Apply Your Heart

Prisoner by Choice

By Dana Rausch / June 12, 2023

Walking in fear is debilitating. Fear to me is like walking down a corridor in the center of a prison. Each cell is locked and closed. There is no way any inmate will escape or get free. With the guards accompanying me, I am completely safe and at liberty. Yet all the inmates are shouting […]

Crocodile Tears

Life Lessons

By Dana Rausch / April 26, 2023

Every day I would hear children walking by the church office on their way to the school office. I hear their little giggles, their whispers and sometimes even the tears. One day I heard someone coming from a far sobbing. As they came closer, I could hear more than one child crying. I knew when […]

A Memorial Day Miracle #3

Blog

Life Lessons

By Dana Rausch / September 17, 2018

Part 1 begins with the call to 911. Part 2 is told to me by my family. I have no memory of the ambulance ride, the ER, being in ICU or any visitors. Part 3 is what I do recall. The sequence and timeline is askew but the struggle was real! It is my 55 […]

A Memorial Day Miracle #2

Life Lessons

By Dana Rausch / September 10, 2018

Part 2/3 of A Memorial Day Miracle. While I fought to stay alive, my family faced their own battles. After the ambulance left, Don remained in his truck and made a few phone calls. Brooke & Janae rushed to take care of the dogs, call family members and lock up our house. She arrived at […]

A Memorial Day Miracle #1

Life Lessons

By Dana Rausch / August 30, 2018

Part 1 of 3. Friday was the perfect day to schedule my knee surgery prior to Memorial Day weekend. Three days of rest and I would be able to return to my desk job on Tuesday morning. Short on funds, I held off paying the company medical insurance and workman’s compensation until then. The surgery […]

Perspective

Life Lessons

By Dana Rausch / April 13, 2016

Few things change a person’s perspective more than participating in a mission’s trip. We live out of our comfort zone while sharing life with strangers. Traveling, we experience a new culture, environment and values with those around us. Yet most valuable is the self-examination that tends to happen every time. Those things we take for […]

Just Another Sunday?

Change

By Dana Rausch / March 28, 2016

Yesterday we celebrated Easter. I am sure that I have personally been in church on Easter Sunday over 50 times in my life. Fifty different sermons, yet yesterday’s sermon on the cross hit the mark. Crosses – we see them everywhere. Some people wear them, while others use them as decor. We see them on […]

The Battle Plan

Life Lessons

By Dana Rausch / February 13, 2016

Home alone, I was awakened at 10:30pm by someone pounding on my front door. Instantly upset at the rudeness, I peered through the peep hole. Standing there was a stranger! Trying to disguise my voice I yelled, “WHAT?” The man stepping from foot to foot answered, “UHHHH, I am here for Joe!” To which I […]

I Am Sorry, Will You Forgive Me?

Life Lessons

By Dana Rausch / February 8, 2016

Betrayal causes the heart to close up and lock its doors. Being betrayed is one of life’s most painful experiences. The healing can take years to cure, yet for some the heartbreak is terminal. The wound cuts deep and wreaks havoc on our ability to trust. Our belief in people is shattered. Insecurity overrides clear […]

Critiqued

Triumph

By Dana Rausch / January 28, 2016

It is easy to observe others and critique. · Why can’t they ______________? · Why don’t they ______________? · Why won’t they _____________? I don’t know about you, but I usually have the answer for them. If they would just do this…… then this would happen. Their life can be so much better if they […]