Rachel Irene

Greetings, fellow Memversers! :D

My name is Rachel, and I am a daughter to the most amazing parents, and sister to 7. I have been on Memverse for going on 7 years. Wow! Thank you to Daniel Staddon for mentioning it in his book, "The $100,000 Word". It truly has been a life changing website- both by its amazing scripture memory helps, and the community. I met many dear friends here, and then at Nationals. So very thankful for you!

Praise the Lord for His saving grace! I am so privileged to be called His child. I'm not completely sure when I was saved (but I believe it was about the time I was 8 years old), but the when isn't what matters, because I know I've a new creation and have been redeemed! :) "Not of works that I have done…not of good that I have done…nothing but the blood of Jesus."_ My main goal in life is to glorify my risen Savior, Jesus Christ!

I have participated in the Bible Bee in the years 2011 through 2015, and have learned sooooo much from those years!! The Bible Bee was brought into my life just when I needed it: I know for sure that it helped me grow so much in my walk with the Lord. Praise the Lord: I qualified for Nationals two of those years, 2014, and 2015. Now, as an alumni, I serve as a moderator on the Participant Community, and am a Local Host for 2017. I'm grateful that I was able to participate for 5 years, and that our family still plans to be involved in the coming years. :)

Some fun facts about me…
-I learned to read at 4 years old, and haven't stopped. xP
-I play piano and harp, and love to try out any instrument I can!
-I have been to New Zealand. That was so neat!
-I have more of an extroverted personality. xD
-I love coffee. And chocolate. And Nationals. x) So having a Starbucks in the Bible Bee hotel was great. xD (random)
-I can be afraid of heights, depending on where I am that's high up. :P

If read all of that, good for you! If not, well, you can try again…it's not that long. :P

Blessings!
-Rachel
Psalm 18:30-35; Philippians 3:20-21

Last Updated: 4/2017

Hi Rachel! =D
Btw, I like your new picture!

Thank you! :)

That's so cool you play harp! How long have you been playing? Do you take lessons? I have a friend who plays harp, it's so pretty!

What are some good books that you recommend, Rachel?

Ohhhhhhhh……so many! :D Maybe I can email you some suggestions, or post them here :D

EDIT: Here are some suggestions/favorites…I might post more in the future…. :)

-Bible! :)
-Elsie Dinsmore books (The original series)

• Books written by author Christmas Carol Kauffman
• The Long Road Home: by Pablo Yoder (I just finished reading this for the 2nd time….it's his testimony. It was a blessing and interesting to read!)
  -Angels in the Night and Angels over Waslala: also written by Pablo Yoder.
• Little House series
  -The Family Daughter: by Sarah Lee Bryant
  -One thing you CAN'T do in Heaven: by Mark Cahill
  -They Looked for a City

to name a few…. I could go on and on :D
Happy Reading!

Rachel!! I got your letter….thanks so much :) I was really excited to see it in the mailbox, and take a break from all my math :) I'll try to write back this week, but I can't promise because I'm sure we'll have a lot going on. Thanks again!

(I hope you don't mind that I responded here, because my topic is filling up fast!!)

I'm glad you got it! And I can't wait for your next letter, although please write back when you have time. :) And I don't mind, I was glad to see a post on my topic! :)

I finished your letter today!

happy dance can't wait to receive it! :)

Emily - I'm sorry I never replied to your comment! :( I've been playing harp since 2010, and as of right now, I am not taking lessons. I did take lessons off and on when I first started (2010-2011) so I have had some. And yes, it is a beautiful instrument! :)

That's totally okay. :) Pretty cool! =D Have you been playing harp or piano longer?

Piano. :) I've bee playing piano since I was about 5, so….almost 11 years? :)

Do you play anything, Emily?

Yes, piano and violin. :)

Is your picture from when you went to the beach? It's really neat!!!

It was taken in 2011 :) A really good friend of mine had come along with my family and she took it :D
EDIT: if you want to see the full picture, go here…

How long of a drive is it for you to go to the beach?

Oh, okay! That's not too bad then. :) Where do you usually go to the beach at? We're a couple hours from the beach but we hardly ever go… :P

(I'm deleting how far of a drive it is for us, okay? ;-) )
Usually at deleted. :)
Just curious, how far are you from San Francisco and Los Angeles?

Totally understand! =D

(I edited mine too:)

Okay…I was just curious because in 2011 we were in their airports :D

Oh neat! If you're ever out this ways again, we should see if we can get together! :D

haha, I read on your profile what state you lived in, but some how got it mixed up with North Dakota. lol Which was why I was so surprised you were that close to the beach. =D

That would be fun, but since we don't go to California very often …..
we were going out of the States, so that's why we were there :) the only places I've been in California were airports! :D

Haha, funny :D

Oh well….I guess we'll just have to both go to Nationals again… :D
That's cool! I've only been to a couple airports in CA and I've never been on a plane. :P
Ikr. :D All my geography was thrown off for a moment. lol =D

I really, Really, REALLY want to qualify this year!!! prays :)
any "tips" on how to make it? :D will you be a Senior this year?
A plain? ;-)
That's happened to me before…it's really annoying :P

Me too. :D
Yes….I'm gonna be a Senior gulps :) Well, what I did as try to memorize all the verses right away instead of following their scheduled, that way I'd have more time to review them, after I finished my SS, I went through and wrote down all the questions I could find in a notebook, and went over those several times before locals (I think this year I'd write the questions as I go through the study, instead of at the end, because that took a LOT of time to do:), I made Greek word cards for all the words they gave us so I could review those frequently, and I tried to remember what all the cross-references were about, although, this year I might memorize them instead. My mom made me practice saying my verses with my eyes closed, and that really, REALLY helped at locals, and during the written test, I tried to read through the questions and mark the answer quickly. All the questions I didn't know for sure, I wrote the number for on the extra paper (and at Nationals, I circled the number after I wrote it down if it was one I knew I could answer if I thought for a while. Like if it was asking how many things happen in a certain memory verse, apposed to something I had no clue about) so that way I could go back to those first if I had extra time. But, I think everyone on here that has been to Nationals will tell you that it wasn't by their strength or ability, but by the grace of our Lord that they qualified.
Yeah, I haven't been on an elaborate either, for that matter. jk =D
haha, yeah it is. :)

Sorry that's such a long post. :)

Thanks, Emily! :) Hopefully I'll use some of the ideas you mentioned :) And don't worry about it being too long, I enjoyed seeing a longer post :D

Okay, I'm glad you don't mind. :) Oh, you're welcome! I really hope we can both go to Nationals so I can meet you this year! =D

Hi Rachel,
I'm not sure if you saw my post on the Practice Tests forum or not, but I need to know soon if you will be participating in the practice test project. I am hoping to start Monday. Just let me know here, or send me an email if you want to. I like your new username BTW!

Hi Matthew!

I'm so sorry I haven't gotten back with you about this!
After discussing it over with my parents, they said they wouldn't have a problem with me helping, but this year I have 2 brothers who are doing the BB for the first time, and they would like me to be available to help them with their studying if needed, instead of spending that time making the practice test questions. I hope you understand!! :)

If I do end up making any questions, is it okay if I would send them to you or someone else helping to use in the PT? :)

Thank you for doing all this for us contestants! I know it's helpful to me and to others! :)

Thanks…I had had my other one for quite a while, and it was getting a bit "old" to me :)

Have nice day!
Rachel

I totally understand. I'll go ahead and add you to my list of helpers with the understanding that you would prefer not to have to proof questions, just making them if you have time… that's what you are implying, am I correct? I will also make sure that your commander is aware of that. If you end up making any questions just go ahead and send them in to whomever is your commander and we will get them checked and added in to the tests.
BTW: You don't have to worry about providing me with your email address, I already have it. Bethany P. accidentally gave it to me. :)

Matthew:
You don't really need to add me to any list….I probably won't end up making any, but I just said if (And that's a big if :) ).

Oh, okay! That's fine. How did she "accidentally" give it to you? J/K! :)

WHAT ?!?!?! YOU PLAY HARP??????!!!

ME TOO!!

Wow! That is so neat! How long have you played? :D

I started when I was about 12, but we moved, so I have only taken lessons for about at total of 2 years. I also play violin and piano and banjo and mandolin. Harp is probably my favorite though, but now i have some carpal tunnel so its hard to play

Interesting! I began playing in 2010.

EDIT: What exactly is carpal tunnel?

well i fell on my wrist and then had a few performances to do …so i overpracticed and ended up with carpal tunnel. Its basically a condition in the wrist where the nerves are enflamed (severly aggravated) and are getting more constrained by this tissue in there. complicated…but its relaly bad for musicians :D then your wrist hurts and falls asleep all the time and you can't play music without it getting worse. Mine is just about better due to physical therapy and wrist braces, but most of the time it leads to surgery where they cut the tissue that is constraining your nerves. Its pretty common in musicians, but sortof a nightmare. I couldn't play for about a year and a half . God is so good though and I learned so much while I was healing :D

Oh dear! That doesn't sound fun! I'm so glad you're doing better! :)

May I ask, when is your birthday? I'm always looking for a twin! :D

May 30 th. I'm from a family of 7…… so if that's not your birthday. I might know someone else who has your birthday.

When's yours??

Okay! I'm July 25th, soooo….you just turned 16 not too long ago?

Wow! If you guys start turning out almost exactly the same, Emily and I might have competition!

Haha! :D

We always laugh when another similarity pops up. We both play violin and piano, we both want a pet bat, we both have seen Sight & Sound "Joseph"…

Yup! My moms birthday is June 10th…….not the 25th though. Speaking of similarities…do you sing at all??
I started taking yodeling (dont laugh) lessons a while ago. I also sing with my siblings.

Yes, I sing, but I don't think I'm very good :)
And I tried yodeling once, but wasn't very successful :(
What's your favorite weather/season? :)

I dont know. Probably Fall. I like weather inbetween the hotness of summer and the freezingness of winter. What about you?

Haha, Fall is probably my favorite too! :D I don't like summer (because of the heat and humidity).
How many siblings do you have?

I dont like summer either!!!
I have 5 siblings 1 sis and 3 bro's
im second born

what about you??

5 siblings? Same here! :D I have one sister and 4 brothers. (Are you forgetting a sibling? :) I am firstborn.
How far apart are you and your sister? Just wondering… ;)