as to what Jesus was doing during the disciple’s battle on the open water.

Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. - Mark 6:45-52

Notice it says, “Immediately Jesus MADE his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him…”. Every storm that God allows into our lives is designed to grow us in ways we might never have grown without the storm. His loving hand is guiding us into a deeper knowledge of his power and a greater need to trust him. Trust his sovereign will over your life.

Where Is Jesus?

The next truth we see is God watches over us in the midst of the storm and comes to us. Notice what Jesus was doing while the disciples battled the storm. He was watching and praying. I am confident he was praying specifically for his disciples, that their faith would not fail. You can be confident Jesus is praying for you right now (Christ Jesus who died, more than that, who was raised to life, is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. - Romans 8:34). He is praying that your faith would not fail in the midst of your storm and for your eyes to be open to the power of God. It is when we are on the other side of the storm that we often realize some new aspect of God’s character that was revealed to us, that we would have never discovered if it had not been for that storm.

Not only is God allowing storms to strengthen our faith, watching and praying over us in the midst of the storm, but he also comes to us. In Mark 6, Jesus is on the land and the boat is in the middle of the lake, but he sees. He sees the struggle, he senses their fear and he comes to them. In Matthew 14, it says that he comes to them in the fourth watch of the night. In that day, the Roman guards would change shifts every three hours through the night, the fourth watch is the very last shift (between 3am-6am). Though your rescue may linger, Jesus is always on time. What a comfort to know that he sees and comes to us at just the right time! Jesus sees your struggle and he steps into the storm with you. Stay aware and watch, you will notice he is guiding you and comforting you even in the midst of the storm.

Safe Through the Storm

The last truth we learn from this story is God walks with us through the storm until we reach safety. Look back at the Matthew 14 passage, once they realize it is Jesus walking on the water and not a ghost, Peter boldly asks for proof. If it’s really you, let me come out on the water with you. Now remember, as Peter steps out onto the water, nothing had changed. The wind was still raging, the waves were still swirling, but Peter walks on the water toward Jesus upheld by his power.

Everything was going swimmingly until Peter took his eyes off of Jesus. The moment Peter took his eyes off of the power of Jesus and looked around at the power of the wind and the waves, he immediately began to sink. However, three words was all it would take for Jesus to act: “Lord, save me!” Peter realized he could not manage this storm without Jesus’ help. His faith faltered and he cried out in sheer panic to the one who could save him.

It’s easy to miss what happens next. We sometimes rush right through this scene on into the boat, but don’t miss this truth. Jesus walked with Peter in the storm in spite of his faltering faith. Peter walked out of that boat in faith that he could walk on water, but somewhere along the way, his faith faltered. He doubted. He doubted Jesus’ goodness and power and sovereignty. He lacked the trust to continue on. Jesus’ gentle rebuke is a reminder that we all have a tendency to look around at the wind and the waves or even become so proud as to think we can handle this storm. The simple reminder for us is we need Jesus every step of the way.

Don’t Miss This

Don’t miss this encouragement: Jesus walks with you in the storm. The moment Peter cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus reaches down and catches hold of Peter and lifts him right out of the water as he sinks down into the murky waters. Just think about this for a moment. Not only is walking on the water a miracle in itself, but someone who is walking on water lifting a sinking person out of the water surely was a sight to behold. The disciples standing in the boat must have been in awe as they watched this scene unfold before their eyes. If the feeding of the 5,000 wouldn’t open their eyes, this sure did, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Then, there is the trek back through the storm, this time Peter is trusting Jesus to uphold him by his power. Let this breathe fresh courage into your heart. Jesus walked with Peter, on the water, in the storm, WITH his faltering faith. What kindness!! When you feel yourself sinking, those three little words evoke an immediate response from your loving Savior. “Lord, save me!” He catches you. He reaches out and takes hold of you, lifting you up even with a doubting heart.

Remember, the storm did not cease until they stepped into the boat. Jesus walked with Peter through the storm staying with him all the way to safety. In John’s account, it says that the minute they stepped into the boat, not only did the storm stop, but they were immediately transported to the shore where they were headed. Miracles abound.

If you are facing a storm right now, or the next time you see those clouds begin to darken and threaten, remember these three truths:

* God wills storms to enter our lives in order to increase our faith

* God watches over us in the midst of our storms and comes to us

* God walks with us through the storm until we reach safety

Trust your loving Savior in the midst of the storm. Trust that he will catch you and take hold of you. Trust that he walks with you through the storm and will bring you to safety. Trust that when the wind is against you, he is for you.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rootedwithrachel.substack.com

Do you worry about making the right decision or if the decision you make will cause unwanted pain? How can we stop the unending spiral of thoughts keeping us stuck from moving forward because we are afraid to make the wrong move or a bad decision?

2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us of three gifts God has given us to overcome our fears and give us courage.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. - 2 Timothy 1:7

Power. Love. A sound mind. Three gifts that free us from a spirit of fear.

The first step to overcoming fear is recognizing where it’s coming from. “…God has not given us a spirit of fear…”. If it’s not coming from God then it’s coming from the evil one. The root of fear is unbelief. We discount God’s goodness towards us. We doubt his love. This comes from the enemy. We must recognize first where fear originates and renounce it. Then, we rely on the gifts God has given us to win the battle against fear.

If a spirit of fear comes from the evil one, God gives us power, love and a sound mind. All things we need to walk in confidence in the face of persecution, timidity or decision making.

Let’s look at each of these gifts:

* Power

You have the power of the Holy Spirit living inside you! Just let that thought sink in. The power Jesus possessed —to resist temptation, to fight evil, to raise from the dead — that same power now lives in you. We rest in his Sovereign will for our lives whether we are making decisions or walking through hard things, because we have his constant supernatural power available to us to move mountains and fill empty places.

* Love

You are loved. Not with a fickle love that wavers when you fail, but a constant and steadfast love that doesn’t fluctuate. Rely on the love of the Father. He loves you in this moment and in the next and in the past. His love is steadfast. Walk in the truth that you are loved. Love others from this place. Make decisions with the knowledge that his love is keeping you. All that matters is his love for you and your love for him.

* Sound Mind

Not only do you possess the gifts of spirit-filled power and spirit-filled love, but you are given a mind that is healthy and whole. A mind that focuses on what is true and lovely and praiseworthy. A mind that is self-controlled in the face of out-of-control fears. The word for sound mind is only used here in 2 Timothy 1:7. It means self-controlled. Or, as I like to say, ‘spirit-controlled’.

BibleHub.com says,

[It’s] safe-minded, issuing in prudent ("sensible") behavior that "fits" a situation, i.e. aptly acting out God's will by doing what He calls sound reasoning.

Power, love and a sound mind are gifts of God. Anything that creates powerlessness, self-hatred or an unstable mind is not from the Lord . We refute and renounce these things in Jesus’ name.

Here is one very practical way to stop these spiraling thoughts in their tracks:

Literally say “STOP IT” out loud. I know it will seem weird at first, but this step of voicing those words can pull us out of a spiral. Capture that thought and make it obedient to Christ. Then, to give it more meaning, attach a physical act with it. Grip a chair, snap a rubber band on your arm. Something simple and gentle that will jar you from your spiraling thoughts that leave you stuck. Next, replace that thought with truth. Oftentimes it’s the opposite thought that applies salve to the wounds inflicted by the unruly chatter in our minds.

When your anxious heart paralyzes you in fear, flip the script by praying that your heart would be captured by a desire to love God and be loved by him. Remember the gifts he has given you: a spirit of power, a spirit of love and a spirit of a sound mind.

No matter the outcome of a decision, no matter the pain, no matter the disappointment in the waiting, one thing matters: He loves you immensely and desires for you to know this love and be known by this love.

Oh, that we would be captured only by the desire to love Christ and be loved by him.

Jesus, capture our anxious hearts with your love.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rootedwithrachel.substack.com

No doubt many of you guys, like myself, have been heavy and heartbroken over the last couple of weeks. We live in such a time where information is available to us on a grand scale. No human heart was made to carry and be exposed to all the burdens of the entire world. It used to be that just the knowledge of what was going on in the communities we live in was enough, but now we are flooded with the burdens of the entire world weighing on our hearts as we scroll the news highlights on social media in disbelief.

I recently found myself having to back off of the ongoing barrage of information because I recognized it was affecting my heart in a negative way. Don’t misunderstand me: Information is one thing, but deformation of our heart is another.

Information is important for us to know how to help and how to take action, but when too much information begins to deform our hearts, that’s when we need to step away for a minute.

Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life. - Proverbs 4:23

If you are feeling lifeless today, if your heart is extra heavy by the weight of burdens that are not meant for you to bear, look at how much information you are allowing into your heart. Are you walking away informed or deformed? Is too much information beginning to impact your day to day tasks? It’s one thing to be informed, but it’s another thing to allow too much information to deform our hearts. It’s ok to pull away, to protect your heart and to love those around you well.

Your heart is where you see the signs of life with God in your soul. So if you are feeling lifeless, if you are seeing signs of death in your soul, watch what you are putting into your heart. If you’ve been given a new heart (a heart filled with the very spirit of God), guard it like your life depends on it, because it does.

It’s ok to step away. It’s ok to care for your heart, while you care for others. Whatever you do, guard your heart, because your heart is ‘the first thing that lives and the last thing that dies.’ If your heart is right, so will your actions be.

Remember, only God is able to carry the weight of the world’s burdens.

Practical ways you can guard your heart:

* Step away from the news and social media for a time. Pray.

* Be present with your family and your community.

* Look where God is working around you and get involved.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rootedwithrachel.substack.com

Do you ever get tired of being stuck in the same cycle of sin or temptation? Are you frustrated with your progress in fighting sin? Maybe you feel like you keep revisiting the same things over and over again and you wonder, “Will I ever learn?” Or perhaps you are discouraged because you feel like you should be further along by now. Today, I want to encourage you as you continue to walk the path of perseverance in this life here on earth as a happy citizen of heaven.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rootedwithrachel.substack.com

Have you ever experienced something that just knocked you off your feet? An event that threatened to undo you? What was it that kept you going? One of the most priceless gifts we can carry with us is the gift of resilience.

Wellness Coaching with Rachel

If you need help discovering your core values or if you just feel stuck in life, I would love to work with you! Start by filling out the Free Discovery Session form or Learn more here.

Resilience is the ability to bounce back. It’s getting knocked down, and then getting up again stronger. It’s the skill of looking for what you learned and not what you lacked or how you failed. It’s more about discovering the lessons through the difficulties. Instead of staying stuck in that moment, repeating the same cycle over and over again, we become problem-solvers and we ask ourselves questions like: What lesson do I need to learn from this? What steps do I need to take to move toward recovery?

Ultimately, resilience comes from turning to Jesus and cultivating our union with him. Jesus is the glue when things fall apart around us. He holds us together. When our life stretches out of shape, the strength of our union with him will give us the ability to spring back.

Today, I want to share with you four ways to grow resilience by tending your relationship with Jesus.

So, my brain works in acronyms. It helps me remember what I need to remember. So, I’m going to break this down for you by using an acronym:

ARCH

Action - When we are faced with a hard experience, it can leave us feeling unsure of where to begin. What do you need to do to bounce back? I would say first and foremost it would be simply, running to Jesus. Tending our union with him is the foundation for resilience to grow in our lives. Are there any faulty beliefs involved? What truths do you need to fight those faulty beliefs with? How do you need Jesus to love you in this moment?

This step seems to be an obvious one, but because we are both spiritual AND physical, there may be more action that needs to take place on your part. Maybe you need to start moving your body. Exercise releases those happy hormones and relieves the stress brought on by traumatic events. Are there unhealthy habits you need to abandon that are keeping you from bouncing back? Paying attention to our spiritual AND physical lives improves our ability to be resilient.

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. - Philippians 3:13-14

Relax - Raise awareness about what you are feeling. What emotions have risen to the surface of your heart? Deep breathing plays a huge part in the healing process. Turning those breaths into prayers can transform this act. Which brings up another helpful skill: meditation. Meditating and ruminating on truth strengthens our soul and actually does something to our brain waves. Just like we go to the gym to build stronger muscles, meditation is like a little gym for our minds. Things heal in our brain when we meditate. Using Scripture creates resilience that goes past the physical to the mental and spiritual.

So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. - Romans 8:6

Core Values - Getting to know more about how God has created you will help you grow resilience in your life. What are your strengths? What makes you feel energized? Speaking truth about WHO you are in Christ tears down the lies the enemy uses to keep you stuck. Think about how you are speaking to yourself. What is your inner monologue? This, on repeat, can hinder our ability to bounce back.

A life coach can help you discover what your core values are if you feel unsure of where to begin. I offer a test that helps determine and discover how you are wired and ways you process hard things in life. Learn more about Wellness Coaching with Rachel by visiting my website and filling out the Free Discovery Session to get you started. Reaching out for help is another way we grow in resilience.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. - Ephesians 2:10

Hope - I want to end on hope. There is hope. In Christ we have a hope that transcends anything this world can throw at us. Focusing on hope, not just for this moment, but our future hope provides a resilience all in itself. One very practical way to begin your day with hope is to do one thing first thing in the morning that you love. It doesn’t have to be complicated, just meaningful to you. Something that you look forward to. We all need to be reminded of the hope we possess not only in this life, but in the one to come.

So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. - Hebrews 6:18-19

Bouncing Back

Resilience is something you can learn. It starts with cultivating and tending your union with Jesus and moves out to your physical realm. When a stressful event has happened to us, it takes time to bounce back. But putting these steps into practice can create an ARCH from our pain to progress. We learn from our trials and this grows us and strengthens us in ways that times of ease could never do.

So, start today. Whether you need to reach out and enlist the help of a life coach or you just need to process your emotions with Jesus, start your path to recovery now. Make every day have meaning. Do something this morning that gives you a sense of success and purpose. Turn over the soil of your heart. Give Jesus an opportunity to meet you there, to sow seeds that will produce future growth. Your resilience rests in the hands of your Resurrected Savior.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rootedwithrachel.substack.com