Hi friends! I am SO excited to be attending the Declare Conference for my 3rd year in a row! My sweet friend Kristin from The Beautiful Deep invited me 3 years ago and I haven’t missed it since. If you are a christian blogger I highly recommend attending, you won’t regret it!
Each year we do a “getting to know you” post to link-up with other Declare attendees and this year there are 6 questions to answer, so here we go!
1. If we were meeting in person, how would you introduce yourself? (job, family, career, ministry, where you live … share whatever details come to mind).
Hi! I’m Rachael, wife of 11 years to my hot husband Matt and momma to 3 beautiful kids, Ellie(9), Livvy(7) and Zeke(5). My husband and I own Back & Body Chiropractic in Lewisville, Tx. We both have our undergrad degrees in Exercise Physiology(our love bloomed at OU working at the Houston Huffman campus recreation center). I have been teaching group fitness classes for almost 10 years and recently become a Revelation Wellness instructor. I started blogging to simply work on my writing and found I actually enjoy it! My blog started out as “Life Outside the Shell” but has recently transitioned to my name(Rachael Gilbert) because God birthed First Fruit Fitness in me and I wanted them both under the same site! We attend Gateway church in Southlake and I’m the Zone leader for Pink Fit groups and both my husband and I serve on the altar ministry team…we LOVE our church!
{OK let’s be honest, I wouldn’t have told you ALL of that if we had met in person because I don’t use as many words in person as I do online.}
2. What is your favorite thing to write and why?
I LOVE writing things God teaches me in my every day life. He usually teaches me a lot through my family and fitness. Which tend to be what I write about most.
3. What is your favorite thing to read and why? (If this question is too broad for you avid readers, what’s a favorite book or blog you’ve read lately?)
This is going to sound like a good church girl answer but honestly…the Bible! A few years ago I prayed and asked God to give me the same love for His word as I had for sweets at the time and I haven’t been able to stop reading His word ever since. It is awesome!
4. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be?
I would love to be outdoors somewhere(preferably a beach) and talk alone with God about my dreams and fears that hold me back from pursuing them. I love to be around people but I can relate so much to Jesus in needing time to truly be alone with the Father. It’s empowering and refreshing.
5. What’s one thing you love about your blog and one thing you’d like to improve?
I love that I finally have a WordPress blog that has the ability to look more like a website than just a blog. I am in the planning phases of my First Fruit Fit Club(launching in the next month or two) so I would like to improve my ability in using WordPress and effectively connecting to my target audience!
6. [Lightening Round] Would you rather …
- Read on Kindle or paperback? Paperback
- Drink coffee or tea? Green tea
- Go to a musical or a movie? movie
- Vacation at the beach or the mountains? beach
- Have an exciting night out or a relaxing night in? Depends on my mood and how busy my life has been lately but usually I’ll go for the night out!
- Watch sports, play sports, or no sports? play sports or run Spartans
I can’t WAIT to reunite with old friends and meet new ones at Declare this year! See you soon!
Hi Rachael! I first went to Declare three years ago, too. I missed last year, though.
Sounds like you have exciting things happening with your website and your First Fruit Fit Club (I may have to look into that). Hope to meet you at Declare!
Rachael, I so look forward to meeting you at Declare. Love your blog and your heart for helping others. Cheers
Love it. I know a few of the staffers at Southlake. Great church. Can’t wait to meet you 🙂
Hey Rachel! Can’t wait to meet you at Declare! I’m in McKinney, and it does sound like we have a lot in common 🙂 I love your answer about how you fell in love with reading the Bible – I can totally relate to the sweets thing – maybe I need to pray for the same thing 😉
Fitness & Faith, two of my favorite things. I just did my first Spartan, looking forward to completing the Trifecta! See you at Declare!
Hi, Rachael! My husband’s family is from OK and TX (he also went to OU), and I have spent so much time in both states I feel I can claim them as home. 😉 I love that you prayed God would give you such a desire for His Word — and that he DID! Looking forward to meeting you at Declare!
Hi Rachael. I’m coming for my second time this year. Last year I went to the Revelation Fitness exercise morning class. Almost killed this girl.
I love how you prayed that God would give you a love for the Bible like your sweets. I’ve grown in love with His Word. I may need to pray that prayer though.
I finished my blog this morning a little too late because the link-up just closed.
Hope to meet up at Declare.