Being Ourselves = LOVE

You being you is what I need. It's what the people around you need. It's how you release love to the world. You being you, whether I know you or not, changes me. God created people with passions, expression, personalities and desires that when put all together makes each of us unique and masterpieces in His hands. I say in His hands because it is in His hands that we continue to find out who we are. If God made us, He will show us how we are to be used, direct our hearts in His divine direction and equip us for our next step.

Faith... it's what pleases God (Hebrews 11), yet currently is challenging the heck out of me. I asked the Lord, "Haven't we been through this challenge before and didn't i pass the test?" and I feel like He is saying, "Yes, we have been here. Yes, you passed that test. BUT I want more for you and there is so much more. Do you want to see more?"

"Yes Lord! I want to see more and I want more of You. You are my reason, my life, my love and my all. Only You can satisfy this heart of mine. I never want to stop learning from You. Increase my faith and put me in situations that make that possible."

I love God and everything I learn from Him I intend to live it on Earth.

The other night some girlfriends and I were hanging out at Starbucks when God introduced us to a woman who was obviously in need of a loving God who is who He says He is, Provider. She was actually praying to Him when we came up to her. She had no where to sleep for the evening and God gave me a deeper compassion for her than i have felt for a stranger in a long time. It confirmed to me that God is going deeper in me and showing me how to trust Him more. As for this lovely woman, who is desperate for God and trying to turn her life around, God continues to ask me, "Do you think I will take care of her?" And, my response, "Lord, your Word says that You are our Provider and that You are near to the ones You love. You hear her cries, You know her heart, You care deeply for her, what I feel is only a fraction of the love You have for her...and it is Your word that I must have faith in. You ARE taking care of her. That is why we were there. Thank you Lord for letting us in on this plan for her life. Increase my faith for a prosperous, addiction free, love filled life for her. Nothing is impossible for you." So now, i tell the Lord again, I trust Him and will do whatever He tells me to do in this situation. I am learning and have to keep telling Him how much I trust Him as i think about all of my circumstances. There are a lot of places I need to trust Him in as I am on this Journey of "Being Me."

So, currently I am learning about...
1) Faith, which pleases God.
2) Identity: Being ourselves is how we love the world. Me writing songs, singing on stage, playing my guitar, going to worship gathering, learning about the God's Kingdom, prophesying....all me being me. Developing my gifts is not just for me but for others...i release God's love through being me and desiring more of God
3) What i have is not my own
4) Every stranger to me, is not a stranger to God. Loving the stranger...
5) I become who I imagine myself to be
6) Looking at tomorrow with today's grace will cause me to fall short and worry
7) I am in this world to win back mankind to the Kingdom of God. He is who we all long for and many of us just don't realize it. Oh Lord, help me represent You to the world. I want to LOVE WELL...

Bless you with encouragement, peace in being you and love today
Rebecca

I was really ON THE MOVE

So, my intention with this blog was to write about my experiences because this summer was full of activity, fun, challenges, changes, family time, moving cities, and discoveries. However, though journaled in my personal "diary" of sorts, it never reached the blog for you to read. If you know me, you have heard some of the stories. If you have asked me, and dont know me, I have shared with you all the same. If you haven't asked and keep looking at this blog to find out "what's going on with me", i apologize for leaving you in the dark.

Here is something that is true. My experiences have formed me and I am a new person. Daily, I am new. Whether you have heard it through word or through reading a story, you will experience what I have gone through by just being around me and getting to know me. I look forward to sharing with you.

So, this past weekend was my last trip out of Austin until i plan my next. I was in Waco, TX for the David Crowder Fantastical Church Music Conference and it was, of course, life changing. How? This is how...

1. I attended a conference that i knew God wanted me to attend and therefore, it's an automatic life changing experience.
2. I went in just expecting to learn something fresh from God through singers, songwriters, bands, and people i met in the crowd who were there for the same purpose. I was open to every possibility.

What was the most impacting?
1. Knowing God was with me
2. Recognizing that songs will come out of my life with God. I want to write God songs, I need to know God. (simple, i know!)
3. Not picking a option, is an option. This was very restful. I am not supposed to always be "on the move". I think I am entering a period of time set aside for journaling, blogging, resting, and just knowing God is God. If this takes away some of my social time, awesome! I just want to be with God and write, sing for him.
4. Get to know myself and realize that what i have is for those around me. I do not desire to become better at what I love to do for myself but for you. I am here to give what has been so graciously given to me. God is working on making this an even more natural overflow of our current relationship.
5. Matt Redman's life and the way he presented himself was refreshing. I related with him above all due to similar experiences and approaches to music and "i took a breath". I am so thankful that we are not all gifted in "everything". I am thankful that i did not go to school for music and to be a worship leader, going to school is not a prerequisite. I really struggled with not knowing much about "music" and am still figuring my way forward BUT, I AM MOVING FORWARD. Praise God! God's calling is my only prerequisite. He will equip me if I say "YES" to Him. And I say, "Yes Lord"

So, that is me right now. And me being me is how i can love this world. I feel like I am currently in "God's School of Music" which involves many people and conferences like these. I would love you to be you and then we can love this world together. We need love.

bless you.

The Truth Will Make Us Free

"The Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'" (John 8: 31-32)

1. Abide in His Word
2. Disciples
3. You shall know the Truth
4. The Truth shall make you FREE!

"I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." -Jesus (John 14:6)

ME: The TRUTH sets us free. What is true? Jesus is true. Noone can be FREE without Jesus and a life with Him = more freedom daily if we choose. His word & everything He has to say is true. Thank you Lord for your marvelous grace (dictionary.com- the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God)

A few more days till Haiti...

I am not sure what to think about the adventure ahead of me aside from the fact that I am thankful that God is letting me go. I believe that everything planned for me is because of God's planning in my life and going to Haiti is a part of it.

Details, details, details consume my mind as i get ready for the trip and make sure all of our basis are covered as a team. Leading a trip means more responsibility and I don't take it lightly knowing that each person represents a multitude of people who have invested something in them at some point of their life and who are standing with them now, proud of this adventure they are about to embark on. Believe me, each of my teammates are a gift and lacking in one of them on this trip would cripple us. I am thankful that God has chosen each of us for such a mission as this, and I can't wait to see what happens with each of us over the next two weeks! (good description of what we are doing can be found at www.haititransformed.org)

Lord, i pray that we would see as you see, speak as you would speak and have ears to hear Your voice for our future haitian friends. We don't go believing we have all the answers but we go knowing that You are with us, You have the answers, You love these people way more than we could ever try to love them and that You will answer some of their cries through us. Here we are Lord...do what you want to do with us.

I am thankful. I am who I am because of challenges I have faced, failures i have endured and prayers of others who have kept me in a forward motion through love, encouragement and believing in me.

This past year, the Lord changed my life through a loving small group who truly believes in me. That feeling, the feeling of someone believing in me, is one of the most encouraging feelings i have ever felt. I am now a new person because of others seeing more in me than I could see in myself. I am thankful and dependent on God to help me follow through with every task i am given to do.

I trust the Lord, with this trip and with my future. Nothing can separate me from His love (romans 8:38-39) and because He loved me first, it is my LIFE to love well for His sake. If you have made it this far in this blog, pray for us and keep us in your prayers. We are doing kingdom work and we need to be reminded of where our strength comes from. Bless you too. May the Lord keep you close to His heart. You are loved, you know that? If you don't, i would love to tell you in person because it is true. Bless you today and i pray that God would show you how much you are loved. Thank you for reading this and thank you for being a friend.

Rebecca/Becky/Becca

Traveling to Haiti - June 7-18

I changed the title to this page as I realized that I am truly a woman "on the move" and this summer is no exception. In one week I leave for Haiti with a team from my church who is finishing up a school focused on discipleship training called, D-school. I have had the privilege to support the school as their Administrator and now get to travel with them to Haiti.

(if you don't have time to read this but would like to financially support my trip to Haiti...scroll down. The main purpose of this email is to keep you updated on what's happening with me.)

I have been to a few third world countries but never to one that has been considered a "disaster area". Recently, when speaking with those who have visited Haiti, it has come to my attention that there is really nothing I can do to prepare for this trip emotionally aside from TRUSTING GOD IN EVERYTHING and believing that He will make my heart and the hearts of my teammates ready. With much prayer, reading of articles, teaching from friends who have been to Haiti and fasting, I know that we will be prepared for everything God has in store for our journey. The bible says that God prepares good works for us in advance and since we are His workmanship, He will make us ready for this trip. THANK YOU LORD!

The D-school is partnering with a ministry called, "Haiti Transformed" out of Antioch Community Church in Waco, TX. For a detailed description of what we will actually be doing along with their longterm vision for Haiti, visit www.haititransformed.org. You will be blessed by it.

We as a school still have about $5000 to raise. Since we have raised support for our travel already, all the money from here on out will be invested in Haiti's economy as we hire translators, workers, provide meals and pay for a place to lay our heads at night. Anything we receive beyond that, it is our desire to invest in Haiti Transformed housing project. Currently they have enough money to pay for 15 houses. You can directly put money towards these houses through the Haiti Transformed website.

To help our students get to Haiti, share Jesus with the people, disciple those who have come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and help rebuild, you can do this through financial donations. Write your checks to:

Hope in the City
Attn: Accounting
4407 Monterey Oaks Blvd
Building 1, Suite 120
Austin, TX 78749
***Do not write on the memo line but instead attach a sticky note saying that it is for "d-school haiti trip" or "rebecca windle"***

If you would like to support us in prayer while we are there, we will be able to send text updates. Send me your email address and i will get you on there. We know that God wants us there, and because of this, we believe that we are going to have some "wild" stories to tell. Can't wait to share!

Much Love and thankful for you (whoever you are reading this:))
Rebecca, Becky or Becca <-- depending on who is reading this