{Be Featured} Rachel Allison Hoffman

 

Hello Lovelies!

I’m so thrilled to have this opportunity to introduce you to another one of the sweet Delight ladies. Rachel’s heart and spirit has been such a blessing to me in the little bit that I’ve had an opportunity to get to know her, and I know her words will be an encouragement to you.

xo, Amelia

Hey Rachel!! Please tell us a little bit about yourself!

I’m Rachel, a nineteen year old author, photographer, and pastor’s kid. My personality type bounces daily between INFP and ENFP, but my favorite people tend to be introverts. I have two brothers, both older than me, and I grew up as quite the tom boy. I love my pets and typically have to write while working around a lovable kitty named Tiger. Baking yummy gluten free treats is my stress relief and I love honest conversations about life. I’m a lover of details, creativity, truth, understated elegance, words, and cheesy humor. Also, I love cows and mountains.

Using three words, tell us which ones describe you perfectly?

Creative. Passionate. Stubborn.

What is your creative passion?

My main pursuits are photography and writing, in fact I just published a photo documentary (The Reality Of Chronic Illness)! But I also love music (I’ve played violin since I was 9), culinary arts, interior design, and doodling random things on scraps of paper. As a photographer, I do mainly life, nature, and food photography. I’d love to do more lifestyle and birth photography.

Where do you find your inspiration?

Pinterest is my go to place for inspiration, but it can be dangerous. In fact, it’s not a good idea for my to be on Pinterest late at night because I’ll end up working on a spur of the moment project at 1am. But apart from that, I tend to get the most inspiration from casual walks in the great outdoors; it’s the perfect place to capture beauty through photograph and string together my thoughts.

Love it!! So who are your 3 favorite bloggers?

Delight & Be (and I’m not just saying that because you’re interviewing me), Megan Justine (meganjustine.squarespace.com), and Kayla Faye (kaylafayeblog.com).

What is the hardest thing you have been faced with?

I started becoming chronically ill in November of 2010, having no idea what was causing me to feel so poorly or how long it would last. It was a year and a half before I finally began to get answers and just over three years before I had a complete diagnosis. Now, over four years later, I am finally experiencing significant recovery – though I am still very sick. To express the pain of all that I’ve endured through this would take far too many words, but the ways I’ve grown and the ways God has blessed me through this experience would be an equally lengthy response. Through being utterly and completely broken I have been rebuilt and strengthened. I’ve learned what I’m made of and who God is. Where my strength ends and His begins. I’ve learned no matter what I’m feeling, God is working. I’ve learned to trust Him immensely with all that I am, all that I have, and all that I care for. My life is nothing like I had planned it to be, but I know I’m exactly where God wants me.

If there was someone else facing chronic illness, what is one piece of advice you would like to give them?

I could say so many things, but I’d start by telling them they’re not alone. That they’re not the only one feeling these things and fighting these battles.

What has been your favorite Scripture?

I have so many favorites. Does the entire book of Psalms or Romans count? If I have to narrow it down to just one, I’ll go with the verse that I’ve clung to hardest throughout my illness.

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” -Philippians 1:6

Thank you so much for sharing your heart with us, Rachel!  If you would like to get to know Rachel more, you can follow her on her WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST and TWITTER.