Mr. & Mrs. John and Rebekah Derr - Photo by: Jeff Janson

Yes, God has orchastrated this marriage between John Derr and myself. 

It has been a time of rejoicing, thanksgiving and wonder for both my husband and myself! November 11, we exchanged our vows. Today we still marvel as we recount all the years of God's preparation and the events that led to our marriage.

Here's a little of the recent history of a Christ centered marriage that began as a Christ centered courtship:

God was our Matchmaker

Nothing is by chance. All my life, I have desired to be a wife and stay-at-home homemaker and mommy. Yet--the 20s passed me by, and I reached my early 30s. I began to try to adapt to the realization that singleness might have been God's plan for my life. Things like buying a house, trying to make a financially sustainable income was the sorrowing eliment of reality I was facing.  The idea of "gutting out life" by myself was a challenge, though I believed God was enough and I needed to focus on His work and learn the secret of continual contentment in every stage of life.

In May 2016, I was offered an opportunity "out of the blue" to interview as a District Representative for Senator Bob Hall. I was surprised as a political job had never crossed my mind for a way to earn funds. However, I was thrilled at the prospect and God blessed me to work for Senator Hall, Texas' most conservative Senator and a very bold Christian. 

Senator and Mrs. Bob Hall with Staff (September 2016)

As a District Representative, I was able to put to work my background in marketing, writing, communication and even ministry.  I got to meet so many wonderful people! I lived in a fish bowl, in a way, and was fairly thrust into the public sector in East Texas.

Presenting a Certificate and Flag on behalf of Senator Hall (Oct. 2016)

Through this job, I met John Derr. 

We have quite a funny beginning--it was entirely the Lord that allowed John the persistance to pursue a woman who was in retreat and highly guarded! Before I even had given John "a thought"-- he did his "background check" and incidentally, eQuest For Truth was instrumental in his pursuit. I was a "hard nut to crack." It was the consistant, strong love for the Lord in John's communications that first caught my attention. Then there was his persistant interest and his meeting with my Dad and family (without my prior knowledge) to let them meet him and obtain their blessing to court me! His involvement in ministry and service in the church. Then the kindness, the humor, the gentleness, the evident love being offered and the remarkable constant confirmations of all things essential in doctrine and lifestyle -- I finally realized that to say "no" to John would be rejecting God's will for my life. To be so cherished seemed unreal and a completely new "thing" to have to learn to "accept." It has been like finding that "best friend" you always desired and could never find; he is truly my best friend on earth and the greatest guy to spend the day with.

For those "hard core romantics"--yes, John did kneel when proposing--though we still laugh concerning the setting and all the interruptions of "real life." I took "lunch" at the office and inbetween the men coming in and out to repair the A/C unit--John asked me to be his wife. Even right after the "romantic" event of getting our marriage license, I had to rush to a social event on behalf of the Senator!!  :) One day we'll share our story in more detail. Yet--that's for another day.

In becoming Mrs. John Derr, God has also fulfilled my desire to be a stay-at-home wife with a husband that desired a wife with that vision.  

It is worth the wait   

Singing at the Reception, Photo by: Jeff Janson

We desire to encourage other Christians who are single and still waiting--that are perhaps struggling with the whole singleness issue and wondering "what God is doing with my life". God's plan is much bigger and more beautiful than ours. It is well worth waiting for and not getting ahead of the Lord. 

I was "Sweet early thirties" and "never been kissed".  

John was faithful and kept himself for me even longer--early fourties.  What a gift he gave his bride in that. 

It is a beautiful story of God unfurling the next "game plan" for two Christians who need each other to accomplish what God has planned for their lives.  We were each serving the Lord as single people, still desiring to be married and then God brought us together. By the Lord's enablement, we had been seeking the Lord concerning a relationship that would lead to marriage. It was simple, God's will was very plain and we were able to recognized each other as God's pick with no wavering or second guessing.

Thanksgiving 2016 was an exciting time of rejoicing in what God has done in our lives and understanding in a new way His goodness and provision.  I believe Christmas 2016 will also have a new revelation and depth in our lives. Yet, those years of waiting have made the fulfillment of this God's plan for the "here and now" to be more special. I think I value John more in having observed men in the workplace. How rare it truly is to find a God-fearing man that does not waver in the face of adversity and "give up" in the long wait. May God help us to remain faithful.  We both know that marriage and being married is not an easy row. It's wonderful--but it's work and self-denial. It's pouring out and denying self to become one. Yet, with Christ as the center--we have no excuse to fail and every reason to succeed!

Merry Christmas from Mr. and Mrs. John and Rebekah Derr

Married! Photo by: Jeff Janson

Ten years - a Decade! eQuest For Truth celebrates being on the web for a whole decade!

I can't help but consider it a reason to rejoice! What a "memorial stone" that speaks of the Lord's provision and His plan!

Is this website as full and developed as I had hoped and planned and dreamed for in 10 years? No--but it has served a small purpose in the Lord's service and I am so blessed to have been apart of its history and formation. It is a very small light - yet, the Lord has used this little article archive website specific to Christian apologetics to 1) grow me in so many ways, 2) encourage dear readers that have written sharing with me their testimonies and 3) to be a resource to get horse lovers and fellow Christians a start or reference for Biblical study. It's been a journey of "grand ideas" to harmonize with the Lord's plan. Being someone that my Mother told when I was 16, "Rebekah, you don't have to accomplish everything in life by the age of 17!" --well, the Lord's been constantly refining me in this process of becoming aligned with His purpose for eQuest For Truth!

This all just didn't happen. The history of eQuest For Truth all actually started long before 10 years ago.

Since becoming a Christian at the age of 5, there has been a recognition and growth in understanding that all of us who profess Christ are called and enlisted into His service. In addition, we are always equipped by Him for the specific tasks He gives us. That equipping may entail a motivation to forge the difficulties of developing skills with hard won diligence or perhaps it comes as gifts just plopped in our laps as strengths by His hand. It's a journey of preparation and one we're always on until we go to be with the Lord.

Through the seasons of growing up - I had been involved in children's ministry or volunteering with organizations that served the

special needs community since the age of 12, even serving as a camp counseller when not much more than a girl myself at 14. By the time of high school, I was living the small farm dream on my parent's 10 acres, starting a few Quarter Horses to ride and planning to start a small business training cart horses for children and teach riding lessons. By the age of 17 we were moving to a 300 acre farm, I was teaching children how to ride horses and managing our family's small pony business, Bar H Farms and taking in Miniature Horses and Shetlands training them for riding and cart ponies. It was a successful venture for a season of joy of doing exactly what I wanted to do in life. At the peak, I was managing 30 horses and ponies, foaling out 7-8 of the world's cutest pony foals each year and marketing horses online.  Riding lessons were seasonally consistent with a troup of children, some only a few years younger than me, I was teaching the basics. By the age of 20, it was time to prepare for Certification with the Certified Horsemanship Association (though not currently teaching, I still hold a PATH Intl. Registered Instructor certification--just in case!). 

Through many encounters with children of tender age telling me about their broken home lives--God was working on me. I became more and more aware that this grandeous idea of mission work only happening in a compartmentalized setting or abroad was a small outlook. The challenge of sharing the Gospel was pressed upon me. How could I of all people do something so drastic during a riding lesson? "But Lord I'm a Nobody!" and "Skillful Weaving - A Testimony" are both testimonies to this struggle and real start to what led to eQuest For Truth--when all my glorious ideas of "ministry" had to be brought out of the clouds, applied where it counted for strategic, God given opportunities and became apart of my daily life.

Through my work with horses and the process of becoming a creditialed riding instructor--I was confronted with evolution. If you spoke out against or questioned the theory--well, you were just considered dumb and one of "those"!  Children were constantly asking me questions about the frog, ergot and chestnut - the very parts of the horse that Darwinian evolution seized upon as vestigial digits. I was fired up. Through my youth, my elder brother had become very involved in the Creation ministry and I tagged along with gaining interest. It was time to have a resource for children and fellow Christians that was evolution free.  I had such a burden not to mislead these dear little impressionable lives I had for so many short minutes a week.

Through the ministry of Dr. Jobe Martin's Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution, ten years ago, I was aching to do something about horses and their design that could point children to their Creator. I had found that through my students' desire to learn about the horse--it was an open door to introduce them to Jesus Christ Who was the first horseman and rejoiced in their delight of a creature He created just for them to enjoy!  At this time, I was also teaching a homeschool elective for a local homeschool coop about horses and was applying myself to write a small booklet called "Understanding Horses from a Biblical Perspective."  The previous Fall, opening my Strong's Concordance, the study began as I painstakenly looked up every equidae related Bible verse and found treasures to inspire the Christian horse lover. 

All these varied efforts, experiences, encounters came together.

Seeking the support and writing of scientists like Dr. Jobe Martin, Dr. Jean K. Lightner, etc. and using some of the articles I had written--my work began and the website materialized.  Even the name "eQuest4truth.com" was available! The little, tiny graphic design interest I had and basic website building I had learned through marketing ponies--started to piece together. The idea was for me to coordinate and compile all the possible articles available specific to refuting horse evolution. There were some out there, specifically written by Dr. Jonathan Sarfati, but what I found was that there were specific horse specific topics not addressed or geared fully to a horse loving audience. I had a lot of work on my plate and somehow I became the one writing the bulk of the articles instead of the "behind the scenes" gal just compiling information.  

The first articles eQuest For Truth published are still all there. 

• What About Equine Origins?
• Creation vs. Evolution
• Horse Evolution: Fact or Horse Manure?
• The Bible Stands
• The Bible and Evolution in Conflict
• God The Creator
• How Did We Get Chestnut Colored Horses?
• Equus in the Bible
• Equine Bible References

After ten years, there have been a huge list of people that have supported or encouraged this effort. Many served me as sounding boards, counselors,

contributors and reviewers. I thank you all for your taking me seriously and not sending me down the chute when I asked for assistance or advice! Specifically, I'd like to thank Vicki Watson and Firn Hyde for their partnership in updating the website's CMS/design and/or providing so many fantastic articles for the website. Their efforts behind the scenes and the hours of work to contribute what they have for several years are worth acknowledging.

To date, there have been Christians from the US, Canada, Brazil, UK, Ireland, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, India, Japan, and I can't remember all the other countries that have written feedback.  Unfortunately, I don't know if all the seeds planted come to fruition. But-the job of eQuest For Truth is to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and give Him the glory...and let Him do the rest.

I want thank you, for taking your time writing this good message, [not long] ago I spent my time instead of reading [the] Bible... watching pornography... It immediately raise[d] a guilt in me, that cause me to search in Google the Message that can bring me back at the feet of the Cross [ofJesus]... I want to [thank] God for giving me [the Equest For Truth ministry], you know Bible says: all things work for good to those who love Him... I thank God again for lighting His fire and giv[ing] me the passion of reading His Word. Oh Lord, do not let m[e] grow cold, this [is] my prayer, keep on praying for me. I pray God to enlarge your ministries, you know when God gives a vision, He gives too [the] provisions to accomplish His work in us, now do not get weary to do good. I believe at due time you shall reap. May my Heavenly Father richly bless,

D.R. via Internet

Since the growth to include "non-horse" related articles on "Quest For Christ" - this has been the greatest drive to the website. Articles on Purity and Contentment have remained only second to the Horse Evolution articles. A Christian's Twelve Practical Principles to the Path of Contentment; Ten Guidelines to Live a Pure Christian Life; (be sure to check out the 2015 blog posts series "Purity: It's Possible Even Today!"  Most of my articles now are geared to "Quest For Christ" or find their home on the blog "The Hoof Print". The Lord has changed my life to be 

drastically full and time for researching articles is limited and balanced with needful work, ministry opportunities and investing in my family. As eQuest For Truth was never intended to be the "personal" ministry of "Rebekah L. Holt" it is well that God chooses to keep me well harnessed in the daily grind and limit my word count!  The term "Applicable Christianity" behooves us all and I certainly have my share of needing to apply first and sit at Christ's feet before writing an article about it.

What's the future for eQuest For Truth? I don't know fully. Yet, for now, it is evident that the Lord is not yet finished with this little website and He can continue the work. There have been very tough times of discouragement over that 10 years when I was ready to shut it all down. God always confirmed it was viable with sudden feedback from someone who had read an article and wrote of their encouragment. Who knows, perhaps the ideas for Discover Equus - an action packed horse curriculum for homeschooling families can materialize one day!  That idea's been cookin' for a decade too! 

Thank you for being apart of this journey!

On to living for Christ today...

Rebekah L. Holt

The Original Logo:

Happy Thanksgiving!

I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving. Ps. 69:30

I love this holiday. It's so American and rooted in giving honor and praise to God. All year long, when we get our big family together, it's always a feast.  Still there is a distinction with Thanksgiving! We have our fun. We have our traditions. We have our family recipes!  And plus, it's just an exciting, cozy time of year with weather changes, beautiful colors among the landscapes and the delicious smells of cinnamon!  

Consider it's Christian origins, is it any wonder that Thanksgiving is getting more and more overshadowed by Halloween, commercialized Christmas, Shopping and Football each passing year?

Yet, the Bible reminds us that thankfulness is a charateristic of God's people.  We can celebrate Thanksgiving like it should be done! 

Here's some ideas for the day in addition to the feasting:

Read Thanksgiving Bible Verses - Just type in "thanks" or "thanksgiving" on a website like www.biblegateway.com and you'll be amazed how many Bible verses pop up!

Get Dad to read the Story of Thanksgiving outloud. With the East Texan accent, in our home, that can get really entertaining for "pronounciations!"  From Sea to Shining Sea is a great book and the children's version allows a condensed version of the details! 

Do a family Thanksgiving skit. We used to do this but alas our Chief Massasoit and William Bradford revolted! :) We had so much fun doing it and even made our own video version.  I was ambitiously writing my Thanksgiving version of Pride and Prejudice - but it would have been a seriously reduced casting (uh...me) after Mrs. Bennet finished her rhapsody over the turkey and dressing at Pemberly. I possibly could have made a convincing Mrs. Bennett - yet also being Mr. Darcy could have proven a challenge despite my theatrical experience in church plays as a kid!! 

Take the time to play family games. It takes a lot of energy to plan all that.  One year, we had a Thanksgiving themed obstacle course,  wheel barrow races and beyond. We've learned to change it up and just allow each year to unfurl.  However, good times usually don't just happen!  You've got to plan for success when it comes to doing something besides watching television or playing video games!

Play a game like Kick Ball or go on a walk - after eating all that food, it might be a good idea to get some exercise!  Go on a nice, gentle stroll with your best friends, your family and enjoy the outdoors while visiting.

Plan a campfire! Why is it we never can remember all the words to all those great songs we want to sing around a crackling fire?  Print them off, but be sure to hand out flash lights should it be dark! :) 

Make a Thanksgiving Tree - Give everybody colored strips of paper to write down what they are thankful for. I did this once with students at a horse facility I taught riding lessons.  You can very quickly cut out a trunk of the tree with brown paper and then add little rectangular shaped strips in fall colors. Keep it simple!

Be sure to Pray as a Family! In all the festivities, don't forget to stop and Thank God for His provision, His salvation and His love. 

If you can - go pet a horse! Of course, I will be making my rounds through the pasture, Lord Willing, and saying hello to the family horses. 

Sing! Make a joyful noise as a group. How about some hymns?  The internet has the lyrics available ready to print out. 

God bless you~ and do have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 1 Peter 2:9