We Keep Moving Forward
Usually my blogs are less personal in nature and more geared towards some sort of spiritual nugget. But today I just want to be straightforward and share some of the things that have been happening in the world of Rachel Rupert & Fam. There’s been a lot of changes lately and this summer has largely been focused on adjusting to transition. I’m finally in a place where things have slowed enough that I can take a breather, reflect, and get excited for what’s ahead.
First Major Change - Jobs
Towards the very beginning of summer I switched departments at Gateway. This has been one of the hardest things but it was a long process of letting the Lord lead me and being obedient to his direction. I fought change as long as I could, but God ultimately won. No surprise there! Though there are many aspects of what I used to do that I am still grieving (i.e., OMG how I miss women’s ministry!), I am resting in the peace that God has led me to the team I am on now. I am enjoying new friendships and challenges, and God has done so much to open doors that were previously closed.
Second Major Change - We moved!
I guess Rudy and I have been a little vague on social media because I’ve seen people who were wondering where we moved, but really it’s not far! We just moved back to our first home, our little duplex in NRH after spending a year in Fort Worth living with his parents. We originally moved in with them because we wanted to expedite the savings process to buy a house. God has been so cool through all of this. And I’m not just saying that to be over-spiritual. The timing of everything has been nothing short of God’s hand. It’s a long story so for the sake of time I won’t get into it, but it’s really just been fun to invite God into decision making, he’s never let us down!
Third Major Change - The Transition to Toddlerhood
Avery turned one in August and I can with confidence say that we have long forgotten the infant stages and are on to running, climbing, sneaking, and inevitably falling and bonking our head on hard objects. It’s been fun, mostly. I thought that she was a busy newborn but holy cow, the things this kid can do now keeps me on my toes! I feel like just as you get comfortable with one stage of parenting that something new comes up. With all of the new activity I am really trying to be more focused on her, more present. I am trying to give my all to the moments we have because they are so short and she is growing so much faster than my heart was prepared for. Motherhood is simultaneously the best and hardest and most unpredictable adventure I’ve ever been on. So I’ve spent a lot of my time mommin’ the past few months.
With all that being said, God is moving and I’m just trying to lean in really close.
I’ve written a thousand drafts, prayed a thousand prayers, asked God hundreds of questions about what’s in store. I’ve felt for a long time, long enough that Rudy impulsively rolls his eyes and laughs every time it’s come up, that social media has been a challenge for me. I want to be part of it, but as I’ve spent more time in the social media world I’ve picked up more anxiety and stress than I’ve experienced in my life before. Over dumb things, y’all. Social media posts that warn you about potential deadly dangers, rare diseases, whatever thing that can threaten what I hold most sacred - my family - fills me with worry and fear.
My parents explained it so perfectly. When you have a child, it’s just about the closest thing you have to understand God’s love for us. Because it is a picture of God’s love the enemy wants to go in and distort that and warp it and turn an image of God’s infinite love into an avenue of pain, fear, worry, and panic.
I’m navigating through what healthy balance looks like in my life. What good mental health looks like. What physical health looks like for me. Postpartum is a long road & I’m sure my fellow mama friends can relate to what it’s like being in a body you don’t quite understand anymore.
God has been in the midst of all of this. Sometimes looking at my day-to-day, I feel that I’m letting myself down and not drawing as near to God as I would hope. There never seems to be enough hours in the day. The enemy has been bringing me so much condemnation in this area until God spoke a powerful truth to me. I’ll be sharing it on a podcast that will be dropping Thursday, but without spoiling the details, I know the last few months have been filled with intensity and powerful growth. God has been stretching me in ways I never expected and though at times it can be hard, it’s been so good.
Speaking of, on to my next little (or not so little) update!
we’re going to Romania in 2020!
I could write a whole separate post about Romania. I probably will because there’s a lot behind this decision and I would love to share how much this means and how much of a GOD thing this is. We are joining a mission trip team hosted by Gateway that will be going to Bucharest. The trip is going to be in the summer, and I’ll share more in a future post. All that to say, with this on the horizon I am really trying to just press into the voice of the Lord and draw near to Him. This is a big moment in my life and I want to be ready when it comes.
moving forward…
Now that the summer has ended, transitions are done, and we’ve settled into our home, things are calming down. I’ve hesitated in my openness about everything going on in life because it’s just been a rougher chapter - but I realize that transparency can sometimes foster relatability, and that’s my aim. I’m not striving for perfection because I already missed that target, haha. But if you can get a good laugh or be encouraged by any of my many failures (just pick one), then it’s worth sharing.
I have a few podcasts lined up to release in the next few weeks - stay tuned! I think you’ll enjoy them. After a few months break, I’ve moved away from the way I had been doing them before. I would love to hear how you like them and there will be much more information about what I’ve changed when my next one comes out.
I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do - a lot of great things I want to share about what God’s been doing, so get ready for more blog posts in the near future! If you want to receive an email of my latest post, scroll to the bottom of the page & send me your info so I can add you to my mailing list.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. I can’t wait to share more soon.
Much love,