#Reach

Beth Hildebrand

Jul 7, 2016
4 min

For Women Pursuing Friendships

My name is Virginia Elizabeth and most know me as Beth. We named our daughter Elizabeth and call her Libby. My grandmother’s name was Elizabeth but her friends called her Lib and her niece, Elizabeth, went by the name Libba. Elizabeth Ballinger was my grandmother’s great, great aunt back in 1842. Obviously, the name Elizabeth has been passed on in our family tree for many years. So, when I saw the name Elizabeth in the Bible, I instantly took a liking to her. Maybe we’re rela

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Beth Hildebrand

Feb 17, 2016
5 min

What It All Boils Down To

“All the earth will shout your praise! Our hearts cry out, these bones will sing, ‘Great are You, Lord!’” The morning after hosting IF:Alamance for the 2016 IF:Gathering, our large congregation poured out praise to God singing that song. I felt the “weightiness and substance of God’s Spirit” in my bones as Jo Saxton had described glory earlier that weekend. It felt so real. Flashbacks of the past couple of days from IF:Gathering 2016, and singing that same song Lauren Chan

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Beth Hildebrand

Oct 24, 2015
1 min

God Only Knows | Day 24

To see more God Only Knows posts, come on over here #Reach

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Look At These Faces| Day 23 God Only Knows

Beth Hildebrand

Oct 23, 2015
4 min

Look At These Faces| Day 23 God Only Knows

This week on one of these gorgeous fall days – sunny, 70 degrees – I walk to the mailbox to see what our mailman left us. There’s of course the type of mail that isn’t even opened and torn up and put in the trash like another credit card offer. It’s our son’s Sports Illustrated magazine, a JC Penny coupon and a monthly newsletter from Samaritan’s Purse. Each November we fill a couple of Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes to send to children somewhere else in the world so

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Beth Hildebrand

Sep 25, 2015
7 min

A Pure And Simple Method To Live By

I’m still trying to process the experience I had last week. I’m trying to think of the best words to put on this paper, the most amazing story that will capture your attention, because I want you to have experienced the same thing that over 550 women did as we gathered to worship God, study His Word, communed with other believers, and be equipped to spread the Gospel. I sit in this chair holding an empty bowl. It’s empty for a purpose. It has a crack right through the middl

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When The Knees Hit the Ground and An Invitation

Beth Hildebrand

Sep 2, 2015
3 min

When The Knees Hit the Ground and An Invitation

It was one year ago. Twenty women in the community from different churches sat on picnic tables under a candle-lit shelter at a baseball field. It was on a cool, drizzly September evening, but it didn’t stop hands from joining, heads from bowing, words silent, whispered and called out loud to our God. They were prayers that brought glory and praise to the Creator of all things. Prayers that cried out to our Redeemer for help. Prayers that asked our Protector for protection

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How Is Life Like A Windmill? : America’s Still Beautiful

Beth Hildebrand

Aug 24, 2015
6 min

How Is Life Like A Windmill? : America’s Still Beautiful

It was almost hour number eleven in the car. The morning had started early at 6am. Since then, we had traveled through half of Arizona, all of New Mexico, and now crossed the border into Texas and had about an hour and a half left on that day’s journey. This was the first time I’d ever been to Texas, so I was looking all around in this new territory. Not long after we were in the Lone Star State, off in the distance, we noticed rows and rows of something. As we got closer,

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America Is Still Beautiful: Are You A Risk-Taker Like This?

Beth Hildebrand

Jul 20, 2015
3 min

America Is Still Beautiful: Are You A Risk-Taker Like This?

We saw the city skyline in the distance along with some pretty dark clouds coming right over it too. But we were in St. Louis, Missouri, somewhere my husband and kids had never been, and going to see the big ‘ole arch was on the list of things to do on our trip. After getting lunch right outside the city, we drove in and not knowing exactly where to park, we pulled in to one of the first lots we saw empty parking spots. We got our rain gear out because looking on our phone

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Beth Hildebrand

Jul 16, 2015
1 min

It Simply Started With One Question

The cheers and whoop-whoops were heard loud at 10am last Saturday. A parade of families – elementary aged kids holding their younger sibling’s hand, moms, dads, grandparents, great-grandparents, and teachers come to the playground. Music was playing, games were set up, and bouncy houses were blown up and ready to be invaded by hundreds of small hands and feet. There were endless amounts of hot dogs, Icee pops, and bottled water accompanied by words of thanks in different la

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Have You Been Ignoring This Like I Want To?

Beth Hildebrand

Jun 22, 2015
8 min

Have You Been Ignoring This Like I Want To?

The garden is planted and new flowers are in the ground in our yard. It’s starting to get hot and since those precious little blooms are fragile in this big planet, they need some extra love and care. Love and care – that’s what I’ve needed recently because I’ve had feelings that can overwhelm me. Love and care- it’s what so many others need around the world. That’s what I was thinking when I stood at the sink in a daze as water started to fill the watering can. Things qu

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Beth Hildebrand

Apr 30, 2015
4 min

What I Learned In April

Another month passed and another busy month ahead. A lot of trips on rainy weekends to soccer games and pollen are just two of the many things that filled our calendar and noses. It’s time to look back and see what I learned this past month. 1. Chick-fil-a’s new lemonade milkshakes are light, delish and worth every penny. For Christmas gifts 3 out of 4 in our family received those funny and so creative Chick-fil-a calendars. We went to cash in April’s coupon which was t

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Beth Hildebrand

Mar 19, 2015
4 min

GET UP, Go, Deliver And Shine | Part 2

Hmmm…I’m asking myself lately – Is it harder to sit down or get up? What about you? Of course that answer is different for everyone and reason. You can be on the constant go and the only time you sit down is maybe an hour or so before you go to bed and then early the next morning your feet hit the floor running and do it all over again. The do-run-run-run, the do- run-run. Or you can sometimes be a couch potato and rather sleep in a little later instead of going for an earl

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Beth Hildebrand

Feb 24, 2015
5 min

Why It’s Good To Be At A Loss Of Words

I’ve really been at a loss of words. I’ve been at a loss because I’m in awe at how God moved and spoke to the hearts of women at IF:Gathering two weeks ago. I’ve been at a loss or words because my brain had kind of been on overload before and even more after processing all that had happened. I’ve been at a loss or words because my body needed rest, and in order to do that, the day after IF:Gathering, I came down with a yucky cold, which I’m still fighting right now. Maybe I

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How Do You Think God Was Feeling At A Gathering?

Beth Hildebrand

Feb 9, 2015
3 min

How Do You Think God Was Feeling At A Gathering?

There’s still so much to process from this past weekend. Pictures and comments exploded all over Facebook, Twitter and Instagram from IF:Gathering and IF:Locals. There’s words to describe our feelings – ignite, faith, stones, marking your moment, freedom, breaking down walls, building bridges towards racial reconciliation, be bold and courageous and what is your step of faith? We’re made stronger. We feel God’s Spirit in us. We feel more united and ready take on a personal

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What It’s Like To Be At IF:Gathering at IF:Alamance

Beth Hildebrand

Feb 7, 2015
3 min

What It’s Like To Be At IF:Gathering at IF:Alamance

Over 125 women hear this girl say with a shaky voice while eyes welling up, “Where do I even begin? How in the world can I put this weekend into words that can be remotely close to describing what a holy experience this is. I do know that you are here for a reason. I do know that God’s Spirit is present and among us right here. In this time. This place.” This time and place we’ve been waiting for, praying over and planning for was finally here. There hasn’t been one day

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Six Questions Women Need To Ask Themselves Today

Beth Hildebrand

Jan 19, 2015
7 min

Six Questions Women Need To Ask Themselves Today

Last February I experienced the first ever IF:Gathering. And what is IF:Gathering you may ask? Many reading this probably already know at least a little bit if you follow me on Facebook or read some of my blog posts but now it’s less than 3 weeks away and I need to take deep breaths to calm my restless spirit. In a good way. As a refresher before I share what I’m wrestling with these days, here’s my long and short version of 2014. I found out about IF:Gathering – a first

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