Haven’t shared any blogs during Covid. Maybe I’ll do one next week on Rachel’s transition home from college. Today’s topic is Rachel’s Faith.
Rachel started presenting a Power Point presentation about her life and dreams to her IEP team when she was in Middle School. This coincided with her first invitations to come and share about her life at Down syndrome conferences. This was also on the heels of the debut of “Just Like You – Down Syndrome.” Rachel calls her presentation “I Love My Life,” and I have shared it here before.
One of the things Rachel is adamant about people knowing is that she is a self-proclaimed “Jesus follower.” Once when trying to shorten her IEP team Power Point, I made the mistake of removing her faith slide from her presentation. Needless to say, I got the evil eye and a scolding during her meeting.
When Rachel moved into our church’s middle school ministry, she started youth choir and met Oksana. You can read more about Oksana in my blog “The Sweet Sound of Inclusion.” Oksana is now in occupational therapy school, and I believe she would tell you that Rachel impacted her life and career choice. And Rachel sure loves her Oksana. Theirs is a beautiful friendship.
Oksana reached out this week about a project she is doing and wanted to know if Rachel has a video clip strictly about her faith. She wanted to use it in a presentation she was doing. Rachel didn’t have a video dedicated strictly to her faith, but it is part of her “I Love My Life” presentation. So, we took that information and put together a little video for Oksana.
I think this little video by Rachel will make your day a little brighter.
She made a few on the spot adjustments, but the meat is the same.
“I am Rachel Mast. I am a Jesus follower. I am 20 years old. I love my church and church activities.
I am Jesus follower.
Growing up, I always went to church camp with my friends. I love camp.
We also went on Mission Trips and did lots of fun things. I sang in choir with my friend Oksana. My church friends are my best friends.
When I am home I go to Blue Valley Baptist Church.
At college I go to the Life.Church. The worship is awesome.
I also go to the Vine. It is a campus ministry at my college. I made lots of friends, and we worship God.
I love to worship God.
I always pray for my therapists and teachers and paras. They know that church was important to me.
When I was baptized, Ms. Stefanie who had been one of my paras, came.
My friends know that I am a Jesus follower. I pray every day.
I do not have to be afraid because God is with me wherever I go. (From Joshua 1:9 – Rachel’s favorite verse.”
I think we could all take lessons from Rachel who is unashamed of her faith.
