Rachel Hamilton's Blog, page 7

Love

I am desperate to show the world I am something.

The fear of apathy is real. I want to leave my mark on the world. To say I existed.

Not just survive life but thrive.

But what if I can’t?

What I leave the world with nothing beside my name?

Not a hero, not a success, not even known.

What then?

Love.

Love says even if I can not do anything powerful, inspirational or successful, I am something.

I am someones.

Love says I was loved before I breathed my first fragile breath and I will be loved long after.

Love is not about what I give but what I receive.

Love died on the cross for me and rose again so I don’t just survive but truly thrive for eternity.

 

 

 

Online Ministry

The internet is a mission field. One we can access anytime, day or night, at home or at any free Wifi spot.

It’s exciting and rewarding.

Everyday I use social media to encourage people from all over the world.

I have been blessed with the means to reach over 20,000 people a day.

But it comes with a price tag.

The more people you reach, the more you are open to hate, judgment, and abuse.

It’s hard to be open and honest online because someone will feel the need to get your vulnerability and throw it back in your face.

But those moments will fade away when you hear that voice say “I thought I was the only one”. You will cry with joy when you hear that words “because of you I have the strength to keep fighting.”

Yes online ministry is one of the hardest, loneliest things  you will ever do.

But…

you will meet the most inspirational, mighty warriors of God.
You will make life long friends with people you have never met face to face.
You will learn how to deal with conflict, pray like you never have before, set good boundaries and know what its like to fight on the front line.

When you step out and faith and do the hard things, God blesses it.

 

 

 

Waiting…

Wait…

Why is your answer wait?

God, you have given me the vision, the passion, you have handed me the dream.  I want to change the world for you.

Is it right to let me suffer?

I am willing, ready, ripe to move when you say move.

So why must I wait?

I know you are good, you show me time and time again.  I know you are always right on time.

So I’ll prepare, hope, dream as I wait.

So when you say move I’ll move.

 

 

Chosen For My Weakness.

Here I am

once again

on my knees

ashamed at my own weakness.

Broken by the things I can not do.

Surrender is all I hear, but God you don’t seem near, it isn’t right to let me break.

I am needed in my strength, not in my weakness.

All around me voices say “Look what you have done wrong. Look at all your failures.”

“God let me give up” I cry. “Please let my dreams just die so I will not struggle for the things I can not do.”

I can not reach the world for you, or bring healing to the lives of those I love.

I can not make a change in the world like I hope to. I am weak, useless, broken. I am fragile, breakable, damaged. You have the wrong one. 

I see a hand write on the wall, with script so small I almost miss it. 

“My strength is made perfect in Your weakness.”

Tears flood down my face, now I see it was never about me. 

I am not chosen to be strong, I have been chosen to be weak so others will see Christ’s strength in me. 

New Country, New emotions.

Moving countries is exciting, meeting new people, seeing new sites, learning new things.

But it’s also hard.

After the honeymoon stage of a new country wears off, your emotions become a theme park ride. 

The last couple of months I have struggled with even understanding and putting into words how I feel, some days are awesome, other days I want to bury my head under a pillow, because everything is just way to much. 

Homesick for what used to be my reality, homesick for stability. Tired of all the new things life is throwing at me.

My online ministries are suffering, my heart seems to have gone out of everything I care about. 

Those yuck emotions lie just below the surface.

But it’s ok, I need to work through theses feelings, it’s all part of the transition into my new life.

One day I am going to fall in love with my new life but right now I must accept my feeling and hold tight to God as I travel this adventure called life. 

 

 

 

A beautiful God Centred Wedding.

A few months ago I had the privilege of attending a wedding of a very special couple.

Their wedding was a true witness of putting God first and their wedding overflowed with love.

Love for each other, love for God and love for their guests.

It was their special day, yet they made every one of us feel cherished and remembered.

Purity wasn’t something just talked about, you could feel it in every part of the wedding.

When a couple places God above everything in the relationship it inspires and blesses the people around them. They build a solid foundation on which to grow a marriage. 

As a single I am so blessed that God has placed godly role models in my life to show that God’s way is always best.

One Of Those Days.

It’s one of those days again, when every bone in my body is loudly proclaiming “I’m still here.”

One of those days when my body gives the weather report by flaring my pain up.

Rheumatoid Arthritis my ever present friend is reminding me to take it easy and have a day in bed.

One of those days when jobs lay around me half done. When my limitations seem to overwhelm me.

But I am learning, learning to smile through the ache, count my blessings and dream above the pain.

Starting to understand what success really is.  Sometime success is just getting through the day without losing hope.

I am remembering that I loved, deeply, passionately  by a God who is teaching me to see my limitations as directions to his perfect plan.

 

To My Readers. Thanks For Believing In Me.

I am so deeply grateful to my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blog and book readers, who see past my spelling and grammar mistakes to the message I am trying to share.

You make believe in myself.

You help me see that I can reach the world even with my handicap of dyslexia.

You never tear me down but encourage me to keep writing.

You support me, bless me and encourage me to run after my dreams.

Thank you with all my heart.

 

 

Learning to Count My Blessings

Last night I was lying in bed thinking about the areas in my life that are not easy. Thinking about all the things I don’t have.

Suddenly I heard God say “Count your blessings“

but I was already in the middle of my pity party, the more you think about how bad life is, there are endless possibilities.

“STOP! Count your blessings” I heard again.

“Ok” I sighed.

“I have a great family” I said half-heartily

“Yes now keep going.”

“I have a book published”

Good, your getting there.

I…… live in Australia…

By now I was getting the hang of it and after about 10 more things, I slowly drifted off to sleep with a smile on my face.

Yes! I have so much to be grateful for, tragically I often forget that and complain to God about the things I don’t have.

So from now on I aim to be thankful for the blessings I do have and trust God for the rest.

Travel Mishaps

“Your hand luggage is to heavy”

Oh great!

I had just finished a 2 hour and half bus trip to get to the airport and I was grumpy and hungry. This was the last thing I need to hear.

“Come round here and repack your luggage” the lady at the ticket counter motioned.

I walked over to the gate that protected her counter from the public and would you believe it, no matter how much I tried I could not get that stupid gate open.

After what seem like hours I was safely on the other side trying to repack everything into my suitcase and then I saw it.

My whole suitcase, was soaked through with some kind of liquid.

Lovely.

By now I was hungry, grumpy and annoyed.

I stuffed the last lonely sock into my suitcase and made my way to security leaving a trail of hats and coats I struggled to carry a hundred and one things at the some time.

My trip in New Zealand had been great, catching up with family and seeing two special friends marry and I was on my way back to Australia.

The enjoyment of travel is often felt once you are back home and the most annoying things can make the best stories.

Yes travel is not always glamourous sometimes its just plan frustrating.

But when you are traveling you can always count on one thing, that it will always be an adventure.