Journey With Jen

"In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God." 1 Corinthians 4:4-5 Take your time and read that again. Really... I'll wait right here. It is so easy to look around this world and see so much wrong. Let's bring it closer to us...how about looking at your family, friends, and co-workers. We can see their faults and their sins. (at least the outside ones) However, these verses are not about them. It is about me and you. It's about looking at that person staring back at you from the mirror. It's easy to look at the person and think, "oh, I'm a nice person" or "I try" or what ever words you might think. Just remem...

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. " Proverbs 17:17 Let's face it ~ friendship is hard. Real friendship is hard anyway. We all have "friends" that are there to help make the day a little brighter. Friends that are we can have lunch with or go to a movie with. Conversations filled with small talk about the family or things going on in your life. The little stuff. . . What about the big stuff? Who can you cry to when feel your world shifting? When marriages fail and you just need a tub of chocolate ice cream and a shoulder to cry? Or when you are up all night with a sick child and your other children need clean clothes? What about when you are watching a parent suffer from cancer? Those big things that are thrown at us in this life. Those moments when we are not our pleasant selves with a smile for everything. Those moment when we are angry and hurt and vulnerable. Those moments we don't want anyone to see. Who do you call? Who ...

“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,” Romans 5:3-4 Everyday I go to BibleGateway.com for the verse of the day. Today, this is the verse. God has a way of getting what you need to you. Today, this is what I needed. You see, my life hasn't been very smooth lately. (if you can't tell from my posts lately..lol) Life has been, well, for lack of a better word . . . hard. My roots, my hope, my faith is knowing that God has a purpose. That He is in control. God has a way of stripping everything away. And if you have never been there, I am sure one day you will. My husband's job has gone from full time with lots of overtime to full time. Now, it's 4 days a week sometimes. The economy isn't getting any better. A year ago, we moved from our home to a 4 bedroom apartment. Which if you have lived in a house for any amount of time, you know how much stuff you can ac...

"But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." Colossians 8-10 We each are in our own transformation. Our own metamorphosis. Our situations leave us changed. As people come in and out of our lives, we are changed. I am not the same person I was ten years ago. Or even five years ago. Nor am I the same person I was a couple months ago. I have changed, just as you have. Each day there are opportunities that may never come again. Each day is a new beginning filled with promise. . . and hope. Each day gives us a chance to grow a little more. Strengthen our faith a little more. Show love and kindness to others. Lean on God a little more. To become more like our Creator. That is our journey. That is a tough act to follow....

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." ~ Isaiah 55:8-9 I was looking through my online photos and ran across this picture from the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. Each chair represents a person who died there. There were 19 children among the 168 that died that day in 1995. The children's chairs are the smaller ones across the grass. It is a very moving memorial honouring those who perished. When I look at the loss and the pain that is here, right now, in this world ~ it is easy to wonder. . . W H Y ? ? As I flip on the news or look in the newspaper, that question pops in my head. Just yesterday, there were 3 people in the obituaries that were in their 40's. Parents still alive. Small children yet to raise. Yet, there earthly lives are no more. I have a friend that has lost two of her children. Cancer is everywhere. Layof...

God knows when we are tired. He knows when we need a little hope. I've been feeling a bit worn out. . . physically and emotionally... in need of a little hope. God can supply this through others. This Saturday was filled with soccer as usual lately. Afterwards, we went to get some pizza for lunch with my niece and her parents. We ran into some friends my husband and brother-in-law grew up with. They left and the waitress told us that our tab was taken care of. They bought our lunch. I know they didn't think much about it, but it reminded me of God's love. God's care. Hope, that even in the midst of the anniversary of 9/11, good is still out there. I know, I know ~ it's lunch. But, it wasn't something they had to do. It wasn't something expected of them. It's going a little extra for others. When is the last time that you went out of your way for some one else? Not for their birthday... just for no reason at all. God might be trying to use you to bless an...

Today, I find myself . . . tired. Tired of the job... Tired of the bills... Tired of the kids fighting... Tired of the dealing with the schools... Tired of walking on glass... Tired of the hatred and bigotry in this world... Tired of the death and sickness in this world... Just exhausted physically and mentally Where else could I go? There is but One that knows my heart inside and out. There is only One that knows not only my actions, but my thoughts as well. There is only One that can renew my strength when I am weak. I find my greatest strength is not in me. There is nothing miraculous that I can do on my own. I am one flawed human! :) My greatest strength is found in who lives in me. God chose to live in the hearts of His believers. Only God can heal my weariness. Only God can renew my strength. Only God . . . "Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish." ~ Psalm 25:16-17

God answered Solomon, 'Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked long life, but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king, wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like.' 2 Chronicles 1:10-12 What an awesome example of a heart dedicated to the love of Christ. For Solomon doesn't ask for things of this world: not wealth or fame; nor honor or health. He asked God for wisdom and knowledge. It makes me stop and think about what I'm asking for. KLRC was talking about prayer one morning on the way to work. (It's Christian radio)Some one even brought up praying for something as small as a good parking spot. The DJ said that it would be hard for her pray about something as triv...

Do you remember what you were doing that Setember 11th day? Do you remember where you were? I was working in a coffee shop in Rogers at that time blissfully unaware of the events. My boss always had the radio on some classical stuff that had no commercials. My husband came in with my two boys in tow and told us. My boss turned the music off and put on a normal radio station. I couldn't believe it. Then, when I got home, I immediately turned on the television. I just watched the towers fall down over and over again. Should I mention that I was pregnant with Faith? I cried so much. Songs on the radio. Watching the news. Just thinking about it could bring me to my knees. No, I didn't know anyone there. I have no family in New York. But I felt bonded ... connected ... just as so many other people across the country. I wanted to protect my children, born and unborn, from everything. My husband was worried that I was making myself sick and would change the channel and try to watch s...

"Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Can reeds flourish where there is no water? While yet in flower and not cut down, they wither before any other plant. Such are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless shall perish." Job 8:11-13 This verse goes on to tell us, "what they trust is in fragile and what they rely on is a spiders web." Think about that for a moment. To rely on a spiders web. Spider webs are strong enough to hold the spider and catch it's prey. It is strong enough for the day to day routine. Yet, when strong wind...or a strong storm comes, it's gone. Nothing is left. The same is true with reeds without water. They cannot grow and flourish. They wither and die without the life support of water. That is also true about us without Christ. A strong wind in our lives and we are left with nothing. Without Christ we cannot become the person we are supposed to be. Can you imagine waking up everyday thinking that th...