Aug 6, 2013

I Have Called You Friends

Last week the kids and I spent the afternoon with Rachel Wojnarowski and her tribe.  It was a time of fellowship, reassurance, and a chance to see God moving in both our lives.

Shelby and Tarah 


I stumbled across Rachel's blog around the holiday season of 2012. I was going through a really tough season and was in search of God's word and other women who had similar hurts in their lives. Her story touched my heart and helped the broken places in my own story to begin healing.

I chose HEAL to be my word for 2013 .

Through events only God could orchestrate I discovered shortly after moving to Ohio that our families were attending the same church. I remember asking my husband, "Why in the world is Rachel Wojo tweeting about Cypress?"

I decided to send Rachel a message and we were able to meet one Sunday which lead to our family hangout session. Our preplanned two-hour visit turned into almost seven hours! The kids played the wii, brought out the sprinkler, jumped on the trampoline, and made a glorious mess.

I watched Rachel care for her daughter Taylor who has been diagnosed with MPS, a degenerative incurable disease. As she explained the illness to me I felt an ache deep inside. How do you prepare for one of your children to pass away? Her bravery amazed me.

But there was something more. Rachel is a normal woman, a tired mom, and a warrior for Jesus. She told me stories about how God gave her a ticket to Allume a few years back and how he connected her to so many vital people. I opened up about my past and how much her words helped me.

We laughed about dirty dishes, kids running wild, and the fact that most days we're just trying to care for our families.

Rachel and I quickly became friends by sharing our brokenness and the glorious redemption of Christ. We have not experienced the same life events but both of us have suffered heartbreak, loss, rejection, and grief. God used these trials to claim triumph in our lives and give each of us so much more than we could have imagined.

I see the two little girls in the picture above and know God has a divine plan for them as well. They were birthed from mothers who revel in God's grace and bravely share their stories.* Click to Tweet!

God can create community anywhere we let Him. He weaves lives together and we have the ability to look toward the future with excitement and anticipation.

Thank you Rachel for being a true disciple of Jesus and an authentic friend.




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24 comments:

  1. Dear Sarah
    I am so glad to hear that you and Rachel are friends! She is an amazing lady and my heart aches for Taylor! But, then she is sooo.... special to our Lord. Our Pappa truly is so faithful and brings the right people at the right time along our paths.
    Blessings XX
    Mia

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  2. Thank you Mia! God could not have arranged things in a neater way. Grateful He cares about every little detail.


    xoxoxo,


    Sarah

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  3. What a fun blessing! To be able to meet others and encourage is one of God's greatest gifts! And I just love virtual friends meeting. I hear your heart and I pray that you will meet more people who can weave His plan for you in amazing ways!


    Are you going to Allume this year? I am going for my first time and I am very excited!


    Blessings!

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  4. What a heart felt post. I loved what you said about both your girls having a God devine plan--Amen! Blessings to you, Kasey

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  5. This is awesome. I'm so glad you've found such a wonderful friend. And look at your tweet link! ;)

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  6. I so wish we could sit in person, too and share our stories over coffee. Maybe one day :) Ohio isn't too far from Indiana!! So awesome how God placed Rachel at the same church!! He's pretty cool like that, isn't He?! And I just love how you said God used both of your trials to claim triumph in your lives and give you so much more than you could have imagined!! So true!!

    God
    used these trials to claim triumph in our lives and give each of us so
    much more than we could have imagined. - See more at:
    http://theredemptiondiary.blogspot.com/2013/08/i-have-called-you-friends.html#.UgEhiFPeQjd
    God used these trials to claim triumph in our lives and give each of us so much more than we could have imagined.
    - See more at: http://theredemptiondiary.blogspot.com/2013/08/i-have-called-you-friends.html#.UgEhiFPeQjd
    God used these trials to claim triumph in our lives and give each of us so much more than we could have imagined.
    - See more at: http://theredemptiondiary.blogspot.com/2013/08/i-have-called-you-friends.html#.UgEhiFPeQjd

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  7. Super sweet post of our girlies. God has such a way of weaving stories. So thankful He weaved ours together.

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  8. I am grateful too! Thank you for everything.

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  9. I feel the same way Eva! We meet so many amazing people online and then to connect in real person, it's just incredible. Thanks so much for stopping by today!

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  10. Me too Marcy! And thanks for the heads up, got it fixed!

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  11. I am not going to Allume. I am taking on a women's event at our church (recruited by Rachel, all designed by God) and it's the same weekend.
    I hope you have a wonderful time and meet everyone you can! Thanks for stopping by today.

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  12. Thank you so much Kasey!

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  13. What a sweet friendship and a blessing to each other. I love this: "God can create community anywhere we let Him..."

    God
    can create community anywhere we let Him. He weaves lives together and
    we have the ability to look toward the future with excitement and
    anticipation. - See more at:
    http://theredemptiondiary.blogspot.com/2013/08/i-have-called-you-friends.html#.UgGW0G2JeqJ
    God
    can create community anywhere we let Him. He weaves lives together and
    we have the ability to look toward the future with excitement and
    anticipation. - See more at:
    http://theredemptiondiary.blogspot.com/2013/08/i-have-called-you-friends.html#.UgGW0G2JeqJ
    God
    can create community anywhere we let Him. He weaves lives together and
    we have the ability to look toward the future with excitement and
    anticipation. - See more at:
    http://theredemptiondiary.blogspot.com/2013/08/i-have-called-you-friends.html#.UgGW0G2JeqJ

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  14. Beautiful post, I loved every word!

    Ashley from http://theheartofashley.blogspot.com/

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  15. Beautiful story! Those friendships are so completely invaluable. Thanks so much for sharing this.

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  16. God can create community anywhere we let Him...even in a really long email chain that's full of words I can't even begin to process! Thank you for friending me.

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  17. This is so cool!! So excited for you to connect to her :) God brings us together like nothing else can!

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  18. Oh my word! That is the coolest story. Rachel has become a good friend to me, too. I love her from the first day we met, and wish we were all in the same area together!

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  19. Me to Elisa! Rachel has welcomed me with open arms and I am so excited to see what God has for our friendship. Thanks for reading!

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  20. Thanks Vanessa. You are right, God is the only one to orchestrate such cool events!

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  21. Lindsey, you are welcome! So glad we connected and I hope one day we can meet in real life too! Our email chain is awesome!!

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  22. You are welcome, Lex. Thank you for visiting today!

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  23. Thank you Ashley!!

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  24. He certainly can. Thank you for visiting!

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