Renae Adelsberger

Music Review: Rend Collective’s Good News

Mar 06 2018

Three months ago, Spotify offered me three months of their premium service for just 99 cents. I decided to give it a try. And as a result, I have listened to nothing but Spotify at the office since December. I was able to listen to entire albums without ads (I didn’t realize how annoying ads were until they were suddenly gone!).

A couple weeks ago, I noticed that Rend Collective had posted a new album, Good News. So I listened to it once. Then twice. Then every day for the past two weeks. I was hooked.

I’ve previously been a fan of Rend Collective, primarily “You are My Vision” and “Build Your Kingdom Here.” But there’s something special about their new album. Something that makes me listen to the entire album on repeat for days.

So let me walk you through the first half of the album to display what continues to draw me back to it.

1. Life Is Beautiful: The intro music is a bit fanciful, like a dream. Then the opening lines are beautiful poetry:

Painter of skies, maker of stars
Holder of seas and all our hearts
Artist of life, father of lights
When I’m with you my soul ignites
You see my sin but love me the same
Breathe on my hurt and raise me again
Up from the ash, up from the dust
You’re recreating us

I will not waste this day you’ve made
I will be glad

Rejoice, rejoice

2. I Will Be Undignified: The singer is dancing like David danced and proclaims, “I will be undignified. I will praise the Lord my God with all my might. I will leave my pride behind. I will praise the Lord my God with all my life.” This song makes my Baptist-raised heart want to lift my hands and dance along with him!

How to Respond When God Answers Your Prayer

Jan 31 2018

We had a very special Sunday school class this past week as my fellow teacher, Stephanie, contrasted Zechariah’s and Mary’s responses to the Angel Gabriel when he delivered this similar messages to them:

Congratulations! You Will Have a Baby!

Wow! An angel delivered this message to Zechariah. And he responded…well…poorly to say the least.

Basically, here’s my recap of the scenario from Luke chapter 1:

Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, have been praying for a child. An angel appears and says, “Great news! God has answered your prayer and you’re going to be a daddy! He’s going to be AMAZING and you will be SO PROUD!” But Zechariah is NOT happy so he questions Gabriel. Angered, Gabriel yells at Zechariah and takes away his ability to speak until the baby is born!

Wow! Can you imagine not being able to speak for at least 9 months? I can’t. In fact, I can’t even imagine going 9 hours without speaking. Sometimes, not even 9 minutes.

As Stephanie was teaching the lesson, I was nodding my head, remembering this story which I’ve heard most of my life. But as we exaggerated the dialogue (we really like getting into the moment), I realized something for the first time. Zechariah had been praying for a baby.

Book Review: Wonder

Jan 09 2018

Today’s book review is a departure from the norm for me. If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you’ll know that I semi-regularly post reviews on Bible studies and other books related to spiritual development. But today, I’m writing about Wonder by R.J. Palacio.

This review isn’t intended to be an in-depth look at the literary features that Palacio uses. But rather, a reminder to parents to know what your children are reading and have open conversations about it. Because, to me, there was one terrifying lesson that I came away with after reading Wonder.

Good Decisions for 2018

Jan 02 2018

Happy New Year! It hurts my head a little bit to say that – how could 2017 already be gone? It was definitely an interesting year in our household. We hit a lot of milestones. Kevin’s business celebrated its 3rd anniversary. We celebrated the one-year mark with our first foster placement. I switched jobs in the summer. And released a Bible study that involved recording a podcast with it. We painted most of the interior of our house. And even purchased our first vehicle together as a married couple.

It was also a year where many of our close friends had tremendous losses. Even we had to make the hardest decision that we’ve ever faced as a married couple. We’ve been married six years and we’ve never before faced such bleak days.

But the Lord has been faithful to restore His mercy to us every day. He has been faithful to Himself and sustained us through the tough times and allowed us to rejoice over the many, many good times.

As we start 2018, I know a lot of people are making resolutions, goals, and wish lists. I started this morning by reading Psalm 1. And it reminded me of a good piece of advise to remember at all times of the year – but especially here at the beginning of January as so many of us are feeling this “fresh start.”

Psalm 1:1-3 (bold mine)

¹How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked
or stand in the pathway with sinners
or sit in the company of mockers!
²Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.
³He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams^[a]
that bears its fruit in its season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

As we look ahead to this new year, let’s evaluate where we have been walking, standing, and sitting. Whose company have we been in? Who has most influenced us? And where do we find our delight?

The Empty Closet: Life After Our First Placement

Dec 07 2017

An empty closet.
Clothes hangers without clothes.
A gap in the pews.
A booster seat in the trunk of the car.

I’ve cried at the sight of each of these items over the past two weeks. Our foster placement lived with us for 380 days. Today is day 16 without her. We’re still emotionally rebounding from the way her time with us ended – not in celebration of reunification or adoption but in grief. In a gut-wrenching hope that the pain from her placement with a new foster family will bring the help and healing she needs.

There’s a pain mingling with our holiday celebrations this year. And as I looked around the pews at church this past Sunday morning, I was reminded we weren’t alone. There was pain all around me:
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Author - Renae Adelsberger

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Psalm 1:1-3 (bold mine)

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