Rebecca VanDeMark's Blog, page 255

The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel, Nebraska

Photo: The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel WebsiteAs I mentioned last week, when I first decided to attend my dear friends wedding in Nebraska I knew one of the things that I needed to find was a place to stay. I hadn't ever been to Nebraska so I wanted to find a hotel that was within an affordable price range, was in a safe area, and also was in easy driving distance to my commitments for the time that I was there. I decided to split my time between two different hotels due to rates and points. I spent the first two nights at the Hyatt Place Lincoln/Downtown Haymarket (you can read my review HERE) and then on Friday moved for the last two evenings to the Lincoln Marriot Cornhusker Hotel which was wonderful.  Photo: The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel WebsiteFrom the moment that I walked into the beautiful lobby at the Lincoln Marriot Cornhusker Hotel I felt that I had stepped into a different world. Each member of the staff that I spoke with was extremely kind and gracious and went out of their way to make all of their guests feel like they were valued and important. Checking in was easy and quick and finding out that valet parking was only $3 more than self-parking was an absolute gift. Valet parking was a beautiful thing at this hotel as you could simply call from your room and by the time that you got downstairs your car was waiting. It was lovely.  Photo: The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel WebsiteAs a book-lover, I was delighted to see the Lincoln Marriot Cornhusker Hotel Lobby Library and spent some time in this lovely area looking through the wide-range of books that were displayed.
The Lincoln Marriot Cornhusker Hotel is located in the heart of Lincoln, near the University of Nebraska, the State Capitol, Haymarket, and the Railyard District. The location made it quick and easy to get to everywhere and yet, it was extremely quiet and peaceful. 
If you are traveling for personal or business reasons you will definitely find that you feel that you have stepped away from the busy and bustling city and traffic as the hotel property is very quiet, making it a restful retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the nearby highway and city.  The views from my room were absolutely wonderful. I enjoyed the beautiful sunsets and the early morning sunrises, watching the city come alive. For those who are ill and traveling to the Nebraska area for medical treatment the Lincoln Marriot Cornhusker Hotel might be an option. This particular hotel has wonderful options for a variety of rooms that will make you feel like you are living in the comfort of your own home. There is free high-speed internet along with a guest laundry facility and there is a breakfast options that offers many wonderful nutritious choices (and several gluten free options). In addition I found most of the hotel staff to be extremely pleasant and helpful. As I had never been to Nebraska they were quick to help me with all of my questions. Honestly this was an amazing place to stay. I told the managers that I felt that I had spent my nights at a spa resort due to the quality of the hotel and the quiet.
I hope that y'all have found this review of the Lincoln Marriot Cornhusker Hotel helpful! Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this hotel! I would be happy to answer them! 

The Power of Words in Relationships

There is such power in our words - especially in how we use them in relationships. Last year I wrote a post entitled the power of "life-affirming" and "redeeming" words that addressed the importance of how words affect us. These past few months I have been considering the same concept but put more specifically into the context of our relationships. The way that we speak to each other, the words that we choose to use, the type of words that we choose to use, the way that we communicate with each other, etc has such importance to each and every relationship we have.
Proverbs 18:21 states that "the tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit".  These past few months I have really been considering Proverbs 18:21 a lot - especially as a single woman who prays that one day I will be a good wife to my future husband. There have been times that I have had harsh words spoken to my tender heart and they have crushed me. There have been times that I have truly been shocked at the way that other Christians have handled disagreements and used their words to speak death into a situation. There have been times that my soft heart has wept due to the insensitivity of a reckless word spoken to me. (I shared a little bit about this in my post entitled lack of understanding in the single journey.) 
But then... these past months I have also stopped an examined my own words that I have used to others. While I haven't ever intentionally tried to be mean or hurtful, I am sure that my own words have been reckless and thoughtless at times and this has truly grieved me.  One thing that I have been intentionally working on is the fact that I want all of my words to be gracious and seasoned with sweetness to each person that hears them. Scripture says that "Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." (Proverbs 16:24) These are the types of words that I always want flowing from my mouth as they come out of my heart. The more time that I spend with Jesus, the more that I experience all of the grace that He gives to me, and I can't help but express gracious words to others. 
We are all going through difficult times. We all have difficult burdens to bear. We are all grieving in different ways. We all have struggles. I am constantly saddened to hear of all of the different struggles that some people have. My prayer is that my words speak into those difficult moments and difficult situations and spread gracious and healing words to each person that I encounter.  Sometimes, it may seem like your words fall on deaf ears and that there was nothing that came from you speaking gracious words to someone. I had this situation earlier this year. I tried to speak gracious and loving words into a relationship where there were horrific words being spoken into my life. I tried loving this person with words and sadly, it came to a point that I needed to put a break in the relationship because it was affecting my health. But you know what? I still tried to reach out and speak life-giving and gracious words to this person behind the scenes in the form of loving written words in cards and packages. I didn't ever receive a response, but that is okay friends. We must continue to do what the Lord calls us to do no matter the response. 
You may be in a situation or a relationship like I was where it didn't matter what type of kindness you showed. You may have a friend who has changed and is not speaking life-giving words to you. You may be in a really tough situation with a co-worker or a family member. You may be in a relationship with someone who is not speaking redeeming words to you. Remember... your words have the power to bring life and healing. Keep running to the Lord and laying out your hear before Him. He will meet us at every need. While there are definitely times where boundaries are needed to be placed, don't let that stop you from continuing to spread grace giving words to all those you encounter. I do want to say a side note. Sometimes I feel that people who have been hurt by others words think that we have been given "freedom" to use our words to belittle or share the faults of others. I received so many messages when I shared earlier this year that I had made the painful decision to end a very toxic and manipulative friendship. I was so saddened to hear from hundreds of you that you have experienced similar things in your lives. My heart truly breaks for all of y'all going through similar situations. I read each of your emails and wept over the hurts that y'all have experienced. 
But I do want to say a word of warning. Since I made that difficult decision I have only spoken with a few trusted and godly mentors in my life regarding the details of what took place. I truly believed that the Lord was calling me to live out Exodus 14:14: "The Lord will fight for you you only need to be silent." There were some mutual friends of mine and this other person and I purposed in my heart not to speak one critical thing of the other person, but only took what I had experienced to the Lord. 
I share all of that to say... don't let someone else's words or actions become an excuse for your response. You just keep living for the Lord, putting Him before you, and entrusting your heart and your responses to Him. (P.S. I mentioned this several months ago, but the Pastor that I listen to weekly had a wonderful wonderful wonderful three week sermon on friendships that couldn't have been more of a "God-timing" and so challenging and wonderful. If you are looking for a wonderful pastor to listen to who will challenge and encourage your walk with the Lord I can't recommend Jason Tippetts enough. You can find Westside's church sermons HERE.) So today friends... lets go live our lives remembering that our words have incredible power in relationships- all of our relationships. If you are single and praying for yourself as a future wife, start praying about this area now. Start practicing building life-giving and gracious words into the relationships that the Lord has put before you. And if you are married, words have incredible power in your relationship. My dearest friend Katie, from Always, Katie has an amazing post on the power of words in marriage that you must go read. You can find it by clicking HERE. 
Happy Monday friends! Let us go into our worlds and bring the light of Christ's love and words into our hurting world, spreading our gracious, redeeming, and healing words. 

Emily and Kenneth's Engagement Party

Several weeks ago we had the joy of gathering with dear friends, loved ones, and family to celebrate the engagement of my sister, Emily, and her fiance' Kenneth. Despite the call for rain and thunderstorms, we prayed that the Lord would keep those away until after the party and He did. Due to the heat we were so grateful to have the opportunity to gather outside with everyone. I had a delightful time creating this "sheet backdrop" for Emily. Y'all may remember that a couple of years ago I created a different "sheet backdrop" for a company that I worked for as a design team member. At the time Emily had mentioned that she would love a "sheet backdrop" of her own and this seemed like the perfect occasion to create one.  For this "sheet backdrop" I purchased a brand new Queen sized sheet and started by painting Kenneth and Emily's names on the sheet. The next step was to sketch out different flowers and using a variety of specialized ribbon, twine, and thread I hand-stitched over the flower sketches. Finally I wrote out parts of "the vow" vows, traditional marriage vows, and I Corinthians 13 as "background". I was so thrilled that Emily loved the final product! I had a delightful time using some of my favorite blue ribbons from May Arts for the ribbon bunting above the sheet and tying around the vintage vases and glass jars that held flowers. If you haven't already guessed, blue is Emily's favorite color so there was lots of different blues surrounding this party! Even the happy couple dressed in shades of blue! *smiles* We had a lovely time visiting with dear friends that we count as family and loved ones. It was such a joy and honor that so many people traveled quite a distance to come to the party. What a beautiful evening celebrating Emily and Kenneth's engagement! 

Custom Altered Journal (Green and Pink)

Happy Saturday sweet friends! I hope that you are having a lovely weekend! 
I am so excited to share with y'all today a custom order from a little bit ago! I love the opportunity to create and I am so thankful for all of orders that I receive. Each and every single order is a gift to me! 
One of my favorite sections in the shop is the custom altered journals. Each journal is a joy to create and a very exciting opportunity to design something unique for a customer.
This custom altered journal was such a delight to create and used one of my favorite color combinations- green and pink. I was thrilled with the final results and loved this color combination against the rich dark brown tones of the journal cover!
One of my favorite aspects of each journal is the different ribbon that I use in each journal. I use a wide variety of ribbons that include one-of-a-kind combinations, vintage ribbons, and beautiful and unique ribbons in each journals. As a "ribbon-lover" I love the textures and the prints that combine together to give a beautiful look in each journal. If you are interested in a altered journal or a custom order feel free to check out my shop by clicking HERE or email me for details!

Happy Saturday friends! I hope you have a wonderful day and weekend!

Maroon Maxi Skirt in California

maroon maxi skirt (alloy tall)ASOS Oversized 70s sunglasses
black and white lace top (Similar here)
Coral 3/4 Sweater (Ann Taylor Loft)Ann Taylor black Sandals (Similar here)

When we were in California, we spent a delightful day at the Golden Gate Bridge and exploring the stunning Muir Woods. Both places were beautiful to see and once again I fell more in love with California! 

Y'all know I love wearing maxi skirts and this maxi skirt has been one of my favorites for about a year now. I originally took it on my cruise last fall but have worn it throughout the year in all different seasons. It is the perfect spring/summer skirt to transition into early fall and was extremely comfortable but pretty for our day seeing this beautiful area of the United States.

As a tall gal it can be difficult to find tall skirts and dresses and I have loved how alloy tall provides some options that truly are long. You can check out their on-line store here. Do y'all have a maxi skirt that you are loving right now? 

I hope that you have a wonderful day today! Happy Friday friends!

Treatment Round #3 Update

I wanted to take a moment to say thank you so much for all of your sweet words and kind encouragement as I have struggled with the start of treatment round #3. It has been a very long week and unfortunately I have been struggling to control very intense pain and keep food and liquids in. 
Like many things with Lyme treatment we are praying for wisdom on which part of the protocol has caused this extreme reaction. On Tuesday evening my main medical team made the decision to suspend a couple of things and gradually re-introduce them into my treatment round to figure out the exact cause. 
I have been a mixture of emotions these last days... exhausted from the pain and treatment, weepy and tearful over a delay and in dealing with symptoms I haven't had in years, grateful for my amazing medical team and all of y'alls support and dear friends who cry with me, and last night over whelming peace as I am learning again to trust that my times are in God's hands. Slowly and surely I am healing... and this "set back" I am confident will propel me forward into even greater healing than I can imagine.

Hyatt Place Lincoln/Downtown Haymarket, Nebraska

When I first decided to attend my dear friends wedding in Nebraska I knew one of the things that I needed to find was a place to stay. I hadn't ever been to Nebraska so I wanted to find a hotel that was within an affordable price range, was in a safe area, and also was in easy driving distance to my commitments for the time that I was there. 
As y'all might remember I often stay at the Hyatt House at Belmont/Redwood Shores in California when I go for treatment and I was interested in finding another Hyatt so that I could use points and continue to build up points for upcoming doctors appointments  to help save money. Overall I was was extremely pleased with my stay at this property and would definitely recommend it.  picture found on hotel websiteHyatt Place Lincoln/Downtown Haymarket is conveniently located in downtown Lincoln-Haymarket which is extremely cute. I found out after speaking with one of the managers at the Hyatt that this section of Lincoln has been revitalized and it is really cute. The Hyatt Place is located in the middle of that area and it offers 108 guestrooms and several suites that overlook Haymarket. 
Hyatt Place Lincoln/Downtown Haymarket is just steps away from lots of different and unique shops, live music venues, theaters, and lots of restaurants so it is a very convenient place to stay. It is also less than five miles away from the Lincoln airport if you are flying into there. picture found on hotel websiteIf you are traveling for personal or business reasons you will definitely find that you feel that you have stepped away from the busy and bustling city and traffic as the hotel property is very quiet, making it a restful retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the nearby highway and city. 
For those who are ill and traveling to the Nebraska area for medical treatment the Hyatt Place Lincoln/Downtown Haymarket might be an option. All of the Hyatt Hotels are smoke free and this particular hotel has wonderful options for a variety of rooms that will make you feel like you are living in the comfort of your own home. There is free high-speed internet along with a guest laundry facility and there is a complimentary breakfast buffet that offers many wonderful nutritious choices (and several gluten free options). In addition I found most of the hotel staff to be extremely pleasant and helpful. As I had never been to Nebraska they were quick to help me with all of my questions. 
One of my favorite things about the Hyatt Place Lincoln/Downtown Haymarket property was that they had "Quiet Hours" in effect. This was a wonderful thing as so many people truly did follow this and it was an extremely quiet and peaceful night sleep. You could tell that everyone really appreciated this on the property and I hope that more Hyatt establishments will consider adding this to their rules. I told the managers that I felt that I had spent my nights at a spa resort due to the quality of the hotel and the quiet.
I hope that y'all have found this review of the Hyatt Place Lincoln/Downtown Haymarket helpful! Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this hotel! I would be happy to answer them! 

Prayers for the Single Journey for Women Book Update

Photo By: Amanda MarshallIn 2015, my book,  Prayers for the Single Journey for Women  was released. I shared at the time that the book was only due to the Lord's grace in providing each of the items needed for this book to come to fruition. Truly, where the Lord guides, He provides everything we need.
I have to admit that when I was first approached with writing this book I hesitated. This topic, the topic of singleness, is so near and dear to my heart that while I had been writing the book for years, I never thought I would actually have it published. And yet the Lord continues to stir this topic within my heart as I have cried and prayed with so many friends, loved ones, and readers. 

The topics in Prayers for the Single Journey for Women  are all things that I have prayed through, cried through, and continue to go to the Lord about in this single journey. The book contains 52 topics (one for each week of the year) that I believe resonate deeply in the hearts of single gals and includes hundreds of scripture verses so the book can also be easily used as a devotional. 

Prayers for the Single Journey for Women  was written for a wide span of age groups from women and for teenage women alike. Here are a list of the topics:
1.        Loneliness 2.        Longing3.        The ache to be married4.        Feeling unbeautiful 5.        Self-Esteem 6.        Taking care of our bodies 7.        Purity 8.        Feeling unworthy due to past mistakes 9.        Broken relationships10.     Forgiveness 11.     Disappointment 12.     Rejection 13.     Envy14.     Comparison 15.     Grief over how I envisioned life to be16.     Discouragement17.     Anger 18.     Fear19.     Tears 20.     Lack of Understanding21.     Feeling forsaken and forgotten22.     Friday Nights23.     Valentine’s Day 24.     Christmas holiday 25.     Answering the “Why aren’t you married yet” Questions 26.     New Year's Eve 27.     New Year's Day 28.     Birthday 29.     Traveling alone 30.     Handling engagement news 31.     When those younger get married First32.     Attending bridal showers 33.     Attending weddings 34.     Loss of friends due to different seasons35.     Longing for Children and a Family36.     Church Fellowship37.     Finding community 38.     Using Time & Resources Wisely39.     Active Waiting40.     Contentment 41.     Following the dreams God has given me 42.     Living in the Present 43.     Choosing Joy 44.     Changing life seasons 45.     Wisdom for the Single Journey46.     Not Settling for less than God’s best47.     Praying for myself as a future wife48.     Praying for my future husband 49.     God as my husband 50.     Strength 51.     Dignity 52.     hope for the future 
As I shared above  Prayers for the Single Journey for Women  was something that I had been working on for years. It grew out of a time from my teaching days when I taught a class of 12th grade girls and found myself single again after a relationship ended. Throughout the years of teaching I would write some for this book behind the scenes and it continued to grow. 

Prayers for the Single Journey for Women  is truly a vulnerable opening of my heart about this subject. My prayer is that it would be used by the Lord to encourage the hearts of single women that pick this up (no matter the age that they are!). Would you join me in praying this? I have received so many beautiful emails from those who have purchased the books and my heart breaks for the hurt in this journey and the lonely aching. Thank you for praying for this!

I have also received several emails asking if I will be coming out with any more single books in the future. I so appreciate that sweet question and am carefully and prayerfully considering some different things the Lord has for this area. I will definitely keep you updated and appreciate more than words can say your sweet support.

If you are interested in purchasing Prayers for the Single Journey for Women you can find it on Amazon (and where books are sold) by clicking HERE. If you would be interested in writing a review on Amazon for this book I would be happy to send you a complimentary copy- please just email me or leave a comment below with your contact information.

Thank you so much friends! I hope that you have a wonderful Monday!!

Altered Travel Journal vlog with Always, Katie

My amazing friend Katie, from Always, Katie, shared the most beautiful vlog of a custom altered journal from my Etsy Shop. Head on over to her blog to read her post! You can also view the video below! Thank you again Katie for sharing!!
You can head on over to my shop, December Caravan, by clicking HERE! Happy Saturday friends! I hope that you are having a wonderful weekend!

Treatment Round #3 Begins

"courtneytheportney" was accessed again yesterday and I finished all of the prep to start treatment round #3 this morning last night. I admit that yesterday I had a mini-pity party  and tears. As I shared in my "Notes from the Porch" post on Wednesday, this protocol and treatment round will be rough. It is difficult. It is scary. It comes with a whole host of side effects that I don't want to think about... and in many ways I wish we could just fast forward the weeks on the calendar till this round is done. 
"The Lord stood at my side and gave me strength."
But I have seen so much healing take place this past treatment round and despite the hard, I am excited to see what the Lord will do this round. And more than this I cling to the beautiful truth of 2 Timothy 4:17. This precious verse shouts to my little heart and gives me strength. The Lord is by our side. The Lord is the one who gives us strength for the day. He is the lifter of our heads, our strength in the sorrow, and our joy in our pain. He will carry me each step of the way and show up with grace that I haven't even experienced yet. Thank you so much for all of your prayers. You are truly a blessing! 
"The Lord stood at my side and gave me strength."