Joy in the Unknown

Good Morning All,

I know that most of you are still at home with family and friends, or even traveling to amazing destinations! I was so blessed to be able to go home for Christmas this year and spend an amazing time catching up with my family and adopted families.

I bring you this blog today to give you the encouraging words that God has called me to give. I know that some of you are coming into a new season of new desires, new changes, new beginnings, and new hardships. So I bring you this word to encourage you to see beyond the distance and bring into perspective the act of Christ in your life! God gives us the gift of joy, not happiness, to sustain us through the toughest of times and the happiest of days. Happiness is fleeting, but joy is sustaining. No matter the season you are coming into, come and know that the God of the Universe created this day to be a special day in your life. I know that many days don't make sense in my life or circumstances don't add up and I wonder how in the heck will I ever see past this pain, hardship, or hurt. I want to encourage you that there is a light, there is a beacon of joy that surpasses every new season of your life! I come because I was called to speak even if no one will listen, I have been called to speak to you today!

This may not make sense to you today or even tomorrow, but I promise you if you are reading this, God has wooed you to Himself and He will surely answer you when you call and open the door when you knock.

"My sons and daughters, you have been called according to the great purposes of my Kingdom. Many of you struggle with letting go for fear of not having anything once you let go. Many of you struggle of letting go because you fear you will not be held once you let go. Both of these are lies from the enemy. You will always have me to hold onto and I will always be holding onto you! I come to you today and give you the word of joy to be ever surpassing over whatever circumstance you are walking in. I will forever sustain you through the coming days and I give you this life so that you may be a witness for the ones who need me more than even you. My sons and daughters, do not fear but rejoice for the God of the Universe has called you, summoned you, to stand up, and walk ahead. I will prepare the steps and lay before you the path that I have called you to walk, but you must get up and let go of whatever is holding you back. Let go of that relationship that is holding you back from experiencing true love in my name, let go of that stronghold that forever entangles you to seek the world over the Word, let go of that burden that you carry from when you were younger that continually steals from the joy of today, and please let go of the lies that you continue to believe from the enemy that you won't make it or you can't do it until ...... is done. I come to you today to speak to you in joy, in hope, and in reassurance that you are being lead to let go and fall into my arms. Although the unknown seems dark and scary, the actuality is that what now bounds you is the dark and scary and the unknown is the light and joy of the Kingdom. Come my sons and daughters, do not fear, but rejoice, for the God of the Universe has brought you here, in this time, in this place, for a reason. Stand up and walk and let My joy overwhelm you and captivate you."

My brothers and sisters, I am overwhelmed that the God of the Universe would come and share with us such simple but pure loving knowledge. I pray for your hearts and I will be praying that whoever reads this would take a stand and be lead to make a change. Do not fear but rejoice for God has you and know that He is all you need. He is all we need.

"For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:13

Just Talking...

Hello All,

I was reading through Facebook, just like every other day, and came across this article on one of my friends pages...http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yashar-hedayat/a-message-to-women-from-a_1_b_958859.html

This article is a must read for a guy and girl. I wouldn't say it was the highest priority, but I would deem it has more relevence in today's society than most other books and articles.

I love to encourage and uplift women and to lead them to the beautiful realization that Christ is wonderful and is fully able to satisfy their every desire and longing.

With that being said, the point of this blog entry is to relate a point and a realzation on my part! God created us women to be loved and adored and be wooed and pursued. I believe with my whole heart that one day God will bring a man into my life that, without much doing on my part, will love me despite my flaws. The problem with today's society is that many men are too scared to realize the importance of being honest with themselves and owning up to their own. So then they place "emotional manipulation" on the hearts of their friends, girlfriends, and/or wives. I read this article and was appalled that none of this had occured to me sooner. Because even I have thought to the point of "It has to be me, I'm the crazy one..." After many fights with the opposite sex on issues revolving around who did what and what that meant, I realize that I was right and I wasn't crazy.

This is not a feminist blog in no means, and I am compleltey aware of the flaws and mishaps of us women, but there has to be a point when men in my generation learn to stand up and not coward out.

"It's a whole lot easier to emotionally manipulate someone who has been conditioned by our society to accept it. We continue to burden women because they don't refuse our burdens as easily. It's the ultimate cowardice."

Although I have many amazing guy friends in my life, because I know some might read this, I do feel that "most" young men do not realize or even want to understand the heart and sensitivty of a women's heart. It is crazy to me that the same things that attracts a man to a women are the same things he will manipulate.

Disclosure from all of this is that I know that ALL men are not this way and I know that ALL women are not manipulated. I am going off of the notion of secular society and thought I would generate my point into all of this!

I just want to encourage young men, as I lift this up in prayer as well, to appreciate the women in your life and honor them with integrity and respect. And women, understand that every guy is not going to be your prince charming and do not hold them to that expectation. For all men and women, let God be your constant and know that through His truth and guidance all of this will become substantially easier!

<3

The Light of a Tree

Hello My Fellow Bloggers, Readers, Hopeful Friends,

I want you all to know that God is great, beautiful, marvelous, and just absolutely moving! I am in awe of how He continually takes care of me when I don't think I can take much more!

I am going through a season of change, hope, joy, sorrow, and fulfillment. I know that God is changing my life, giving me hope for tomorrow, allowing joy to come through the sorrow of letting go, and fulfilling more dreams than even I can see! 

Last night I was able to attend the Christmas at Rockefeller here in NY. It was beautiful, freezing, but beautiful. To see so many people, close to half of a million, gathered around this, "tree!"

Can you believe it, it really is just a tree with lights, isn't it? 

The Holy Spirit brought to mind this morning a similar story about a tree with not lights, but one Light. I thought about it and it dawned on a me why the questions seem so similar...

Can you believe it, it really is just a man on a cross, isn't it?

These trees were different, these lights were also different. One tree gives us a beautiful Christmas decoration, the other was cut and sawed to gave us life. One set of lights gives us the spectrum of the rainbow, the other gives us the hope of tomorrow. One tree gave half of a million people the chance to gather with friends and family to sing Christmas carols, the other gave billions of people the chance at redemption and the chance to see family and friends on the other side.

There are many points in my life that I will remember certain thoughts and events, but I have to say last night is one of the top five. Surrounded by people who are looking at a tree with lights searching for hope and love and some not knowing that it was a tree and a Light that was nailed and sacrificed a long time ago that gives them hope and love today.

Although not everyone there was a believer, although I know God can do hope one day, I do know that everyone yearned for the a bigger Light.

I pray that we all know that its not just a tree and multicolored lights that gives us hope and joy, it's the tree that was cut down, shaped like a cross, and nailed over 2000 years ago that brings us true Light to this world.

I pray for all of us that we see the true Light of this Christmas season.

Joy, Peace, and Love to you and yours!

Growth in the Cafeteria

Good Morning All,

I hope you are all doing fine this lovely Friday morning. I am in a particularly GREAT mood because I fly back to Texas today for the week and it is always a joy to see family and friends.

I am writing just a short blog this morning to encourage you and to praise the God who is great and merciful. This morning while eating breakfast in the cafeteria of my women's dorm in NYC I was amazed. This same cafeteria was the same cafeteria I sat just 3 months ago wondering how I would ever make it.

You may be saying "Oh Jess...dramatic, much?" Although you might be right and I could honestly agree with you, well now. But then, I thought my world would never be at peace again. I thought the agony of walking away from the friends, family, church, and life I had in Denton could never be the same or replaced by a strange and crazy city.

Are there times in your life when you just can't see past your circumstance?

I am writing this because God knows you and I both need to be reminded that you are not alone. You have been given a purpose and a calling and you have been sent according to HIS purposes and for HIS will to be done. I spend hours thinking I might miss out on what God is sending me into, all the while He knows that His plan cannot be messed up. HE KNOWS.

So I encourage you, although times may have been or are tough, thank God for the grace and mercy that He still knows you. May it give you a peace to know that although the world may seem strange and crazy some days/weeks/months, the God of your heart is never strange or crazy, He is known and peaceful. 

May we be reminded to rely on the known and peaceful.

This was my growth in the cafeteria, although the growth in my heart is proving to be much more appealing :)

Have an amazing Thanksgiving and may you be thankful for your friends, family, and the beautiful place you call your temporary home!

<3

Angels in the Wilderness

Through many times in our lives we all come to a point where life, love, and hope are all interuppted by heartache or heartbreak. There is no notice of these interupptions, only the grace of God leading you to a way of healing before you ever realize you will need it.

"At once the Spirit sent him into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals and angels attended Him." 

Mark 1:12-13

I sat in my dorm room here in NYC last night and cried out to the Lord wondering why, how, and if. These are common questions we all face in life. These are what I call my interupptions. As mentioned before God has changed me, transformed me, and loved me through this whole new wilderness. I have been tested, and although it has been longer than forty days, I know the angels are still attending me.

I am learning to love God through whatever circumstance, trust in Him in whatever waiting period, and fall in love with Him through the however long this season of singleness! He has wooed me, pursued me, and is now changing me to be the woman He sees me to be. His plan is beautiful and perfect. So the flaw is only my unbelief in that plan.

So all I can do is cling to His truth and be thankful for my angels in the season of wilderness. I am thankful for The Apostles Church, my Flatiron Community Group, my wonderful friend Ramzy, and my beautiful and angelic mother. These are just a few of my angels, though many more are here...not all physically, but spiritually.

This is why I write these, in hopes that God's angels would wrap around you in the world of your own wilderness. I don't know where you are at or where God has brought you, but I do know that God loves you and that He has brought angels to attend you just as He did with Jesus. So be aware of where the angels are in your life, for those are His little miracles He gives you to let you know He is here.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

When You Wake Up

This morning I woke up in the midst of many feelings and emotions. Realizing the brink of my life was in the hands of myself. Today is a new day, it will never be November 8, 2011 again. You have the chance to change, create, love, redeem, hope, laugh, and pursue anything and everything today. The choice is yours.

I want to encourage you to lift up your hands praise, or if not hands, just your hearts in reverence of the God who created you and me. I post these post because I do believe that community is engaging in the lives of our brother's and sister's in Christ, no matter the miles that separate them. I am a few thousand miles away from most of you, but what I do know is that God is never more near than He is right now.

So when you wake up today or any day, remember through exhaustion from the late night before or the lack of energy from the busyness of the week that you are created in the likeness of a man who was tired and busy just as you and lived a perfect life so that you may live today.

I encourage you to smile, rejoice, and remember that you woke up this morning, that is more than many can say!

Don't just wake up from sleep, wake up from the life of absent-minded lifeless living into a new and exciting day of joy and hope.

Be the joy to someone today and soon you will find joy in all you do.

Be blessed and know that I am praying for each of you!

<3

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice & be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Simple Things in Life...

Hey Y'all,

(This one is going to be deep, so get ready for the dive!)

HANDS: Yesterday I received my birthday gift from my parents in the mail. As I walked into the elevator, I ran my fingers over my mother's handwriting. I missed her hands. I remember her hands holding me when I was sick, holding me when my eyes couldn't cry another tear, her hands driving me to school every morning in high school. Her hands holding me tight as she said goodbye when I moved to Denton and her hands the last time I hugged her goodbye before moving to New York. Her hands, so simple, yet so very much cherished.

LOVE: I sit and prayed for my aunt last night and thought about the last time I was home with her. Her body so frail, but her heart and spirit so strong. I remember distinctly one conversation I had with her and my uncle. She travels to the hospital every two weeks and they are in that hospital room for two weeks. I remember sitting there and tell them how much I know they love being home. They look at each other and say "We can't wait to be home so we can sleep in the same bed together." To go two weeks laying side by side while she is in the hospital bed and he lies in the fold out chair, the one thing they long for is to be able to be by each others side. I prayed then and now that God would bring me a man that I would love like that.  Their love, so simple, yet so divine and beautiful.


BOOK: On Sunday after church I have made it my routine to find a book to read at the B&N in Union Square. I have heard great things about this book, "Is Heaven for Real," and have been wanting to read it. I picked it up, but then saw another book that was perfect for the time in my life right now "Resolution for Women." So I checked out and knew that night that it was the book I was meant to purchase. BUT, God had other plans. Remember I recieved a gift from my parents yesterday, within this box was the book "Is Heaven for Real." One book, so simple, yet so timely placed. 


Hands, Love, and a Book; all these together would mean nothing to one other person, but to me, they will be remembered forever. 

I have been struggling recently on understanding God's timing and the reason's for certain things He has called me into. As I opened that present and was given these things that I knew my mother so intricately picked out for my joy, I was overwhelmed. I was loved, adored, prayed for, and specifically given this gift for my 23rd birthday.  It was one of the best gifts I have even been given.


I thank God today for my mother's hands, for the memories I have been given with her and with my aunt and uncle. I thank God for the reminder of a child-like faith in this book and that this is not my eternal destination. No matter what struggles or misunderstandings I am going through I know the simple truth that Heaven is waiting for me and so is my loving and beautiful Jehovah Jireh. 


So today, as you read about my life, may you reflect on your own! 


Blessings and simplicity to you!


 

 

23 Randomness for 23 Years!

Hello My Friends!

Well in celebration of my 23rd birthday I had to do a blog post!  God has given me 23 years of beautiful memories that I know will continue to get better and better. I have been given a family who loves me, friends who have been there for me through thick and thin, and of course the beautiful Lover of my Soul who continues to change, shape, and renew me every day! 

So the point, yes, so here we go!

1. I will and forever always be in love with the Lord. This has to be my number 1 for He is the reason I live where I live, I love what and who I love, and I do the work that I do. He is my Jehovah Jireh. 

2. I still love Texas with all my heart. I love two-steppin, I love country music, I love BBQ, I love the beauty of wide open spaces! 

3. I have the most amazing friends. I have taken the liberty of finding the last two of my birthday celebrations. I am grateful for those times on this birthday more than ever because I am away from most of the ones I love and cherish the most. So lesson learned, cherish the ones in your life! Time flies and then its gone! 

4. I still love sunsets, stars, and most of all laughing

5. I believe 23 will be one of the best years of my life...well until 24 ;) 

6. I love my mother more than she will ever know!

7. I believe that I will be speaking in front of an audience this year proclaiming how the Gospel is all you need!

8. I sponsor a Compassion child, Blenda, who I love and adore and havn't even met

9. I pray everyday for my future husband and family and cannot wait for the day to be a wife and a mother

10. I still struggle with understanding how God could love me, but I am still grateful in spite of that

11. I love really silly random jokes 

12. I am one of those girls in the movie that is either crying or laughing the loudest ;)

13. I believe love can change anything, solve anything, and conquer anything! 

14. I know my sister will do amazing things in this world and I love her more than she could imagine! 

15. I pray that I am able to be apart of the mission to end sex-trafficking 

16. I cannot wait to go back to the Holy Land

17. I still to this day have not been to either Disneyland or world! 

18. I can't wait to sky dive!

19. I believe that I will meet most of you one day! ;) 

20. God is love! 

21. I pray for most of you even though I don't know your name. 

22. I dedicate this one to thanking those in my life in the past year. This has been a beautiful, hard, and wonderful year of change, restoration, healing, and reconciliation. I thank you for my best friends, my family, my church, and all the wonderful people who make up my life! 

23. I dedicate this one to the Lord, for only He knows what the next 365 days of my life will be like until we add one more to this list. I pray that I grow in Him more and more and that I continue to thank Him for the 22 things above and so much more! (Oh yeah, and for letting me see Jason Boland last night for my birthday present ;) ) 

I love you all and I pray that you are blessed, moved, and restored on this wonderful day of October 27, 2011. For this is a very special day, well to me ;) 

Peace <3

"Letting Go Takes Love"

Hello My Beautiful Friends,

I hope you are all doing AMAZING!

Well, tomorrow is a very important day in the life of Jessica Pittman. The age where I believe God is going to change, transform, and continue to restore new beginnings. An age where I will continue to be thankful for what I have been given and thankful for the 22 years before. The age where God will bring me out of what was and into what could be. The age where there is no goodbye, just letting go of the original plan of my flesh. The age where God becomes the center and core of my existence.

God has taught me a lot of things while on this adventure in the Big Apple, but none so precious as that of love. Love is a hard thing to hold onto and an even harder thing to let go of. Its a word that can captivate you and destroy you all in one day. A word that holds so much power and authority in the Kingdom. I posted earlier on Twitter that Love conquers all, and my friends it does. It can help you let go of the past and move onto the future without even realizing you are doing it. It can lead you to put yourself last and others before you (Which we know in our world is very rare). I post this today because I came across this poem and its the perfect words for anyone. Read them and know that love is all you need, and the love of Christ will lead you to a fruitful life of joy, peace, and satisfaction in the true Romancer of our hearts.

To let go does not mean to stop caring,
   it means I can't do it for someone else.
To let go is not to cut myself off,
   it's the realization I can't control another.
To let go is not to enable,
   but allow learning from natural consequences.
To let go is to admit powerlessness, which means
   the outcome is not in my hands.
To let go is not to try to change or blame another,
   it's to make the most of myself.
To let go is not to care for,
   but to care about.
To let go is not to fix,
   but to be supportive.
To let go is not to judge,
   but to allow another to be a human being.
To let go is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes,
   but to allow others to affect their destinies.
To let go is not to be protective,
   it's to permit another to face reality.
To let go is not to deny,
   but to accept.
To let go is not to nag, scold or argue,
   but instead to search out my own shortcomings and correct them.
To let go is not to adjust everything to my desires,
   but to take each day as it comes and cherish myself in it.
To let go is not to criticize or regulate anybody,
   but to try to become what I dream I can be.
To let go is not to regret the past,
   but to grow and live for the future.

To let go is to fear less and love more        and
To let go and to let God, is to find peace!

The Passion of Persistance & Two-Steppin

Hello All,

God gave me each of you, whether I haven't met you yet or known you for years, God gave me you! I know that all of you don't read all I write, maybe the first paragraph or even first sentence, so I wanted that to be the first thing you read :) 

Passion is a feeling deep within. I can honestly say I have a passion for two-steppin! I love to two-step, half-step, triple step, anything step really. I love country music and I am not afraid to admit it. Is this from the Lord, most would disagree! I love the rhythm and most of all I love that it takes me back to home! It's home to me, to dance, to hear the country twang in the artist voice, and even for the cheesy lyrics! Its a wonderful feeling! Yes, now you know why I got your attention at the beginning, because I just lost most of you! :) 

I write about this for a reason. I remember a time when I first started dancing and I couldn't two-step worth nothin. I couldn't do it. So you know what I did, well one of my best friends and I, we kept trying. We would practice and practice. I know this is crazy and probably not the best to admit, but who cares, I wanted to dance better because I loved it so much! I continued to be persistant because of my passion!

Passion leads to the persistant nature of our hearts to try and try and try harder. We continue to dig deep within to find that rhythm of our hearts to find a way to make the next spin or get over the next dip. Many won't get the analyogy there, but you see the point. Life takes us for a spin and throws us in dips every now and again and if we are not persistant we won't have the strength nor the faith to continue to persevere! 

God has given you a dance! A chance to do your best whether spinning or dipping is your style or not or even country music, God gave you a chance to dance throughout the spins and dips of life and persevevere through it all! To try and try and try harder once again. I don't promise that you will ever be the professional dancer that Christ was, but I do promise that God will reward you through the spins and dips and lead you to an even better last song! 

So again, God gave me you! I pray that you are encourged, uplifted, and a little humored!

P.s. It's okay, you can love me despite my love for country music! <3 

Blessings to you and may His face shine upon you whatever dance move you are on at this time! 

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers (& sisters) whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

Worth It...

Good Brunch Time,

I hope you all are doing amazing. I just finished a visit back home this weekend and it was wonderful, amazing, and considerably perspective changing.

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed." 

Romans 8:18-19

It's been quite awhile since I had been in Denton, Texas (well 2 months) and it was the longest I had been away from there in over 3 years. Although this may not seem like a lot for the older generation, its a very crazy and weird feeling to return to a place that had such an impact on who you are today. I believe that many things in life shape you for the calling that Christ has on your life. Whether you are aware of that calling at age 16 or 60, God has been shaping all of us to bring glory and honor to Him and Him alone. This is worth it. There are many things that I have finally realized that are worth it.

I believe that finally letting go of my plans and letting God do what He does best is finally worth it. 

I believe that clinging to Him is worth it. 

I believe in trusting in His plan for my life and not my own is worth it. 

I believe in waiting for who God has for me rather than trying to find him on my own is worth it. 

And I know that loving Christ more than anything else in this life is more than worth it, its all or nothing for me. 

This whole blog came from, you guessed it, a song. I know that many times in life God uses certain lyrics to penetrate our hearts in a way to wake us up and realize what He has been trying to tell us for some time. I don't know what tomorrow will bring or even this afternoon; but I do know that giving my life daily for Christ and picking up the cross and following Him will be more than worth it on that final day...

Blessings to you today and always.

50 Days of Grace, Restoration, and Beautiful Romance

Hello beautiful people!!

Isn't God just beautiful, amazing, spectacular, lovely, gorgeous, wonderful, breathtaking, satsifying, wonderful, and on and on and on. I know that there are times in life when the going is tough and the tough doesn't seem to stop coming; but that is when you look at the beautiful attributes of God to remind you of the love and amazing grace of God! He saved US! You and ME! One day we will see Him face to face and I eagerly await the coming of that day!

Today I just celebrate the beautiful days ahead and look back and thank God for the ups and downs! I can understand that sometimes its hard to see the good in the bad, so that is why when the bad has passed you look back and thank Him for His love and blessings during that time that you might have missed because of the stormy weather passing through.

50 Days, so many things to be thankful for, but all in all I am so blessed that my God took me across the nation to bless me with some "me" time with just Him! Something He has been trying to do for a long time. I see the fruit in a beautiful intimate relationship with Him. I have no idea what is ahead in this life, when the weather might change or the storms may come, but all I know is that God alone is enough; Now and Then!

So today, I just encourage you, whatever day you might be having, marking a landmark in an important adventure as I or having a stormy day; just know that you are not alone and God loves you and desires for you to fall on your face before Him! I remember times when my strength was weak on my own and the only word I could muster was JESUS! That is enough, because He is enough!

I pray beautiful blessings on you today and more than these pray that God would shine His face upon you and your heart in a new way today and you find a new way to fall madly in love with our Savior.

God is Good!

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways! Declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for hte sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth. It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in JOY and be LED forth in PEACE; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the 

field will clap their hands." 

Isaiah 55:8-12

Can you imagine, the fields clapping? After the storm always comes a blooming season!

<3 

I will wait for you....

Hello Readers, Internet Community, and Friends...

It has been awhile. The New York life has a tendency to swallow you in. Also, juggling work, graduate school, and the ever-so pressing subject of "Finding Myself..." has proven a heavy task schedule...

This blog is a symbol of my growth as a woman, as a writer, and as a Daughter of the King trying to find her place... I will one day look back on these writings and be reminded of events, people, memories, and growing periods that have shaped and molded me into that person I will one day be. So today, I write on a subject that is beautiful, romantic, and one of the most pressing subjects in a woman's heart. I cannot wait to lead women through writing, through speaking, through encouraging, and through daily uplifting. I believe this is my calling, but I also have realized through my growing that God has my life in His hands and my timeline is on HIS schedule and not my own. So this time in New York is about the Lord growing inside of me and being selfish with each other to grow, change, sanctify, and transform. I know this may sound crazy to some, but most will understand the process of a person's life there is always a processing and growing period, this is mine.

I have no doubt that God is the Lover of my Soul and that He woos me day in and day out to see Him more and to become more intimate with Him. In the ways I trust in Him, talk to Him, have faith in Him, and believe in Him. I believe that God has been writing my love story for a long time, well for always. He knew before I was born the man I would marry and the life I would lead. He gave me my life to be proof that through waiting comes a story...

This weekend I realized that though the waiting is hard, one day it will all be worth the wait. I have said that to myself and others countless times, but for the first time this weekend, I truly believed it...I was given this singer's name (Lindsay McCaul) from one of my best friends and as I was listening to her song's today came across this one "Ending." It is my heart and honestly the perfect lyrics to describe my hearts condition. I will wait for my future husband through the tears and the hurts, I will wait.

Some may find it a little to personal to share this online, and honestly my old self would have said that too! My life is meant to be shown. I have struggled through things in life that one day will be published in a book for all to read. Why do I do this you ask? Well, if you are struggling with something and you read that I once/did/ or am struggling with something it binds community, the Church, and the strength of the Kingdom into one. This is what this world needs, more honesty and less surface. I am here to share my story, through the hurts, tears, and mistakes, to try and let the Lord be the Author of my story everyday so that when that glorious day comes when I will see Him face to face; I will know I did all I could to be Matthew 28.

So today, I make a public annoucement that my future Husband will be the only many who knows me in every way possible. I make a commitment to him, to God, and to myself to be utterly devoted to the day when the story God has been writing comes to view in an amazing and beautiful way, exactly the way God wants it! I know that it may hurt to be alone but I also know that this is exactly where I am supposed to be...waiting on the one God has for me, not just for me, but for him!

So I pray that if you read this that you know and understand that if your single that God is the first and foremost Lover of your Soul and that one day your story will come to an "Ending" like you have never thought before...

Continue growing, pursueing, and being blessed in ALL God has for you!



My New Canvas

Hey Guys!

Well it has been quite a couple of weeks, earthquakes and hurricanes and work, its been pretty busy! I hope you all are doing great and starting out September on the right foot! I just wanted to share an encouraging word with you!

I believe God has called me to New York to start a new chapter. What this looks like to me is a new canvas being put up on a stand and our Artist ready to take His paintbrush and paint the next steps of my life. I believe we have been called to hand over our lives to the Author and Perfector of our faith and I believe for each of us there are seasons/chapters that we are given to pin point our lives and spiritual journeys.

I was given the vision of me sitting down with a little girl and giving her four paint buckets and handing her a big white canvas. As I laid the canvas down she began to do what little girl's and boy's do best, throw the paint all over the white paper where when finished (parents call a beautiful piece of artwork) all I saw what big splotches and a mess for me to clean up. The the Lord so graciously says, would you like me to try? As I do the same with the Lord, I hand Him the paint and same white canvas and when He is done, my eyes have never seen such a beautiful piece. In my last canvas was my friends, my family, my heart, my past, lilies, diamonds, roses, and many other wonderful images that describe the last few years of my life. I am in awe and simply say, "You are the Artist of my life, I will hand my heart, my life, and my canvas over to you."

I say this all to describe the season I am in. I have a brand new white canvas and soon there will be images that our Artist will paint on my canvas, and my prayer now is that I don't try and take the brush away; but its simple, do we want splotches and mess or do we want majestic and beauty? Yes, I know, all our life is not beautiful images, but God does work all those images together for the good of those who love Him, and since He does this, all our life is just a gallery of beautiful art.  God looks at this gallery and at the end of our lives can fully say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant"

So I pray this was encouraging and enlightening; it was for me. I pray you let God be your Artist and that we all together put down our brushes and hand over our canvas to the only one who can paint the right road ahead!

I heard this song Sufficient by Adie Camp and I love the words:
"In my weakness I'm finding your strength
In my sorrow a gentle embrace
Thru the seasons of laughter or pain
You are listening
When I call out your name"

New York, New Me!

HEY!

It's Saturday y'all! I am so excited to see what is ahead for this next week. Yesterday was my first day at my job, well NY Office, and I LOVE it! I love my new boss and I know full well that God has brought me here for a reason!

I guess I have decided to blog for the main reason of filling in my family and friends on my life, but more than that, I believe I will be writing and speaking to many people very soon! I believe God has brought me to this city not only to be a light in the darkness but to be a voice in the midst of noise. I want more than to just walk to work and carry on with my own life, but to be engaged with the people I am surrounded by. I don't know what will be next or what is to come but I do see a light at the end of the tunnel.

This morning I met a friend at breakfast who is a few years older than me and she opened my eyes to a few reasons why God might have brought me here. I found them encouraging and wanted to share them with you for the few who relate in this "new season" perception of living:

1. "He separates you to sanctify you"
God has brought me here to be thankful for what I have but to help me realize that HE is all I truly need.
2. "He brought me here to teach me the basics"
My life has always been speed mode and trying to find my own way no matter what that looked like. In the process I didn't learn the basics of being a woman of God and learning to be pursued and loved and not always having to lead. This is just one of the many.
3. "The life I left behind was only shaping me for the life I will have"
I don't know or fully understand this one in my own life, but I know that I will in the next few months.

These were powerful messages that I believe the Lord sent to me to send to you as well. As I grow and learn the extent of my journey here in New York, I pray you seek and find the extent of your journey no matter where that might be.

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised." 

Hebrews 10:35-36

<3 and Blessings

Reflecting, Renewing, Restarting

Hello All!

Well, I made it! I am currently sitting in Starbucks in Manhattan and really just in awe of how I got here and all the amazing things I have learned through this past summer!

God has taken me and changed, sanctified, and rescued me in so many ways and I know that these will continue to be the case for the rest of my life. God has shown me that it's okay to change and it's okay to let His will be done because it really is ALL  for my perfect good! 

I sit here and write to those in the middle of a transition stage or beginning one, those who are going through a particular difficult time and even those who just feel that Lord is about to do something amazing in your life. I have been given a calling to write and tell all who will listen about the Glorious and powerful works of Christ Jesus and how He Alone really is enough; so this is what I am doing :) 

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me because the Lord 

has anointed me to preach good news..." 

Isaiah 61:1

Reflecting: 

As I look back at the last few months, I am honestly overwhelmed with hope, joy, and amazement. Where I was six months ago can't compare to where the Lord has brought me. I have been healed and rescued by the blood of the Lamb and am for once in my life solely and dependent on my Husband, Jesus Christ. There is nothing I want more than to wake up to serve Him and go to bed thinking of Him. I have grown as a woman of God and as a woman in general. I have made friends and even let go of some, I have been out of the country and experience life in another culture as well as been to another state and experienced a different life of Americans. There is nothing I have done that has not taught me something and there are plenty of mistakes I have made that have shown me the path of living and learning through Christ's eyes. 

Renewing:

I sit here now looking at the faces that pass by on the sidewalk and look at the line that goes out the door with people who either are visiting or getting coffee on their break. Its just crazy that through all of this I see people, I see hearts, and I see God more clearly than ever before. I see my calling as a daughter of Christ and I see that there are many points in my life when God was slowly opening my eyes to see what I now see. 

This is where I take a break and stop talking about myself and encourage you. I know most of you who read this and some I don't, whoever you are I know that if you have read this far you must know that God is your Savior, or do you need a reminder? God has called you and is leading you everyday to serve Him. An encouraging word...

"You are each in the palm of my hand and you have been brought to where you are for this season in your life for the purpose of growing, maturing, and exemplifying my name. You are the fruit of my Kingdom and I have a plan for each of you. I give you the courage to go, the faith to believe, and the hope for tomorrow. I will show you the way and more than this, I am the way. So hold onto me and know that when you are in my hands, no one can take you away. Come near to me and I will come near to you. There are beautiful days ahead and for those of you struggling, I give you my joy to rest on today and always. There is beauty in the change and there is courage in the fight. So don't give up and do not grow weary for there are too many days ahead where your voice is need to uplift another, your body is needed to serve a brother or sister in need, and your mind is needed for the growing and uplifting of my body." 

Restarting: 

I am in New York City, a place where many people live but few people find true life. So I have been given a mission to go and speak and build up. I have no idea what this looks like nor do I even know how long I will be here; what I do know is that God has me. As I sometimes get asked these questions and respond in this way some may find it as crazy but then there is a hope in these words that even non-believers find comforting. I don't have all the answers but I do have a book to lead me in truth and hope, I have a heart that is filled with the Holy Spirit, and I have the faith to keep going even when all the other doesn't seem to fill. 

This is my first post for this new season, new journey, and new beginning. I am ready for what God has for me. I ended my journey in Denton with a dinner at Chuy's with some amazing friends. This is for each of you: You all are my light and my joy. You have given me the hope to know that I CAN do all things through Christ who gives me strength and as my phone continues to go off with text of encouragement, there is nothing I want greater than for the Lord to bless you all ten-fold for your hearts of love and adoration for Him and for me. I will be seeing you all very soon...

I am left with nothing more than gratitude and joy. Thank you all for loving me and praying for me and please if anyone is interested in contacting me feel free!

jessicapittman11@gmail.com

Blessings to you!

Looking Back to Look Forward

Hello All,

Well as I sit in my best friends living room and soak in so many memories, as most might know, it calls me to write!

There are times in your life when you wonder if this will be a moment you remember for the rest of your life, and I have to say, yes! God has given me the grace to let go, the faith to hang on, and the strength to keep going! There are moments in all of our lives when you can't see in front of you so you try and look back to remember so you might can "guess" what God is going to do next; am I right? Although this might be dangerous, it can also be a renewing of the mind to remember God's most beautiful attributes in your own life! 

As I look back I realize that God has provided, loved, adored, conquered, strengthened, and changed for me and to me through it all! It has been a journey, a fight, a race, and a challenge. There are days when I look back and remember I thought I couldn't have made it past that day, and now look where I am at! God is beautiful and amazing and also gentle! He knows are deepest needs even if we don't even know what those needs might be!

So yes, I ramble on and on to get to the point of this blog! God gave me Israel to define in my life the closing of chapter, and the beginning of another. I have looked back to realize the woman I am now is because of all those memories and I look forward to thank God for the amazing promises He is about to fulfill! He gives us a battle to prove that He always wins the fight!

I look back on High School, College, Israel, and the many moments when God has swept in and rescued me and I look forward as I say goodbye to friends for New York and thank God that He is sweeping me up once more into His arms for the next journey of my life.

I can't wait to see what God has in store for the next chapter, but I also mourn the ending of this one. I love each and every one of my friends here in Denton and I know God gave me each one of them to show me how to love, how to lead, and how to open up! I will cherish each memory and hold it in my heart to tell my future friends, family, and church!

So I encourage you all today to look back ONLY if it will help you look forward!

Blessings

<3

Amazing Love from Israel

Hello All,

Yes, its the next day and I get to blog! Unfortunately I don't have any pictures again, but I still wanted to write to fill those in on my amazing day!

Today was not jam packed with crazy hiking or site seeing, but it was an amazing day! We arrived in Tel Aviv today where we visited first the border of the Gaza Strip, for those who don't know this area is highly dangerous. In 2009 over 10,000 rockets flew into the border town of Israel to Gaza. Last year the number dropped to 350 but still claiming lives. Tactics have been taken now like the bomb shelter playground we visited. Can you imagine, sending your children to a playground in doors is the only way you know your child is safe? It really is quite astonishing to think that this is how these children grow up, in fear of the next rocket hitting them.

We then traveled to a Medical Center right outside Tel Aviv in Holon where there is an amazing program called "Save a Child's Heart." This program is a gift FROM ISRAEL to the ARAB COUNTRIES WITH 43 OTHER COUTRIES. This program provides medical heart surgery and needs to children who cannot get it in other countries. This is beautiful and amazing. It proves that through the eyes of a child, all men become equal.

I do hope as you read my blogs you feel that I am beginning to love this country more deeply than I ever thought possible. God has claimed this land for His people and His people will be protected no matter the schemes of man or the enemy try to prevail. I have lived my life under the skies of Texas and in no time in my childhood did I have to run to a bomb shelter in 15 seconds to be safe. In no days of my youth was I worried about the day I graduated high school and was immediatelly sent to fight two hours away from my home for my country. This is a reality for the people of Israel. It needs to wake us up from the fantasy world we think we live in and become aware of the world that is coming.

So I urge you tonight to look into you heart and see what you would do if all you had was 15 seconds? I thought about this long and hard as I sat and prayed in the Medeterranean Sea tonight. I began thanking God for my life, my family, friends, and this trip. I have learned to see through the eyes of child and understand that sometimes you have to just embrace the bomb shelter God gives you to escape the schemes of the enemy out of it.

I am so excited about what God is doing and will do and doing all I can to have the faith to carry on, the hope to look forward, and the trust to know He has it all under control. I will never be perfect, but I am praying to my God who is!

His love for us is like the waves in the sea; though they may feel distant at times, He always has the plan to bring it into the shore for a boistrous sound and wonderful refreshing current! His love for us is amazing!

I love you all dearly!

Shalom!

A Dig through Israel!

Hello My Friends!!!

The Lord is amazing and beautiful!

He has moved in my life today like never before! I now am sitting on the porch of a Kibbutz in Israel at 11:00PM! This has been a wonderful day!

Starting the day at the Temple Mount it was wonderful to hear the history and then see the wonderful archeological sites throughout Jerusalem! We then traveled to the Jewish quarters and then traveled to Marusha Mountains where over 5,000 man-made caves are being excavated. Its was amazing!

We were able to dig through the cave where I found foundational blocks that were over 2,400 years old! Can you believe that? Then we begin to pass the buckets throughout the cave to begin to sift through the dirt! It was crazy how many pieces of pottery we were able to uncover! Our caves were named "Lumpy" and "Lucy!" It was wonderful to see the Lord use this time to join our 39 students together for the cause of Israel and finding it legitimacy one day at a time!

After this we went through a 2,500 year old cave! It was crazy how many stairs were in it and the wonderful interior decorators they were :)

So yes, today has been eventful as well as dirty! It has to be the most dirt I have had all over my body since I was 5!

We have had a wonderful night of fellowship and just loving the company of each other! I love each and every one of these young men and women and know that God is going to do AMAZING things that we cannot even fathom through all of us! God is amazing and beautiful and deserves all our glory and honor and so much more!

Be blessed and know that you are in my prayers!

Shalom!

My Favorite Sunrise EVER!

Hello All!

It's been a beautiful day! It all started last night after staying the night in the Bedouin Desert in a tent! Yes, for everyone not believing me I will have pictures up soon! Anyways, after a very long night on the tent, we arose at 4AM to get ready and eat the Bedouin breakfast of cucumbers and soda! :) We then traveled to Mount Masada and climbed a crazy steep "Roman Road!" we then viewed the most beautiful painting God could ever paint for me! I sat aside from the group and worshiped God and it was a beautiful date with God! I have learned more in the past week about my own heart, life, and perspective than ever before! I have been trying to learn and grow as a woman of God om my own but now realizing I've never been on my own! God has gone before me in ways that I ever could have imagined!

As we continued the day we descended the Mount on a 45 minute "Snake Path" that was crazy long and steep! We then were able to fly in a private plane of a Commander of the IDF! I also got to meet Gall, a 20 year old young woman of the Israel Defense Force, who welcomed us with open arms and gleamed as she looked through my pictures on my phone of America! She thanked us for fighting the good fight!

We left there and went to the Dead Sea and literally floated on the water! It's nothing like you could ever imagine!

To top off the whole day we had a journalist from the JPOST come and speak! It was an open light to why we are fighting for Israel on our campuses!

God is doing amazing things in the 44 lives that are on this trip! It's wonderful and beautiful to share a love for a country and a love for Christ with leaders from all over America! I value this time with my friends as I continue to look toward the future God is taking me to!

Thank you all for your love and prayers!

Remember through your own lives today thank God for what you have been given! I visited the Israel Holocaust museum yesterday and was completely moved to know that everyday is a gift! It's more than just waking up and thanking Him for the day, but it's more that you don't have to watch your family being murdered! It's blunt but honest especially when you are in the midst of the Holy Land!

Love you all!

Day 2 and 3 of Israel...

Hello My Friends, Family, and Followers,

I am so excited to be able to contact you tonight! I know it is earlier in the day for most of you but here is is 9:30PM we are all sitting in the lobby having our dates with WiFi. Pretty crazy how we can go nuts by not having internet for two whole days! I just want to start off by telling you how AMAZING the trip is and I am so excited to tell you all about it and show you so many pictures!

First I want to tell you the flight was brutal but it was perfect since I stayed up till 5am on the first day! I we landed then headed straight to the tours of the last two days.

It has been a beautiful experience; from sheep herding to Mount Beatitudes to Caesarea Philippi the first 1 1/2 days!  I am so excited about this, it was a beautiful time to spend with the Lord and really dive into why I have been brought here and what exactly I am meant to do through this organization and beyond! Also, yesterday I we went on the Sea of Galilee! This was beautiful experience to soak in yet again that I was in the Holy Land!

Mount Beatitudes

Sea of Galilee

 

Today we were able to meet with IDF (Israel Defense Force) soldiers along the Lebonese border! These young men range anywhere from 18-22! Can you believe that? We say goodbye to our families to go enrich our learning in university classrooms and they say goodbye and head out to fight terrorism on the borders of Israel. This was amazing to really open my eyes to the opportunities I have been given in the US that I was completely unaware of. These young men showed me what it was like to have joy in the midst of chaos and hope in the history of tragedy.

After this we went as a group rafting through the Jordan River! Yes, the Jordan River! It was so fun and I actually found a new hobby!

So then we drove to Jerusalem! The HOLY CITY! I am so excited to see the beautiful sites tomorrow of the Old City. But tonight we went to the Shabbat service at the WESTERN WALL! It was probably one of the most awarding times of my life. To be in the place where Jesus was and was slain for me is just amazing, sanctifying, and humbling.

So after recording this all, I am left with a loving joyful and beautiful feeling of joy and humbleness like I have never felt before. God has granted me the amazing privilege to join these 38 other leaders from all over America! I am beyond looking forward to what God has for me in the next few days as I look forward to camel riding, visiting the Old City, and many many more wonderful adventures!

Stay Tuned!

Denton to Newark...DAY 1

Hello My Wonderful Followers,

Well, as I sit here in the hotel lobby after a wonderful conversation with a dear friend I am overwhelmed with the joy of my friends here, my love for this amazing Land, and my heart ultimately being changed!

We met tonight and discussed the argument over the State of Israel and we are all looking forward to the fight on our campus and standing up to fight! We are going to Israel to learn and grow as student leaders and I cannot wait to see how God changes and moves in all of us! 

This will be one of the most amazing times of my life! I am preparing for a change like I have never experienced in my life and I am expecting God to change, move, and woo!

I want you all to embrace the day today and as I fly to Israel in 11 1/2 hours that you you will know I will be lifting you all up! God has called us to love Him, enjoy Him, and obey Him.

I will be praying for many provisions, future opportunities, and clarity in my life! I look forward to sharing my growth and experiences with you all!

Blessings to you and to CUFI!

<3

Ready!

Good Afternoon All!

Well this is the first of many blogs for the next two weeks! I know can you believe it, ISRAEL IS TOMORROW!

Well, its been quite a weekend, moving out of my apartment in Denton into a UHAUL and two suitcases! One bound for New York and one for Israel. Its pretty crazy that my life can fit into two suitcases!

There are so many emotions running through my mind, heart, and soul at this moment! I have learned to let go and have taken the hand of my Savior's and let Him take my life. I am here on this journey for the purpose of joining together with my Maker! Have you found your purpose or joy for today? Meredith Andrews really hits home for me in this song!

"Everything I see is so temporary; So help me run the race before me with eternity in sight..."

This is my heart and soul right now. As I sit here and type this I am in my home away from home at Starbucks in Denton with my two roomates sitting by my side. So many emotions! They have become my best friends, my confidants, my constant reminders of Christs' blessings in my life. I will miss them dearly, but know that we have laughed hard, prayed harder, and made memories that will last a lifetime.

So as I titled this blog, I am READY for Israel, READY for His will, and READY to be completely in His Arms. I hope you continue to read this blog as I journey through the Holy Land and learn to dive into your own heart and let the Holy Spirit guide you into His Holiness and I promise you will see you are READY too!

All My Love

I finally said "I do..."

Hello My fellow friends!

I hope you are having a marvelous day!

I wanted to share an amazing story about a girl who finally said "I do"

This girl grew up hidden, scared, and stubborn. She rejected any form of help, even that of her Saviors'. For years she buried her heart in the midst of busyness and to-do's. Through the course of recovering from many wounds, she discovered a light of love and joy like she had never felt before. Sooner than she thought she entered college realizing finally that she was broken and in need of deep healing. College years flew by and soon she was standing face to face with the "big-girl" world in front of her. Saying goodbye to the friends who had become her family, letting go of relationships that would never be, and opening the door to a fabulous testimony of grace and mercy. As she stared into the future opportunity, she realized she had finally learned to hand everything over to her Savior rather than rejecting Him once more. As she had many times she had a dream of her watching a beautiful sunset with the Lover of her Soul seated next to her. As He stood and reached out for her hand she noticed her long silk white dress flowing from her body, as a long nightgown, if you can imagine. But as she rose and stood she looked down again to find herself clothed in the most beautiful white wedding dress she had ever seen. As she looked up to see her Savior dressed in a suit and all her friends and family standing to watch them walk down the aisle. As she stared into His eyes she finally knew without a shadow of doubt or fear that her Savior had come to save her and release her from the bondage and wounds of the past and sweep her into the future of love, joy, and peace. As they walked down the aisle to the beautiful arch of greenery and white lilies, she was overtaken with emotion when He leaned over and said, "You finally said I do to me..."

This is a story that should stretch your heart to see the beauty in falling in love. This girl is me. My Savior has swept me off my feet and I now know what it is to be a woman in love.

I pray this encouraged you to dig deeper with Him today and let the joy of knowing He loves you enough to sacrifice His Son give you the encouragement you need to take a leap of faith and do whatever it is He has called you to do!

I leave for Israel in ONE WEEK! I know it is pretty crazy how fast this summer has flown by! I am so excited to see where God will take us through this journey! I pray you join me on this quest in my life and may God lift you up in whatever circumstance you are in today!

Be Blessed!

"Some trust in chariots, some trust in horses..."

Good Evening All!

As I sit in my living room in Denton, Texas after spending a week in the nations capital; I reminisce on the past week and the past day on what God has shown me, granted me, and blessed me with.

"Some trust in chariots, some trust in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." 

Psalm 20:7

I was reading through the Psalms on the plane today and this verse caught my eye and stirred my heart. I know that there are many moments in life when you remember every detail of it; this week was one of them. Up until this week I have trusted in the chariots and horses of this life. I will refer to the chariots as other people and other things and the horse as myself. 

Many people and many things in life can be perceived as ones that will work, that will protect, and that will provide some kind of eternal pleasure; but they all fail. Whether this is future goals, money, relationships, and/or success. All these can pass away in the blink of an eye or ride away as a chariot would. There is no trust in a chariot. 

My testimony breeds one of grace and mercy and the amazing story of God rescuing me, yet I still tried for so long to ride away on a path I created for myself. I have failed time and time again to try and carry all of life's burdens by myself; just as a horse buckles under pressure, as do I. 

So for all these examples I will share with you a few pictures from this week that brings joy and beauty to my life. The support of Israel is a love that has grown into a passion that will never ride away or buckle. The trust of God to bring me a man that will initiate and pursue a Godly relationship will never ride away or buckle under the pressures of worldly expectations. Though I will fail myself, the truth of these are forever etched in my heart.

These are the joys of my life, the friends that I have gained this week will be ones I will keep for a lifetime. I love you all and cannot wait to see the amazing plans God has for you in the future. If you are not in here, does not mean you are not loved, just don't have enough room! 

I cannot wait to see where God uses the information I have learned this week, the divine appointments I have been involved in, and the beautiful love I have been shown. I know God has amazing things in store for the next few months whether personally or with CUFI! 

God has shown me to trust in Him and not the chariots and horses of this world! 

Be Blessed and Can't wait to share with you the joys of my Israel Trip and the Hard part of saying goodbye to a wonderful chapter of my life! 

This Is the Day the Lord has Made...

I am currently walking the path if past presidents, senators, congress men and women, this brings me to thank my God for the freedom of my right to write to you today!

The Lord has called, summoned, and appointed young men and women to stand up and be leaders of today and not wait for the failures of tomorrow to spur our hearts to change! God has called me to rejoice in this day and be glad in it! I will rejoice and I will be glad! I am joined by 721,000 members of Christians United for Israel including Glenn Beck and our fearless leaders Pastor John and Diana Hagee! God has brought the Joshua generation to fight in the frontlines of battle and wage war on the enemies that stream to present lies, false stories and accusations, and try to delegitimise the Apple of Gods eyes! We will stand and we will overcome!

So today I thank God for this day, my country, my faith, and the chance to stand up for today and not be silent! I will devote my life to the continuing knowledge and awareness of the truth of Gods word and our covenant with His Holy Land!

This is the day the Lord has made; rejoice and be glad in it! I am standing and praying for the supernatural peace and power of God Almighty to draw me closer to Him and His anointed plan for my life!

God Bless Israel, God Bless the USA, and God Bless CUFI!

"For Zions sake, I will not keep silent..." Isaiah 62:3

A New Day with a New Perspective

Good Noontime Everyone!

I hope you all are having an amazing day!

Well, for starters its 4 DAYS until I see my CUFI Family! Cannot wait!

Transitioning is a crazy emotional and beautiful thing. It's a mix between sweet and sour and all at once scary. By God's grace He has changed me in the last six months to the woman I am today. I believe He has been preparing me for this stage in my life for a while now. There are many little things that I realize are huge blessings in my life.

1. My Friends
The people God has placed in my life are beautiful representations that God still saves, loves, and adores us to give us friends to walk with us and encourage us when our road gets a little bit shaky.
2. Love
God has given me the heart to love people in a way that is so deep and rich. I enjoy seeing God's grace and mercy penetrate the hearts of my friends, family, and people around me. I know God's grace is sure and good and I know that this world is hard and evil, so knowing you have love from someone else is a sure way to know you are blessed.
3. Memories
These can either be good or bad. God has brought me from ashes and made my life a beautiful remnant of His rescuing love and mercy. I have thought of memories from years back to a few days ago and they all bring joy to my heart for they all brought me to where I am today.

So yes, these may be small and minuscule to you; but to me they are this beautiful painting of God's masterpiece, other words known as, my life. I have this beautiful relationship with my Lord and Savior that is mine. It's something that through this change to another city, another state, another journey; that it will be forever growing and continuing.

So though I leave the past behind full of friends, love, and beautiful yet hard memories; I know that I am now not walking with my eyes but with God's perspective.

This is my prayer for myself and you today, that you will see that this is a new day, a new light, and God's perspective is there for taking. Sometimes it takes a little transition to get you exactly where you are meant to be.

Until next time,

"Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

God's Perspective

ONE WEEK!

Hello All!!

It's one week till I will be surrounded by all my beautiful, wonderful, spectacular CUFI Family! It's amazing to see the work of the Lord!

The Lord gave me this encouraging word and I want to share it with you! For so long I've tried to limit Gods plan in my life by trying to create my own! By Gods grace and mercy He has saved me from myself and blessed me with a future of dreams, miracles, love, joy, and peace! Although there will be hard days, God knows our hearts and hears our cries! So I pray that whoever you are, whether my CUFI family, best friend, or a complete stranger that you are blessed by this word just as I am:

"I am your God here to save you from the ruins of the world and deliver you into the realms of Heaven! Be still and know that I am God and I will lead you, guide you, and fulfill my work in your life. This is not your life, this is my life I gave to you! You are equipped to withstand the attacks of the enemy as well as be delivered from temptation and strife. Do not grow weary or distressed for I am your God and I have saved you. You are forever in my hands and forever you will be with me. Until this day, I will speak, move, change, and transform every one of you. Do not let your past hinder you, do not let the world dismay you, and do not let your heart be misguided. There is many fields to be plowed and many flocks to be led; so grab your plow and your staff and let the work of the Lord be known."

I pray this blessed you and keeps you encouraged that the Lord hears our hearts and encourages us to press on towards the places we are supposed to go. So get ready for the Lord your God has called you! Who knows your life might change in the next week if your open to it!

Can't wait to praise the Lord this next week with my CUFI Family and am enjoying soaking in last memories with dear friends from the place I've called home for the past three years.

Be encouraged, be uplifted, and most of all know your worth!

Blessings! Have a great weekend!

More to come!

The Hope of Today

Hello All!

Wow. Its been quite a week and its just Thursday. Finance test and now to take the GRE on Saturday.

I needed some uplifting today and figured whoever reads this could too. I CANNOT WAIT to go to DC and see all the people I miss! Looking forward to being surrounded by people who are passionate and thrilled about the calling of standing for Israel in their lives as I am.

God has called each of us to something, someone, and somewhere. Although "waiting for God's will" is what we are called to do, the term waiting should be taken with a grain of salt as well as a few words of advice.

1. Waiting does not mean you wait till tomorrow to live for Christ.
2. Waiting is not like waiting in a line at the grocery store where you can see the end no matter how long it might be, in God's time He is the only one who controls your destination timing.
3. Waiting is not an excuse to "just be free" today.
and 4. Waiting is not easy.

With these you shall see in your own life how waiting on God is something of active dillegence to pursue Christ character and His attributes to be evident in your life and let His hands to the work of providing the something, someone, and somewhere.

So my hope for you today is that you see that God's hope is one of waiting on His time, His plan, and His will.

May God bless and keep you!

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking hte very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 4:10-11

One day at a Time...

I now leave for DC in 11 days and Israel in 27 days and move to NY in 43 days. So many emotions to take in. Today is July 5th, 2011 (as you know) but its the day following a celebration of our country. As I enjoyed an amazing day a the lake yesterday with wonderful friends, I sat there and new I had to write what I was feeling down...and as surprising it may sound, I feel the same way today!

I have seen a new perception. Is it because I am wearing contacts instead of glasses? Is it because I worked out a little extra hard this morning? Or could it simply be because I have accepted that God is changing every aspect of my life? So I had the choice this morning to either, whats that saying, roll with the punches or get punched? I don't know, something like that!

So the actual title of this post, one day at a time. I have tried my entire life to live more of tomorrows responsibilities in today's 24 hours. This is not how life should be. God gave us a life, though it isn't always easy, there is a reason that we get a break between one to another. So yes, yesterday might have been bad to you, but today is all yours to make it better. Now I know I sound like some Joel Olsteen rendention, but seriously, there is more to each day than the one before. The best thing is that if you wake up you get another chance to make your impact on this earth a little greater.

So this is me, trying to make an impact on some kind of digital world that our world has come to. I am taking this life one day at a time, though I may never truly understand the saying "roll with the punches" this is my suggestion to you as well, just roll with the punches of life today and let God take your breathe away as you live one day at a time!

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Today is the beginning...

I am 22 and blessed beyond belief at the love of the Lord in my life. He has given me passions that include Women's Ministry, Israel, and a heart for the Fashion Industry. How do all of these come together, well, only to the mind of the One who calls does any know the reason for their journey.

To begin, I will be traveling to:

•  Washington D.C. in approximately 19 days.
•  Israel in 36 days
•  New York in 51 days.

The plans that God has set before me are some none could describe or analyze. Believe me, I have tried. God has called me on a mission to go and do the impossible and to do this for no other reason that to share the passion of Christ in my life to whoever will listen.

So I will go. I am updating this blog for future reference for family, friends, and those unknown followers that might click on my blog through the amazing tool of Google. This is for you. Whether you love fashion, whether you love Jesus, or have a passion for the State of Israel. This is for you. I will do my best to update you on my life, loves, hopes, dreams, prayers, and most of all adventures.

I cannot wait for the Summit in DC where I will join over 399 other students to demonstrate a call to lead and love the State of Israel.

I am so blessed and honored to be able to travel with 39 other students to Israel. I cannot wait to see the hand of God at work and know that without a doubt, God will move and let His name be known powerfully and effectively to each and every student and leader.

So today is the beginning....

John 3:30