Welcome back friends! I have felt ready to put together another podcast for you based on some new, exciting discoveries.

There is no doubt in my mind we are entering times prophesied in Scripture as information pours out from the Heavens and is shared so quickly across the globe. In the mess and the mix of all the discussions and news, entertainment, social media and AI chatbots, I hope my messages to you will be a breath of fresh air and an encouragement to get out into nature and listen to the Holy Spirit.

And just the Holy Spirit.

May you be blessed as we enter into some of the Lord’s Holy Days coming up soon!

Link to book on the calendar found at Qumran - https://a.co/d/aw2oCmH

Link to Zadokite Calendar-https://zadokway.com/calendar/

Blessings!

Rachel

Anna Grissom. I met her through a friend in her senior year of high school. I remember her shy demeanor and sweet smile as we discussed doing some vocal lessons.

She would come to my house to improve her voice and as I got to speaking with her, I learned she was a treasure trove of talent. An amazing dancer, great student, musician and graphic designer.

The last of which caught my ear as I was looking for help designing my book. I asked if she wanted to give it a shot and she agreed. And wow, did she deliver. One of the first things people say when they get my book is, “It’s gorgeous!” I have people using it decoratively! Not a bad use. Want to purchase it? Let me get you the link here… Anyhoo….

Anna proved to not only be a super talent but to have a deep maturity with Scriptural understanding, obedience and love for G-d. Now in her early 20’s she speaks with the authority of someone much older and wiser.

And she’s taking on culture and Biblical living with that pristine and beautiful confidence. She doesn’t yell, she’s not demanding, there is no pride or cynicism in her communication. She listens to the Holy Spirit and lives out a quiet, unpretentious walk with the Lord. And then she talks about it on Instagram.

And impacts THOUSANDS.

I want you to listen to this interview, consider who else needs to hear it and share. The Spirit showed up in our discussion and I know it will bless you.

And follow Anna. You’ll love what she talks about. Everything from modesty, to right understanding of relationships. It’s good.

Find Anna Here: https://www.instagram.com/its.annajoy/

Find my book and see the design here: https://a.co/d/1hasRw2

Thank you for reading The Spiritual Exercises. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Bless the Lord Oh My soul! Let all that is within me bless His Holy name!

May peace and wholeness and blessing and a shedding of all the worldly burdens be your testimony in 2024. I’ve been so grateful for the opportunity to share with you to this date. Thank you for listening.

In love,

Rachel

Some stories rock you a bit and send you into a whirlwind of questions, concerns, hopes and deepest fears.

“What if I was wrong?”

My prideful heart still reels a bit when I have to question my own preconceived notions. “Yet again!” Some stories are too easy to dismiss as the ravings of a lunatic or the wiles of a manipulator. My past views often make irrational claims on important new understanding. So, here, I have to check myself.

It is human and reasonable to react to testimonies this way, ESPECIALLY in an environment that has been filled with wolves in sheep’s clothing.

But when I search the deeper layers of my desire, I find I still want believe. I want to make Adonai known through His goodness, healing, redemptive work. And I do NOT want to be accused of limiting the Holy Spirit. What work is G-d capable of? What places will He work in and through? Where won’t He go to rescue people?

Who am I to tell Him how to operate?

Clark’s Story…

Today’s guest is a friend of a friend. He came recommended because his testimony is shaking the foundations of his own friend’s beliefs and pushing people to hear some, perhaps uncomfortable, truths.

Spiritual warfare is real. Curses, blessings, oppression and freedom. These things still exist today. The spiritual realm operates, often in ways we do not understand, and people are still having real, spiritual experiences today.

As a girl, I had many spiritual encounters that were as real and tangible as the 5 fingers on my hand. I could hear, sense, and make sense out of beings that live in a different realm than ours and yet interact with ours to the benefit or destruction of life.

I’ve been hot on the trail of the Holy Spirit as of late, feeling called to bring light to where He is working. I don’t know why. I don’t know who of you needs to hear about miracles, signs, comfort, peace, protection, help. Perhaps we all do.

Alright, so listen with a grain of salt, but if Clark’s story is true, then we have much glory to proclaim about our Heavenly Father for His willingness to reach in and save lives. Perhaps, specifically, the life of someone who will go and spread the good news.

I want to give you a heads up to look towards the end of the video for Clark’s 8 steps to spiritual healing/freedom. As he listed them, my soul resonated, reminded of all that I’ve learned about spiritual freedom over the years. It is a righteous list and I’d recommend you write it down and start on it with the help of the Holy Spirit.

I’m so grateful for each one of you. As we enter a new Greek calendar year, I sit here and pray for your peace, blessing and continued revelation and that you would be cleansed and renewed by the work of the Holy Spirit in 2024.

Find Clark Here:

https://www.clarkvarin.com

With Love,

Rachel

I’m thrilled to bring you an interview from a mature Believer in the Lord and a servant-heart in His Kingdom. This discussion delves into the works of the Holy Spirit as well as the position of women in the Church (you know I want to continue that discussion often).

Amber brings a mature and wise view to how the Spirit is working and how we can stop being afraid of what the Lord may be doing and where He is working.

* Is the Holy Spirit still healing?

* Is the Holy Spirit giving tongues?

* What about dreams and dream interpretations?

* What about visions and prophecy?

What happened to these gifts and what does the Bible say about the work of the Holy Spirit after Yeshua’s time on earth?

With the obvious mass formation psychosis we’ve seen with our own eyes, and the movements that have run through the Church in the past that people were convinced were of the Lord, but were not, we need Biblical understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit.

How do we truly test the spirit we are seeing?

Have no fear! There is a balanced approach to this that is founded in Scripture. Let’s get into it.

Love you all!

Rachel

Welcome to my sister, y’all! We are a no nonsense kind of family when it comes to honest discussions and you may catch some of that as Jess and I delve into a difficult and sometimes divisive topic.

Jess Lahitou has a wonderful column (She is a fabulous writer) with Fanfare Magazine called, Motherhood on Camera. Check it out here: Motherhood On Camera

Jess is a legit writer and a master of the English Language. With over a decade of experience in education, specializing in literature, and years of writing creds I don’t need to list at the moment, I promise you will LOVE her writing.

Now, about our chat…

I’ll admit, I don’t know if we are getting everything right, but somewhere in this discussion I hope you find something to chew on and a new appreciation for just how few female voices the Church in the West has allowed over its thousands of years history.

Church seems to be reflecting culture in this regard as we discuss the dearth of mothers on camera and in media as well as in favorable positions culturally.

Is this how it is SUPPOSED to be, or how it was prophesied it WOULD be because of sin? If we all have the same Holy Spirit, why the lack of teaching opportunities for women among Believers? (Not just women’s groups)

Let’s be frank. Are we misusing Paul to promote a cultural stereotype or are we over compensating for the liberal swing of culture, looking for an ultraconservative solution to the attack on families?

Be honest with yourself. Have you studied yourself approved on this topic, or do you simply point to 2 Timothy and end the discussion there?

Buckle up. We have some work to do.

Love ya!

Rachel

Why is this time of year so hard on people?

* holiday stressors

* loneliness

* less sunlight

* changes in schedule

* sugar everywhere

* rise in illness

* a thousand other things…

For whatever reason, this time of year can be a strain on people. For many, the internal battle for meaning and purpose rears its ugly head most powerfully around the memories and sentimentalities of Christmas.

This year, what if Believers did things differently? What if we trusted G-d and trusted a process that would change our mindsets, our bodies, our beliefs and our emotions?

I want to challenge you to fight for your joy. It is one of your most important weapons and is the foundation of your testimony. Joy is bigger than momentary happiness. It is peace and care beyond and through the most stubborn storm. And how do we fight?

* prayer

* Bible study

* Vitamin D (combine with K2 and magnesium)

* sunshine

* exercise

* DOING GOOD FOR SOMEONE ELSE

* Listening to my podcast… Shameless? Ok, yes, you can ignore this one.

Find something that makes you laugh, something that makes you grateful, and get moving. Be prepared this season in advance so that when the trial comes you are ready.

You belong. You have meaning. You are supposed to be here and you have things to do. Let’s get to work eh?

I hope you enjoy this section of my audiobook and my encouragements today. Blessings!

Love,

Rachel

My book, Jesus Was Not A Modern Day Christian, is available on Amazon if you are interested in reading it.

Many of you have asked for an audiobook version and here, in my own way, I’m attempting to fulfill that request.

Eschatological Disaster

As we look at major shifting in the Middle East, I’ve been surprised that, in my lifetime, eschatology, good eschatology, really matters.

All of a sudden, poor eschatology leads straight to anti-semitism. Something I had never considered possible, yet, we are witnessing it within the hallowed discussion grounds of those who call themselves followers of the very Jewish Jesus.

* Who is Israel? Who are the Jews? Is this a prophetic moment in the Middle East or just another of the many skirmishes that consistently emerge in that area?

* Pre-trib, post-trib, pre-millennium… all the beliefs around end times. How many people will fall away if things don’t go as their favorite pastors have taught them?

* Are we ready to suffer for Yeshua in the West? Do we take a side in the war between Israel and those living in Gaza and Judea and Samaria?

* Why is anti-semitism so popular again?

I briefly hit on these questions but will likely want to do a deeper dive into how all of this may play out. I have a horrible feeling that many Believers who make the claim that those who live in Israel now are not really Jews, would be happy to see those folks decimated. Racism in quite the mask now. But what it is hiding is as ugly as any version before it.

Replacement theology for many means that the Jews don’t matter in the plan of salvation and in G-d’s current “dispensation.”

Believers, we were not ready and not nearly careful enough to debate and put an end to the anti-Biblical in eschatological frameworks. And now, we have a real situation on our hands.

Time to get prayed up and studied up.

Watch how the enemy uses technology to advance these poor ideas to promote war and division and death and strife and to exert control over the whole earth.

Are you ready, armed with truth?

Many blessings, my friends.

Rachel

I hope you enjoy the second half of the chapter on worship from my book, Jesus Was Not A Modern Day Christian. This book was a labor of love, in every sense, love is at the core of our obedience to G-d. To understand how to love G-d and others, the way Scripture defines, is the treasure and journey that we all pursue. We often just head in the wrong direction and let our pride trip us up.

I tie together Moses, David and Yeshua in understanding the Scriptural definition of worship as well as helping to take it beyond just singing.

I’m so glad you’re on this journey with me! May you be blessed by this podcast.

All the best,

Rachel

You Are Here For A Reason

Today, I’m grateful for you. You’ve blessed me. No doubt, I’m not the only one you’ve blessed today. Thank you for being here. I may confront you with foreign or difficult concepts. It is always to our credit when we can have conversations and learn from those we differ with. No fear. Just love. And a pursuit of truth.

Today’s Podcast

I’ve decided to finally record an audio version of my book. The difference is that I’m going to do it out of order, in pieces, through my podcast. You’re welcome.

All jokes aside, the great thing about my book, Jesus Was Not A Modern Day Christian, is that you really don’t have to read it in order. Each chapter is its own essay and has a completeness to it. So, you can skip around as your learning and curiosity sway your fancy.

I decided to start this series with a later chapter in the book. I fear that many folks get daunted by the intensity of my subject matter after the first few chapters of my book and perhaps miss out on the inspiration and brightness of the later chapters. I structured purposefully in that the first few chapters are a primer in some ways. But luckily, I can split this up to invite you into some of what comes later.

Reading this reminded me of something I’ve always dearly wanted; to be a worshiper in Spirit and truth. My hearts desire is to understand true relationship with the Creator and to see Him face to face one day. Worship is everything.

Yet we don’t understand it.

I think you’ll love this if you haven’t read my book. And even if you have, this is an enjoyable medium to work from.

Many Blessings my friends,

Rachel

Purchase my book on Amazon - Jesus Was Not A Modern Day Christian

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