Thursday, February 28, 2013

Dream Withour Fear





This week has gotten away from me! I cant believe it is Thursday
But I am going to do this post as it it Wednesday because I am loving many things this week!



Jane and Kinrda- My AMAZING exeutive directors!

Oh gosh! Up 'til Dawn event is this Friday!
I cant believe all that we have worked towards the past two quarters will now be put into action!
I am excited, hopeful, anxious but mostly thankful for this opportunity to have worked with such amazing girls on the board and to inspire them to make a difference
I am continually blessed every time I am around these women


Couple of my favorite things- Hope and the Word

Yes, these are St. Jude silly bands!
I thought they were just for junior high schoolers but I wear these proudly- for the children of St. Jude of course :)



"I Lift My Hands"- one of my favorite songs!

I cant get enough of this guy
He has become one of my favorite artist of all times
His songs continually give me peace, strength, and HOPE
Cant wait to see him live in April!



Just a couple inspirational quotes for this week that have been on my mind

What could I do if I could dream without fear?
What impact would I make if I loved without limits?


"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."
2 Timothy 1:7




Lastly, my sister sent this to me last night but I didnt get it until this morning
What an amazing feeling knowing my sister and my brother-in-law are praying for my future hubby
I am pretty sure a lot of it is because they want to do some awesome couple trips but I also know that they sincerely pray for my future husband, that he will be a man of God who guides, protects and provides-which is my prayer as well!

So, I will continue to dance with God until he brings that perfect man to cut in

"Love you sis! Praying for your hubby"








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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

He Always Finishes

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."
Phil. 1:6
If God is for you then who can be against you?
Whatever God starts, He always finishes
 He never leaves things undone
Everything that is going in your life, God will see you through it
He is GREAT at completing the journey’s and processes in your life
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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Light of the World


" You are the light of the world.
A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Intead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house."
Matthew 5:14-15


God is in the business of igniting our hearts for His Glory
The result is glorious light that reflects Jesus and communicates the truth about God
Everyone has been gifted in some way; having something to offer for God
Do not be afraid to offer freely what you have been given by God
Lord Jesus, may we place our lives on display, unashamed of the gospel!
Each of us has been designed for the GREAT purpose of sharing our light with others for HIS GLORY.


This little light of mine I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine I'm gonna let it shine
Let it Shine
Let it Shine
Let it Shine





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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

God of Angel Armies




Hello Wednesday!
Here are some things I am LOVING today



I absolutely LOVE Chris Tomlin's new CD
My sister and I are going to his conert this April

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind me

The God of angel armies
Is always by my side


The one who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine

The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

My strength is in Your name
For You alone can save

You will deliver me
Yours is the victory

Wow! The God of Angels
The God who is their captian, their leader
The army of Angels is on my side
He is on my side



I found this book through a devotional I get daily
The author recommended this book


Christian faith isnt blind obedience to a set of rules and regulations; it is entering into a relationship with a God who pursues us- not to punish, but to love.







I feel God has been placing dreams on my heart lately
Dreams, passions, longing, visions
 I know God has blessed me with a deep passion to work with children
To provide them with Hope, Love, Joy
To let them know they are loved
I dont know what
I dont know when
I dont know where
But I have HOPE
He promises to fulfill those desires
And that is a wonderful way to live









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Monday, February 18, 2013

Worth More Than Sparrows



It is the middle of winter, cold and little cloudy
Yet, here I am sit outside my parents house- I love being home
I am wrapped up in sweats and drinking extra hot coffee
I start to daydream as I watch the many birds fly to and from the bird house
Something about the birds chirping that gets my longing for spring


Spring has not always been a favorite season 
But this year my emotions and feelings of this season are changing
The season of spring brings hope
Brings fresh starts, new beginnings
Maybe it is the blooming flowers, the beautiful cherry blossoms that excite me

But as I sit here and the sun slowly starts to peak through the clouds
I see flower buds on bushes just waiting to bloom
And I watch and listen to the birds again 
God has provided everything they need
Shelter, food and a whole world to spread their wings and fly



It may still only be February, the dead of winter
But just like the small signs of nature
I see spring coming

I see a new season coming for me
I see hope
I have hope

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."
Matthew 10:31



I don't know exactly what that will entail but God keeps showing me, in nature and in life, that new things are coming for me
Do not be afraid
He has been preparing me
He will provide
I am worth more than sparrows after all 

He has given me whole world to spread my wings








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Thursday, February 14, 2013

The Day of LOVE









I pray that the Lord protects my heart and that He does a wonderful work in me until I meet my future husband
I pray that my future husband's heart will also be covered in protection and that he is saving himself for me at this very moment.
I pray for discernment and guidance and that the Lord's grace covers us both during this moment of singleness

So, even on the sappiest holiday of the year
The day I am surrounded by couples in love
I still have faith
I still hope
I still have love
"Faith, Hope and Love remain. But the greatest of these is LOVE."








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Wednesday, February 13, 2013

What I Am Loving







It is Ash Wednesday after all!
I decided to go with Sarah to Catholic mass
Definitely different then I am used too 
But I loved participating in Ash Wednesday with my best friend!



I am one to be hesitant when it comes to wellness products
I am only on month two of taking these products but I LOVE them!
Even as an athlete I never really knew what vitamins to take or what fuels my body 
But after lots of research and reviews, these products live up to the hype!
I finally feel like I have more energy
I finally feel I am taking care of my body!
I contribute my lack of being sick to these products!
LOVE LOVE LOVE



Enumclaw Hornets ranked #10 in State!
#proudalum
#evenmoreproudsister



I am loving my relationship with my fellow student workers
Amanda was an amazing worker who grew to be my friend
She lives in Arizona and about to start the police academy!
Thankful the many young lives that enrich my life so much!



Speaking of young lives! 
How about this cutie!?



I LOVE watching my dad and Jace have some bonding time
I look forward to the day when my children get to hangout with their grandpa


Loving that I spend this past Saturday morning with my cousin!
He killed it in the 5k with 6:45/mile



Lastly, I am LOVING my quiet times
I long for these times in the morning
These are what get me up in the morning
I fall more and more in love with our Savior each morning
I strive to know more about our Savior


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Ash Wednesday



                                                                   The start of Lent 
I can't help but be so excited because what's at the end of it?
 Easter! Which is slowly becoming my favorite season.

When I was little I never fully understood what Ash Wednesday was all about
Actually, I didnt understand a lot of what was going on as a child
Lets be honest, I was more excited about the coloring book then listening to our pastor talk


So, what is Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday is an ancient church tradition dating from at least the eighth century AD. It marks the beginning of the season of Lent, a period of 40 days  (not counting Sundays) leading up to Easter when God calls us to repent and reconcile ourselves to Him...to turn our hearts back to Him. 

In the season of Lent, we follow Jesus "into the desert," just as he spent 40 days alone in the wilderness before beginning his public ministry.

During this season of prayer, repentance and contemplation, we are humbled and reminded that our life and our hope depend entirely on the power of God to raise the dead.

In this season we remember that the Christian life is a life of profound waiting, keeping watch for the kingdom of God that is coming.

By focusing honestly on our own mortality and brokenness, we prepare ourselves to receive the incredible good news of Easter:

That Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead, and the promises of God are true.

I was thinking today, even at 27 years old, that it's never easy for me to realize the sins in my life, confess them to God, and literally turn away from them, but that's exactly what it's about. 




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Monday, February 11, 2013

Secret Rescue Plan



To My children,

You are all wondering away from me, like sheep in an open field. You have always been running away from me. And now you are lost. You can’t find your way back.

But I can’t stop loving you. I will come to find you. So I am sending you a Shepherd to look after you and love you. To carry you home to me.

You have been stumbling around, like people in a dark room. But into the darkness, a bright Light will shine! It will chase away all the shadows, like sunrise.

A little baby will be born. A Royal Son-His mommy will be a young girl who doesn’t have a husband, His name will be Emmanuel, which means “God has come to live with us.” 







He is one of Kings David’s children’s children’s children. The Prince of Peace.

Yes, Someone is going to come and rescue you! But he wont be who anyone expects.
He will be a King! But he wont live in a palace. And he wont have lots of money. 
He will be poor. And he will be a Servant. But this King will heal the whole world.

He will be a Hero! He will fight for His people, and rescue them from their enemies. 
But he won’t have big armies, and he wont fight with swords.

He will make blind see, he will make lame leap like deer! He will make everything the way it was always meant to be. 
But people will hate him, and they wont listen to him. 
He will be like a Lamb-He will suffer and die.

It is the Secret Rescue Plan we made- from before the beginning of the world!




It is the only to get you back.

But he wont stay dead- I will make him alive again! 
And, one day, when he comes back to rule forever, the mountains and trees will dance and sing for joy!

The earth will shout out loud! His fame will fill the whole earth- as the waters cover the sea! Everything sad will come untrue. Even death is going to die! And he will wipe away every tear from every eye.

Yes, the Rescuer will come. Look for him. Watch for Him. Wait for him. He will come.

I promise.

Love, God
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Does it sound too good to be true? 
A story that ends happily ever after? 
Well, it does sound like a fairy tale, doesn’t it? 

And, as the world may be quick to tell me fairy takes aren’t true…
...and I may not  have found my prince charming (yet!) 
but I know fairy tales do come true






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Friday, February 8, 2013

Who Says...

...shoes cant change your life!?

Well, I have never been one to be obsessed with shoes
In fact, I have had the same pair of running shoes for the past 3 years
I think it was time to move on
I headed down the road to Super Jock n Jill
I tried on a couple shoes, ran around the block a couple times, and ta da!
They are not Nike or Adidas
Nope, to me these are true running shoes
My first pair New Balances
I am actually excited to run for once:)




My last couple post have been about worrying, not trusting enough, feelings in certainty and feeling vulnerable to this new task in front of me
This new life perspective

I was humbly asked WHY by a coworker of mine
Why do I feel this way when God has so CLEARLY showed me the way?

God has CLEARLY prepared me for this
God has so CLEARLY placed this passion in front of me
He has given me the motivation to pursue so many dreams of mine
That I am sure of
Why am I worrying I wont be able to accomplish this one?

God never promises it will be easy
In fact, He guarantees we will have problems in this life
I will have days when I mentally and physically will feel like I cant run another step
But our problems should never be our focus
Call to Him for help
He knows my weaknesses
He promises to always meet me in that very place


My sister sent me these Pinterest quotes last night
Oh, Pinterest, what did we ever do without you?





Back to Basics
My nephew has this Bible and I was reading it the other day at their house
Though I am familiar with most of the stories in the bible, this book does a great job of simplifying those stories in a way that is easier for children and adults like me to understand
And sometimes it is good to go back to basics




"No, this Bible isn't a book of rules, or a book of heroes
The Bible is most of all a story
It is an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back His lost treasure
It is a love story about a brave Prince who leaves His palace-His throne-everything
- to rescue the one He loves
It is like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!

The best thing about this Story is- it is true
There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story
The Story of how God loves His Children and comes to rescue them

It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story
And at the center of the Story, there is a baby
Every Story in the Bible whispers His name

He is like the missing piece in a puzzle- the piece that makes all the other missing pieces fit together, and suddenly you see a beautiful picture
And this is no ordinary baby..."

Simple and beautiful



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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Training Day 2




Today was another 3 miles on the treadmill I just can't get myself to run outside yet! 
I don't know why but I have this block in my mind that outside means I am really training 
which is totally silly because news flash Jessie, you are!

Today was a little easier than yesterday 
However I really need to buy some shoes! 
I can tell when the my feet start to hurt that I need more support 
I will buy some this weekend!

Speaking of this weekend, I am running the Valentines Day 5k with my cousin Brian!
I am excited to spend sometime with him this weekend
Since I need to run 4 miles this Saturday and a 5k is only 3.1 I will be running my 4 miles on Sunday with my sister
Always better with a running partner!

It has only been 2 days of actual "training" but I am already having a hard time with running
I have never been a runner and I am scared I wont be able to keep this up!
But I need to remember that if I need to take a walking break then I can
I also know better shoes will help a ton!

Plus, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" right?! :)
Phil. 4:13
----------------------






On a different note, I am continually amazed at the doors God is opening in my life
This past Monday I found out I will be going to Montana this summer
 Myself, Donte and Jason Durocher will be the taking two athletes from each team for a leadership, character building, spiritual week long retreat
Count me in

Not only do I get to travel to one of the most beautiful areas in the nation
Not only do I get to know some SPU athletes better
But I GET the opportunity to minister
I get the opportunity to be set an example
I get the opportunity to share my faith
I get the opportunity to share the gospel 
I have seen a couple pictures of the ranch- mountains, river, amazing sunsets- breathtaking
I get to worship and praise the Lord in the midst of one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen
Count me in

I am continually amazed at how God has not only presented me these opportunities 
but has prepared me for these opportunities
If you would have asked me even a couple months ago I don't know if I would be ready
The more I grow in my faith
The more I get to know God
The deeper my relationship grows
The more I get involved with children's charities
The more I get to know the student-athletes each day
The more I serve and open my heart...
The more I see how God has prepared me for everything He has put in my path

God doesn't call the equipped
He equips the called




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Do You Need Rest?




Come to Me all who are weary and I will give you rest

I am not the one to take naps
I just cant justify the down time when I have so much I was to accomplish throughout the day
This doesn't mean that I am never tired or weary because I am more then I like to admit some days
 No matter who you are
No matter what is going on in your life
No matter if you are the biggest morning person or the busiest of busy bodies
Everyone needs REST
Everyone needs to be restored

When the world seems to spinning a million miles per minute
When the burdens of this world come weighing on my shoulders
When my dreams seem out of reach and my mind wonders
Of course, these are not really happening
This is just my human emotions getting the best of me
Simply exhausting


This verse has been one that I have relied on A LOT lately
Thankfully, God promises rest with Him
He promises He can restore us

So, how do I find my rest?
I start and end the day in His presence


Morning devotional


It is the most important time of the day
My relationship with Jesus is the #1 relationship in my life
I need to make time to be with Him
Get to know Him
Read the Word
Reflect on what He needs to show Me
Like any relationship, it becomes stronger the more you spend time together

Without a doubt, this has been THEE most important thing I have incorporated into my life 



Nightly prayers

This is also been something that has changed my life
I kneel before my bed and give up everything to the Lord
I thank Him for the day
I talk over my worries 
I praise Him for His blessings
Sometimes, all I can do is cry and listen to music
He knows what my heart is saying
Just God and me

To say that these changes have been easy for me would be lying
They have taken much discipline, sleepless nights and tired mornings to create these habits
It has taken a while to figure out how I can become more intimate in my quiet times
It has taken a lot prayer to ask for help, more self control, and even ask for guidance on what devotional to use

Sometimes all I do is listen to music and read the Word with no devotional
It doesn't matter if our time is 5 minutes or an hour
It doesn't matter if we use a devotional or just simply listen
The Lord knows that we live in a distracted world
He knows

That is why He wants time with us
He wants us to come to Him
To help us
To restore us
To bless us
To guide us 
To allow us to know HIM better





Starting my day and ending my day before the Lord allows me to humble myself in praise
Allows me to find the rest in the ultimate Restorer!
The Lord is the ONLY thing that gives me peace and rest in this life

Psalm 55:22



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