ABOUT
The ‘G’ is for Genell
I grew up watching Everybody Loves Raymond, Home Improvement, I Love Lucy, The Sound of Music, and the Moses Bible story on VHS that was 4 days long.
What does that tell you about me? I am a good mix of humor, humility, and holiness.
My days start with fighting for my time with God so that it doesn’t get sucked up by the demands of work and life. Thankfully, my husband is like the Dave to my Joyce Meyers and supports me in unimaginable ways (more about him in the next section). Sunday evening through Friday night I’m sending out writing devotionals, hosting podcasts, preparing for a speaking event, or chatting with 1-on-1 mentoring clients.
That’s just the first shift of my day.
The second shift begins when my children end their school day. I try to finish my work shortly after they make it home (which usually doesn’t happen) because I am quickly met with after-school activities such as practices, lessons, games, and school day stories. Eventually, I go to the kitchen to begin dinner or (if I’m still piled to my neck in work) walk into my husband’s office to ask for some quick meal ideas. He is the quick meal pro. Our bedtime routine is a work in progress but has improved significantly over the years.
Now, Saturdays are special. Saturdays are a day of rest with a special name. I call it Sleep-In Saturday! It’s my favorite day of the week. It’s the only day I get to sleep in as long as I want, wake up to a bowl of unhealthy cereal, spend as long as I want reading my Bible and writing in my journal, watch TV without regret, and finish off the afternoon with a nice cozy nap. If that doesn’t sound like a day that the Lord has made, I don’t know what does.
With the hustle and bustle of my life, I wouldn’t trade it for anyone else’s. The real world of adulthood is filled with moments of imperfect progress, extending ourselves grace, and wonderful memories to treasure.
The ‘G’ is for Genell
I grew up watching Everybody Loves Raymond, Home Improvement, I Love Lucy, The Sound of Music, and the Moses Bible story on VHS that was 4 days long.
What does that tell you about me? I am a good mix of humor, humility, and holiness.
My days start with fighting for my time with God so that it doesn’t get sucked up by the demands of work and life. Thankfully, my husband is like the Dave to my Joyce Meyers and supports me in unimaginable ways (more about him in the next section). Sunday evening through Friday night I’m sending out writing devotionals, hosting podcasts, preparing for a speaking event, or chatting with 1-on-1 mentoring clients.
That’s just the first shift of my day.
The second shift begins when my children end their school day. I try to finish my work shortly after they make it home (which usually doesn’t happen) because I am quickly met with after-school activities such as practices, lessons, games, and school day stories. Eventually, I go to the kitchen to begin dinner or (if I’m still piled to my neck in work) walk into my husband’s office to ask for some quick meal ideas. He is the quick meal pro. Our bedtime routine is a work in progress but has improved significantly over the years.
Now, Saturdays are special. Saturdays are a day of rest with a special name. I call it Sleep-In Saturday! It’s my favorite day of the week. It’s the only day I get to sleep in as long as I want, wake up to a bowl of unhealthy cereal, spend as long as I want reading my Bible and writing in my journal, watch TV without regret, and finish off the afternoon with a nice cozy nap. If that doesn’t sound like a day that the Lord has made, I don’t know what does.
With the hustle and bustle of my life, I wouldn’t trade it for anyone else’s. The real world of adulthood is filled with moments of imperfect progress, extending ourselves grace, and wonderful memories to treasure.
Meet the Family
I live in the house I prayed for, within the city I asked God NOT to put me in. It turns out that I love this city more than I thought I would (he really does know best). It’s got that small-town family feel right outside of a big city.
I married my husband, Willie, in 2011 after thinking that I would never experience true love. He was a single widowed father of 3 children and I was a divorced mother of 2. I have the blessed opportunity to experience being a mother figure to 3 amazing children, (Autumn, Willie, and Antonio), who are now adults. Lots of love given, beautiful moments, and lessons learned that I wouldn’t trade for the world.
Darius, my firstborn, is all about sports, good grades, his cellphone, and charm. He is also, ‘that child’. If you don’t know what I mean, you probably didn’t or don’t have one. However, if you do, nothing more needs to be said. He has my motivation, determination, and a huge heart.
Dominique is my firstborn girl. She is a good mixture of witty, compassionate, observant, humorous, and creative. She loves to bake, win arguments with Darius, and play volleyball. She has my passion for wisdom, growing in her walk with God, and understanding the supernatural.
Gabrielle is our love child. She bonded our blended family together and taught us all how to love deeply despite our biological differences. If you came by, Gabby would find amazing delight in offering you a beverage and dinner. She is all about hospitality, singing, friends, and designing. She has my youthful confidence, love for books, heart for relationships, and love for singing.
Aaron, the baby of the family, runs the show. He is an advocate at heart and makes sure everyone’s voice is heard. He has taught my husband and I our greatest lessons in faith, trust, and the healing nature of God. He is young but bold, loving, and creative. He has my quirks, creativity, and the rest, I will know in time.
Now, for my wonderful husband. Where do I even begin? He started off as my prince charming and has proven to be my knight and shining armor. His love, commitment to God and family, and genuine support have made dreaming small a thing of the past. He truly is, ‘One of the Good Ones’. I love you and You are such a good husband, are words I say without hesitation to him. We work through the rough stuff so that we can enjoy the life that we are building together. He is still my dream come true.
Hi, Friends!
I want to take a moment to share a story with you.
One day my husband,Willie,went on a walk and ran into a young man riding his bike. They both stopped and started talking to one another. After spending several minutes trying to remind the young man that they had met before, he begins to engage him in a conversation about Jesus. The young man soon opened up to him about his life and some of the challenges he has experienced. Having no one he could trust and no true relationships, he was merely existing. He was always really good with numbers but a previous accident left him with partial brain damage which led him to believe he was no longer as smart as he actually was. Up until this moment, he had been convinced that people looked at him as an object to abuse or misuse.
Listening intently, my husband realized that his hurt ran deep, and he truly had a reason for the mistrust that he felt. Although my husband made several attempts to help him better understand the heart of God by sharing his personal experiences, his attempts were unsuccessful. Then he said to this hurting young man,
“Say you were driving and your car broke down on the side of the road. You call everyone you know in an attempt to get help, but they say they can’t help you or they tell you to call another person. That isn’t what Jesus would do. Jesus would pull up in a van full of people. Although everyone in the van would say, ‘Jesus, it’s already full in here; there’s not enough room for him,’ He would tell them,‘We will make room’,” and help you get to where you’re going. That’s the kind of person Jesus is. He’s not going to leave you stranded on the side of the road.”
The young man began to cry, and my husband knew he had just planted a seed of hope into this young man.
Why am I sharing this? Because I believe that’s the kind of person Jesus is, and that’s the kind of person He has called us to be.
This is why the world needs you! Not because you are perfect but because you’re willing to be the kind of person Jesus was.
You’re willing to speak to the brokenhearted
You’re willing to pray for the lost and the least of these
You’re willing to talk about your painful past to help someone overcome that same pain in their present
You’re willing to be the hands and feet of Jesus that brings redemption to this world
Light only shines in the darkness, and it’s time for you to stop hiding in the background when God has called your light to shine from the front.
Just remember that God placed you in this world–at this hour–because the world would need YOU!
Let’s Stay Connected!
Get Inspirational Messages from Rachel Directly To Your Inbox