Rachel Reintjes

“I grew up in a Christian household, but let my relationship with the Lord wither after high school. I went to college, and still called myself a Christian but you wouldn’t have known it by the way I lived. My achievements became my identity and my life revolved around striving (enneagram type 3’s will relate!) in my academic and fitness endeavors. I also became a very cold and unsympathetic person, which was so different from how I was when Christ was in my life. It wasn’t until living with chronic pain followed by a surgery at age 22 that I really had to learn to rely on the Lord again. During my recovery, I was forced to re-examine my life and what I was valuing. I prayed for Christ to re-enter my heart and for Him to take control of my life once again. Even though I’ve recommitted my life to Christ, the enemy is still at work and it is a daily struggle to lay down the idol of control in my life. My identity is in Jesus, not my works. I know I am loved for who I am and not what I can do. “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7