This weekend I was blessed with the opportunity to attend the Designed for Life women's conference at James River Assembly. Sharing the theme of A Love Story, powerful speakers Debbie Lindell, Christine Caine, Priscilla Shirer and Dianne Wilson encouraged more than 4,000 ladies to share the love story that they have with Jesus.
I was so encouraged, blessed and moved. Like one the speakers said, it was like going on an amazing getaway date with God as He wrapped us in tremendous reminders of His love all weekend. We were reminded and encouraged to share where He brought us from, that He will deliver us and how He has given us each a hope and future.
I also love that my love story with Jesus began 22 years ago today! At the age of 7, I accepted Jesus as my Savior and I'm so thankful that I know He's been with me through every day of my life! To mark this special day, I thought it only appropriate to share some of my story.
On September 30, 1990, I met my Savior during junior church at Park Crest Baptist Church. While I can't remember every detail, I can remember raising my hand to acknowledge my need for a Savior and going into the classroom next door where I prayed with one of the teachers. I also remember running to my Daddy to tell him that I got saved and him writing it down in my pink Bible.
For about a period of five years, my family was in and out of church as we went through the trials of separation, divorce, my Momma's first heart attack and my parents' remarriage. In 1996, my dear friend, Amanda, invited me to go to church with her at Valley View Baptist in Walnut Grove. I quickly fell in love with the church and invited my parents to attend also. I was excited to find out some of my parents' friends attended there also and they quickly made more friends also.
We became greatly involved in the church as a family. My Dad would share what God had laid on his heart from time to time; my Mom sang specials; she and I sang in the choir and worked with the little ones together. I also participated in two missions trips to Mexico and felt the Lord's call to work with children and youth while I was in Mexico. I loved God and was encouraged to share His love with others.
In the summer of 2000, I began visiting friends at High Street Baptist when my parents could not attend church. I enjoyed going to church with many of my friends from school and meeting new people. I was challenged and encouraged to grow in faith. My amazing youth pastor, Ron, and his wonderful wife, Cindy, invited us into their home for Bible study, took us on camp trips to Colorado and Texas that challenged, stretched and grew our faith even more. I shared many talks with Ron. One that made a tremendous impact was the afternoon we talked at a wrestling match about what I hoped to do with my life. I knew God wanted me to help teens; however, I knew He also wanted me to be a writer. So Ron suggested that I work for a Christian teen magazine and as soon as he said it I knew that was what God had for me. It laid heavily on my heart in high school, college and led me to where I am today.
I graduated from the youth group in 2002; however, I was tremendously blessed to serve as a youth counselor in the Varsity youth group for a brief time in 2003-2004. I loved working with my freshman girls and getting to know all the teens. Counseling them allowed me to grow as I wanted to be a positive influence in their lives and encourage them in their faith walks. I loved every minute with the teens! It was my great love for them that helped me to work hard on my magazine prototype in my Magazine Editing & Publishing class in college. It was my baby and a dream that God birthed in me to make a positive impact in the lives of teen girls. It's a desire that I still carry in my heart today and I know God is bringing me closer to making that difference each day.
However, it was also in 2003 and 2004 when a series of tough times really hit my family. In 2003, we saw my grandfather and cousin sadly pass away. My mother took a horrible fall in 2004 that would drastically change her life. Shortly into the beginning of my senior year at Evangel, my Nanny (Daddy's mother) passed on September 27, 2005. Although we celebrate that she is in Heaven, her passing was a major loss to our family. She was the glue to our large extended family. Her love was amazing for her 7 kids and 19 grandkids.
Then, at the end of my senior year within the matter of a week, my family went through an emotional roller coaster. On April 26, 2oo6, my uncle Butch (Mom's brother) unexpectedly passed at the age of 51. My parents' 24th anniversary was pretty much forgotten on April 27. The visitation was held on Sunday, the same day a party was held by my Dad's brothers and sisters to celebrate his 60th birthday. The funeral was on Monday, May 1, the first day of my finals. My baccalaureate was held on Thursday, May 4, Dad's birthday and my college graduation was on Friday, May 5.
Then, the biggest blow to our lives came when my Daddy passed away on Thursday, June 15, 2006, just days before Father's Day. It was six weeks after my college graduation and nine months after his mother's passing. My world as I knew it was changed forever. Although I can remember many details from the time, the pain and loss led me to pretty much feel like a walking zombie for the next two years. The loss of my Daddy is something that I still have to deal with today. It's hard to just be in complete peace when someone who made such a huge impact in your life is gone, and to know that there will be so much of my life that He will not be here physically to celebrate with me. As we were coping with these hard losses, we endured another sadness on August 25, 2007, my Grandma (Mom's mom) passed into eternity. Although her passing was the most beautiful heavenly home-going, we literally sang hymns around her beside, the loss was almost like pouring salt on an open wound. I literally feared 2008 coming because I did not want to see another member of my family pass away.
However, I know that it was truly during this time that my Jesus carried me. He still carries me and He will always be there for me.
Oh, there is so much that God has brought us through I could go on and on in the details. I truly could write a novel. Thankfully, in 2008, He truly began to restore the joy in our lives. On May 4, 2008, the day my Daddy would have been 62, Momma and I joined Graceway Baptist. Although my time there was short, I am so thankful for the healing and friendships I found in that church. I was able to jump into ministry again and saw God move in our situation. It was the turning point that truly showed me that we are His children and He will always be there for us.
It was during this time that I also began working at the General Council of the Assemblies of God that led to me writing for Oncourse magazine, the national youth magazine for the AG. It was also during this time that I turned over my lifelong struggle of weight to God and He miraculously began my journey of weight loss. He blessed me the knowledge, opportunities and strength to lose 140 lbs. And, it was during this time that I met amazing people that encouraged me to visit James River Assembly, where I have been overwhelmed time and time again by the amazing presence of the Holy Spirit. In a little more than a year, I cannot keep up with the count of the messages that I have felt so moved by God's message that I left with a tear-stained face.
I am overwhelmed by God's amazing love. I talk so much about the amazing friendships that God has blessed me with throughout my 29 years. So many of you have truly touched my life; however, the friendship that I share with Jesus is the greatest friendship and love that I could ever know. I am definitely more in love with Him today and pray to be more every day. As I begin my 29th year of life, 22nd year with Him, my desire more than ever is to be in His will, to go where He wants me to go and tell our amazing Love story that we share to all He wants to hear.
Thank you, God, for this amazing journey.
Love Always,
Jenn
