Guess What?! No More Waiting

Hey friend! 

I am so glad you found In The Waiting and you stopped by at the perfect time!

Here is why:

Throughout my five years of writing, the Lord has taken me on an adventure I never dared to take myself, shown me more Grace than I deserved, and showered me with bigger blessings than I ever imagined. Throughout my journey, He has reminded me over and over again that I am Worthy. Beautiful. Strong. 

The Lord has also placed many dreams and passions on my heart, ministry being one of them. My heart's deep desire is to empower women to see, hear and know God the way I have experienced Him; to remind them that THEY too, are Worthy. Beautiful. Strong. 

I am so excited to finally introduce to you my BRAND NEW website and purpose of my ministry. 

No more In The Waiting. My desire is to help empower and encourage YOU to unlock your daily destiny and access all God has for you RIGHT NOW. 

I want to point you to a few new features on JessieBChristensen.com as you head on over and take a look! 

• Unlock Your Daily Destiny 
• Meet Jessie B. 
• Join My Team 
• YouTube- Yes, even videos-Yikes!

Of course, I will continually be writing and blogging! In case you’re new around my blog, here are a few blog posts that have seemed to hit a cord with a lot of people. I’d love to hear your thoughts on these! 

Here are the three top-read blog posts:

When Comparison Becomes Your Thief of Joy

There is Grace For That 

Waiting For The Call {Guest Post} 

With any blog post, you can add your thoughts in the comments, send me a tweet, or post your comment on Facebook.

I am so excited for this new leap of faith and I am thankful you are going along with me as we unlock our daily destiny and access all God has for us! 

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There's Grace For That

A moment of surrender four years led me down to Arizona

I left my home in Seattle on a leap of faith

I came with big dreams and big visions

It has almost been two years now down in Arizona

I know I am supposed to be down here

I know God is paving His Will for my life

However, this surrendered life doesn't come without difficulties

God didn't promise that even if you walk in His Will it will always be easy

If we are not careful and mindful to put God first, our comfort will set in

Our selfish desires start to overpower His desires for us

My story of Grace is one of vulnerability

I thought I had it all figured out coming down to Arizona

I thought I was bullet proof to the ways of the world
To the ways of the enemy

Turns out, I am not

And neither are you

We are human beings not meant for this world

We are more broken and fallen just like this world

More than we ever dare to admit

But we are also loved more than we ever dare believe

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

and are justified by his grace as a gift, 
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"

Romans 3:24

So, what is Grace?

When we stumble

There is Grace

When we fall

There is Grace

When we turn away

There is Grace

When we make a wrong decision

There is Grace

When we mess up

There is Grace

Even in the all out cry- face on the floor- hands in the air- surrender moments

There is Grace that wraps you up, holds you and says "I am here"

Grace says "You are loved"

Grace says "You are forgiven"

Grace says "You are seen"
Grace says "You will be OK"

Grace is not something we deserve but something that is freely given to us by The One who loves us 

Grace says, "No matter what you do, nothing can separate you from me and my love"

Grace says, "I understand this world is hard"
Grace says "There is no shame, no judgement, no condemnation" 

Grace says, "No matter what you did to yourself, no matter how you got into this situation, I still forgive you, I still love you"

 No one is too far away where the Grace of God cannot go
No one is in too deep where the Grace of God cannot reach down and rescue


Grace allows us to live freely and boldly, knowing that no matter what happens we are covered in Grace

Continuing my journey in Arizona, that is exactly what I am going to do

I will continue to press into the Lord asking for His Grace daily

Never taking it for granted

I am going to go boldly into this world knowing I will stumble

But knowing the Grace of God will ALWAYS help me back up

I am confident that He will help me & Grace me to do what He has called me to do
And because of that, I will rest in His Amazing Grace

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Embracing the Year Ahead {2016}

A New Year brings much expectation and excitement this time of year

And even from the beginning, God designed seasons for our lives
Change of seasons is a necessary, and biblical, process for growth
To move forward into the greater purpose of our lives

"As long as the earth endures, 

seedtime and harvest, 

cold and heat, 

summer and winter, 
day and night will never cease"

Gen. 8:22

Can I be honest here? Looking back at 2015, it was a tough year for me
So the change of season is very welcomed in my life

Trying to find my path in life in Arizona was not easy in 2015 

Distractions 

Lost stability

Lost vision

Lost my balance

I felt lost 

Then one day this fall, as I was literally wondering in the desert
I knew God was calling me back
He chased me down

Pursued me and guided me back to His path
Because that is what God does

 We can get lost in life sometimes

Get distracted on the wrong path

Make one wrong decision and feel completely lost 

It might be for a day or for a year

But through it all, here is what I learned;
Through our wondering
Through our confusion
Through our doubt
We might wonder for a bit
But God will never leave us wondering

He showed me more of His Grace this year than ever before 

He showed me more of His Mercy this year than ever before

He showed me more of His fierce Love this year than ever before 

And this fall, He released a passionate pursuit to bring me back

I felt Jesus more than ever before this year 

So, this year was one of the most challenging, emotionally exhausting, and physically demanding

But here is the thing, when we decide to walk with Jesus, not ONE STEP is wasted

Not a single moment, decision, or experience is wasted
Not one year is wasted when we walk with Jesus

He will use all things to work together for OUR good and HIS Glory 

"And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

God will use 2015 to make us stronger

God will use 2015 to equip and prepare us

God will use 2015 to strengthen our testimony 

God will USE ALL things in 2015 for His Glory 

It is His promise

Today is day 2 of a new season
 I am believing for more Grace and more Mercy
Bigger blessings and bigger favor in 2016 

And so should you 

I dont know what your 2015 was like

Maybe it was the best year ever

Maybe you had a few struggles and trials 

Maybe you want to forget all of 2015

Maybe you don't remember 2015 

Whatever the case, a new season is upon us

Let us learn from the lessons of 2015 and embrace the new season with gratefulness

Let us remember the moments of 2015 and embrace the new season with an expectant heart

Let us embrace the new season knowing God is still on the throne directing, guiding, loving and preparing us for HIs Glory and His plan... which is always better than we can ever imagine

Cheers to enjoying the journey in 2016
It is going to be an amazing year ahead

Home in Arizona

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The Gift of Christmas

"May the God of hope fill you with all JOY and PEACE as you trust in Him, 

so that you may overflow with HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:13

I am now back in Arizona from being home for the holidays
For one week I was surrounded by family and friends
My heart was filled with nostalgia of old Christmas memories
Laughter of my nephews filled the rooms

I was the only child staying at my parents house this holiday
My sister has her family in Enumclaw
Both my brothers have moved out now
It was just me and my parents

Though I am (cough) 30, I cherished this time to just be their daughter again
My parents even waited to get our tree until I arrived so I could help decorate
A tradition I always enjoy

Coming home for the holidays is a new experience for me
I came home last year from Arizona but I stayed two months through all the holidays
This year I was only home for a week

If I am honest, I was a little anxious how I would handle the emotions of being home and the holidays

 But before I left one of my friends gave me some of the best advice
She said, "Put your phone down and be present with the people you are with. Facebook and Instagram and all of that will still be there. Even when you feel like you are sitting around, look around and think about amazing things going on around you like your nephews laughter. Even in the car rides. You don't realize what you are missing."

I wasn't perfect the whole week being off my phone, but I tried hard
And for the first time since moving away and coming home I truly felt present

I gave myself permission to JUST BE this Christmas 

I gave myself permission to feel the nostalgia of the season
... to be joyful
...to be still and listen to the sounds of Christmas carols and laughter of my nephews
... to stop and smell the balsam & cedar candles and my moms cooking
... to let go of my past failures and mistakes of the year
...to let go of the responsibilities of the future

I gave myself permission to find peace in the knowing my Savior is coming to clean up this beautiful mess of mine

Because through all the hustle and bustle
Through the hard and the messy
I almost forgot the most powerful message of the season
One that got lost in my anxiety and the pressure I put on myself

The Christmas message of Hope, Joy and Peace

JOY that my future is already secured
PEACE that my future will be better than imagined
HOPE that my Savior is coming and will come again

Yup, Jesus is truly the reason for the season

And the best part?
Because of Jesus, we can receive HOPE, JOY and PEACE, the gift of Christmas, all year

This past year I have opened myself up to letting Jesus take over and He has taken me on an adventure that excites me more everyday

The gift of Christmas

The past year (especially the last couple months) Jesus has romanced my soul into an intimacy I have never known

The Gift of Christmas

The past year Jesus has placed dreams and passions that have set my heart on fire 

The Gift of Christmas

The past year Jesus has given me endless amounts of Grace from my mistakes

The Gift of Christmas

The past year Jesus has shown Mercy in situations I labeled impossible

The Gift of Christmas

The past year Jesus has given me friends and family that have blessed me more than I deserve 

The Gift of Christmas 

Jesus has given me Salvation

The Gift of Christmas 

Jesus is... 

The gift of salvation 

The gift of Grace 

The gift of Love 

The gift of Blessings 

The gift of Peace 

The gift of Favor 

We can receive them every single day of the year 

As you take down your last bit of christmas decorations

As you begin to reschedule your work and school schedule 

As you begin to write your resolutions and To Do lists.. 

Remember...

Peace is not ultimately a place

Peace is the ultimate Person

JESUS 

The gift of Christmas is Jesus

You don't have to wait until next christmas to receive 

Receive it today and everyday 

The magic of Christmas truly lives in our hearts 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6

My sister and I

Just the best grandpa and his grandkids and great grandkids!

Grandpa and his girls

My beautiful cousin Rylee and my brothers baby boy

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There's Grace For That

A moment of surrender almost four years led me to Arizona three years later

I left my home in Seattle on a leap of faith

An act of obedience

I came with big dreams and big visions

I came with a big expectations

It has almost been a year down in Arizona

One of the best years of my life

I know I am supposed to be down here

I know God is paving His Will for my life

However, this life doesn't come without difficulties

God didn't promise that even if you walk in His Will it will always be easy

If we are not careful and mindful to put God first, our comfort will set in

Our human control will increase

Our selfish desires start to overpower His desires for us
"Well God, this isn't what I had in mind so I will take over from here.
Thank you for trying"

Our quiet times and prayer lives begin to decrease

Our strength is emptied by the world and its distractions

Has this ever happened to you?

My story of Grace is one of vulnerability

I thought I had it all figured out coming down to Arizona

I thought I was bullet proof to the ways of the world
To the ways of the enemy

Turns out, I am not

And neither are you

We are human beings not meant for this world

We are more broken and fallen just like this world

More than we ever dare to admit

But we are also loved more than we ever dare believe

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

and are justified by his grace as a gift,
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"

Romans 3:24

So, what is Grace?

When we stumble

There is Grace

When we fall...and fall hard

There is Grace

When we turn away

There is Grace

When we make the wrong decision

There is Grace

When we mess up

There is Grace

Even in the all out cry- face on the floor- hands in the air- surrender moments

There is Grace that wraps you up, holds you and says "I am here"

Grace says "You are loved"

Grace says "You are forgiven"

Grace says "You are seen"

Grace is not something we deserve but something that is freely given to us by The One who loves us 

Grace says, "No matter what you do, nothing can separate you from me and my love"

Grace says, "I understand this world is hard"
Grace says "There is no shame, no judgement, no condemnation" 

Grace says, "No matter what you did to yourself, no matter how you got into this situation, I still forgive you, I still love you"

 No one is too far away where the Grace of God cannot go
No one is in too deep where the Grace of God cannot reach down and rescue

"My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness."

2 Cor. 12:9



We don't deserve Grace
We don't deserve the favor and blessings He brings

In fact, we don't deserve anything God gives us in this world

 But our God, full of compassion, love, and always faithful
He gives it to us anyway

To you

To me

Grace allows us to live freely and boldly, knowing that no matter what happens we are covered in Grace

So, going into year two in Arizona, that is what I am going to do

I will continue to press into the Lord asking for His strength daily

Never taking it for granted

I am going to go boldly into this world knowing I might will stumble

But knowing the Grace of God will ALWAYS get me back up

I am confident that He will help & Grace me to do what He has called me to do
I will rest in the Lord alone
I will rest in His Amazing Grace

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Mine

Just write! I keep telling myself this 

As I sit here at a local Starbucks (surprise!) I want to write but nothing seems to come to mind

When you are a wanna-be blogger, you feel you need to have some amazing blog post all the time

but I just want to write

I go back and forth from writing in my book and my blog

Yes, I want to write a book

I don't know if it will ever get published but I have been told I need to write anyway

I know God has placed a message on my heart I desire to share one day

But as I sit here, listening to OCEANS, watching the sunset, I cant help but feel overwhelmed

Overwhelmed for the life God has given me

It is not perfect, but it is mine

It is not always fun, but it is mine

It is not always easy, but it is mine
It is not always comfortable, but it is mine

Mine

This path the Lord has given me

Sometimes it can feel lonely, like I am the only one who is on this path 

But then I remember that I AM THE ONLY ONE

He leads us all along our unique paths

Designed just for us

Others might not understand or care

But they don't live our life and we don't live theirs

He may give us a big dreams, purpose and vision 

But the thing is, He only reveals His plans to us day by day, moment by moment

Never giving us more than we need or can handle

And then when the timing is right, He will help us understand what He was doing all along

Step by step

Day by day

Year by year 

I am living a life that is not perfect, but it is mine 

And it is going perfectly the way He wants it 

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We Love Because He Loved First

This holiday means more to me than just decorating with hearts,

or having a special someone to buy you presents,

bring you roses and take you out to a fancy dinner

 (Though the hopeless romantic in me does look forward to that someday !)

To me, Valentines Day represents Pure, Sweet, Overwhelming, Passionate LOVE

All kinds of love that fills our life

Love for family

Love for friends

Love for your significant other

But those love stem from the most important love of all

The all consuming

deeply passionate

never ending

forever forgiving

and always flowing love from our Lord and Savior

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, 
that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 
 

God sent His only son to die FOR ALL OF US

And because of what Jesus did on the cross, because He gave the ultimate sacrifice 

He has showed us the truest, most passionate, sweet, pure, overwhelming love of them all

Now that is something to celebrate
(and to hang red hearts everywhere!)

"We love because He first loved us."

1 John 4:19

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Infuse Your Dreams With Life

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for 

and assurance about what we do not see"

Hebrews 11:1

My ultimate goal is to create a life that allows me to always say "YES" when God calls
Yes, I can serve. Yes, I will give. Yes, I will GO. 

This is my 2015 vision board

As I have said many times in this blog, the past three years have been one big dreamfest, if you will

Once I let the Lord take over my plans, He has placed me on a path I never imagine

Then came AdvoCare which has expanded my visions and I realized I need to dream bigger!

The best part is that through dreaming big and allowing the Lord to fill His purpose

He is also changing me in the process

Changing me for His glory 

Changing me or more of preparing me for those dreams...His plans

And when I really think about my dreams, like REALLY think about them

Would I be ready for them?

Am I ready for them?

You see, the Lord knows my dreams

He knows exactly which ones He will fulfill now 

There are some that I see Him gradually beginning the process

Then there are ones I have no idea how He will ever prepare me 

Those are the ones He knows I will need some more time to prepare

That is where faith comes in

Faith He knows

Faith that He is working on my behalf

Faith that spending time will increase my hope

Faith that He will infuse my dreams with life 

Faith is having confidence in what we hope for

Confidence the Him

Confidence in our dreams and visions

Assurance that even though we don't see the Lord,

"He is working things out for the good of those who live Him"

Faith is not thinking God can, but knowing He will

I am working on your behalf

Bring me all your concerns, including your dreams

Talk with Me about everything,

Letting the Light of My Presence shine on your hopes and plans

Spend time allowing My Light to infuse your dreams with life,

gradually transforming them into reality

-Jesus Calling 

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Much to be Thankful for

My brother Jon, (far right) is home for the first time in 15 years for Thanksgiving
The four Christensen siblings together again!
Chris, Beth, Me, Jon and Beth's kids Hudson & Jace 

This year I am changed

I feel different than years past 

I know I am different

And not because I live in Arizona, but because thankfulness floods my heart, daily

That has not always been the case

I have learned that happiness is not found in things, status or comfort ood

I have learned that the only true fulfillment is my relationship with Christ 

Because of Him, I have chosen to chase my dreams over complacency  

Because of Him, I have chosen to seek joy over self pity and doubt 

Because of Him, I have so much HOPE about my future I get giddy

Because of Him, I have found more peace 

I am Thankful 

The only explanation is the fact that I have chosen to seek the Lord in my life more intentionally 

I have chosen Him to lead, to guide and move in my life than ever before

I chose Him and He has provided 

I am thankful 

I have been so overwhelmed where my life has gone, I catch myself saying "that is just crazy" 

When really it is just our God being who He is 

Loving my time with my sister! 

My life brings new challenges, blessings and adventures daily  

Sometimes I wonder how I deserved such a blessed life

Then I remember that we don't deserve anything in this life

He graciously sacrificed for us on the cross so we can receive Him 

I am thankful 

God graciously gives us His Grace daily

He deeply loves and always forgives us 

He wants a relationship with us still 

We don't deserve, but He gives

Because that is who He is

He is worth all our praise and thankfulness

The whole Christensen family 2014

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