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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Currently in April

                Linking up with Jenna and Anne today for another edition of their "Currently" series.

Currently this April I’m…

MAKING room for more "me time" in my life. Well, trying at least. I am in a season of growth and hustle in all areas of my life, which is exciting, but also exhausting. I am learning the importance to make time for myself. Whether it's to blog, read, journal, quiet time, call my family, I need to make time to rejuvenate and refill so then I can pour more of myself into my true passions. 

WISHLISTING Some new outfits for Arizona. I have lived here almost two years and I still have not found my "Arizona style" I am comfortable with in this heat. 

CLEANING everything! Seriously, I just cleaned my whole room and bathroom tonight. I leave tomorrow for Seattle then my aunt is coming into town and staying with me. 

POSTING I have been posting a lot of quotes from Christine Caine. I love that women. She just came out with a new book called Unashamed that I am reading and loving. If you want to be inspired, then read it. If you want help to discover your purpose, then read it. If you need help getting over guilt and shame, then read it. 

TASTING blended AdvoCare vanilla Muscle Gain, strawberries and spinach. Every single day for the past week and a half for breakfast. They are quick, easy, simple, yummy and a completely balanced meal! Win/win! 

Currently in March

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Waiting For The Call {Guest Post}

This is a special post for me. Not only is it a guest blog, but it is written by my amazing sister Beth.

Her and her husband have two adorable little boys and are currently in the process of fostering to adopt. This is their real and raw story of how God put it on their hearts to adopt, and the process of "waiting" for their children. A sweet and powerful reminder that no matter what we are "waiting" for, there is peace and comfort in trusting in the Lord and His perfect timing. 

Prepared the girls room with expectation 

April 2013- I sat at our women’s conference at Rainier Hills Christian Fellowship. My pastor's wife, JoLee prayed for all of us and said, “We have gifts for each of you. Please go to the table. We have prayed over these verses and want you to randomly select one.” 

I grabbed one and went back to my seat and read:
Psalm 68:6, “God sets the lonely in families, He leads out the prisoners with singing.” 
I had no idea what this could even mean for me. We had lunch shortly after and my friend Nicole asked me what my verse was. I told her with my perplexed look on my face still not finding any meaning. 

She said, “Maybe you and Kevin will adopt and rescue children.” 

That verse has sat on my windowsill for the next two years. 
I would pray over the verse often and always remember Nicole’s words to me that day.

June 2015- Kevin, my husband, and I were at crossroads and had no real direction as to which path to take. It was obvious to us to get pregnant after my first son Jace so he could have a sibling as we cherished so much growing up. 

After I had my second son Hudson, we both had different ideas about what are family unit would look like. I wanted more children and Kevin was content with our family of four. We knew we needed to bring it to the Lord because ultimately it is not about what we want, but what He has planned for our family. We specifically prayed together for clarity if we were to adopt, have more children biologically, or not have any more children.

We waited for His Call. 

We waited for His answer. 

We waited for His Will.

August 2015- I was sitting in Cowboys Stadium at our annual AdvoCare Success School and He answered our prayer. It is a moment I will never forget. August 8, 2015 in section 243 at 2:42 pm. 

“You will adopt a baby.” 

I was hot, emotional. 
I wrote down what the Lord had just told me. 
It was too big to tell Kevin over the phone. 
I waited.

While I waited I praised the Lord. I wrote our baby a letter. I thanked Him for direction.

I walked into our home and told Kevin the Lord had spoke to me. This was not the first time these words have come out of my mouth. He looked wide eyed and expectedly. I said, “We are supposed to adopt.” Without hesitation he responded, “I always knew we would adopt.” We did not know what we were doing or getting ourselves into but we started the process in obedience terrified, excited, anxious, willing.

September 2015- We went and met with Bethany Christian Services in Shoreline, WA to hear more about the Domestic Infant Adoption program they offered believing this was the path we would take. For almost three hours they talked to us and answered all of our questions about the program. The last five minutes she said this and it changed the direction we thought we would go, “There are more families waiting than babies available. I want to dangle a carrot for you and talk to you about our foster to adopt program. We truly want you to do whatever the Lord is calling you to do.” 

We went out to lunch after and knew Foster Care was the path we were to take even though in our minds it scared us more than anything. We had peace in our hearts even though, emotionally, we were on a roller coaster where we couldn’t see the next turn.

February 20, 2016- We received our Foster Care license after completing mounds of paperwork, 24 total hours of classes, CPR/First Aid certification, FBI clearance, and 4 separate home study visits.

February 21, 2016 - We received 3 placement calls. We were no where near prepared for “the call” already but we acted when we felt strongly we were two take in two littles. 

On that Monday, we were told 99% chance we were going to get these two darlings by Friday 99% chance our mind meant 100%. We got their room ready. We made several trips to our local clothing bank as we prepared to add two more little ones to our family.  
Friday came and went. We got no call. We had no new information. 

We prayed on their bedroom floor over and over again as we waited.

During the wait we experienced every thought and emotion possible. 

We stood in faith that we would get these two blessings. We prayed without ceasing for these children. We wrote letters, drew pictures, cried, prayed, laughed, woke up many nights not being able to sleep, had our family, friends, and church family praying as we got no answers from our agency or the state. It was the longest 6 days of our lives from that Friday when we thought we would be picking them up to that Thursday when we got the call that they were placed with another family.

My heart felt like it had been ripped out of my chest. 
The pain and grief I felt is nothing I have ever experienced before. It in no way can be described but we love those two and still do. Our hearts ache knowing we wouldn’t get to celebrate their 2nd and 1st birthday that we had already marked on the calendar. New pajamas were washed and placed in their cribs for the first night. They still are in the same spot. Their birthdays are still listed on our calendar. We still talk about them daily and pray for them regularly. 

For whatever reason, God allowed us to love these two deeply and we are so grateful even through the pain of not knowing if we will ever to get to have them as a part of our family.

We are still in the wait but know God’s plan is perfect and His timing is perfect. 

We eagerly wait for “the call”

Our hearts have grown. 

Our faith has grown. 

Our love has grown. 

Our trust has grown. 

Our patience has grown. 

None of this would have been possible if we did not have to wait. 

We are thankful for the wait and will continue to trust Him on this journey to add to our family.

First born Jace Robert Madill 

Younger brother Hudson Wayne Madill 

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When Comparison Truly Becomes Your Thief of Joy

It is almost midnight and I am scrolling through Facebook

Not looking for anything specific, no purpose whatsoever
Isn't that how it always is 90% of the time?

I read a blog post and I start to think about how much better it is than mine

I continue to read about her ministry and count the followers she has

I start to compare my small ministry and I lose a little piece of joy

Then I switch to Instagram and I see a "selfie" of another "friend" and her husband

I start to compare my single life and I lose a little piece of joy

Then I see I have a notification on Twitter

I scroll through the "140 characters or less" status' about vacations, weddings and new houses

I start to compare my "boring life" and I lose a little piece of joy

In the span of two minutes, I have completely convinced myself my purpose is not big enough, I don't work hard enough, I need to be skinnier, more adventurous, take more risks, buy a nicer car, and I need a husband and 2.5 kids by yesterday

This scenario didn't just happen tonight- it happens daily
Is this just me?

Why do we compare our own lives to the highlight reels of others?

Highlight reels are just that, the highlights of a person's life
In a world full of opinions and judgment, who wants to post about their struggles
Not me

This past week I could feel the comparison trap coming on and my joy being stolen little by little
I decided to fast from social media this past weekend
Not for anything else but to refocus on my own life 

And guess what? It was only two days, but it was one of the best things I have ever done

An amazing day celebrating an amazing couple

Instead of reading other people's status', I read promises of God
Instead of aimlessly scrolling through people's lives, I scrolled through my own
Instead of having the world tell me what I am NOT, I proclaimed what I AM in Christ

Chosen
Designed
Loved
Forgiven
Saved
Created for a purpose

I am not saying social media is a bad thing or you need to fast from it
But, if we don't have solid boat to ride on, then the world will easily drown us in comparison, jealousy and envy

When we lose our security in Christ, doubt can easily creep in
Why aren't you further along in life?
Why aren't you married?
Why aren't you making more?
Did God really say?
That is the enemy trying to make you believe lies of this world

Who says you need a nicer car or bigger house?
Who says that your job does not matter or not good enough?
Who says you need to be "this far along" at the age of 30?
Who says you are not good enough?
Who says?!

You know what my God says about me?

Jessie, you are exactly where you are supposed to be. You have all you need to accomplish what I have planned for you. I will complete what I started in you. I will fulfill those desires. I have bigger dreams for you then you can ever imagine. I designed YOU for a specific purpose that no one else can fill.  Look to me for purpose, not of this world. Stop striving for your life to look like someone else's. I designed you. Trust me I know exactly where you are and what you need. You are enough. 

Monday I will be going back to social media to connect with the rest of the world
But I will hold tight to promises God has for my life, not the world
The world will not take away my joy

"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

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Jesus, My Superman

"Every woman was once a little girl. 

And every little girl holds in her heart her most precious dreams. 

She longs to be swept up into romance, to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, 

to be the beauty of a story. Those desires are far more than child's play.

 They are the secret to the feminine heart" 

- Stasi Eldredge "Captivated"

Lois Lane grips the seat belt as she hangs from the helicopter that dangles 600 feet above New York 

 Nothing but the concrete jungle below her

She tries to pull herself up, but her grip keeps slipping

One by one her hands let go and she is free falling down to her death 

Or so we thought! 

But then out of no where, Superman sweeps her up mid air 

And Lois Lane falls safely in the arms of Superman 

She is rescued

This is the scene from Superman I watched over and over when I was a little girl

And every time my heart would fill with longing

I wanted to be Lois Lane (maybe not the near death part) 

But, I wanted to fall into Superman's arms

I wanted to be rescued (by Superman in this case) 

Since I can remember, I always had that longing "to be rescued"

When my siblings and I would play dress up, I would always be the princess rescued by the prince

Or we would re-enact the scene of Lois Lane being rescued by Superman 

My heart would set on fire during those "make believe moments" 

As I got older I would still find that longing deep in my heart

I didn't truly understand what it was or the purpose
I thought it was a silly, little girl desire I would out grow

But I didn't
And I sought after to fulfill the longing from boyfriends

Because of that, I would place unrealistic expectations on them

And every time I would be let down by unmet expectations
(Here is a hint: my boyfriends were never meant to fulfill that longing in the first place...

...And neither is yours)  

Then I met Jesus

Ya, I knew who Jesus was before but I never took the time to truly get to know the man 

But after being let down so many times I decided to seek out the only person I have been told, 

"Never lets you down"

So, I sought after this man named Jesus

I would read the Gospels and the life of Jesus every morning

I read about His compassion

His Grace

His Forgiveness

His tender Mercy

And I read about His love

His passionate, radical love to the least of these

I pursued this man more than any boyfriend I ever had

And guess what?

He never let me down

Not once

Every time I opened the Bible He would fill every longing

And I kept reading about Jesus

I could not stop

Then one day I read some verses that changed my life forever

"For God SO loved the world that He gave His only Son (Jesus). 

That whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. 

For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, 

but to save the world through Him (Jesus)"

John 3:16-17 

AND 

"For the Son of man (Jesus) came to seek and to save what was lost (You and I) "

Luke 19:10 

So, let me get this straight, Jesus came into this world to save me?

You mean, I have been saved?
By Jesus?

You know what this means right?

My rescuer has already saved me

In fact, He saved me over 2,000 years ago

My "falling from a building"rescue has already been completed

(SIGH)
This changed EVERYTHING for me and I hope it does for you, too

No more unrealistic expectations put on men

No more unfulfilled and lonely nights

My heart now rests in the fact that I have ALREADY been rescued

I believe God puts longing in our hearts to be reminded that He is the ONLY one who can fill them

And as I continued to study and read more of the Old and New Testament, I realized that the whole BIBLE points to the Jesus's coming as the rescuer 

The whole BIBLE is a story about the world's biggest rescue mission with Jesus being the ultimate rescuer 

So, I may never be rescued falling from a building (heaven forbid)

But, I have been rescued from my sins 

I have been rescued from guilt and shame

I have been rescued from the pressure to be perfect

I have been rescued INTO a life of Grace and Mercy

I have been rescued by The One who saved my soul

And from what I watched when I was a little girl, Superman could never do that  

#IchooseJesusasmyrescuer

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{Believe} Boldly

When the New Year comes, I always think it's a good idea to choose a word to reflect on

But, I have never done it...

...until this year 

Call it a sense

Call it a feeling

Call it a knowing

Call it the Holy Spirit 

But this year feels different than any other year 

 So, to be different I decided to choose a word 

BELIEVE

AND... I even chose a bible verse to go with it

Yay me! 

This past year I didn't think of a word 

But if I were to describe the year, it would be the year of preparation

That is what I am going to call it

It was also a year full of new beginnings, growth, and lessons learned

 And my favorite, lots of pruning of relationships, bad thinking habits & selfishness

It was both painful and joyful all at the same time knowing that pruning always leads to sweeter fruit

And all of that pain and joy was preparation for THIS year 

That is what I am BELIEVING

I am also believing that in 2016 the Lord will open up doors only He can open

I am believing for unusual miracles

I am believing my deepest desires to come true

I am believing for chains to be broken and miraculous healing

I am believing for answers to my boldest prayers

I am believing for a bigger platform to be used for His Glory

I am believing for stronger confidence and bolder faith

I am believing for my deepest dreams to be fulfilled 

And I am believing my biggest goals to be accomplished 

"What you BELIEVE about God will directly determine the legacy of your faith and your impact on the world for the Glory of God" 
- Steven Furtick 

I am believing God will show up big time in 2016
Why?
Because I want to leave a big legacy for His Glory 

Because I want to make an impact on this world
I am believing boldly because this is what I know about my God;

1) He is faithful to those who BELIEVE

Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. 
In fact, his faith grew stronger and in this he brought Glory to God. 
He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.
Romans 4:20-21 

Keep in mind, that the Lord your God is the only God. 
He is a faithful God who keeps His promise
Deuteronomy 7:9 

 2) He is faithful to complete the good works He started

Being confident of this, He who began the good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ
Phil. 1:6 

3) He is loves to give the desires of our heart 

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart
Psalm 37:4

4)  He always gives us more than we ever dream or imagine

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine
Ephesians 3:20 

5)  He is not an ordinary God, so our lives shouldn't be either 

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth
Genesis 1:1 

 6) He is loving

For God so LOVED the world He gave His only begotten son, 
that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life
John 3:16  

All over the Bible, there are examples of ordinary people, with extraordinary BELIEF
And because of their faith, amazing things happened in their life for His Glory
This is the kind of belief I want this year

I will be a woman who believes in the promises of God
I will be a woman who believes that God will fulfill her desires
I will be a woman who believes her God is trustworthy and faithful, even if

The best part?
He promises it only takes the faith of a mustard seed
(if you don't know, they are extremely small)

Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to that mountain "move from here and there" and it will move
Matthew 17:20 

Will you join me in BELIEVING that God is able, willing and ready to make this a life-changing, extraordinary year for you too? 

My and my girls

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Stepping Into A Whole New Level of Trust

Welcome to the new In The Waiting

Since moving to Arizona July 2014, God immediately placed the theme of In The Waiting on my heart 
At first I was confused as to what this would mean 
Because, in MY life, I was perfectly comfortable with "Enjoying The Journey" 
As that was the former title of this blog 
A journey has been exactly what the Lord has been taking me on 
And learning to enjoy the journey is what He has been teaching me
So, why do I have to change something that has been comfortable the past four years?

As time went on in Arizona, God continued to stir In The Waiting in my heart
I have learned that when God continues to tell us something we cant ignore it, as much as we try
Just as seasons change, God changes us as well
We outgrow the season we are in as He calls us out of our comfort zones 
And we grow and we stretch more into the person God created us to be
He challenges us to go higher and deeper in trusting Him

So, after a year and a half of wrestling, doubt, prayer, excitement, provision, and more prayer
I have decided to start In The Waiting
Call it a blog
Call it a ministry
Call it a blog ministry 
Maybe even a book one day 
Whatever the case, I am stepping into a whole new deeper level of TRUST
And I hope you will step with me

Here is a little bit more background of my story In The Waiting 

Let me take you back to one night in October 2011
I was weary, unmotivated and frustrated with how my life was going
I had little passion, no purpose and no direction for my life 
I knew in that moment I had to let go of control 
So I prayed, "Lord, I surrender"

I had no idea that that one little prayer would lead me on a path I never imagined
Since that very night the Lord has placed dreams and visions in me I never knew existed
He has taken me on an adventure I never dreamed of
He has answered prayers better than imagined
{You can read more about my journey to Arizona HERE}

Here is the thing I have learned through this journey He has me on; 

We all have dreams

We all have longings

We all have desires

And if our hearts are surrendered to Him, then we can be confident that He WILL fulfill them
And God has been so faithful to answer some of my deepest longings and desires

 "I am sure that God Who began the good work in you will keep on working in you until the day Jesus Christ comes again" Phil 1:6 

But, I am still praying for some to be answered
And I bet YOU are, too

God LOVES to answer our prayers
He DESIRES to answer them
But here is the thing, He answers them on His own time
In His own way 

There is a saying, "when God closes a door, He always opens another one"

But sometimes we forget that there is always a hallway in between the doorways
Between the answered prayers is a time of waiting

I believe that we ALL are waiting for a prayer to be answered

I believe we ALL have desires and dreams God has put on our hearts that we are waiting for

How do we stay trusting God In The Waiting?
How do we live boldly and confidently In The Waiting?
How do we live faithfully In The Waiting?
How do we stay strong In The Waiting?
How do we continue to enjoy our journey In The Waiting?
How do we live in expectation during our moments of In The Waiting?

My hope and vision for In The Waiting is not only to share my journey, but for YOU, other women, to share your journey of In The Waiting, too

A place to share moments of vulnerability, weakness and growth

A place to share moments of great JOY, celebration, and gratitude

A place to share encouragement, wisdom and support

Let's empower each other to live boldly and confidently, with GREAT expectation while In The Waiting

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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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