Motivational Monday

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On May 12, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! How was your Mother’s Day? I hope you spent it with loved ones. I know holidays can be a difficult time for some (no matter the holiday). Holidays are a time that brings up memories…sometimes good and sometimes bad. Holidays can also leave us feeling lonely. So let’s talk about it.

There have been times in my life where I felt very alone. And trust me, I was never really alone. My husband, son and all our 8 million animals have always been there physically for me. In fact, there are times when being physically alone might’ve been nice at the time. 😉 But the alone I am referring to is being mentally alone. And, we have all been there no matter your age. This could be something small and insignificant to something huge like a loss of a loved one. But let’s be honest, the small things are usually the ones that come and go the most in life. Do you ever feel guilty about it?

Fun fact! Did you know May is Mental Health Awareness Month? It’s ok, I didn’t either until recently. But how appropriate this topic came up during this month.

Is it appropriate for Christians feel lonely? Well of course it is! If you listened to Pastor Scott’s sermon yesterday, he talked about Jesus having emotions. Can you imagine how lonely Jesus felt on the cross after He was betrayed by His disciples? I mean, man. What about in the Garden of Gethsemane when He wanted his disciples with Him yet they were asleep? If you have ever felt lonely, it’s not a good feeling at all. So why does God allow it?

Why does God allow anything bad to happen? He can stop or start anything He wants. So why does this happen? Well, just like all things, we have free will. Let me tell you how my mind works on this. We are a rubber band. When something happens, our rubber band is stretched. Sometimes just a little and sometimes it’s stretched to the max. Sometimes it stretches a little and little more and little more. But there is a time when the rubber band is going to break or you have to relieve the tension. What relieves the tension? God. Yep. Just God. Seeking Him and allowing Him to work through you resets your rubber band.

I think what is important when loneliness hits you is to compartmentalize it. That way, once you know where it falls, you will know how to correct it, right?

  1. Situational Christian Loneliness– This is where we don’t have enough friends and/or family.This could be more of in general or maybe you moved. So how do you combat that without making friends in an unchristian-like manner? Always be proactive in making friends. Listen, years ago, I met a lady while she was working at Publix. Today, I hug her when I see her out and I keep up with her on social media. You never know who or where you are going to meet someone! And social media…it’s great and it’s not so great. It’s great because you can stay in touch. And just go to church! I can’t tell you the amount of friends I have now just because I go to church. You don’t have to get involved in everything. Just go. Trust me. These people will be your friend!
  2. Emotional Christian Loneliness– Honestly speaking, this is what I experience the most. This is where you DO have friends and family but you feel like they don’t love you. This sounds really dramatic as I write it but we all experience it. This can be something as simple as not being invited to a party or social event you feel like you should have been invited to. This one is hard to get around because you are in your head. It is important to remember to not set unrealistic expectations for how people love you. You need to believe they do love you. Also, envy is a terrible thing. Envy sets the stage for loneliness (one of the downsides of social media). Remember, study your own lawn. Don’t worry why their grass is so green. And just be thankful! Thank Him everyday for what you have and WHO you have.
  3. Social Christian Loneliness– Where are my introverts? Shocker. Y’all are in the back. These are your socially awkward people, introverts and those with low self esteem. That all sounds bad but I promise…it’s not. My husband is an introvert and we complement each other well but it was a learning curve. So for those of you that struggle in this area, make sure to renew your mind daily. Have your quiet time with God. Ask Him to help you connect with others who see you as you are.
  4. Spiritual Christian Loneliness– This is where you don’t feel close to God. Or maybe you feel like God let you down. Listen friends, if this is where you are, know that it’s ok. But know that relationship needs to be fixed asap. You need to work on your relationship with God. That’s the only way to get out of that loneliness. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” Tell God how you feel even if it’s not pleasant! Trust me, He knows what you’re thinking anyway. You might as well say it. If you are struggling to talk to Him and you are not there yet, start a new habit of renewing your mind. This could be self driven or group driven Bible study or maybe just journaling. Write it down! Write Him letters.

I would love to tell you that my life is perfect and I never experience loneliness. I am extroverted and I seem confident. In reality, there are days that it is all a show. And it’s normally something pretty small that causes me to get that way because I am in my head. All I am saying, you are not alone. You are never alone because you have Him. He is literally a prayer away. And listen, when I’m struggling, I just start talking. He knows and He loves me for it.

Love you all (and I mean it),
Jennifer

May Newsletter

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On May 7, 2025

In News and Announcements, Newsletters

Hey everyone!  Click on the link below for the May Newsletter.

May Newsletter

Motivational Monday

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On May 5, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!  I hope you were all able to make it to Homecoming this year.  I heard it was phenomenal (as usual).  Listen, we know how to cook and eat, don’t we?  I missed it this year for good reason.  My nephew graduated from college and I, of course, wanted to go and support him in his accomplishment.  So today’s topic…it would be a huge foul if I didn’t talk about Mother’s Day since it is this upcoming Sunday.  So mommas…is motherhood a duty or a privilege?  Let’s talk about it.

Several weeks ago, Logan came to me and informed me he wanted to go skydiving.  He expected me to just lose it but instead, I shrugged my shoulders and said, “Just be careful.”  I mean, what could I really say that would stop him?  Not to mention, I have thought about skydiving myself.  I waited several weeks to tell my mom (his beloved granny) about him skydiving.  She ABSOLUTELY lost it. In fact, she called Logan and asked him to rethink his choices.  I had to have a talk with her and tell her that no matter what we said, he would do what he wanted.  She sighed and said, “Well, he is your child.” 😆  Sigh.  

As a kid, it was never my goal to stress her out.  It’s just that I live my life as a “we only live once’” type of mentality.  If it’s something I am interested in, then…I research it and do it or not.  But I put it to bed one way or another.  That’s Logan.  But after that comment, I worried that I upset her more than I should have because parenthood is hard!  We don’t have all the answers even when we are expected to have one.  There are days where task after task sucks all the joy out of your day.  Or your child acts out or is sick.  And you just run on autopilot.

This is going to sound cliche but it is so important to find the joy in your life.  And if you are a mother, especially find joy everyday in motherhood.  YES!!  Even those days your kid wants to skydive.  Psalm 127:3 says, “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.” You see…your child was given to you for you to take care of and raise.  But your child doesn’t belong to you.  Your child belongs to God.  God entrusted you with their soul.  

And the funny thing about kids, they are all unique (like fingerprints!).  And as they grow, they change every way possible (physically, emotionally, mentally).  As I am writing this, I think of a rubix cube.  When one thing changes, three other things change.  Think about that for just a second.  Slowing down just a little and realizing that stuff you have to do, can wait.  You don’t need a perfect house.  You need to make memories.

So to answer the original question, is motherhood a duty or a privilege?  Truthfully, both and I don’t think it a bad thing to admit that to ourselves.  The word “duty” sounds negative but why?  It IS our duty to raise, nurture, model faith and character, discipline and just be a positive influence.  Is that a privilege as well?  Yes.  100%.  But it’s all a mindset…your mindset.  

I absolutely love being a mother to Logan.  He brings me happiness and joy that I never knew I needed.  If you are reading this, you have a mother.  This mother might be someone who legally (or not) adopted you or birthed you.  Some of us have a lot of “mothers” in our life who would be there in a heartbeat if we called and needed them.  This Mother’s Day, make sure to tell all the moms in your life how much they mean to you.  Just like you, moms are also unique.  Some ok skydiving and others don’t…and that’s ok.

Love you,
Jennifer

Motivational Monday

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On April 21, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!  Wasn’t yesterday just beautiful?  And I mean beautiful for so many reasons!  I know Easter is once a year but it is so important to remember ALL YEAR what He did for us and our salvation.  Which is an awesome segway into our motivation this week…

Have you ever gone through something and felt alone?  Of course, you have family and friends all around you but you feel…isolated.  You feel as though no one understands what you are going through.  You are stuck in your head.  OR, you have been isolated from friends and/or family and it’s devastating.  And you asked, “Why me?  Why now?”  Well, let’s talk about it.

As you all know, I am a talker.  An overall extrovert.  But when something is wrong in my life, I retreat.  And when I say retreat, I am a turtle that you just came up on from behind.  I ain’t coming out of that shell until I am safe.  To be fair, my “safe” is usually working things out in my head.  This can last a day to months.  Which is why I am involved in church as much as I am.  Church doesn’t allow me to be in my shell long because I have people who call and text to say, “Where have you been?  We’ve missed you.”  I have a sense of accountability to those people and I don’t want to let them down.

But in the seasons where I have retreated and I was isolated, they were not good times in my life.  Something was wrong.  So, it was hard on me mentally.  I guess because I did isolate myself, I talked to God a lot.  I can remember times trying to make deals with Him.  I know that’s not how it works (and I knew it then), I just wanted Him to intervene and make things better.  I wanted to know why this was happening.  Why is God isolating me?

Well, first, He wants your focus on Him.  Listen.  I know I say this every week on Mondays and Pastor Scott says it every week in church and in his midweek messages but God loves you.  He really does.  You are here on this Earth, because He put you here.  He wants you to choose Him like He chose you.  Maybe this season of isolation is to get your attention.  We all have a to-do list and we are all crazy busy.  Sometimes we push Him to the back because we know He will be there always.  Well, maybe this is His way of saying, “Um ma’am.  Hi.  I need you to focus on me and not that list.”

During these times, God is protecting you.  We all come to God at different places in our life and because of this, we all have unique testimonies.  However, God may ask us to let go of certain people, environments, vices, ungodly habits, etc.  You can’t hold onto those things because God has bigger plans for you.  And there are LOTS of times, you don’t understand why.  And that’s ok.  It’s your job to know the whys behind everything.  It’s your job to trust and obey Him.  Jeremiah 29:11 and Hebrews 11:6 are great verses to back this up.  🙂

From personal experience, these isolations have a lasting impact on me.  I can honestly say, I am a better person because of them.  God uses this time to grow His people…to develop our character that helps shape us to carry out His divine assignments for us.  Maybe you are going through this because you are meant to help one person on this Earth.  Or maybe 10.  100.  1000s.  You just don’t know who and how many you are meant to impact with your testimony and fulfilling God’s purpose.  John 16:33

Lastly, He is trying to realign your heart.  I am so guilty fighting with God because I want to do something and it ain’t happening.  Because I want it and God says, “No ma’am.  Not today.”  He uses these times of isolation to realign our hearts to be in line with His desires and not our own.  Sometimes, we have to be taken all the way down so we depend on Him.  And this should be somewhat familiar because this is how my parents disciplined me as a child.  They took away things I liked so I would see the error of my ways.  My parents did this because they love me.  God is no different here.  He disciplines those He loves.  Hebrews 12:6

I say this all the time.  I am not someone who is the most studious christian.  I make mistakes every.single.day.  I even make mistakes when I write these.  I sin every day!  And these sins are things I know not to do!  But I like to think I am called to write these motivations week after week because God believes in me.  Sometimes, I think these are more for me and y’all are just my cheerleaders (who doesn’t love an entourage?!).  But every week, I pray that He speaks through me to help one of you.  And because I sin daily, these are just a way to stay close to Him.  1 Corinthians 1:27

Seasons come and go for a reason and every season is beautiful.  Sometimes it’s hard to see when you’re in the middle of it.  If you are in a season of isolation, just know this is an opportunity for you.  This is the BEST time for you to grow.  Lean into Him.  He is there waiting to hug you.  And for those who are not in that season, look around at those who are.  Check on them.  Stop right now, and send them a quick text.  Let them know you love them and you are there if and when they need you.

Love you all,

Jennifer



Motivational Monday

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On April 14, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!  Well today is the last of our miniseries on Easter.  Today, I want to talk about something that affects all christian holidays but how do we celebrate Easter as a 21st christian?  So, let’s talk about it.

Like most holidays, Easter has become HIGHly commercialized.  Everywhere where you turn it’s chicks, bunnies, eggs, candy, baskets, clothes, etc.  And listen, don’t get me wrong here.  I love all the things.  I love that a lot of Easter activities bring families together (like dying eggs!).  This is fun and wholesome.  But as you are partaking in these activities, this is a GREAT opportunity to discuss the meaning behind Easter.

Easter Sunday is the day Jesus rose from the dead.  This is the heart of our Christian faith.  His resurrection is more than a miracle.  It is the fulfillment of God’s plan to bring salvation to the world.  “He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”  Luke 24:6-7  Jesus willingly gave his life to pay the penalty of our sins so that our relationship with God the Father is restored.

This story is the absolute cornerstone of God’s redemptive story.  From the beginning of the Bible to the very end, Scripture points to a Savior who defeats sin and restores the broken.  Romans 6:9 says, “We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.” This has the clearest and purest expression of God’s love and power.  It brings you and I lasting hope because we put our trust in him.  “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,’” John 11:25.  Because we remember the resurrection, we are reminded that nothing is impossible without God.  “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,” Philippians 3:10

So, I say all of that to say…Easter is more than traditions.  We need to turn our hearts and minds towards what truly matters this season.  Let the children in your life hear you talk about the meaning of Easter and why we celebrate it.  I understand the story of Jesus being crucified is not the happiest.  But it is.  It’s a reminder of God’s faithfulness and grace.  When you are talking to these sweet children, remember God gave his only son to us.

This week, you have opportunities.  When you’re buying candy at the store, talk to the cashier about their plans for Easter.  Use that opportunity to discuss the meaning behind the holiday (and yes, you can do this without it being uncomfortable!).  When you are driving the kids to the Easter Egg Hunt at our church this Saturday beginning at 10am (did you see what I did there?), talk about His love for us. As you are sitting at the table with the family eating dinner or lunch, start a new Easter tradition and ask the question for all to answer, “How does the resurrection give you hope and change the way you live?”  I think you will be surprised by the answers.

Love you all,

Jennifer

P.S. If you haven’t seen or heard of Empty Tomb Rolls you are missing out!  They look delicious AND they are a great way to explain and show kids the story of Easter.  I love this idea for Easter breakfast or even as a snack the night before.

 

 

Motivational Monday

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On April 7, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!  Today I want to continue my Easter countdown miniseries.  It’s my goal to cover topics you may or may not know because these are things I learned way later about the crucifixion and resurrection.  I had the main points down but some stuff had a ton of symbolism and I’m over here hiding eggs.  Just being honest…

So, hopefully you all know that Jesus was resurrected after He was crucified (this was a main point I was talking about 😉).  When we was resurrected, a woman was the one to see Him first.  Why was that?  Let’s talk about it.

Let’s talk about Mary Magdalene or Mary M for short.  I really like her.  To be fair, I like most (if not all) the stories about the women in the Bible.  There is a story to be learned in every single one because God is always purposeful.  To catch you up on who she was, she had a special connection to Jesus.  Mary M became a different person when Jesus came into her life (like all of us).  You see, Jesus cleansed her of her demons and because of this, she was a DEVOUT follower.  She loved Jesus with all her heart.  Her story showed us that your past does not dictate your future.

The day Jesus was crucified, she was there.  As anyone who was a follower, I am sure it was hard to watch (honestly, I am sure it was hard to watch if you weren’t a follower).  She stayed with Him until death.  After He died, He was put in a tomb with a large heavy boulder as a door so NO ONE could move it.  But on the third day after His burial, the women went to anoint the body (Mark 16:1) because they loved Him and wanted to continue to care for Him (Luke 8:1-3).  I can hear the conversation now on the way to the tomb, “Mary!  How are we going to get in?  We can’t move that stone.”  Mary M- “I don’t know but we’ll figure it out.”  It sounds like something I would do.

They get there and bam!  Stone moved.  You know their initial thought was “woohoo!” and then, “hold up.  What is happening here?  This is weird and not good.”  So she runs and gets Peter and it was then discovered that Jesus was gone.  After everyone left, Mary stayed at the tomb and just cried.  I mean, I get it.  There was A LOT of trauma that she had just witnessed and now, Jesus’s body had been stolen (or so she thought).  Two angels appeared and talked to her and she was still upset.  And then…mic drop…Jesus was there. He told her He was all good now and He was ascending to “my Father and your Father”.  Mary M was ecstatic and went to tell everyone she had seen Jesus. (John 20:1-18)

Great story right?  But why did Jesus appear before Mary M?  A woman.  For context, women at that time were considered less.  They were not allowed all the way into the Temple to worship simply because they were a woman.  They had no rights.  They were second class.  On top of her being a woman, she was a FALLEN woman (gasp!).  You can imagine when she tried telling the disciples, “HEY GUYS!!!  Jesus is alive!  He told me to tell you He was good!”  You know they rolled their eyes and said, “Sure He did Mar-Bear.”  They didn’t believe her (Luke 24:11 and Mark 16:11).

You see, Jesus didn’t see different classes, gender, or race. Jesus only saw people when He walked this Earth.  He didn’t care if you were a man, woman, disabled, smelled to high heavens, had an eye hanging out, or wasn’t nice…He was going to talk to you.  And in Mary’s case, at one time she was demon filled and Jesus healed her.  And then, she followed Him to the end.  And she truly loved Him with all her heart.  Jesus knew that and He rewarded her with His presence after His resurrection.  Jesus valued a sin filled, former demon possessed, second rate citizen who was a woman to share the good news.

If Jesus can see past all of that, why can’t you?  We tend to pass judgment when it is not warranted.  We are all sinners.  My sin and your sin are probably different.  That doesn’t make me better than you.  We are both sinners.  God put us (me and YOU) here on this Earth for a million reasons.  But one of the reasons is to learn from and help each other.  Don’t forget that when you get frustrated with people.  People who are hungry and you think they just need to get a job.  Or an alcoholic, who just needs to stop drinking.  Or a coworker, who isn’t pulling their weight.  We all have a story and maybe if we were more like Jesus, they would/could be a Mary M.  

God is so intentional, isn’t He?

Love you all,

Jennifer



Motivational Monday

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On March 31, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!  So for the next 3 motivations, I want to take the opportunity to discuss Easter.  Of course, this will be Jennifer style (whatever that is). 🙂  

I grew up in a Christian home but we didn’t attend church regularly until I was around 11.  Most of you are like ok, great.  That’s a good age to retain biblical knowledge.  Well…this chick right here could care less at that time.  I loved the Lord but I wasn’t interested in history at all.  And learning about the Lord is one big history lesson.  So it wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized four unusual yet remarkable things happened after Jesus was crucified (like that was remarkable enough).  What are they and why are they important to us?  Let’s talk about it. 

The darkness.  I think most of us who know the story have heard there was darkness.  Jesus was placed on the cross at 9 a.m. (Mark 15:25), then “from noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over the whole land” (Matthew 27:45).  In the Old Testament, darkness was a sign of judgement.  For example, in Exodus when the ninth plague hit there was darkness of Egypt for 3 days (Exodus 10:21-22).  After the plague, death came to the first born sons (Exodus 11:4-5).  Darkness preceded death.  You see, then darkness happened while Jesus was on the cross, our sins were placed on Jesus and Jesus endured the judgement of God.  Isn’t it funny how nothing randomly happens in the Bible?

The curtain.  “The curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51).  There are two theories as to what this was a symbolism of from God.  The curtain could have showed a separation of the Jews and Gentiles.  Paul said Jesus tore down the wall (Ephesians 2:14).  Or, this could have been a representation of the curtain that separated the holy of holies.  Regular ole worshippers (like me and you) were not allowed in and only high priest could go in once a year.  Personally, this is what I always believed it represented.  BUT!  Fun fact- it doesn’t matter which symbolism you believe it represented because the end result is the same.  It shows that God has been opened up for all people through Christ.  Because it was torn from the top signifies God did it and not a human.

The earthquake.  “The earth quaked, and the rocks were split” (Matthew 27:51).  After a quick google search, I learned that Palenstine is located on the Dead Sea Fault Line so earthquakes are pretty common in this area.  So what’s the big deal right?  They have earthquakes like we have tornados.  Wellllll….not exactly.  Because of the timing and the magnitude, this was a supernatural event.  Kinda like when Moses was on Mount Sinai to give His law, “the whole mountain shook violently.” (Exodus 19:18).  I can’t help but think these events were related as the demands of the law had been fulfilled.  

The dead rose.  “The tombs were also opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised” (Matthew 27:52).  Hold on a sec??  There were zombies too?  I mean, kinda.  I don’t think they were gross, stinky and wanted to eat your brains.  But, these were Old Testament saints that were dead and then they were alive.  I think Paul explained it best when he said, “the dead in Christ will rise”. (1 Thessalonians 4:16).  This shows us, as believers, hope.

As I wrap up, I want you to stop and study the absolute parallels of all these events.  Not to make light of any of these events, but they were so thought out.  I get chills when I see that nothing is by accident.  It is fascinating that God is so intentional.  He is showing us time and time again.  It’s like he’s fanning a CVS receipt saying, “I got it right here!  On this date at this time!”  It’s almost like he knew we would need proof…

As we prepare for the upcoming season, it is so important for us to reflect on what God has given and continues to give to us even though we don’t deserve it.  I mean, hello…we need receipts.  Like, His son dying by crucifixion for our sins is not enough.  So, what did He do?  He scared everyone!  He had to put some “umph” behind this crucifixion to get our attention and to prove He loves us more than…anything.  Prove to us…do hear how silly that sounds? 

Love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

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On March 24, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!  Spring is HERE!!!  Guess what else is here?  Pollen. 👎🏻 I know, I know.  I should be grateful and I am…but everything is just so….yellow.  And, I am a loud sneezer.  Anyway, we are NOT talking about pollen or my less than quiet sneezes today.  Today, I want to talk about friendships but not in the happy go lucky traditional, motivational way.  I want to talk about friendship breakups.  Is it ok?  Let’s talk about it.

I think most of you know me as outgoing.  When you’re outgoing, you tend to naturally meet people easily.  And I have met A LOT of people and I have had the honor of making A LOT of friends.  Some of these people are “just friends” to “they know so much about me it’s scary and they better stay quiet about it”.  But have you ever made friends with someone, developed a relationship with them and then (for whatever reason) you decided you were no longer compatible?  Or!  Have you been the friend that was broken up with?  Unfortunately, I have been both.  Both situations are hard for different reasons.

If you read up on ending friendships, people are conflicted if it’s ok as a christian.  We are taught to be kind and patient.  To help those who are suffering and to love them unconditionally.  And all of that is absolutely true.  But the Bible also teaches boundaries.  When you draw boundaries, that doesn’t give you (or them) the right to be mean or rude.  So, in saying that, I believe it IS ok for friendships to end.

Some friendships are seasonal.  In the summer of ‘99, I met a group of girls who were seasonal friends.  Literally, one summer we were inseparable and had a BLAST!  Because of them, I met Jon!  After that summer, we parted ways for one reason or another.  It wasn’t a harsh split.  We had just…moved on.  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 sums it up perfectly.  Some friends might last you a lifetime and some might be for a season.  I have never, ever seen or heard from these girls again.  In fact, I can’t remember their last name.  But because of them, I met my love.  I understand why God led me in that season.

Some of these friendships are a little more complicated.  When you parted ways, it wasn’t because “you just moved on”.  It’s because you or them realized you were not on the same page morally.  We have all had this friend.  You love them.  They are so much fun!  Until they aren’t.  One day, while you are laughing and having a good time, you suddenly see something that’s “not cool”.  Then you notice other things they are doing that just don’t align with your christian beliefs.  When you see this, you stop and think about all the times you laughed or went along with their bad behavior.  You realize YOU have allowed them to compromise your beliefs. 1 Corinthians 15:33 warns us of these friends.  Even someone with the best character can be impacted by the company they keep. 

And then there are times, God leads us to do something different.  Have you heard the saying, “You can’t see the forest for the trees”?  Well, we can be pretty stubborn.  We may think this friend is GREAT!  But God, right?  He knows.  He has a way of leading us in different directions when He sees we are not prioritizing Him.  Wanna know how I know this?  Matthew 15:38 shows us Jesus drew a boundary and was very aware of how he was investing His time.  

As I am wrapping up, I know there are other verses that support the contrary.  Again.  You are not wrong.  But I would encourage you to read not just one verse.  Read the context.  When you have a friend breakup, this doesn’t mean you have to go out in a blaze of glory.  No, you can’t call them a name when they call you one (I know, I know.  I struggle too).  In fact, walking away peacefully and prayerfully is one of the most loving ways to end a friendship.

Love you all,

Jennifer



Motivational Monday

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On March 17, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!  Yesterday, we had our annual Soup-er Missions Fundraiser.  Every year the OutReach Team looks at different mission opportunities.  Then, we allocate the funds from the soup-er fundraiser to those opportunities.  Each year, we have a speaker come to discuss what we are supporting that year.  This got me thinking about missions and how important they are.  So, let’s talk about it.

To start with, I am on the OutReach Team.  How many mission trips have I personally been on?  None.  That’s right.  Zero.  It was only somewhat recently that I have felt a calling to do mission work.  I am not sure how, when or where I will go but I do plan on something one day.   I feel certain God will let me know when it’s the opportunity He wants me to be a  part of.  But, being on the OutReach Team, it has opened my eyes on the importance of being a part of a church that is mission minded.

Many churches nowadays are pulled in MANY different directions.  There are different programs, needs and decisions that need to be made.  Because of this, it is easy for a church to just retreat inward.  Because let’s be honest, that’s the easiest thing to do.  But if you look at the Bible, church is meant to be outward facing.  Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  

Being mission minded is so much more than meeting once a month to talk about global missionaries and what they are doing.  It’s more than discussing and planning trips.  And I think when people hear the word missions, they think global.  And yes!  That is correct!  But it’s also a worship service.  It’s our youth group.  It’s community outreach.  AND!!  It’s about global mission efforts.  Why is this essential in our church?

Well first, it reflects the heart of God.  God has always been focused on redeeming people from every single nation.  In Acts 1:8, Jesus told His disciples that they would witness “in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  Notice in that scripture, it covers local, national and global.

Speaking of globally, we are able to engage with churches all over the world.  You see, missions are not just about helping those who are lost.  It is also about building relationships with other Christians worldwide.  We have connected with many people/churches and we are able to see how they worship (from a cultural aspect).  We stay in contact with missionaries who are on the front lines of spreading God’s word in countries who are less than thrilled with them being there.  It helps me to appreciate what I have and shows me I need to be diligent about spreading the word here in the US. 

Lastly, this about the next generation.  I want to arm and empower our kids with the word of God.  The Youth Group and Kreek Kids have a great time when they get together.  Yes, there is a lesson every day they meet.  But they are shown the importance of outreach.  Just the fact they are there and they are engaging in the group, they are products of outreach.  They take that back home.  They take that to school.  They are armed with the knowledge to make good decisions.  

Missions are so much more than I can write today.  And frankly, I don’t feel I am doing it complete justice.  I know we hear about missionaries and what they are doing but comprehending it is difficult sometimes (because we aren’t there and it’s hard to understand that people don’t have a right to worship).  We are spoiled in that respect (and thank you Jesus for that!).  But when you think about missionary work being in your own church…you see the waves it creates globally.  It’s up to us to be on the boat that creates those waves.

Love you all and see you next week,

Jennifer


Motivational Monday

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On March 10, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!!  Today I want to talk about something very different than my norm.  BREAD MAKING!!  I know, I know.  This isn’t a cooking show!  But stay with me here.  Let’s talk about it.

Most of you know by now, I really enjoy cooking.  And I especially enjoy baking.  Being a diabetic, baking and diabetes don’t exactly go hand in hand BUT that’s why I have many people willing to take these carbs off my hands.  Recently, I have REALLY gotten into making bread.  Without going into too much detail, I have been reading up on what preservatives are in our food.  And I have seen first hand how long store bought bread lasts versus homemade bread.  So this year, I made a pact with myself to make more of our bread (notice I didn’t say all because…that’s a lot).

After making several different types of loaves of bread, I was ready to try sourdough.  It was REALLY intimidating to me.  There are so many “rules”.  I tried a couple of years ago to start a starter and I failed miserably.  I was so defeated because I really babied it!  But this time, I felt like I could do it.  And I did!!  It took weeks for the starter to be a good, viable starter.  And then, there is the breadmaking part.    Did you know that it takes 24-48 hours to actually get a loaf of sourdough baked so you can eat it?  It has to be stretched and folded and hang out in the fridge before you can bake it or it’s no good.  Needless to say, it’s…way more than I thought.  But deep down, I really love it.  And this weekend, I was reflecting on what this process has taught me.

To start with, you really need good quality ingredients.  Since this bread was started because I was concerned about what is going into our bodies, I did research.  In fact, I devoted a crazy amount of time in studying up to make sure I was getting the most nutritional, first rate bread.  Am I that devoted to the ingredients I put into my relationship with the Lord?  Let’s just say, I can do better.  With equal parts of time and effort and a dash of attention, our relationship can bloom (like yeast) into something that never stops growing.

Not only did the starter take weeks to be ready to bake with, but the entire bread making process is time consuming.  And, I’ll be the first to admit, I am not a patient person.  But all of the best things in life take time and preparation.  You see, there are a lot of times in bread making that it looks like nothing is happening. But then you see a bubble in the dough, you then realize your hard work is paying off (this bread is going to make it!).  Kinda like how God works in your life.  You are rocking through life and you think He’s absent, and then suddenly His plan starts to unfold.  And you realize He was working the whole time.  Like your starter..

Lastly, when I make bread, it makes 2 BIG loaves.  Sure, I can freeze one and hopefully it will be good later.  But you know as well as I do, it won’t be as good as it is when it’s fresh.  So, I always give one away.  Usually it’s a neighbor or coworkers but this weekend it was taken to my momma.  I intentionally baked it for her and then hand delivered it to her.  I stayed and visited with her.  She really appreciated my efforts and I, of course, just appreciate her.  But that bread, which is nothing more than flour and water, was shared with someone I love.  It brought us together.  It doesn’t matter if it’s my mom or a stranger, we share a smile and a bond when I give it to them.  Whether they recognize it or not, this act is how Jesus taught us to live.  With love, kindness, mercy and a need to serve others.

When I started this bread making journey, I just wanted to see if: 1. I could do it and 2. I wanted to know what I was eating.  I never expected to make parallels between breadmaking to christianity.  Sure, eating and making bread is talked about all throughout the Bible.  But I didn’t really see the comparisons until I was in the throes of being patient!  Also it’s crazy how very few limited ingredients turn into nutritional, beautiful, tasty bread.  When you really stop and think about how we are to live, it’s really not hard.  In fact, the ingredients are pretty limited.  We overthink and become intimidated which sometimes causes us to give up prematurely or not start the process at all.  When it comes to breadmaking, it’s just flour, water and time.  You are not losing much.  But think about what you lose if you don’t knead your relationship with the Lord…

Love you all and see you next week!

Jennifer


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