Your not anybody else, but the person Christ has made you!

It’s easy to get caught up in the regrets of our past, our mistakes, and our failures. I’ve met some people who truly understand God’s forgiveness, but have yet to find the courage and strength to forgive themselves. 

This is something that can truly put a wedge in one’s relationship with God, and I think looking at this could potentially help many who feel the weight of their personal mistakes and failures. 

The same power that conquered the grave lives within us, and we must remember that the Christian life is about where we are going, not where we came from. Nobody is perfect.

Somethings about you!

1. You’re not your father.

2. You’re not your mother.

3. You’re not your family.

4 .You’re not your past.

5. You’re not your mistakes.

6. You’re not your failures.

Breathe. You’re not anyone other than who God has called you to be a son or daughter of the King. Regardless of your last name, what you did last week, or even what you did last year, God’s love for you covers a multitude of sins and there is nothing that can get in the way of that truth.

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

A few things about Jesus.

1. He wasn’t born into a perfect family.

Matthew 1:1-17 shows the genealogy of Jesus. This family tree has many names on it that many would be surprised to see. Among the list we find murderers, cheats, prostitutes, refugees, adulterers and more. The genealogy of Jesus mentions all these historical characters to teach us an amazing lesson that nobody comes from a perfect family, and that the grace of Jesus is powerful enough to withstand any faults, failures, and sins.

2. He grew up in a town referred by some scholars as “City of trash.”

Nazareth doesn’t even show up on first-century lists of villages in Galilee, and it was considered by the Jewish population of the region as insignificant. Nazareth could also have been seen as an unimportant town due to it being hidden away in the mountains of Galilee. Surely the Messiah would not come from such an unlikely place, an isolated city that didn't take in many visitors? Doesn’t make any sense. In John 1:46 Nathaniel asked, when told that Jesus was from Nazareth, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

We see that not only did good from the city of Nazareth, but the son of God in fact called it is earthy home.  This is a powerful reality for anyone feeling down about where they grew up, or where they came from. It’s irrelevant when you have the power of Christ in your life.

No matter who you are or where you are from, remember the truth of Christ work on the cross and the true love story, but also remember he has a plan for your life.

Jen Rabie

#Scars God Heals!

Hey everyone, its been sometime since I've shared what on my mind and whats going on in my life. So with in the next few days y'all will need to keep up with me, I am going to send out a few blogs. I want to keep everyone up to date on what I have been learning, struggling threw, and what my next chapter in life maybe. Thanks to all of you who has been so patience, and willing to invest and hold me accountable I truly appreciate every single one of you.


Think about this; we live in this world that calls failure a weakness and labels weakness a flaw. We are taught to mask the truth because, “it’s better if you keep that to yourself,” and that the best way to lead is from our strengths instead of our weakness. If I can be honest and just share with you my thoughts, I think our world has built itself on a shallow and narrow foundation.


The truth is that this foundation is ready to crack, break, and fall at any second. While I know this is just my opinion, I think I have a clear valid point.


1. Crying is not allowed.


2. Keep your pain to yourself.


3. Never let others know your weakness.


These are things I've heard, and I'm sure you have as well throughout your life. And while many of us may try to shake off the truth of reality, you’d be surprised to know how many people are haunted by these thoughts on a daily.









I believe in a God of Grace, love, and second chances. Even though I may at time question God and not believe these things, I know it to be true. And if it wasn’t for these divine qualities all working together, I can promise you that I wouldn’t be standing here today tell you this. That I've been redeemed.


I’m not proud of my past, but I wear my scars on my sleeve because I am proud of who I’ve become in Christ. These scars remind me that I can conquer all things, and that healing is possible through God. Even the Toughest healing is possible!


“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17


My failures and mistakes are NOT my most treasured moments, but because of them I am now a living testimony of His redemption and grace.


Your story is His glory. Share it! Don’t hide your scars, wear them as proof that God heals.




Thoughts I find myself reminding myself daily, and a concept that isn't easy!



Jen Rabie

.....Day and Night....

Good Evening Family, Friends and Prayer Warriors,

What a Beautiful Fall day it has been! The weather is getting a slight colder, the leaves are changing oh so fast! It makes me think of how life changes so fast in the midst of all the different seasons of life!

It's been awhile since I have written you all, my apologizes! First off let me thank you for being so patient with me! Also, thank you for all you encouragement and prayers it means so much to know there are people out there praying for me and investing in my life as so many of you have!

So where to begin, well I am still in the kitchen working and learning a lot about cooking and serving at a different level. Even though it has its tough days its been a VERY good learning experience for me! I have to say I wouldn't trade it for anything. I've learned things like measurements, food prep., serving, cooking different things and even cutting up vegetables and fruit! I have to say its been humbling, at times I don't know measurements or even what simple ingredients are, but I have some really awesome coworkers to help teach me along the way, for instances I work with a guy name Anders and as simple as it may come to some he took the time to show me how to add and subtract fractions! Now, that was definitely a humbling moment! Over all I have really enjoyed serving in the kitchen even though it's challenging I'm always up for a new one!

The other part of the time I am serving in the Physical Planet Department (PPD) on the Grounds. I have a lot of previous experience with grounds, but I have never had a lot of experience with trimming and punning plants thats a totally new thing to me! Plants are an interesting thing, theres so much more to just cutting a flower or snapping a limb on a tree. You have to take into account the cold weather, frost, where on the plant to cut,what part of the plant needs to be trimmed or doesn't, its been cool to learn different things about plants.

Though my time so far serving here at the Bible School as an Intern, I have seen a lot into ministry. What I have come to a conclusion, and by all means I don't have this all figured out yet! Sometimes it's the LITTLE things that can make a big difference! Even though you can't see the end result now doesn't me what your doing goes in vain! Though life I have always been a person who likes to see progress and when I don't, I think their isn't progress. How silly of me to think this! God takes time to work, God maybe using these challenges in my life to challenge me and grow me!
I know I have A LOT of growth to do, and less self and more dependence on God! It's not easy but its a learning process and I'm ready to take it on!

Prayer Request:
1. Dependence on God, and NOT Self.
2. Decisions for future
3. Investment, Honesty, and Vulnerability
4. Time Management!

Back to The BI

As the summer sun and long summer nights come to a slow end, with fall just around the corner; I see ahead of me a busy yet again school year. So before all this starts let me fill you in a bit.

Just about a week or so ago, I moved back to Jackson, MI to the Bible School to start my internship for the next year. It was a crazy weekend and also a start to the week. As I packed my car up and moved into a lovely dorm I would call home for the next year.
Monday started up bright an early for a school wide cleaning day. After a summer of construction their was a pretty heavy tasks ahead of us all to get the school back in some sort of order for the students to arrive.
The following day started with my first day in the kitchen, we began to prep and prepare for the cook out for the Student Leaders (STP) and staff that would kick off Wednesday night. Just after one day I had already learned so much and I was extremely exhausted.
As the Student leaders began to fill in on Wednesday, I myself was getting ready to head out! Already? Yes, if you know me you know I don't stay in one place very long! Actually, I was headed out to the Upper Peninsula with Rivers Youth Group! ( Youth Group I have been working with while I was a student at New Tribes.)
It was filled with lots of driving, eating, Laughter, Fun and games, Great Conversation, Beautiful sites, oh an also a lack of sleep =)

Pictured Rocks

Ben Sanford

Falls

Some of the boys

Some of the girls

But the whole weekend was totally worth it! What an amazing group of kids that are so hungry for the Word and want to know so much more about their creator! Our evening Camp fires was the highlight for a lot of the teens, the youth pastor Craig did something different this year an instead of him teaching he asked them what they are learning and how their relationship with God was and they were free to share! Praise God for the things he is doing in their lives! I was incredible encouraged by some of their testimonies it also even made me think about my own relationship with God!
As a youth leader this last year or so I have been stretched myself but most of all I am so encouraged and beyond excited for these teens to grow in their relationship with God Looking forward to this next year with them.

Whole group

Hiking group

So, as my semester kicks off this coming weekend, I will be working in the school kitchen as an intern. I have decided not to go to Community College this fall for a couple reasons, one being I want to seek investment from staff here at the bible school and also I
want to pour so much time and relationship building with the teen girls in the youth group!

Here are a few things I would appreciate prayer:
1. Continue growth in my relationship with God!
2. For the incoming Freshmen, Returning Students and Student Leaders as they start this semester out in their new roles!
3. Investment from staff and relationships with youth group
4. Finances
5. For staff and missionaries here on the campus have rest as they kick off the semester the busyness that it brings.

Thank you for your prayers and support!

Summer 2014

Hello Friends, Family, Church Family, and Prayer Warriors!

My goodness! Can you believe we are already half way though the summer? I hope you all are having a wonderful summer, and keeping safe on those long travels. 

Maybe wondering what I have been up to the last few months! Well here's a little update. 

In May I finished up my two years at bible school. (At NewTribes Bible Institute) YES folks I graduated from college! I did it! Truly I am so thankful and beyond amazed at all the hard work it took but the incredible everlasting reward it holds. These last two years have been AMAZING, CHALLENGING, UNDESCRIBABLE but worth it All! Even though I have graduated from bible school, I still don't know it all! Actually I see now how much I actually don't know! But oh boy! I am so excited to be studying on my own it's been so eye opening. Specialy trying to learn how to articulate what it is that I am learning and understanding. 

Thank you to all of you that have been praying for me these last few years, also for your encouragement and support it has been such a blessing!

So, I started my summer with a wedding of a very very dear sister/friend of mine! It was a beautiful wedding and I was so honored to be apart of it and share this special day with them. 

Then it was home bound to Saginaw, MI for this chicka! Whhhoooo I was beyond excited to see my family! Jason (one of my brothers) graduated also this year from high school and will attend cornor stone in Grand Rapids this coming fall. Jeremy (youngest brother) received his drivers license and also his first job! My parents both working so hard, trying to be home in the evenings to see us kids as we all have grown into teenagers an adults. What a blessing my family has been!

My summer job came as a surprise! My dad asked me if I would like to work with him. I said sure why not! Well little did I know what I was getting into! But I work at Michigan milk producers of Ovid Michigan a milk factory. It's hard work, long hours and long weeks! But it's a job that I am so thankful for! It's been a joy working with my dad and learning so many more skills, but specially really connecting with my dad which at this stage in life isn't so common!

This summer has been busy! This last week I got to help volunteer for Vaction Bible School with my brother Jeremy an a bunch of other volunteers from Immanuel Bible Church! What a joy and crazy, fun time it was hanging out with the kids but also getting to know some new people! what an incredible week!

Also this summer I received a lovely package from a family (Brandon & Heather Young) we choose as our senior project from school (NTBI). It was from  Papua New Guinea (PNG) how excited I was! I can't wait to hear about their trip! Such an encouarging couple!

Please contuine to be praying for me as the summer rolls on. A couple things you can be praying for:

1. Contuinly reading Gods word & Looking to him!

2. Fall plans, and desscions.

3. Finances 

4. 38 Students that have graduated from New Tribes Bible Institute and how they are now impacting this world with what they have learned.

Update coming soon for fall.

Romans 15:4-7

"For whatever was written in former days was written for ourinstruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Wrapping up 2013

Good afternoon, here's a look into what my life has been like the last couple of months since my last update.

2013 has been an incredible year, it all started with me rutruning back to school in January. An now as this next January appoarchs I will be finishing my final semester at bible school. I thank God for his provision and timing, we really never know what to except day to day but he sure does.

So In October, we had tribal cup against our sister school it was, such a great weekend of fellowship, sports, and competition between the two schools. Happily Jackson came up with the win of the tribal cup for the weekend. All our sports, perpetration over the semester paid off :-) I got to participate in soccer and ultimate frisbee, it was so much fun! I always enjoy getting know other students at our school in a different environment other than classes, specially in an area I feel most comfortable in :-)

Tribal cups trophy 

Waukesha and Jackson ladies

Rachel and I for spirit week.

So I am not sure if you have ever heard of the game spike ball!? ( it's a mix between volleyball and four square but more intense) it's probably the best game ever, it's not a new game it's actually been out since the 80's but just has lost interest over the years. Anyways I learned how to play over the summer and started playing it at school, and as more people learned to play I got to searching to see if other schools played to my luck Spring Arbor University had a group that did, so cool to be able to connect with another school.

Some of the guys playing Spikeball at Spring Arbor 

So I finished my junior semester of bible school one more semester till graduation. Goodness I can't believe how fast time has gone. This semester has taught me so much about myself in so many different areas. For starters I think we can all relate, but boy to I rely more and more on myself than God with situations, needs, issues, ect. I realized this after my job let me go, at the beginning of the semester, and how I find security in having that job. But after some time The Lord has blessed me with a job that is right up my ally. I work at a local discount sports store. 

So have you ever thought about how we communicate things to each other? Well let me tell you I highly value communication these days, even though I stink so badly at communicating. I really never have realized how much you can actually communicate to someone through body language or speech but thankfully The Lord is continually  growing me in failure, by learning from it and learning how to show more grace. The end of the semester I took a class called Soteriology, it was a awesome class about the study of salvation. It had me really pondering what salvation is, it had some strong truths and really picked up more on our romans class. Just reassuring that we are justified by His grace through the redemption of Christ and because we have been set free from sin we are sanctified which ultimately leads to eternal life, praise God for this amazing truth and free gift that we can never pay back now matter how much we try. This is something I have to continually remind myself!

Some of our staff lead a worship chapel 

So with this next semester approaching fast please be praying for me to finish strong, pray that I continue to pounder theses truths and stand strong on what is true, it is a tough thing. Also please pray for God to provide financially, I don't have enough to finish my senior semester, but I have seen God do some pretty incredible things so I have faith I'll make it through even though it'll be tough as I said before trying to rely on The Lord rather than yourself is a tough learning process.

Just some extra things to be praying for as well, the youth group I am working with has their winter retreat at the end of January please pray for them and the leaders as well I am super stocked for it and I know they are as well. 

Rives Youth Group for our thanksgivermess

As I wrap up my last semester at bible school, my future plan as of this moments thoughts are; I have applied to intern at the school to work, if I am granted this position I want to take night classes at the local community college to get my EMT and work to save money for MTC (Missionary Training Center)please be praying and I thank you so much for praying and supporting me where I am at in the training! 

Christmas party

Christmas decorating 

Please be praying for these girls to return as well, they are my roommates and are a blessing :-)

As we wrapped up the intermural sports season we had a Staff vs. Student game it was intense. 

This picture explains it all! Ice cream before the winter season! These two kids are amazing! I consider them as siblings! I always have a blast with them! I Can't wait to see what God does in their lives!

October 2013

Hey there,
So it's been like two months since I have updated this so I'll try an keep it short and sweet. Key word "try."
So, STP was super sweet and challenging I came away from that week, feeling overwhelmed and challenged from Gods word more than I thought I would be from the start. Truly grasping what it meant to consider others, work together in a team, and ultimately what Gods word had to say about my standing and identity in Christ. So with that said I was given a leadership role of being an RA (Resident Assistant) I have three girls in my dorm an I am so blessed to be apart of their lives.

I have been attending Rives Baptist Church, since the beginning of the summer and have really enjoyed it. I am involved in the youth group there which these kids are super awesome! Please be praying for me as I contained to invest in their lives and grow in our friendships.

Classes, oh boy can I just say one book and let you think, "ROMANS" must I say any more! Yeah seriously though I have been stretched and challenged so much in my walk with The Lord and my thinking, sometimes I get discouraged and other times I am encouraged funny how Gods word can do that ahh!

Ok so every other week I get to meet with my this stellar lady Martha Conard, she is my dean and what I am so thankful for and blessed to have in my life, we get to just chat about life and Gods word, what it looks like in our lives, struggles anything and I value her input so much, as well with other deans and staff I talk to on a regular bases. I am also in a discipleship program where I meet every week with Tamara Mathew, she is a blessing as well I love being involved in her life and the lives of her children. Please pray for growth in both relationships. I value these ladies so much, pray also for the other staff as well.

Well that's about it I'll leave you with, please continue to pray for me, I am thinking a lot about what next semester and summer may look like I'll fill you in hopefully around December.

Oh and that spoken word I been promising here is a little taste:

See we where the sheep that put him on a crucifix to fix a death that we clearly were dismissed from, as we labor in sin. He took our shift with holes made in his wrists as our spots were switched and death swung a haymaker that completely missed, because my God is like Muhammad Ali in the ring with the grace of a butterfly and the sovereignty of a King he dodges every cold single sting of death with the very same breath that put life in side our chest. So if you call the gospel trash than I guess you have grasped the message cause my God dumpster dives head first into wreckage, he transforms recycled sinners into his very own reflection so you can call my him a garbage man cause He turned my mess into a message.
Luke 15:4