Rebecca VanDeMark's Blog, page 239
April 3, 2017
The Ache To Be Married

In this single journey it can seem that we have had to give up so many hopes, dreams, and desires for the present, and if we are honest, we may start to wonder if it will be that way for the future too. The deep longing in our hearts to married cuts to the deep as we literally ache to see our dreams of being married come to pass.
Right now, as a single woman it can seem like as the days pass, so are our dreams passing us by and it can break our hearts. God promises that if we “take delight in You, You will give us the desires of our hearts”. (Psalm 37:4) I want to delight in the Lord alone but sometimes my desires and dreams for my future seem to loom before me and take my eyes off of Him. In these times I pray that the Lord would give me a heart for Him alone. When the ache to be married overwhelms me, I ask the Lord for comfort. I also pray that He would take my eyes off of marriage and a husband and all that I think I am missing out on because I am single and put them back on Him completely.
This is not about losing the desires of our hearts, but instead it is about surrendering to His love and His plans. Let us pray to do this with open hands, not gripping tightly to our dreams, but to the story that He is writing for us.
“For you Lord are good and what you do is good.”-Psalm 119:68-
Let it be God's love that we most long for. Let us give our aching hearts to Him, “the Lord is good and your love endures forever.”(Psalm 100:5) Let us trust completely in His goodness, trusting that He has plans for us, giving us the desires of our hearts in His perfect timing.
Published on April 03, 2017 04:02
April 2, 2017
Healing and Recovering From Surgery

I know that so many of you have kindly requested an update and I so appreciate all of your prayers for surgery. If we are connected on IG or Facebook than you have seen the MARVELOUS MIRACLE that we are rejoicing that there was NO Cancer that was found. Even as I write those words, I still have tears of gratitude to the Lord. Thank you so much for all of your prayers. I am confident that it was the prayers of so many faithful people praying that were answered.
Surgery was though more complex and complicated than we would have hoped and due to this the recovery is SLOW going and will take longer than anticipated. Everyday I am seeing improvements, but I won't lie... these last 13 days have been some of THE most difficult of my life and in this health journey. As some of you are aware some medicine and drugs after surgery caused some complications and I would covet prayers for pain, sickness, and general healing and I would also covet prayers as there are several medical issues that need to be worked out. I would also pray for wisdom as we will be adding a couple of specialists into my team care for some things that we need to address. This last prayer is specific and unique as it takes a special type of doctor who is willing to be a part of such a large medical team and willing to work with the confines and issues that Lyme Disease causes.
I trust though despite these "seeming hurtles" that we have found and what we are dealing with is part of the Lord's beautiful and unique way of answering my desperate prayers for healing. Nothing is by chance when we are serving and following and trusting the Lord and even this may look to be a hurdle, but I know that the Lord is working everything out perfectly. In that is where I trust and rest when my heart starts to become overwhelmed.
I want to say a special word of thanks to each of you that have checked in on me, loved on me, have sent cards and text messages, sent gifts, provided financial provisions, words of encouragement, and phone calls these last several weeks. So many of you have listened and cried with me, laughed and rejoiced, and have gently and specifically reminded me that the Lord is near. I so appreciate those of you that have moved into this time with love and compassion, not giving space, but gently reminding me that I am not alone in this journey, speaking truth and courage to fears and joyfully praying for the future. Each of you are a gift.
Everyday in this journey with my health has felt like a miracle in so many ways, but today I sit and marvel a little more and with overwhelming gratitude. God has been so good, just like He has been every single day of this journey.
"Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." -Psalm 126:2-
Published on April 02, 2017 09:20
March 19, 2017
a prayer for surgery

"God, my God, you know my fearful and terrified heart and state. I am gripped by anxiety over the surgery I have to undergo. I m very much frightened of the entire procedure and the outcome of what I will awake to hear. Lord, your word says that you will strengthen me on my bed of illness and you will sustain me on my sickbed. Yes Lord! I trust your word and turn to you for help. Human wisdom and skill are nothing before you. So please fill the doctors who attend to me with your divine wisdom Lord so that they can perform this surgery in a perfect manner. Take all of those who assist them and everyone associated with the surgery in your hands and keep them as your instruments in bringing healing to me. The prayer of my heart and so many others has been for healing and while this news and possible new scary diagnosis has caught us up short and rocked our worlds, YOU Lord are not surprised by anything. Nothing is of a surprise to you. Use this Lord to bring about healing. Use this Lord for your glory even though right now things seem dark and scary. May this situation reflect your love and goodness and showcase your love and power. Shine your light into the darkness Lord. I cling to your promises that you are always with me, wherever I go! You are already there Lord. As I am wheeled into the room, feeling alone and scared- your presence will be there to meet and to guide. You never forget the cry of the humble and needy. Lord, hold my hand tightly and grant me your peace as I move forward so that I can undergo this surgery courageously. I know you will do all of this because you are the one who perfects everything for my life. I totally and completely rest on you and thank you for always being with me and carrying me and rescuing me Lord. You are the God of miracles and we are trusting you for big miracles today."
Thank you for all of your continued prayers for surgery tomorrow. I will be checking in at the hospital around 10:30am and surgery is scheduled for noon. Thank you again dear friends for your love, prayers, and support.
Published on March 19, 2017 05:08
March 16, 2017
the week ahead...

Our goal has been to have everything ready so that I can fully enjoy my birthday and we can have a wonderful weekend. I am choosing to live fully in each of these moments despite the unknowns that face us on Monday.
In many ways I think being sick is harder on your loved ones than it ever is on yourself. I admire these people that I love so much ... who keep on loving unconditionally... even when it hurts them, they love without abandon, continuously modeling Christ's love and I am in awe.
I (and my precious family) are so incredibly grateful for your kind words, your financial support (thank you so much to everyone who has given for this surgery and some that have mentioned that they will be giving HERE!), and most of all your prayers for this week ahead. I will try to update my Instagram page as I can so please feel free to follow along by clicking HERE.
As I prepare for the upcoming week, I am considering the beautiful hope, peace, and courage in Isaiah 33:6:
"He will be the sure foundation for your times..."
Truly no matter what shifts and changes and no matter what we face ...our God is our stability...our sure foundation that we can set our eyes and hearts upon... today and in all our future days.
Published on March 16, 2017 03:00
March 15, 2017
From Hope Valley Devotionals (Week 7)

These two nurses whom I have come to know shared with me that they had apologized several times and wanted and longed to move forward because they had learned so clearly through their jobs that life is too short to hold on to all of this “stuff”. My mind immediately returned to Episode 7 from season 1 and I shared this quote from Jack. They immediately said that they couldn’t have agreed more. Life is so precious and truly there is no time to hold on to the things that are not important.
The truth though is that I believe “petty grievances” have the potential to create an opportunity for grace or an opportunity to for a once respected relationship to be destroyed. Often times petty grievances come from mis-communication or a perceived rejection from one person to another. Sometimes the rejection seems intentional and is not and sometimes it is an intentional rejection. Either way this fractures a relationship and causes pain to both parties.
Like many other women I am sure that I could write a lot on this tender subject. We all have had to deal with rejection in one way or another and sometimes this rejection really cuts to the core of who were are. Sometimes a recent, fragile, emotional, or disappointing circumstance can heighten things. Sometimes we can feel like an outsider or left out and this allows for things that might start off small to grow and turn into much larger things.
One of the things that I think is vitally important for us to do is to take these feelings back to the Lord and remember that while we may feel rejected by others the Lord will never reject us. One of my favorite verses on this topic is from Psalm 94:14:
“For the Lord will not reject His people; He will never forsake His inheritance.”
Hold onto this sweet and beautiful truth that the Lord will never reject or forsake you. We have a beautiful Savior who can empathize and sympathize with us because He has experienced everything we have. He understands our weaknesses and will never reject us. What a beautiful comfort there is in knowing that He understands our feelings. When we know this beautiful truth we can let go of the things that really don't matter at the end of the day.
In addition to this every time that I have felt misunderstood or rejected I meditate on Isaiah 49:16 which states:
“You have engraved me on the palms of your hands”.
This beautiful truth that the Lord would engrave my name on the palm of His hands brings such hope that the Lord will never forsake or reject me. When I understand this I can live fully in God’s grace and offer grace to others, understanding that we are all just trying to do our best. Living in grace and the knowledge that the Lord will never reject me gives me strength to let go of the “petty things” and move forward understanding what is most important in life.
Today dear friends, let us live in this beautiful truth. Let us live in the truth that our lives have the power to redeem and change a situation. Let us let go of the petty things that we see on social media or that occur at work or within our homes. Let us remember the power of encouragement to change lives. Let us let go of our desire and our need to always "be right" and focus on what is most important... spreading love and grace.
An extra note too... when we do this- when we live fully in freedom of grace and of letting go of the small things... we inevitably are blessed by a community that is created based on grace. A community that surrounds and offers grace instead of nitpicking or harsh words. A community that realizes the importance of love over the need to be right. That is a beautiful gift and result of living fully in the knowledge that God will never reject us and offering grace.
"God will never walk away from His people, never desert his precious people."
-Psalm 94:14, the message-
Thank you so much for reading each Wednesday these little devotional pieces that have been inspired by When Calls the Heart. I have been so grateful for your encouragement in this endeavor. These devotional pieces will be away for the next two weeks as I have surgery next Monday, the 20th, and will return on Wednesday, April 5th. I would covet prayer for this surgery and am grateful for your support. Thank you again for all of your sweet support and love! I look forward to re-connecting in a couple of weeks!

*Please note that the quotes used in these weekly devotionals are the sole intellectual property of Hallmark Channel, WCTH, & Crown Media, LLC. These on-line posts are in no way supported, endorsed or affiliated with WCTH, Hallmark Channel, or Crown Media. They are simply encouragement inspired by Janette Oke and this precious show.*
Published on March 15, 2017 04:57
March 14, 2017
36 Birthday Moments of Gratitude

I have shared in the past that while I know some people reflect on the past year during New Years I have always looked back on my "new years" in two different ways: (1) at the start of a new school year and (2) on my birthday.
As I approach my 37th birthday on Friday, I look back on thirty-six with so much thankfulness and gratitude from the past year. While I could list hundreds of blessings from this past year I wanted to share thirty-six moments of extreme gratitude that stand out to my heart from this past year (in no particular order).
one: the amazing generosity and kindness of so many people that have walked this journey with me and continue to stand by my side. Truly I am incredibly blessed.
two: being protected from the blood clot that was unexpectedly found a few days before my birthday and the miraculous removal of the clot
three: the start of the fourth spring

five: Learning the beautiful truth of celebrating ordinary accomplishments
six: The joy of celebrating old-fashioned Sundays


eight: Seeing the Lord answer some intensely private prayer requests

ten: for precious friends who have walked this long journey with me and continue to pour out their love each and every day... sharing continuous grace upon grace onto my life

twelve: the beauty that comes with forgiveness and making peace with the fact that while some friendships change, shift, and end there are the friendships that grow so deep that you could never have imagined life without them.
thirteen: learning in new ways that the Lord meets us in faraway places
fourteen: a successful port placement of #courtneytheportney

sixteen: starting treatment round #3 and then treatment round #4
seventeen: remembering so many precious memories the day before December Caravan was released

nineteen: visiting Golden Gate Bridge North Observation Tower
twenty: the Cloudsplitter Gondola Ride that swept me away in its beauty

twenty-two: for the release of December Caravan, the book that taught me so much

twenty-four: writing on this little space for FOUR years (!!) It has been so lovely to connect with so many people, develop deep and lasting friendships, and to grow in this community
twenty-five: a grandmother who prays and prays and prays... and prays... and prays....

twenty-seven: spending a day at Disney with Emily

twenty-nine: thoughts on starting the 5th fall
thirty: the opportunity to speak on writing and marketing for Indie Author Day and speaking in Phoenix, Arizona on Lyme Disease

thirty-two: learning personally the truth of the Lord giving strength for each day...for every battle... and for this fight for my health.
thirty-three: traveling with my parents on their first cruise and returning to Coco Cay
thirty-four: having so many new adventuresthirty-five: starting a new season in this Lyme Disease journey
thirty-six: learning that the Lord has a plan beyond my own little imagination.
Thank you so much to all of you who have made this past year such a blessing! I am so thankful for each of you in my life! Thank you again!
Published on March 14, 2017 13:31
March 13, 2017
10 MORE Things to Pray for Yourself as a (Future) Wife

Today I wanted to share 10 more things that you can pray for yourself as a (future) wife. If you are married I highly encourage you to pray for your husband and if you are single or engaged, I encourage you to start praying for your future husband starting now!
(One) I pray that I would have a hunger for God's word, a passion to know Christ above anything and anyone else.
(Two) I pray that I would have big and daring dreams to change the world for Christ. I pray that I will not be content to just accept the world the way that it is, but have a passion for a calling that is uniquely mine that I can join together with my future husband in.
(Three) I pray that I would dream big dreams and attempt big things for God, but also have the unique understanding on how to love the people that are placed in front of me. That I would have a genuine understanding of Mother Theresa saying, "Want to change the world? Go home and love your family".
(Four) I pray that I would be filled with joy. I pray that I would know the love of Christ so intimately and that I would be filled with strength and dignity so that I can laugh at the days to come (Proverbs 31:25) because my ultimate source of peace is found solely in God.
(Five) I pray that I would be delivered from any trials that I am currently going through. I pray that the Lord would write a redemptive story out of any circumstance that I am going through.
(Six) I pray that I would have great discernment that comes from knowing Jesus Christ. I pray that I would consult God before anything and anyone else and pray for wisdom for each and every decision that I am facing whether it be small or big.
(Seven) I pray that even now the Lord is developing me to be an excellent mother to our future children. I pray that I would have a heart for raising up men and women who love the Lord more than anything else, that I would develop patience and laughter, and that I would have a heart for the orphan.
(Eight) I pray that I would be protected... protected physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
(Nine) I pray that even now the Lord would be preparing my heart for him alone. That our hearts would be joined together by God, the tapestry for this being woven right now as we pray and wait for each other.
(Ten) I pray that I would be a woman of prayer. I pray that this will be a hallmark and benchmark of my life, understanding the importance and necessity of prayer.
Are there any specific prayers that you pray for your future spouse? I would love to hear what things you pray for!
(PS- If you are looking for encouragement in the single season of life you can find all of the posts that I have written on the topic of singleness HERE or find my book, Prayers for the Single Journey where books are sold or on Amazon by clicking HERE!)
Published on March 13, 2017 05:20
March 12, 2017
The Legacy of Suffering

"A good man leaves a legacy for his children's children."-Proverbs 13:22-
As April faded away several weeks ago and we approached the month of May I have to admit that I sometimes silently groaned as my heart deeply aches. As a lady who has longed to be a mama for years and years I have to grudgingly admit that I view the month of celebrating Mother's Day with heartache. Am I deeply grateful for my precious mama? Absolutely yes. Do I rejoice with my friends who have been blessed with many children? Of course. Do I rejoice with my dear friends who have walked the road of infertility and this year celebrated becoming a mother? Absolutely. But is there a part of me that like many of my hurting friends who long to be a mommy that cries as we approach this date? Yes. Is there a part of me that wonders at how Proverbs 13:22 fits into my life? Yes.
A few short days before Mother's Day I started thinking more deeply about the idea of "legacy", specifically the legacy formed in suffering. A dear former student contacted me right before Mother's Day and said, "Thank you for your mother's heart that during my time in your classroom showed the joy of Christ, and watching your faith in this trial has shown me the steadfast hope only found in Christ. You have created a legacy of faith for me." To be frank I broke down crying. My faith seems so incredibly small in this journey and I had never considered that one could leave a legacy in suffering. I always equated legacy with children, and there is a legacy left there. But there is also legacy created in other seasons of life... even in suffering where we can and we will leave a legacy.
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."
- Romans 8:18-
The reality is that when life is destroyed all around you it is hard to trust the truth of Romans 8. When we are faced with the death of a loved one, the unanswered prayers for healing, the loss of a job, infertility, chronic pain, broken relationships, and the loss of dreams it can literally stop us in our tracks. It catches our breathe. In many ways we expect, as I did before Mother's Day this year to silently groan and cry our tears in private till the moment passes. Like me, we want to turn the pages of the calendar days quickly so that we forget the pain. And in the midst of the "helpful and sage" advice that we are given, most of us just want to dull the crushing pain and move on to "better times". Like me wanting to avoid Mother's Day, we want to "avoid" the painful times of suffering.
But what about the legacy that is found in suffering? Are we showing the world how to lovingly and faithfully walk with Jesus during the difficult days here on earth, or are we showing them that we have Jesus only to quickly make it through the painful times? Are we showing the power and miraculous God that we have despite circumstances on earth? Or are we limiting our God as we box Him in to ways that we want Him to work?
I want to suggest that the Legacy of Suffering is a beautiful thing called joy. Joy in the midst of pain. Joy in the midst of heartache. Joy, not smiles that are on our faces, but true joy found deep in the heart of Hope in a God who promises to never leave us. Sweet friends, as we cry out in our pain, let us take the risk to walk the road of suffering joyfully confident in the one who carries us each day. Be brave friends with your suffering. Our hope is never in vain when it is in Jesus, but creates a beautiful legacy out of suffering that spreads to those around you and offers redemption to the pain that we all experience here on earth. Our everlasting God who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow is our everlasting hope, which brings joy. There is purpose in it. There is a legacy that will be formed.
"And Hope does not Disappoint us..."
-Romans 5:5-
(This post has remained one of my highest read post since it first was published in 2015. Today, I wanted to re-post and share it as an encouragement to those walking through the difficult path of suffering. Today I am finding great comfort in the knowledge of Romans 5:5 as I consider the upcoming weeks.)
Published on March 12, 2017 11:15
March 10, 2017
35% off Sale in the Shop THIS weekend ONLY

Due to my upcoming surgery I have had to make the difficult decision that my shop will be temporarily closing on Wednesday, March 15th and won't re-open until April 1st. This has been a hard and difficult decision as I so enjoy creating but is also a necessary one at this point with this unforeseen situation. SO this weekend is your chance to shop and receive a discount!
ALL proceeds from this sale will be going to benefit my upcoming medical expenses for surgery.
So head on over and check it out! You can click HERE to easily go to the shop!

















Happy Friday sweet friends! I hope that you have a WONDERFUL weekend!
Published on March 10, 2017 06:25
A Few of My Favorite Things from the City Chic Sale

Last year, when we visited Emerald Bay at Lake Tahoe I shared about one of my favorite City Chic pieces (this beautiful red and black dress). To be honest I came across City Chic more by "accident" when I first purchased a piece of theirs that I found at a thrift store. Feeling unbeautiful and struggling with the changes that my body had made due to my fight with Lyme Disease and certain meds that I am on that are necessary for my health, I was delighted to find a dress that made me look and feel "girly" again. After this I continued to search for more pieces from this company at thrift stores and continue to watch the sales/clearance section from City Chic a couple of times a month.
I was just on their website a couple of days ago and here are a couple of my favorite things from the sale:





So there are five of my favorite things from the City Chic Sale! What about y'all? Any favorite pieces from the sale that you would recommend? ALSO if it is your first time shopping at City Chic use the coupon 25OFF1ST to receive an ADDITIONAL 25% off of your entire purchase, INCLUDING the sale purchases AND free shipping!! Hurry! These pieces go quickly and you don't want to miss out!
Happy Friday y'all!!
Published on March 10, 2017 04:59