Rachelle D. Alspaugh's Blog, page 48

Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there

Here is the next story on another name of God: Jehovah Shammah.

https://communitymoms.wordpress.com/2015/12/12/jehovah-shammah-by-rachelle-alspaugh/

Thanks for reading!

My hope as an author

"If it touches just one person or changes just one life, it's worth it."

Some people's books make it big. They find the right agent, land the right contract, make the right connections, and consistently find ways to grow their platform. Whether you're traditionally published or self-published, it's still a lot of work to get your book and your name out there. 
Personally, it's the part I like the least about writing. I know it's my responsibility as an author, so I am slowly, but surely, growing my platform and my audience. Since I work full-time, I don't devote near as much time to it as I should, though. 
I'm one of those authors that puts her work out there and hopes that maybe it will touch at least one heart. If it does, I'm content. My greatest desire is for people to read my work and draw closer to Christ because of it. If she (or he) ends up with a more intimate relationship with Christ, then the ripple effect will continue into every life she touches. Sometimes I feel like the little boy with the loaves and fishes, handing his lunch over to Jesus innocently and saying, "Use it however you see fit."
I don't watch the numbers or the sales because thankfully, since I work full-time in another profession, I don't need to depend on those sales or numbers. I try not to pay attention to how many "likes" I get or how many followers I have. To know it changed a life is all that matters to me.
Comments like these are the ones that make my day and keep my writing:
"I went out and bought The Power of a Praying Wife as soon as I finished your book." (Unexpected Tears reader, actually several readers)
"I haven't been to church in years, but reading your book made me think about going back now." (Unexpected Tears reader)
"Your poetry really ministers to me." (Unexpected Tears book blog reader)
"I am so glad I read this story. I now have hope for my marriage. Thank you for your authenticity." (Jehovah Rapha reader)
"I finished your book and immediately purchased Praying God's Word." (She just finished editing the second book, which isn't out yet.)
I am eternally grateful when I get messages like these. I am getting excited now as the production for my second book continues to progress. (First round of edits done and corrected and the cover is done now, too! She said possibly a few more months.)

Thank you if you shared any of these comments with me.

Adonai

Here is story #5 on the names of God.

https://communitymoms.wordpress.com/2015/12/05/adonai/

May it encourage you today if things aren't exactly going as planned.

Book Sale!

Just in case you've been wanting to read Unexpected Tears but haven't had a chance, you can purchase the e-book for a great deal this weekend for just $2.99! http://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Tears-Trusting-Adoption-Surviving-ebook/dp/B014C6VHUE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440467873&sr=8-1&keywords=unexpected+tears&pebp=1440467876341&perid=07XNZKY2HD50NF16W4X2

Jehovah Rapha

Here is story #4 on the names of God. This one is on Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals.
https://communitymoms.wordpress.com/2015/11/28/jehovah-rapha-the-god-who-heals-by-rachelle-alspaugh/comment-page-1/#comment-1522

In case you missed them, here are stories #1-3:

Jehovah Ra'ah, The Lord, my Shepherd
https://communitymoms.wordpress.com/2015/11/07/jehovah-raah-the-lord-my-shepherd-by-rachelle-alspaugh/

El Roiy, The God who sees
https://communitymoms.wordpress.com/2015/11/14/el-roiy-the-god-who-sees-by-rachelle-alspaugh/

Jehovah Jireh, The God who provides
https://communitymoms.wordpress.com/2015/11/21/jehovah-jireh-by-rachelle-alspaugh/

Thanks for reading!

Grateful for so much

I keep a daily gratitude journal (thanks to the Daniel Plan), so I didn't jump on the bandwagon on Facebook to document 30 days of thankfulness. But I have greatly enjoyed reading other people's posts.

I do want to share several things I'm so grateful for this year, though.

I am thankful for my home and the family God gave me to live in it with me. I am thankful for my job, my coworkers, and my husband's new job. I am thankful for a God who provides for all my needs, all the time. I am thankful for my boys and the relationship they are still building. I am thankful to still keep in touch with Julian so he and Juan David can continue to be a part of each other's lives.

I am thankful for my Christian heritage and for the legacy my grandfather left me when he left this earth a year ago today.

I am thankful to have family close by and for the recent chance to spend extra time with my brother riding rollercoasters and go-karts. I am thankful for my new oven to roast my turkey in today. I am thankful for my new fridge that my friends left with me when they moved.I am thankful for the comfy couch I'm sitting on that another set of friends gave us.

I am thankful to spend part of today working through the first round of book edits on my sequel, and I am thankful for the story God gave us to share to give a voice to the older orphan.  I am thankful for my writer's group, who never ceases to encourage me, challenge me, and inspire me to write with clarity, authenticity, and conviction. I am thankful for ABH Books and for the opportunity to write for such a great ministry. I am thankful for the many recent opportunities God has given me to share the stories He's put on my heart as a writer.

I am thankful for my church, my pastors, all the ladies' Bible studies, and my Lifegroup. I am thankful for the Daniel Plan and how it changed my relationship with food and with my body.

I am thankful for the movie War Room and the chance to see it with my boys yesterday. I am thankful that my own life is a testimony to the truth portrayed in that movie. I am thankful for my own Miss Clara who passed on her own prayer strategy to me years ago, the strategy that changed me forever.
I am thankful for my prayer corner and my front and back porch where God faithfully meets with me each morning.

( excerpt from Streams in the Desert)
I am thankful for a fun day at Six Flags the other day so we could take this cute picture. :) 

I am thankful for all the time we get to spend as a family, including today.

David's birthday

Things got busy around David's actual birthday, and I never got around to sharing pics from his special day. I am still in denial that he is another year older and probably a foot taller. :(


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After school, we went out for dinner and then came home for salted caramel cheesecake for dessert. 
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The never-ending birthday party

I hate parties. I am slowly, but surely, beginning to understand and embrace the introvert inside of me. It's not that I don't like to be around people. I just need some alone time to recharge my batteries between social events. But hosting a party is just not my thing. I absolutely hate feeling like I need to entertain others and keep everyone happy. It's just not me, and I'm finally realizing that that's okay. David and Mike are very similar, so we've never seemed to have any issues.

Then came Juan David, the social butterfly.

So we attempted a party this year at Speed Zone. We only invited a few guests due to the price, plus it was enough of a distance away that made it hard for guests to get there anyway unless they rode with us.

We chose Speed Zone for the go-carts, a big hit with teenage boys, plus it was something we all enjoyed doing together in Colombia.

Then it rained on party day, and we were stuck inside an arcade for 3 1/2 hours with four teenage boys and two ten-year-old boys, looking out the windows, longing to be on those go-carts. (There's that part that I hated, feeling like I had to entertain and keep everyone happy. So. Not. Me.)

However, Speed Zone treated us well as customers, and gave us a raincheck. Yesterday we cashed in on the raincheck and had a blast on the go-carts. Two of the guests didn't get to come back with us, but the one guest that couldn't make the first party got to come this time.

When I got on-line to book and pay for a 3 hour party, I thought we would get 3 hours of unlimited access to the arcade, the putt-putt, and the go-carts within those three hours, plus two large pizzas and two pitchers of soda.  With the rain policy, this is what we actually got for our money:


Three and a half hours of arcade timeTwo pizzas and unlimited drinks for the actual party dayA round of putt-putt at the endThree and a half more hours of unlimited go-carts (and arcade) when we came back on a non-rainy dayAnother round of putt-putt at the endI'd say we got our money's worth. Here are a few pics of our fun yesterday:











And then a stop at Cici's on the way home.
Now I can relax, knowing my boys had a nice, extended birthday. We all are needing to recover physically, now, especially David and I after crashing into each other so many times on the go-carts. Ouch. I hurt all over today. 

Jehovah Jireh

One of my favorite stories of God's unexpected blessings. You don't want to miss it! Story #3 on the names of God.

 https://communitymoms.wordpress.com/2015/11/21/jehovah-jireh-by-rachelle-alspaugh/

When the words aren't there

In light of a weekend filled with a reality that's so hard to swallow, I haven't even had the words to share. In addition to the horrible tragedies in Paris, my friends and family here are struggling with health issues and unanswered questions of their own.  An unexplained, on-going illness. A bad reaction to medication. Awaiting results from a catscan after a cough that won't go away. A concussion out on the soccer field.

As I tried to find the right words to pray for each of them, the Holy Spirit reminded me that sometimes I don't need words. He prays on my behalf.  Other times He tells me to simply open His word and read.

I heard this song while in the car tonight, and I think it says it better than I can. The song fits well with the weekend.

http://youtu.be/JTY-UKgLlXs