Her children rise up and call her blessed...

Dear Mom,

Tomorrow is the day we have always honored you. We write you cards, give you gifts and tell you that we love you. This year, that didn't quite seem enough. You have given me so much more than I can fit in a card or summarize with "Happy Mother's Day!"

You raised me with love and in the fear of the Lord. Almost every morning we had "Bible time" and I still remember drawing out the Psalms and Proverbs. What you instilled in us at a young age has left it's mark; it has not returned void. You taught the Word and it's principles in everyday life. Loving God was always more than merely going to Church, it was a way of life to be passionately pursued. In everything you taught us to seek the Lord. 

You spurred our creativity. Nothing was ordinary in our house. You cared more about our learning than a spotless house. Indian teepees, Pioneer wagons, Medieval castles, and forts of all shapes and sizes donned our living room more often than not. Once, you built us an ear that we could actually crawl through, and another time you really made me carry water like I had gotten it from well. You didn't just teach us, you made learning come to life.

Mom, you taught me how to love life. You are certainly more of a free spirit than uptight, and I love and appreciate that about you. Our home was always a happy and upbeat place because of you. I can't even count all the dance sessions we had while cleaning up the kitchen or the late nights you spent with us laughing in our rooms. Life was always an adventure to you. We could be lost in the middle of downtown Atlanta, but you said "It's an adventure kids!" Even going to the mall with you was "an adventure in how to be patient" especially for the boys! I can already tell that I'm going to be just like that with our kids as well.

You are very bold and are not afraid of being different. Your love for the Lord flows out into telling others about Him. I love that you simply cannot hold it back. I am so grateful for the weeks we spent in India together. It was a huge blessing for me to share Christ with my precious mother by my side. I loved watching you share the Good News of Jesus so passionately! You are set apart because of your passion for Christ. I am so thankful that I have such a wonderful example to follow.

You've always been there for me Mom. You have served us with such love for our entire lives. It brings tears to my eyes when I think of all that you sacrificed for us, and how ungrateful I have been at times. I am so very blessed to have a mother that loved me so much. You loved me enough to discipline me, to correct me, to teach me, and to train me up in the way that I should go. Not only that, but you hurt when I hurt, you were joyful when I was joyful, you were proud when I accomplished something and so much more. I have become who I am because of you. Your love and support has given me the desire to go after great things.

Your love for the Savior is unparalleled. I am so thankful that I grew up in a home where my mother read the Bible and lived out it's principles. I have so many sweet memories of us sharing what the Lord had taught us and reading God's Word together. When you pray, it is powerful. When you worship, it is authentic and often with tears. I have never doubted that you fear the Lord. 

One of the things I am most thankful for is how you loved Dad. You have truly shown me how to love and honor a husband. I pray to be a wife like you have been to Dad. You always supported him, deferred to him, followed his leadership and showed him how much you loved him. We respected him because you respected him. He is certainly worthy of it! I can remember several times when you just broke down in front of us and cried saying "I am so blessed to have your father as a husband!" You have shown me how to be faithful. You always did what he asked, even if it wasn't convenient - You made it a priority. I can't tell you how thankful I am for your example as a wife!

Mom, you are so beautiful. You radiate Christ and His love. You are an amazing woman and I hope to follow in your steps.

See the great heritage you are leaving for your children? We rise up today and call you blessed. "Many have done excellently, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the fruits of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates." (Proverbs 31:29-31) We praise you Momma!

I am blessed to call you Mom. You have given me so much that I can never repay. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for us. You are one of the most precious gifts that God has given to me.

I love you!

Your daughter,

Jennifer

...From here?

I hate waiting.

There, now I've said it. I like to have a plan and stick to it. In preparation for any trip or project, you can guarantee that I have made a checklist and a schedule...at least in my head if not on paper. In highschool and early on in college I used to get extremely annoyed when someone was running late or threw a complication into "my plan." After a few loving rebukes, I have since tried to be more flexible. Even so, I just don't like to be flexible. I like my own way better. I hate waiting - in everyday life and in my relationship with the Lord. Except God is obviously not obligated to follow "Jen's Checklist for How She Wants Her Life to Work Out."

I'm just going to be honest right now. This week has been a struggle. I'm having to let go of some of my dreams and surrender a few steps in my "plan" to the Lord. In my soul there is a deep restlessness. I feel like God has given me these intense passions only to let them lie dormant. I am waiting. Desperation for a life filled with His purpose consumes me. I just don't know what that purpose is specifically. I am learning to be satisfied in Him through the waiting, to be content even when I'm not where I want to be, and to be patient in waiting for His vision.

"For still, the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end - it will not lie.

If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay."

(Habakkuk 2:3)

...From here?

Spinning, my head is spinning

With so much on my mind

My heart has a deep yearning

But for what, I cannot find

Here, for a season, for a time

Yet I’m eager to move on today

I want adventure, not routine

Some days I just want to run away

I feel You pulling me toward something

But when will Your revelation be near?

What is it that You ask of me now

Where are You leading me from here

…From here?

Something invisible compels me

In my mind there is restlessness

I must know, Lord, I must know

I do not want to wander aimless

I know you have a purpose

For the passion bursting from my veins

What You have started in me

Will be completed, not in vain

I feel You pulling me towards silence

So that Your voice I can hear

Your servants waits on you now

Where are You leading me from here

…From here?

the power of words

Speak Up.

Words.
Powerful words.
They can crush.
Or cure.
Bless.
Or curse.

Seemingly small.
Words shape our future.
Define our destiny.
Seal our fate.
They can lead us to ruin.
Or build like precious stones.

When the heart is squeezed.
It speaks.
Because what is within.
Ultimately fills our mouths.
In time, we say.
What we think.

The tongue is a force.
The mouth a fountain.
Of evil.
Or good.
So we must speak well.


I found this on Passion City Church's blog. I didn't realize how much I was going to need it today.

Our words are so important. They are a reflection of what is in our hearts. They are powerful. With one word you can lift someone up, with another tear them down. The Bible says that the tongue is a fire in James 3:6 and there is much said about it in Proverbs. What are my words doing? What comes out of my mouth when I am squeezed?

It's hard not to lash out when people talk about you behind your back, or make jabs at you. Still, I was reminded that my Savior endured much worse during His lifetime. I have bargained with He who bore a cross. Who am I to complain about life's circumstances? Who am I to be critical or defensive? I should respond with grace.

My life is but a moment. And I want it to count. All of it, including my words...whether that means to speak up or hold my tongue. I pray that I may speak with love and grace on my lips.

Justice & Mercy

Have you ever had something pop into your head and you really have no idea where it came from? It's happened to me quite a bit lately. The other day I was getting ready to head to lunch when this thought came to me:

What if I was more aware of the needs around me? What if there was a way to get a lot of people connected and united with the mission to make a difference in our world for the Kingdom? What if I started such a project? How can I help others to help others?

Ideas started flooding my mind. Where did they come from? Sometimes I have a hard time differentiating my dreams from inspiration from the Holy Spirit. I wonder, what is the difference? God has been doing some crazy things in my heart as of late. I almost fear becoming a radical. What will this mean for my life? What will he call me to do? I'm not sure what God is going to do, but I am ready to find out!

I don't know about you all, but I'd love to do more to help people. My problem is that I'm not sure of where to start. Simply giving money to the church and expecting the ministers to impact the world just isn't good enough for me. I want to be a part. I want to make a difference for Christ in this world.

I want to love justice and mercy.

What good is my worship of the Savior if I have no love for the lost, the needy, the broken, the widows and orphans? How can I say that I serve Jesus Christ and NOT reach out to them?

I have a vision.

I see our generation rising up as the Bride of Christ. We can be more unified now than ever before. We have so many things to our advantage. I see this generation leaving behind the comforts of our culture and using our resources to reach this world. I see us rising up to proclaim the glory of Jesus Christ, showing the world that He is worthy by giving up everything for Him. I see the Spirit move in power among us. I hear us proclaiming, "Jesus, we are here for You!" And oh, how I yearn to witness it all come to pass.

This video rocked my world. God has been speaking these very same things to my heart. This was confirmation. Please, take a moment to watch it. I'm not sure about everything he says, but the principle behind this video is worth seeing.

So, this is your invitation. Come and join the revolution. Come and make a difference. I don't know how it will all happen, but I'm giving everything I've got for this purpose - the glory of God, no matter the cost. O grace of God, let me not stay the same. Take hold of me. Consume me.

"If anyone  has material possessions and sees a brother in needy but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with workds or speech but with actions and in truth." (1 John 3:17-18)

Where the Spirit of the Lord is

This is a generation that longs for purpose in life.

After seeing our parents work the "9 to 5" just to pay the bills and feed the family, we think that there's got to be more to life than what lies behind a cubicle. I know I do.

We are dreamers. And our dreams are huge. My dream is to be part of something bigger than myself...I have so many passions that I long to put to use to make a difference.

But dreaming isn't enough. Dreaming doesn't change the world.

Do you yearn for purpose in life? Do you want to spend every single breath here on earth living with passion? I am convinced that my generation is fed up with living in the "status quo." We are tired (I am tired) of doing and seeing things in every aspect of life (our culture, church, work, relationships and so on) as they have been done and percieved. We're not afraid to go against the flow, but not really sure how we should go about it. In talking with Christ-followers close to my age, I see that we're not sure how the "day in and day out" should intertwine with our dreams...but we do know that God does have a specific purpose for our lives.

We are ready for CHANGE!

How do we become a force for good in the world? How do we know the will of God for our lives? How do we change the world? I am seeing more and more that is is something to be sought after in the Spirit, and that His Spirit must be in control of our lives if we want to impact the world for the glory of God.

I read this the other day:

"John answered, 'A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given to him from heaven.' " - John 3:27

There is so much truth in that statement.

God's thoughts belong to the world of the spirit, man's to the world of intellect. Though the world of the spirit can embrace intellect, the human way of thinking can never comprehend the spirit. Man's thoughts can't cross over into God's. As spoken through the prophet Isaiah, God says, "My thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."

I cannot know the will of God, or anything apart from simply knowing about Him, in my natural self.

"For a man to understand revealed truth requires an act of God equal to the original act wich inspired the text." - A. W. Tozer

I need His Spirit in my life. I can't seem get these verses out of my head lately:

 ⁶Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. ⁷But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. ⁸None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹But, as it is written,

  "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
   nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him"—  

 ¹⁰these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. ¹¹For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹²Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. ¹³And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
 ¹⁴The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. ¹⁶"For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ."

- 1 Corinthians 2:6-16

I can't tell you how living with passion and purpose will look in my life, but I can tell you that I am seeking it. My endevor is to put all else aside, pursue Christ, surrender to His Spirit, search His Word and to obey what He tells me. That has purpose. And I am convinced that as I seek Him, He will be faithful to show me His will for my life...for everyday. I know that where the Spirit of the Lord resides there is boldness, freedom, power and so much more. I hope to become more intimately aquainted with as Francis Chan calls Him, "The Forgotten God." I want to learn more. I need to know more.

I hope that this will be true in me:

 

"Where Christ is glorified, He (meaning the Spirit) will move about freely, pleased and at home." - A. W. Tozer

Have you guys seen this in our generation? Is a great shift comming? Comments are welcome!

Passion 2011 featured on CNN

I thought this was an awesome article! I was there and experienced it in person. Bring on the massive shift as Louie says!

College kids feeling passion for conference

By Steve Almasy, CNN

The Passion conference is more than just a huge gathering of college-age kids, organizers say.  the recent Atlanta conference was a call for the next generation to make Jesus a focal point in their lives and to share that passion with others, they said.

"Church was never meant to be an island of self-indulgence, but a missional community of Jesus-followers so in love with Him that they can do nothing else but carry His name to the world," pastor Louie Giglio said in an e-mail this week.

The event drew more than 22,000 students to the Georgia capital's convention center and to Philips Arena. It was even more successful than Giglio had hoped for.

"It is truly inspiring to see a generation that is so hungry for an authentic encounter with Jesus ... one that exchanges consumer-driven Christ for Christ-centered obedience," said Giglio.

One of the main spots at the conference, a convention floor full of booths for 10 carefully selected charities that the Passion movement works with throughout the year. The call went out to the college kids to spend time at the exhibits and find one that moved them.

On a Monday night, the third of a four-day event, thousands of kids dressed in t-shirts and jeans weaved their way through the exhibits. They took brochures and enthusiastically chatted as volunteers explained what each cause was about.

The stereotype is that college kids never have much money, but these kids dug deep. Some even brought in containers filled with money they had raised or saved.

Some donated what little money they had, some brought material goods, many gave from there hearts, officials said. Every charitable goal was surpassed, not by a little but by a lot.

The goal was to raise $500,000 for the charities, but after the conference, Do Something Now, the fundraising campaign of the Passion Conferences, announced that it had raised $1.1 million for Compassion International, Hope International, Haiti Transformed, International Justice Mission, Bibles Unbound, World Made Flesh, Joint Aid Management, Cure International, Living Water International, and the Atlanta Mission and City of Refuge (kids brought socks and towels for the homeless).
Giglio says it is compelling to see 18- to 22-year-olds giving to the causes that matter most.

"The fact that 22,000 university-aged young people would journey to Atlanta and gather for the name of Jesus is staggering in and of itself," he wrote. "But the fact that, as a result of His grace in their lives, they would pool their resources to the tune of $1.1 million to fund 10 local and global causes signifies a massive shift."

Students got to hear from pastor John Piper, who returned from an eight-month leave of absence, Francis Chan, and Beth Moore. The students sat intently, many taking notes, writing down the references to scripture passages. Afterward, they left, so moved barely a word was uttered.

They also were treated to warm up music from Chris Tomlin and his fellow artists on the sixstepsrecords label. The resulting live album (yet to be titled) will be released March 8. Last year's CD went to No. 1 on the Christian charts and featured the radio single "Our God."





For the original post click here!


And I would definitely say that the "warm up music" was more like worship, but that's just my opinion. 

To whom much is given

I’m not rich by worldly standards in America, but I am compared to the rest of the world. I am very rich.

To whom much is given, much is required.

When I was little, I remember sitting at my grandparent's feet, listening to their missionary stories from Indonesia. They told me of the witch doctor's sway over the people, of places where evil seemed to choke you it was so thick, hard work, endless toil, heart break, pain, dirt floors. They told me of this world of poverty, but it was so far away in my mind.

I grew up learning Bible verses. My mother taught us the Word in our morning "Bible time" and my father revealed God's truths and taught us how to pray during our evening "family circle time." We explored the Psalms and Proverbs by drawing them. I still have those images in my mind to this day. We did things like “running the race that was set before us” down our street. The first time we were running with weights (aka: sin) and the second time we “put away the weights that so easily ensnare us.” I have been so blessed, so blessed.

I also grew up with everything I needed. I never missed a meal unless I chose to do so. I always had a bed to sleep in, plenty of clothes, toys, a roof over my head. I went to college. I bought a car. I've always had a job. I am so richly blessed, so blessed.

What am I doing with these blessings?

Today I have been pierced to the very core. I have a few pictures of people I met on different mission trips in my office and around the house. I see them every single day. But today. Oh, today I really saw them. I remembered. Memories flooded my mind. I remembered their sweet faces, their eyes so full of hurt, their hands so filthy, and their hearts, so deeply longing for peace, for love, for the God they did not know. I saw the face of a beggar, of a poor village woman, and a shoe-less dirty school girl. As I recalled these things my heart started beating wildly.

And then it broke.

I was almost in tears. How many times have I thought about Christmas, about presents, and all the wonderful food during this season that has just passed and NOT thought about a single needy person in the world? Christ came for them as well. How many children woke up on Christmas with no one to love them, no one to feed them, no one to even pay them any attention? How many people will wake up in that same state tomorrow?

How can I sit here thinking about decorations for the house? How can I go out and spend so much money on presents and on myself and not think of the ones who really need?

Goodness, it is so easy to get caught up in the comfort of my lifestyle here. I have everything I need and much more that I don’t. I’m afraid that this “comfort culture” is becoming a horrible vacuum in my life…it is creeping into the crevices and eradicating all traces of “radical” in me. It scares me when I really think about it.  

How many opportunites am I missing? How many lives could have been changed? And where do I go from here?

After being at Passion 2011 earlier this week, I see that there are areas in my life where what I say I believe and what I actually do don't match up. Oh God! May my heart always be broken for such as these, your people that you love! Show me You will and help me get uncomfortable enough to follow it!

Thus, I have made up my mind to sell or give away my wedding dress.

Don't get me wrong. I love it. But it has to go. I don't need it. How can I keep something of such worth that  has only sentimental value to me when there are so many people who are poor and needy? How can I hord my riches and call myself a Christ-follower? There's no reason it can't be put to good use, instead of hanging in the closet until it is outdated and worthless.

So I'm asking someone, anyone who can't afford a wedding dress to email me and I will give it to you. Or if anyone is getting married and wants to buy it, I will sell it to you. And I want to give all of the money away to those who really need. I hope that through it, someone's life will be changed for good. I hope that this will be the first step towards getting rid of my "comfortable" mindset. My desire is for my manner of life to be worthy of the gospel of Christ.

So if you want it, here it is in all it's beauty. But I am convinced that is will be only more beautiful if it is used to help the needy, to help spread the glory of Jesus Christ to the ends of the world.

It's Jasmine Bridal, from last springs collection, style F260.

Size 2, but it is taken up so its a bit smaller than that.

Though I admit that it will be hard for me to part with it, I know it's what I need to do.

Email me for more info at jenchristine88@yahoo.com

"Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys." (Luke 12:33)

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." (1 John 3:17-18)

Passion 2011

As I sit to write this post, I realize that I words can't really describe what I experienced these past few days. For starters I am sick and very sleep deprived. My medicine is making my thoughts a little hazy too. But what I can tell you, is that God is doing something so great in the lives of this generation. It is so amazing what the body of Christ can do together. 

Here's just one example. There were almost 23,000 students that came to PASSION 2011 and together we were able to give over 1 million dollars to give to those in need around the world in Jesus' name. Over 1 million dollars! Poor college students did that! Together we are building houses in Haiti, digging wells for clean water in India, rescuing young girls from sex trafficking in the Philippines, feeding hungry children in Africa, sponsoring children through Compassion International, and so much more. And this was just one small part of what took place.

I hope to write more on how God moved in my life very soon, but for now here are a few snapshots of the weekend.

Excited about our first session with Louie Giglio!

The beautiful city of Atlanta

At the last session...there is alway a tickle picture.

At this point we were exhausted in every way possible, but to excited and full of life at the same time.

More to come soon.