Step by Step I'm Met by Grace

Wow! What a whirlwind! February + March were months full of sweet lessons from God and I cannot wait to share them with you. Thank you all for your continued support and prayers in this season- they are definitely felt and I am incredibly encouraged by your willingness to come alongside me in this season!

Three More Years…

As I alluded to in my last blog, I have spent the last couple of months praying about what God’s will is for my life and how I can join him in every season. After much prayer, by both myself and the people on my team, I have decided to commit to work with FOCUS for three more years! I am exceptionally excited to be able to guarantee that this next year will be continued at UTD!! While praying and talking to people, I felt like God was asking me to be obedient to His calling and willing to say ‘yes’ to the unknown. So that has been my continual prayer- Lord, help me to be a person of willing obedience in every season. I have gotten to break the news to some of the girls I have been ministering to over the last couple of years and I am elated to continue to do ministry with them for another few years! Would you be praying for my heart and the hearts of our students at UTD to be willing to continue to be obedient in every season?

God’s People Show Up

Like I said earlier, these last few months have been a whirlwind! One of my girls landed in the hospital with various symptoms at the beginning of February and ended her one-month stay at the beginning of March. I have learned a TON during this time about God and just how much He cares for His people. Over the course of the 28 days that she was there, there was not a single day where someone from our community or church has not shown up with a gift, a card, a word of encouragement, or a sweet smile. Doctors and nurses from both of the hospitals made several comments to me and the student about how loved and taken care of she is- and her response every time was “This is my family”- I mean I could weep typing this out now. I would love to tell y’all more of her story than what I have the space to tell you here, but just know I have learned and hope to never forget that God’s people show up, are a friend the orphan, widow, fatherless, and poor, it is not hard to be someone’s best friend. If you want to know more about her story and are curious about the impact of community on her life, it would seriously be my honor to let you in on what God is doing here- so please text or email me to set up a time. Would you join me in praying for the complete healing of her body and that the things we’ve both learned in the last month about God and His people would forever be on our minds and hearts?

Sabbath Day

Amidst the chaos of the last few months, I took a full sabbath day to rest and recenter on the “why”. I spent the whole day at a local church journaling, praying, and worshiping God and I have been continually in awe of all of the ways that God is showing up in my life and in the lives of the people around me. As many of you know, I am not always good at resting, but this full day of resting with Jesus was so helpful for my heart and mind. I am continually reminded of how grateful I am to have a job where being in step with Jesus is the priority and they care about our health on all levels. Will you join me in praying that I can continue to rest in Jesus and that my girls would also begin to have cycles of rest in their lives?

Thanks again for joining me in ministry this year and for being so supportive of all that God is doing at UTD! Your prayers and support have been so apparent and appreciated!

Until next time,

Jessica :)

P.S. Can you find waldo?