Live Out Your Calling

I have always been a dreamer, well maybe more of a hopeless romantic

A year ago I could not have told you what dreams I had

Yes, there those dreams of getting married and having a family

But I never found myself having real specific dreams 

However, this past year the Lord has placed dreams on my heart that I never saw coming

It has been one whirlwind of an adventure to fulfill some of those and then to dream some more

This past year I have also felt more doubt then ever before

I fall into Satan's trap of thinking I am not good enough to have dreams

I am too foolish

They are too big

 They cant be accomplished

It is just Satan's way of attacking us in our most vulnerable state

Satan knows when we start dreaming, we get dangerous

We gain hope and confidence!

We discover just how powerful we can be when we are filled with the spirit to fulfill those dreams! 

Our true calling, our purpose for His kingdom

So, tonight I would like to share those dreams

Almost all of them are dreams that have come into my heart just this past year

God is doing amazing things in my heart

He is transforming it exactly for Him

For His kingdom 

The Lord has placed these dreams on my heart for a reason

He promises to fulfill those desires of our hearts 

 Beautiful and exhilarating

I dream to travel to Africa and shine the light and love of Christ on many children

I dream to travel to every major cities Children's Hospital and pass out Joy Jars

I dream to have a platform that allows me to go into hospitals and spread faith hope and love. 

I dream to be baptized in the Jordan River with my husband, Beth and kevin

I dream to be debt free in two years

I dream to have a marriage that has a ministry and platform to share the gospel 

I dream to travel the world with my husband

I dream to have a family and raise my children to know Christ and be an example of His love

I dream to travel the nation and run races for charity

I dream of helping young women who have walked along the same path as me

I dream of having a marriage that serves others and is a godly example to others

I dream of marrying the man God created for me in front of all my friends and family 

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He Knows

So, yes it has been awhile since I have written

Not that I don't have anything to write about because I do! 

A lot

God is continuing to teach me, lead me and guide me on His path

He is continuing to bless me more than I know

And most importantly He constantly shows me grace when I fail

A lot

Over the past couple weeks God has been showing me one very specific lesson 

He knows my dreams

He knows my desires

He knows He will fulfill those in His time

If I trust in Him and know He wont lead me astray, then why do I forget to live in the moment?

It is easy for me to get excited about my dreams I forget that I still have a purpose for today

I look past all the blessings He is showing me today

I don't ask how He can use me today

Each day is a new chance to glorify Him

Each day is a new opportunity to grow in Him

Each day is full of blessings and His grace

You see, because each day has a specific reason 

Each day is part of His ultimate plan to use you in this life

He is slowly molding you, guiding you, preparing you for His glory

And when the timing is right He will open that new door

A new dream will be fulfilled and better than you ever imagined

And then the preparing and molding starts over again as He guides you to another dream

Instead of asking God "What's next" which implies waiting around for something to happen

Approach each day with the question 

"I am yours today Lord, how can you use me to be a light for You, today? "

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Directly to the Mailbox

  

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DON'T LOSE The WONDER, The JOY, The CHILDLIKE ENCOUNTERS you can have every day

They help you see and listen to God a little better

Don't take things too seriously,

             You'll miss the purpose for which God placed them in your life                
        

God has given you teams to coach, families to raise, friends and neighbors to cherish, and LIFE to experience ABUNDANTLY (John10:10). 

Don't let the ENEMY of your soul STEAL any of it.

Do that and you'll press ... ONWARD and UPWARD.

My own little blessings

                                                

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A Mothers Love

This past weekend we got to celebrate the best and my favorite woman on this earth

My mom

Who has always been the one to encourage and inspire me to grow? 

My mom

Who has taught me the importance of telling the truth and living out that truth? Even when that meant going up to my coaches house to tell her the truth because I told her I was in 5th grade when I really was in 4th.

My mom

Who has always been there to dry my MANY tears and wash away my doubts?

My mom

Who is proud of me no matter what I do in life? 

My mom

Who prays everyday for my future husband and believes in our future marriage? Even when I thought I was going to marry Devon Sawa or Superman.

My mom

Who has taught me the power of prayer?

My mom

Who has showed me the love, patience and kindness?

My mom

And most importantly, who has showed me how to live out my faith, how to be a women of faith, a Proverbs 31 woman, a Wife of Noble character?

My mother 

I am not a mom yet but when I do become one, I know exactly who I want to be like

My mom

Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting: but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Proverbs 31:30 

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Just a Glimpse

I was absolutely blessed to have my best friends supporting me!
So inpsired by them all and blessed to have them along this journey!

I was able to go down to Cali and run a 5k for The Jessie Rees Foundation

This past winter a little girl named Jessie stole my heart

I have since then made it my mission to help her continue her dream of spreading JOY

I dont know why this charity has stole my heart but it did

My heart has found a passion so deep I never thought was possible

A passion and desire to forever help bring children hope, joy and a future

Have you ever had a glimpse of what you think God is calling you to do?

Just a little taste of what your future holds, your dreams and goals?

I did last weekend when I decided to run the 5k

After the race I met my friends by the The Jessie Rees charity table

Just having your best friends support you is an amazing feeling

But I felt like I needed to talk to the founder of the charity and father of Jessie

His name is Erik Rees

I read all about the charity online and the letters he writes to his daughter in heaven

I am forever inspired by his strength and faith

I just needed to tell him

If you know me, you know I can be a little reserved so after talking myself in and out of doing it
I found a the right time and walked up and introduced myself

A blink of a moment

That was all it took for me to see the glimpse of my purpose

We chatted for a few minutes

I told him how inspiring him and his family are

We talked about the weather and our SPU connection

He then thanked me and hugged me goodbye

But I knew it was not goodbye

It is only the beginning of what I truly believe is my future

I kept asking myself "Is this real? This is happening?"

I felt like I was in a dream

My dreams

They are becoming true and real

I am back home in Seattle now after two weeks of "glimpes" of my dreams

Sometimes I feel my heart becoming heavy and thinking "what now God?"

I am yearning for God to teach me to just TRUST

Trust He has me

Trust He will work things out

Trust that He has something absolutely amazing in store for my life

So much more than I can ever imagine

A life that radically shows that He is God of all

A life that honors & serves Him

A life that fills, rocks and shakes me to the core of my being

However, I must not forget to be thankful during this time of waiting
I must wait Intentaionally
Wait and remember that moment chatting with Erik
That glimpse, that taste of my future
That moment my dreams slowing became reality
I was reminded these past two weeks just how BIG our God is
And you know what? Our goals and dreams should be just as big!

I dont want to barley get by
God created us to be brave
 Created to excel
Created us to live a life of adventure
Take risks

 “(smile) I’m yours today Lord, I’m ready now and listening…” 



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In Living Those Dreams, You Dream Again

Well, Hello there May

Where did the time go? I cant believe it is already May!

It just seemed ike yesterday I was ringing in the New Year

The season of spring has sprung around the Seattle area

You know what else has sprung?

My dreams

goals

desires

HOPE is alive

 thriving

Last spring my passion for childrens charities began

Fast forward 12 months and here I am

Just completed my first half marathon for a St. Jude

I saw "my first" because I know this wont be the last race to complete for charity

This was a weekend that was only a spark of my dreams

 Only a glimpse of what I feel is my future

One of the best parts of the weekend was spending time with my best friend Sarah

She drove from Alabama with her husband Jon and 3 month old, Everett

Sarah is a friend that no matter the distance we remiain close

We share our life with each other, all the ups and downs, dreams and desires

We spent the weekend doing just that but in Nashville!

We always talk about traveling together and going on adventures

They will be moving to Germany for three years and I cant wait for those adventures!

I flew by myself on the way there and then we all flew back together

Baby Everett was so good on the two flights home!



Blessed and humbled by all the support I received. Thank you for your donations, but most importantly for your thoughts and prayers.

I was truly blessed with amazing support for this race

I know so many people were cheering, praying and thinking of me during this race

If I could just run for charity the rest of my life I would

I dont know where I am going with this passion of mine but I know I am on my way

My dreams, goals and passions that I have are being fulfilled

 The best part is I know God has only just begun

I have realized this past year the power of a dream

Let go and just dream

We actually live today, in our dream of yesterday, and in living those dreams we dream again

God places those dreams on your heart for a reason

Listen to what God is whispering to you

I encourage you to block off some time to dream

Set some goals, get after what you can, and dont be afraid to dream

If you dont ever dream it, it can never happen!

^" Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."

Ephesians 3:20  

My daily reminder

“The Future Belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”

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Heaven on Earth

My sister and I LOVE Chris Tomlin, who doesn't?!

He is an amazing singer, song writer and worship leader

When his tickets went on sale in January we could not pass that opportunity 

We could not miss hearing the songs live that we have been listening blasting over and over again

I think My sister and I got a glimpse of Heaven last night

No, I would not even call it a glimpse

Heaven is 10 (insert infinity 0's) greater, better, more amazing

But I felt closer than I have ever been 

Last night was a worship experience I will never forget

There is nothing like being with thousands and praising the Lord

Lifting our hands

Pouring out our hearts

Singing His praises

Together

One city

One Church

Our favorite song is Angel Armies

There is always some serious worship going on in my car with this song

Being able to experience live was amazing

I know Who goes before meI know Who stands behind

The God of Angel Armies

Is always by my side

 ^"Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders"

Ten thousands is a rhetorical phrase for an indefinitely large number

Talk about one big army

Expect nothing less with God!

And to guess what?

That army is fighting for you and me

What would you do if you truly believed this army would always have your back?

It would seem impossible to fail right? 

It would be foolish to not continue the fight with this army

YOU CAN NOT AND WILL NOT LOSE

Ever

The Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was and who is to come

The Almighty

I would not want to experience this night with anyone else

We have grown together in this journey

I know God has great things planned for us and our families

We made a joke on the way home that the only night that will be better than this will be my wedding day :) 

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I Love You Regardless

Dear Jessie, my precious child,

I love you regardless of how well you are performing. Sometimes you feel uneasy, wondering if you are doing enough to be worthy of My Love. No matter how exemplary your behavior, the answer to that question will always be no, your performance and My Love are totally different issues, which you need to sort out. 

I love you with an everlasting Love that flows out from eternity without limits or conditions. I have clothed you in My robe of righteousness, and this is an eternal transaction; Nothing and no one can reverse it.

Therefore, your accomplishment as a Christian has no bearing on My Love for you. Even your ability to assess how well you are doing on a given day is flawed. Your limited human perspective and the condition of your body, with its mercurial variations, distort your evaluations. 

Bring your performance anxiety to Me, and receive in its place My Unfailing Love. Try to stay conscious of My loving presence with you in all that you do, and I will direct your steps.

Love,

God

The Lord came to us from far away, saying, “I have loved you with a love that lasts forever. So I have helped you come to Me with loving-kindness.

Jeremiah 31:3

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"I will have much joy in the Lord. My soul will have joy in my God, for He has clothed me with the clothes of His saving power. He has put around me a coat of what is right and good, as a man at his own wedding wears something special on his head, and as a bride makes herself beautiful with stones of great worth."

- Isaiah 61:10

"Make Your face shine upon Your servant. Save me in Your loving-kindness."

- Psalm 31:16

"Let them give thanks to the Lord for His loving-kindness and His great works to the children of men!"

- Psalm 107:8

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Jamil and Jenzie Journals

I met my friend Jamil last year at the marketing convention, NACMA, in Dallas

Our friendship continued to grow rapidly throughout the year

He is one of my most encouraging, supportive friends I have

He pushes me in my faith and inspires me to chase my dreams

We have our own blog called "Jamil and Jenzie Journals"- Long story on Jenzie :)

We use the blog to write our thoughts, inspirations and anything that encourages us

We both feel God has placed us on one wild adventure and we wanted to share it with eachother

We share our dreams

Our goals

Our passions

Our love for Christ

Back and forth

We share our hearts

I decided today to share one of my most vulnerable post I wrote to Jamil last Saturday...

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Hi Jamil!

I just got back from working a spring soccer game. However, I say "spring" loosely because the weather proved otherwise. It was sunny, then downpour, hail, sunny and now back to raining. I am sitting on my couch in Seattle, just had a nice dinner, wrapped up in a blanket with my favorite sweatshirt on, and the Mariners game is on in the background. One would say I have all the necessities in life to live. But am I really living? Am I really living the life God has intended me to live? Yes, I can survive but I just don't want to survive in this life. I want to really live, live for God and the passion He has placed on my heart.

My dreams and desires have been at an all time high this past week and I just don't know why. I went to a fundraiser breakfast the other morning for the Seattle Matt Talbot center. What a wonderful organization. It gives the homeless a second chance at life. A Christian based foundation that is doing amazing things in Seattle. After the breakfast I was full of gratitude for the employees and sponsors for this organization. I am thankful that God gave us all different hearts to serve different brokenness of this world.

But you know what I kept thinking about?

You know what my heart longs for?

You know what my heart is on fire for?

Children

I want to serve, help, give hope to children and their families

ALL over the world

Physically, my heart aches
Mentally, my mind is elsewhere
Emotionally, I am longing. Longing for more

Jamil, I have never been so sure of something in my life. I sit here on my couch and my heart continues to ache as I write this because I believe that my life passion is to serve, cherish and work with children, locally, nationally, and even internationally. I have no doubt God has placed this on my heart for a reason. I know God is preparing me for something greater than I have ever imagined, and much greater than myself.

Yet, my heart still aches. I don't know where or what that entails for me, but those desires have only grown. I think my running for charities is only the stepping stone to what God has planned. Which is very exciting, almost exhilarating knowing I could spend my life doing what I love. (sigh)

This was a very spur of the moment blog. No pre planning, just something on my heart at the moment. I am so thankful for you and this opportunity to write my feelings to you. God has placed me on an amazing, extraordinary journey...both of us:)

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Love you!

Love,

Jessie

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