Saturday, January 8, 2011

Life...So Good...So Full...Loving Every Moment!

These are a few pictures from the family photo shoot we did a couple of weeks ago. I hope you enjoy.
So...I have been a really bad blogger, but I thought that I would try to be better in this new year. We shall see how that goes. Life can simply be so busy that I forget sometimes to take a moment to relax and record all of the amazing things that go on in life. 
Let me start with the MOST amazing thing that has happened as of late. Are you ready for it?! I AM TOTALLY and COMPLETELY healed of food allergies!!! About two months ago, I started thinking that I did not want to accept these food allergies as mine anymore. I started declaring out loud that in 2011 I would be healed completely of all 25 allergies. I didn't put a specific date on it, but I just knew that sometime in 2011 I would not be dealing with this issue anymore. I couldn't deal with this issue anymore. So, in November, I went to see West Side Story in San Francisco on a Sunday. Before we went, I helped lead worship with my brother and sister in law at their church. They were taking communion on that day. It dawned on me that it had been almost a year since I had taken communion because I was too afraid to eat the bread. On stage, I whispered this to Christina...and she said that this might be what would heal me (taking communion in faith). Well, I ended up leaving for San Francisco before taking communion, but a couple of hours later I got a text from Christina stating that she took communion for me and believed that I was healed. I did not have the courage to try any food at that time because I get incredibly sick from even one bite of food that I can't have.  After this moment, I began declaring my healing within two months. I truly believed that I would be healed within that time frame. On Christmas day, there was so much mouth watering food surrounding me, none of which I could eat. I decided to pray over my food and trust God that I would not get sick (the ultimate..."God bless this food to my body" moment). Typically, within 5 minutes of eating "bad" food I get severely dizzy. I ate something with cheese in it first, and milk was one of the worst foods on my list. No reaction. I ate some crackers and something with tomatoes in it. No reaction. I ate mashed potatoes and turkey with seasonings and yams and cheesecake and more. Again, no reaction! At this point, I was so excited, but also wondering if I was truly healed or if God was blessing me with one evening to eat normally with my family. The next day, I decided to be brave once again and ate everything that my family was eating (feeling very included rather than some outcast who always makes those around go out of their way simply so that I can find food that I can eat). No reaction. I am COMPLETELY healed of all allergies. To this day (it has been 15 days), I am allergy free. I am eating like a normal person, and having a blast eating whatever my heart desires! Thank you Jesus!!!
If you know me at all, you know that I like to keep a busy schedule. At times, "busy" may seem an understatement. Over the past 8 months or so, I have decided that I am going to live life differently. I needed to find quietness and stillness in my life. I discovered a love for reading that had been lost for years. I have poured over books and loved entering the fictional lives of some amazing characters. I have found stillness within myself by taking a few moments to be in the quiet and enjoy a good book. I try to read nearly every day to allow my brain to calm itself and take a break from some of the stresses of life. Reading is lovely and I am simply in love with books. I am currently reading the Chronicles of Narnia (I haven't read them since I was a little girl) and having fun adventures with Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy.
Another passion in life that I have pursued immensely in this season is running. I have been training for a marathon and have loved (nearly) every minute of it. I love running in the early morning with a deep chill in the air and fog over the river. Everything is so quiet and still and breathtaking in those moments. It is as if time is standing still. The longest run to date was about 21 miles. The worst run to date was a 16 mile run that I did without taking any Gu packets with me (I threw up for the first time since I was 3...it was BAD! I thought I was going to black out. The worst I have ever felt from exercise!). I have been training for a few months. I am really excited for the actual marathon in about a week. It is on January 16. I hope that I can achieve my goal of under four hours, but we shall see! I have been training with my friend, Daniel. We have had a lot of fun running together, pushing each other to be better, convincing one another we are not actually dying and that our bodies can go a little further, and allowing the discovery of the absolute limitations of our bodies. Training for a marathon has been challenging, exhilarating, frustrating, injuring, and one of the best things I have ever done!
My brother recorded his first album. Well, it was supposed to be a demo, but the quality is too good for it to be considered a demo. Not sure what to call it, but it is amazing! There are 5 songs on the cd. He wrote them all. Christina sings lead vocals on one song, and Elijah sings the other four. I sing backup on two of the songs, Christina sings backup on another, and Elijah sings alone on the fifth. You can find it on Itunes if you would like to check it out (under Elijah Runyan...One Desire). I am so proud of my brother. I hope to someday record a cd as well, but it is definitely a lot of work and takes a lot of time and money. On my life long to do list. I know it will happen someday.
Teaching is going well! I still absolutely love my job and am so thankful that I chose this profession. I can't imagine doing anything else. This is not to say it is without frustration at times, but I truly love my students and the challenge of helping them to learn every day and discover the wonderful world of mathematics (although most of them still think I am crazy and hate math...what can ya do?). I can't believe that my second year of teaching is half way over already. Life and time is just flying by. For goodness' sake, I am 25, in a career that I love, and so thankful for that fact.
Again...I am 25...still no boy in my life. I am looking forward to the day that a boy sweeps me off my feet and is absolutely in love with me (and me with him). I know that I have an amazing man in my future...I just wish that I knew who that amazing guy was! I have waited 25 years for my first kiss. I would love to have that happen before I am 26, but I am totally willing to wait for God's timing because I know that when it happens it will be amazing and with the man of my dreams. I would never want to settle simply because I have a desire to kiss a boy. I want it to be right and with my future husband. Who knows, but I do think that this year, 2011, is my year. I believe that this is the year I will meet (or discover) who my husband is. No matter what happens in 2011, I am determined to be happy. I am in control of my happiness level, and I will make sure that wherever life takes me, happiness is at the forefront. I love life. I love what I am doing in life. I have an amazing family and amazing friends who care for me and love me for all of who I am! I do not know what 2011 has in store for me, but I know it is going to be great! It has to be great because I am great and I am destined for greatness.
So...here is to 2011. One amazing year. One amazing life. Happiness. Fullness. Love. Mystery. Crazy times. Adventurous times. Peace. Rest. Restoration. My life. 2011 

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

So much of this I have heard and watched, but it is so cool to read it. Reading what someone has written is powerful. I love you so much and I am so proud of all you have accomplished. My prayer for you this year is your dreams coming true!! Love your Mom

Anonymous said...

Rachel,
Thank you so much for sharing this! You are such an amazing woman, and I am so proud of all you have been through in life. You have more self control than any one person I know, and your soft yet bold spirit is so fun to read on paper. I love you more than you know and couldn't have asked for a better sister OR friend. Thank you. You have encouraged me to start a blog... maybe soon. ;)
~Hannah

Lindsay said...

rach, i am so happy for you! that is awesome!!!

Ashley said...

i love this post! it made me feel so uplifted after i read it. Im so proud of you and your outlook on life!! I too hope you marry mr right this year!!

Brittany said...

Yea!! I loved this post too. I am so glad that you are doing so well!