As sisters in Christ, it is good to get to know the women in our church in a more personal and intimate way. So we will be featuring a woman/girl each week so we will truly get to know each other.
For this week, meet:
Raylene Ann Rodrigo-Baumgart
Katie will finish her studies this summer from VCU majoring in Film and Cinema; Kristi just finished her first year at UVA-Charlottesville while Alexa is in her 10th year in Grafton High School at Yorktown.
Favorite things to do: Gardening, Traveling, playing tennis, exploring Botanical gardens and collecting orchids
Favorite color: Red
Favorite food: Salads(fried fish and rice as a Filipino)
Favorite Verses in the Bible: Proverbs 25:11 “The right word spoken at the right time is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver bowl” (New Century Version).
"He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps." Psalms 40:2
Favorite Woman in the Bible and why: Queen Esther
She was just an orphan during the Persian Empire at the time when the Jews were spread throughout the vast empire and beyond. There was no central Jewish identity nor was there a central homeland, Adopted by her older cousin Mordecai, she had a very humble beginning. Beautiful and regal, she was chosen among other women through a very unusual circumstance and became the Queen of Persia, the largest empire of the world at that time. Now, she was in a position of direct influence over the king. Yet, she was also subjected to the whims and impulses of the king as everyone else was. Mordecai asked her to hide their Jewish ancestry for good reason and she obeyed as a child would to a parent.
But when she was faced with a challenge, she put aside her fears and faced the King even if it could have meant her life. Although afraid, she learned to rely not on her new found status of queen, but on the everlasting promise of God to faithfully guide those who seek Him. With prayers, she demonstrated her humility and reverence to her God. She could have claimed more honors and favor in the king’s eyes by forgetting her past and her heritage but she did not forget her humble beginning and her people and her God.
Queen Esther was an example to all who has to face injustice, bigotry and prejudice. Her story is an example of how God delivers His people in mysteriously unique ways. Her story demonstrated God’s plan of deliverance through the trembling faith of a young queen’s petition.
As a woman of God what do you need from your fellow women from the church? Personally, I would really like to get to know the women better. And I would suggest a regular "get-to-know-each-other" meeting where we can just be ourselves doing things together whether it be a wreath-making event, or just a simple devotional, or session about our kids, husbands and what we love to do.
Tell us a short story of your life’s journey as a woman of God: Born to Adventist parents, I was brought up in the Adventist doctrines and beliefs and schooled in our own Adventist schools. But as a young adult, I became an unwed mother. Frowned upon and unacceptable by the Filipino culture and our Adventist standards, I left home and the church and sought refuge with the nuns of the Good Shepherd convent way up in a secluded monastery. The nuns were the ones who accepted my plight and loved me unconditionally. My mother adopted my child and encouraged me to live a new life away from home to escape prejudice. I left for New York City, tried to enjoy my first taste of independence, living a life of worldly pleasures and even married a non-believer. But when Katie was born, I realized, I could not be a mother without God in my life. I knew that I need Him back in my life. Although I did wander away from the fold during my young adult life, I was re-baptized and have re-dedicated my life to Him. Due to my husband's job and a very unstable economy, we had the privilege of being relocated several times, but I have always considered it as a blessing in disguise because the experience have made me grow emotionally and spirituality and I have found so may beautiful friendships along the way. Now, as an adult woman, I realized that God loves me, no matter what my past was. He loves me unconditionally and it is my ultimate goal to have Him as a partner in all the decisions that I make every day of my life.It is my responsibility to make my life a vessel of hope for others.
Somebody once said, "You can't do much about the length of your life, but you can do a lot about its depth and width."
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