Real Life: Daily Devotionals Offering Godly, Biblical Perspective on This Journey Called Life

By Rebecca Rael

'Real Life' began as Rebecca's personal devotional time. She often had a full and heavy heart, and needed a space to process it. Rebecca began journaling in an effort to express those emotions. She eventually shared the first few entries with her husband. His response was, 'Publish this into a book. Other people would benefit from our experiences by learning how to walk with God.' Each devotional is tied to a real life experience that Rebecca has lived as a young adult, a newlywed, an educator, or as a friend. 'Real Life' chronicles her devotional journey as she seeks Christ in her daily life. It is Rebecca's hope that 'Real Life' will help your faith in Jesus grow as well.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 31, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512766288

Rebecca Rael

Rebecca Rael has a B.A. in Elementary Education and in Early Childhood Education. She has spent the last 12 years teaching children in low-income districts, raising her growing family, and developing skills in her hobby areas which include baking, biking, music, and writing. Rebecca lives in the suburbs of Chicago, IL with her husband and three children.

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Additional Option

I love music, and it has been a passion of mine from an early age. Playing and listening to music is one of the ways that I feel the most connected to God; it is my favorite form of worship. Therefore, I could not leave it out of this book. Due to publishing and royalty constraints, I was not able to include a CD of the music that I wished to accompany the book. However, thanks to advancements in technology, you are able to legally acquire the music with relative ease. You can log onto iTunes to download this list of songs. Another option is to listen to them on YouTube. I would recommend that each day you read the devotional entry and then listen to the accompanying song.

1. Everlasting God, by Lincoln Brewster

2. I Am, by Nicole C. Mullen

3. I Will Not Be Moved, by Natalie Grant

4. Friends, by Michael W. Smith

5. Not to Us, by Chris Tomlin

6. Break Every Chain, by Jesus Culture

7. Jesus Loves Me, by Go FISH

8. Peace Like a River, by 4 Him

9. From the Inside Out, by Hillsong United

10. Savior Please, by Josh Wilson

11. God with Us, by Mercy Me

12. Give Me Jesus, by Fernando Ortega

13. Word of God Speak, by Mercy Me

14. Spirit of the Living God, by Vertical Church

15. Our God, by Chris Tomlin

16. The Lord’s Prayer, by Andrea Bocelli

17. Biking

a. Rest in You, by Hillsong United

b. Overcome, by Jeremy Camp

c. Seek Ye First, by Maranatha Singers

d. Trading My Sorrows, by Third Day

e. What Faith Can Do, by Kutless

18. I Thought by Now, by Casting Crowns

19. Beautiful, by Mercy Me

20. Trust in You, by Lauren Daigle

21. I Have Decided to Follow Jesus, by Third Day

22. My Redeemer, by Nicole C. Mullen

23. Faith, by Carrie Underwood

24. Greatness of Our God, by Natalie Grant

25. The Stand, by Hillsong United

26. Heaven Song, by Phil Wickham

27. If My People Pray, by Avalon

28. The Love of God, by 4 Him

29. Grace Alone, by Maranatha Singers

30. Desert Song, by Natalie Grant

31. O Holy Night, by Andrea Bocelli

32. You Write the Words, by FFH

33. Let the Waters Rise, by Mikeschair

34. Same Power, by Jeremy Camp

35. Love the Lord, by Lincoln Brewster

36. There Will Be a Day, by Jeremy Camp

37. All Creatures of Our God and King, by David Crowder Band

38. Held, by Natalie Grant

39. Flawless, by Mercy Me

40. "Love the Lord Your God," by Lincoln Brewster

41. Cry to Jesus, by Third Day

42. Let Justice, by Peter Eide

43. On Eagles’ Wings, by Josh Groban

44. Blessed Be Your Name, by Matt Redman

45. Days of Elijah, by Donnie McClurkin

46. Great Is Thy Faithfulness, by 4 Him

1

Soaring

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint.

—Isaiah 40:31

I recently took an interest in photographing flowers. Thanks to advancements in camera technology, I am not all that bad. But let’s face it: I will likely never be a professional photographer, and neither do I think I have the desire to do so. Although I like taking pictures of flowers, many other facets of nature, such as animals, do not hold my attention for long. I hold no particular interest in petting animals or being touched by them, but their qualities and characteristics often amaze me. The stamina, speed, agility, and versatility of creatures are intriguing.

The eagle is the animal with which I am currently fascinated. My study of the Bible is centered on Isaiah. Isaiah 40 references the eagle and its ability to have abounding amounts of energy, strength, and stamina. However, God created the eagle to grow into its abilities; they are not present from the time of birth. For instance, when an eaglet is born, it is weak and must be strengthened and stretched by its mother. The mother eagle will teach her offspring to fly by carrying the eaglet on her back. Then she will soar from her nest, built high on a cliff wall or in a tree, out into the open valley or canyon. Without warning, she will tip her body until the eaglet falls off and starts plummeting to the earth. The eaglet will valiantly flap its wings, but to no avail. The only thing that saves the eaglet’s life is that the mother will swoop back down and catch the baby bird. The mother will repeat this process over and over again until the eaglet has gained strength and stamina and is finally able to fly instead of flounder. Eventually, that eaglet will not only fly, but it will soar above the earth.

I have often felt like a baby eagle. I have valiantly tried to flap my wings through new and not-so-new relationships. I have floundered through new experiences with work and volunteer positions. Looking back, I can see that there were many times where God was growing me, where he was stretching me and coming back to catch me because I simply was not ready to fly, let alone soar. He has used those friendships, relationships, my marriage, my students, and my coworkers to mature me socially, emotionally, and spiritually.

He has also used them to increase my stamina, and he has encouraged me to rely on him. Those growing times can be exhausting and sometimes overwhelming. However, God reassures us of a place of rest and respite in Matthew 11:28–30, where he says, Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. I am reminded by God’s words that when we consciously and consistently bring all of who we are to God and accept his will for us, then we will find rest. We will also find Isaiah 40:31 to be true: we will soar on wings like eagles.

Everlasting God, by Lincoln Brewster

2

I Am

Think back to the first few times you were conscious of learning about God. Maybe you remember hearing how God created the heavens and the earth in Genesis 1:1. You might recall God’s anger in Genesis 6, when God sent a flood to destroy the earth. It may be that you are calling to mind how Jesus was born in a manger, or that he died on a cross for your sins.

Those stories are among the first I remember hearing about God. They are some of the most basic stories that are foundational to our understanding of God. I happened to learn them at a young age. Since then, my faith journey has admittedly been a long and slow one. Good thing God has patience and love! The part of the spiritual journey that I have been on for a while is one in which God has demanded that I move beyond complacency and comfort. He has not allowed me to feel satisfied with the idea of his Word affecting me as a simple story. He has guided me and is still guiding me to discover who he is, and believe it and live it.

Again, take a moment and reflect on some of the things God says about himself in the New Testament. I am the Bread of Life. He is our sustenance, providing for our physical needs, meeting our emotional needs, and providing for our spiritual needs as well. I am the Light of the World. He shows us his way in every situation that we encounter. I am the Good Shepherd. God willingly leads us when we let him. I am the True Vine. We are connected to God in that he created us and sent his son to rescue us from our sins. We have and live our lives because of him. I am He [Jesus]. He simply is everything.

In Exodus 3:13–14, God sends Moses to help free the Israelites from Egyptian oppression. Moses balks and says, How will they know you have sent me, how and why will they believe me? God replies, I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ Israel listens, and from then on the Israelites are constantly adjusting their view of who God is each time a new trial comes along.

What do you believe about God? Do you believe what he said about himself? How do you live your life as a result? Do you and I truly live like God is our I AM? Do we live like God is simply the God who was in the past? Do we only accept his promises to be with us in the future? Or, do we believe that the I AM who has revealed himself in the past will be with us in the future? At the same time, do we believe he is the God who has us in the palm of his hand right now? Do we believe he is enough and even more than enough for the here and now?

I confess that I do not often take seriously God’s name of I AM. My habit tends to be to look back after a trial and say, Oh, God, you were there. Or after a restful experience, I would say, Oh, yeah. Thank you, God. Rarely have I been able to get it right during the situation or experience.

I am completing Beth Moore’s study Believing God. Her main challenge to