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Do you need a song of rest in this busy season? Me too.

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Friends, I can't even begin to tell you how exhausted I am. I don't think I realized how depleted I was getting with all the travel, speaking engagements, book writing, Twelve-Record finishing, and then 10 days of pokes, prods, MRI's and other body-taxing tests at the Mayo clinic in November. 

Exhausted is an understatement.

I could feel it coming on. It was like a train wreck in slow motion. And Depression was a tiger in the corner just waiting to pounce. I knew I needed to slow down, but my schedule was filled, and I'm a person who keeps commitments. So onward I pushed. Caffeinating. Sugar-ing. Chocolate-ing. Pain-medicating...with good cause, really. But my body has been suffering. Ever been here? Click to read on...

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Mayo Update

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Some of you may know I went to the Mayo clinic a couple weeks ago up in Rochester, MN for a workup on my mystery abdominal pain. Ultimately, we did not find definitive answers, but we were able to rule out some big stuff like pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis. It was an interesting 9 days while we were there. It felt like we were in slow motion.   //    Sometimes slower is better...

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Shame Off You

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Hello friends! It's been a while! Instead of feeling guilt or shame for not keeping in touch and providing your weekly spiritual nuggets, I'm simply gonna say, "Shame Off Me." Ever need to say that to yourself? Check out the fun story behind my new song "Shame Off You", and don't forget to grab a copy of my new book, BOLD. See ya on the blog! Joyfully, Rachel B.

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A Prayer for the Heart in Waiting

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Dear Papa,

You are the God who listens and answers.

You won't fail to come through.

You are in the delays.

You are in the waiting.

You are with me in the inbetween.

Your timing is always merciful...

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Truth Ruts: Because Living a Lie Will Never Set You Free

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Okay all you secret bowlers out there. You know who you are. You have your own ugly shoes, custom ball, and you don't tell anybody you like to bowl. Haha! I actually love bowling, though I don't go to the bowling alley very often. But every bowling alley I've ever been to has one thing in common: 

 

Ruts.

 

Especially for the right-handed bowlers, those lanes get ruts. Why? Because of chronic use. The real question is...are those ruts helpful? Or do they steer your ball the wrong direction?

 

When we do something habitually, or hear something over and over, it creates a rut. But not all ruts are right. Sometimes they prevent us from success. Just like ruts, I believe lies operate the same way. When we hear, entertain, agree with, or listen to a lie long enough, we eventually fall into the rut of believing it. This, in turn, steers our actions and ultimate direction in life.

 

If you listen to a lie long enough, you'll eventually live it out. But living a lie won't set you free.

Click to read more...

 

PLUS: Let Yourself Be Loved Shirts on Sale for $8 this week only!

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A Prayer for the Hyper-Vigilant

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Today, as I was spending time with the Holy Spirit, He revealed to me that I have agreed with the lie of perfectionism and the resulting hyper-vigilance. I don't know if you've ever felt like you always need to compete, be perfect, or constantly be looking over your shoulder. But this is a prayer for those of us who struggle in this area. It's time to break off those agreements with lies, and believe the truth about how God sees us. Enjoy!   //  

Dear Papa,

Somewhere along the line I learned to take care of myself.

I felt the need to always be looking over my shoulder.

I began to put the magnifying glass on my own mistakes,

rather than on Your perfection.

Please forgive me...click to see the rest of the prayer.

5 Keys to Squelch the Devil and Promote Kingdom Authority

We don't have normal locks on the doors to our house. We have those digital locks with a keypad. It doesn't require a key. It requires a code. We like this because when our hands are full of groceries we don't have to dig inside our pocket or purse to find a key. We simply punch in the code and gain access to unlock the door. //  There's a similar parallel to the spiritual realm. Matthew 28:8 says, "And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.'" If all authority belongs to Jesus, then how is it that the devil has any authority at all on earth? How does he gain access and authority in our life? //  In short: We give him the access code. Click to read more.

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An Addendum and Clarification on "I See Dead People" Post

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About a month ago I posted a somewhat controversial blog about healing, God's will, and the Sovereignty of God. It was entitled, "I See Dead People...in Church."  Rather than breeze over that controversy, I feel it might be better to add some clarification. I think I may have unintentionally put a burden of shame on some of you, and I'd love the opportunity to take that weight off. That was not my intention at all. I have included a powerful video by Ravi Zacharias at the end of the post. When you can carve out 15 minutes, I encourage you to watch it. It's very moving and helpful for this topic. Click the link to see the post!  //  Joyfully, Rachel B.

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A Prayer For The Anxious Heart

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Unravel my thoughts.

Untangle my fears.

Untrouble my heart.

I take my thoughts captive

And lead them into Your presence.

They become prisoners of truth.

No more spinning.

No more deception.

No more false accusations.

I choose to think on what is true, noble, right and good...

(To see the rest of the prayer, click on the link.)

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A Prayer for the Right Pace

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Papa,

You always have the right tempo.

You are the grand Orchestrator of Life.

Come. Be the Conductor of my spirit.

Set my pace for peace...

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