Olympicaholic here

Hi. My name is Rachel and I am an Olympicaholic.

I watch the Olympics religiously. Which means I follow it with love and zeal. Especially the gymnastics.

As a former gymnast, I once had my sites set on the 1988 games in Seoul. I even trained away from home one summer at Parkettes gym. (One of their current gymnasts is an alternate on the US Team in London.)

So why wasn't I in Seoul? If we were having coffee I'd tell you how I injured my left knee and couldn't continue to compete on that level.

And if I knew you really well, I might also tell you that I hated how hard my coaches were on me. (My love language is words of affirmation.)  And that I didn't wish to give up senior prom, Friday night football games, or chocolate cake.

But I have immense respect for these girls who are willing to give up everything to follow this dream. To endure what it takes to compete on the elite level. To develop nerves of steel.

Because it's downright nerve-wracking to be throwing a flip on a 4" wide beam of wood with judges critiquing you. Oh, and the world watching you do it.

One gymnast who handled that pressure beautifully in the team qualifying competition on Sunday was US gymnast Gabby Douglas.

After the qualifying competition {where Gabby was our top scoring gymnast and advanced to the all-around} she was asked on camera how she handled her nerves.  Gabby responded saying she kept her nerves in check by "meditating on verses."  She also said the Bible had a lot to say about confidence.

Wondering what verses she is meditating on?  You'll hear her quote some of them in this interview at Valley Church in Iowa from just a couple weeks ago.




Gabby Douglas Interview - Valley Church from Valley Church on Vimeo.



All Olympians offer powerful inspiration.

Gabby offers us something even more hopeful, even more helpful: the glory of God, the word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. She shows us faith in action. She puts the "hopeful" in the term "Olympic hopeful."

I'm a bonafide Olympicaholic. But even more I'm a grace-saved servant of Jesus Christ. Who follows Him with love and zeal. So I'm rooting for my Yahweh Sister Gabby Douglas this week. Are you watching the London Olympics? What's your favorite Olympic event?


The random-picked winner of a copy of It's No Secret is Careen Starr. Congrats Careen! I'll mail it to you as soon as the Olympics are over. Until then, I can't leave my TV and recliner!

You Choose

This week I've been thinking about what motivates me, what refuels me for my work. Specifically, my work in ministry. Yesterday I outlined 4 things that fuel me. Today I have a devotion published with Proverbs 31, and it details a 5th thing that fuels me.

And that is, seeing God move.

When I was in Ecuador with Compassion International I saw plenty of people in great need. So many that it could have overwhelmed me and made me feel that as just one person, I couldn't possibly make any impact.  But not only did I see great need, I saw God at work in big and small ways meeting those needs.

And I saw the Compassion team at work. From the sponsors here in the States, to the Compassion staff workers, to the pastors and volunteers in the local Ecuadorian churches they partner with, I saw people making a difference.

Me with a young boy in Ecuador. He was shy but after ten minutes together 
he climbed up on my lap. He just needed love.

They are each just one person, but together with Christ, they are transforming lives. As Bill Hybels is fond of saying, "The church is the hope of the world." 


I'd encourage you to spend some time thinking about what motivates you in your work. And as much as it's up to you, supply yourself with that motivation frequently.

*I'd also like to ask you to follow this link today and choose a child to pause and pray for. The choice is yours. If God leads you to sponsor one - terrific! But I assure you, even just your prayers can make an impact.

"The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results."

 ~ James 5:16 b

If you'd like to be entered to win a copy of my book It's No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know, leave a comment here or on my Facebook page telling me the name and age of the child you chose to pray for today. 

I'll draw a winner for the book before noon on Monday. Thanks for stopping by and may God bless your work!

What Refuels Me

In my last post I asked the question, "What refuels you for your work?"

It's an important question. 

We need to know the answer to the question so we can continue to fulfill God's purpose for our lives. So we can continue to be fishers of men, or makers of products, or finishers of projects, or caretakers of family.

We need to know the answer to the question, and then self-supply that fuel regularly, so we can work with excellence and energy and passion. As unto the Lord.

And so we can continue to experience that nearly intoxicating feeling, the divine spark known simply as "flow."

So I've been thinking this week about what refuels me for my work as a writer, teacher, and speaker.

Here's my list in progress of what fuels me:

1) Well Written Words - I'm a word girl. I can be very motivated by what I read. So I read pretty much every day. Reading something inspiriting, motivating or just really well said can pick me up and fuel me forward. Quotes. Verses. A really good book. All can work for me.

As a side note, if I read too much well written stuff in one sitting, it can have the opposite effect. I can start to feel that it's all already been said before by people much more talented than me. So I have to watch this one and not read too much at once. I usually spread my reading out throughout the day ... like shots of courage.


2) Time in Nature - Last night after dinner two friends and I grabbed ice coffees and went down to the beach to sit by the water. No agenda but to be, to talk and to stare at the waves in the fading light. We wound up talking about novels we'd read recently, then I told them an idea for one of my next books. The combination of the surroundings and their input made me even more excited to get started on this book. 

Many of us feel closer to God when we get closer to nature. And that has a way of melting stress, unlocking creativity, and redirecting us to what is important. I know lots of writers who take daily walks outside as part of their writing routine.


3) Encouraging Words - I keep a file of notes, emails and thank you cards others have given me. Each time someone tells me how my work has impacted them, or just that I have a "godly spirit" or a "way with words," I save it.  For future fuel when my engine starts to drain and sputter. 

My love language is Words of Affirmation so this one works quite well for me. But I suspect this would spur anyone on. When someone compliments you, record it. Save it and revisit it often.


4) Encouraging Others in my Field - Find someone who is well behind you. New in their faith, or new in their work in your field. See their desire to be where you now are. Absorb that passion. 

Pour into them, and let their enthusiasm fuel yours - making you excited and grateful that you get to do this work.  That's what the She Speaks conference does for me each year.


I'd urge you to make your own list of what motivates you. Keep it by your desk or on your fridge. And regularly use the things on that list to refuel your passion for your work.

After all, I bet you, like me, long to someday hear from God, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

What refuels you for your work?

I returned home last night from the very inspirational, very informational She Speaks conference.

Each year this conference refuels my passion for ministry.

Every summer I come home exhausted with a to-do list I can't wait to start on.

I'm realizing how important it's been to have something built into my year that refuels my passion for ministry. And I'm thinking it would be wise to build such a thing into each week. 

Of course I can't attend a conference every week so I'll have to find something simpler but still effective. 

What is your work? ... a business? ministry work? housekeeping? child-raising?

And what is it that reliably refuels your passion for your work?

If you don't know, aim to find out in order to avoid burn out.