What If.....

What if today was the last day you had here on Earth?  

Regardless of what a bunch of people think....we are NOT born to only please ourselves.  We were born for a purpose, to glorify our Maker...period!  In all we say and do we are to show other's His love.

So....what if today was your last day here?  Are you comfortable knowing that you did it all for Him?

Did you love like Jesus?

Did you give until it HURT????

Have you forgiven all that have hurt you?

Have you ASKED Jesus to be you personal SAVIOR?????

As I am writing this I know I have much work to do....but I'm beggin you....don't wait...do it today. 

Life here is short....plan for ETERNITY!!!

Exodus 9:16
But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Thank you God for giving me the sweetest, kindest, most soft spoken Dad to guide me in my life.

 Thank you Dad for all your love and support and leading me by your example!
  I can only wish that I had your energy and 1/2 your HUGE heart!
  I adore you!
  Happy Father's Day!!!

God vs Panic Attacks

    If you read back a few posts ago I wrote I'm done living in FEAR.  I spoke about my EXTREME fear of flying.  I should explain...the flying part isn't what I'm afraid of ....it's the being CLOSED IN.  I used to fly all the time and I LOVED IT....then I got on the St. Louis Arch and experience my first Panic Attack. 

    If you have never experienced a panic attack (and I truly hope you haven't)....the only way I know how to describe it is this.  You know how you feel for the second when someone jumps out and scares you....that fight or flight moment....your head feels like you are going to lose all sense of control...and  your heart races so extreme so you seriously think you are going to DIE???  Crippling fear like you can't imagine.  Well....that's what a panic attack feels like except it goes on and ON AND ON!!  Stop and REALLY think about the last time someone startled you BIG TIME....now picture that lasting a 1/2 an hour.

   I often joke about the last time I flew that I actually did it with the help of God and Ativan!!!  WELL....God spoke to me the other day....AND I KNOW THIS WAS GOD BECAUSE I NEVER WOULD'VE COME UP WITH THIS ONE!!!!   He said....If you truly trust me Jenny....you wouldn't need the Ativan!  SERIOUSLY GOD???  DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE ASKING OF ME???

So I thought....well...of course He does...He's GOD!  haha!  And I have been praying the He will deepen my relationship with Him....so WHY AM I SO SURPRISED????

I want to do this SO BADLY!  I want to show Him and MYSELF that I TRUST God that much!!!!

But then I start making excuses like....what if this is Satan just trying to trip me up on my way to serve in Guatemala?  And.... Well...I could just carry it with me "just in case". 

Is THAT how I want to TRUST JESUS....have a "back up plan" if He doesn't come through????

I recently read that WORRYING implies that you don't TRUST God is big enough to HANDLE EVERYTHING.

Do I truly TRUST that God is BIGGER than a panic attack?  Please pray that I can experience His perfect love.  And please let me know how I can pray for you in your journey too! 

Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 1 John 4:18 NLT

My Soul Mate

I talk about my relationship with Jesus OFTEN and my relationship with my children....so today it's Brian's turn.  With Father's Day around the corner and our 14th Wedding Anniversary (can't be already) today is about honoring him.

I don't know what I did to deserve this guy!  I am so thankful that his parents raised him to be a Godly man because when he met me with 3 beautiful little girls he didn't hesitate for one minute to welcome ALL of us into his life.

I love the way that he raises our children just as God does, with compassion, understanding and love.  He always supports their wise decisions and gently steers them in another direction when they are maybe not so wise. 

I couldn't be more blessed that God gave him the heart to love children that were not his "flesh and blood" because this opened doors for us to adopt and foster.  God now is using us to serve in mission work help those who cannot help themselves.

You make me fall more deeply in love with you when I hear you talk about serving in Guatemala this summer....people don't even have to pay attention to you but you keep sharing because you are so passionate about it.  That makes my heart melt. 

I am so thankful for January 18th, 1997 and that YOU came up and stood behind me.  I'm so glad I asked you to dance.  I'm so glad I didn't notice your lack of rhythm...haha. 

You are truly one of the hardest working men I have EVER met.

 I love the way you know exactly what each of us like to eat.....and what movies we enjoy and our favorite places to go.

 I love that you pick out matching envelopes to go with wrapping paper and that you never forget the jelly belly's. 

I love the way you say you will move out if I bring home more pets and then you come up with their own theme songs to call them to you because you want to be their favorite. 

I love that you wanted to make all my dreams come true....because you have.

You are my life Brian....I adore you!

My Best Friend

Words can just not express how proud I am of my little sister.  She and her husband Todd and most of their 9 kids sold EVERYTHING (think about that for a minute...everything!) and moved to Guatemala to serve orphans full time last year.  They had to leave 2 of their sons back at college and to let them begin their own new lives on their own.  All their friends and familiarities and especially their comfort of knowing the native tongue....all left behind. 

Not everyone can understand how they could choose this...SERIOUSLY....if you ask me I say....How could you not?????

They have the greatest boss in the world!

They are being literally the hands and feet of JESUS!

They get to love people DAILY that don't understand WHY so they get to tell them it's all because of HIM.

 

They are now blessed enough to begin to do their own ministry the way God has asked them to.  They are starting Village of Hope through Lifesong for Orphans.

To learn more click here:  http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/orpCare/guat.html

I am so happy to be going down this July with a team to help serve at Village of Hope in whatever capacity God enables me to!

Another team from my hometown are there right now serving with Amy and Todd.  Here is what the youth minister shared on his blog.  I hope you don't mind me borrowing this Steve!

Mission Work

I have always enjoyed going on mission trips, in the USA and other countries. In fact, Crystal has often mentioned going somewhere to run a mission.
Here is my suggestion for anyone who is running a mission or thinking of starting one someday...come to Guatemala and spend some time with Todd and Amy Block. They have the right attitude and personality to be missionaries. They wouldn't have to teach you anything, their spirit would just rub off on you! It has been a pleasure being here with them in Guatemala!!

Amy's favorite quote is "Be the Change you wish to see in this World." 

Thank you Amy and Todd and family for being the change!  LOVE YOU!!

What is the Center of your Life?

This morning I woke up with a little less than an hour to get ready for church and I just felt so strongly that God was asking me to just sit down and spend a little time with Him.  This kind of caught me off guard a little because I have been trying to and have been pretty successful with reading my Bible every single day.  I made it my New Year's resolution a year and a half ago and I haven't missed a day.  But as I was riding to church I got a little serious with myself.  My reading the Bible may consist of a few verses and then roll over and go to sleep not giving it another thought.

I also read Crazy Love and Radical and those books just tell me like it is....or SHOULD be!  I LOVE THAT!  They make me dig deep into my soul and ask myself the really HARD questions. 

Another favorite ritual I do is listen to Christian music!  Especially when I am mowing.  Truly one of my most favorite things to do!

But WHEN do I actually sit and TALK and LISTEN.....like REALLY LISTEN????   So many distractions....so many EXCUSES get in the way.  So God was tapping me on the shoulder this morning.....HELLO....Make time for ME!!!!!

So I was all excited and knew what my whole summer break was going to consist of!!!!  I want that PERSONAL....DEEP....MEANINGFUL relationship with my FATHER.  I don't want rituals....I don't want prayers on the go....I want a HEAD OVER HILLS...IN LOVE...RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS!

So just for good measure....God...in only the way HE can....made the sermon today be about this exact thing.

At Eastview Christian Church J.K. spoke about how our culture is defined as many things....BUT GOD...was the beginning of culture.  Not iPads...not iPhones....not nooks. 

"When culture is godless God's Word gets lost."

When culture is godless God's plan get lost."