My sheep hear my voice.

This picture describes something I feel the Lord has been showing me lately.

 

It's sad but soooo true! The scripture comes to mind, "In quietness and confidence shall be your strength. You shall hear a word in your ear saying which way to go, walk in it." (paraphrased)

The amazing thing about God is that he desires to give us the desires of our heart and the devil would want us to think, "Oh, he's so hard on us!" So we want instant relief by drowning out life (and Him in the process) by giving into our pleasures (instant relief) instead of letting him perfect his patience in us. Daniel, Joseph, and King David, Moses, Abraham and so many more that went before us all let patience perfect her perfect work in their lives! Now generations can hear those stories and have hope and give God the glory but if they tried to give themselves instant satisfaction then those stories would never be birthed and God wouldn't get the glory and people wouldn't have the hope! Not to mention, they also wouldn't have developed the sweet love trust relationship with their Heavenly Father as they did! God is GOOD in ALL His ways!!!!

For the Joy that was set before him he endured the cross!

Traveling day's!

As of June 11, here is a brief diagram of my travels...

HONDURAS                  
MI
NY
PA
NY
MI
NY
PA
MI
FL
MI
MO
AR
MO
MI
VA
MO
MI
VA
MI
MO
AZ
MI
FL
HONDURAS
FL
AL
MO

9 TIME ZONE CHANGES
6 AIRLINE TICKETS
28 PLACES
EXPERIENCE? ..PRICELESS!

WOW!!!

But now, I'm ready to settle and see what God has for me here. His love is never changing!

Beauty for Ashes

Hello to all ..again!

Wow, a lot has transpired since last I posted. Well, I'm here in Missouri now with some time on my hands before work. Just wanted you all to know I'm still alive ..and kicking! :) This morning has been sweet! I've had time to reflect on my Lords amazing redeeming love He has toward me and it's caused me to fall more in love with him (again). I've described God with these beautiful lofty adjectives and adverbs before in my old journals when there was not a trial in sight but now since I've been through fire, storms, and pain I truly mean every word I choose. Through the years I've had many trials come my way and God in His sweetness has allowed it to bring me all the more closer and deeper in love with Him. He has also given me a message, the same message Christ desired to bring while he was on earth ..HOPE to the hopeless!

I say this to help you understand the amazingness of God and His redeeming love! As I have recently undergone again some rocky roads, God has in His faithfulness brought hope to me! I said, "It hurts, it hurts!" then He, through the aching pain, whispered "I am a redeeming God! ..I can turn your ashes in for beauty!" I never knew the feeling of pain, failure, shame, a bleeding broken heart until now! I use to hear people talk about it and they would choose to even take their own life because of it but it has never been a true reality to me until recently. Instead of giving into hopelessness I ran to Him! "Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." Upon taking the invitation, He so tenderly has been bandaging my wounds and drawing me closer to His heart that so longs for me. He has held me so close to Himself through every storm! He has given yet another reason to live, another reason to wake up in the morning and actually get out of bed ..with HOPE! As the tears were flowing and I said, "It hurts too bad!" He gave me a ray of sunshine that brought such peace, such joy, such hope! He showed me that he has created (and still is creating) my hurt to become another ones comfort! ..Ashes for beauty! Now, I have a different perspective! Though the tears may still seep through, at times, my hurts now have the power to remind me of many of my hurting fellowman and of this broken marred up world. I have come to realize that pain is very real. Our scars, hurts, and unpatched deep wounds from the past causes us to hurt, react, and try to live with it on our own. Then he brings to my mind what He has said and even now still says. The first message Jesus chose to speak in the synagogue was taken from Isaiah in chapter 61.

"The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek (humble); he has sent me to bind up the BROKENHEARTED, to proclaim LIBERTY to the captives, and the OPENING of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to COMFORT all that mourn; 2 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them BEAUTY for ASHES, the oil of JOY for mourning, the garment of PRAISE for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of RIGHTEOUSNESS, the planting of the lord, that he might be GLORIFIED!

This is why I love him ..because he has first loved me! King David said, "His rod and staff are truly a comfort to me." I can say the same thing! I am in myself absolutely NOTHING! As trials have the ability to cause one to react, my own trials brought before me who I am with out the Lord my righteousness! He's been pulling out of me the parts that still reflect ME so that I can allow him to shine through and reflect HIM alone(The Lord my righteousness). Before God created the world there was nothing but darkness! In my self there is nothing but darkness! It's only His beaming light that can light up every dark room and every nook and cranny! Proverbs puts it like this, "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day"!

Amen! let it be done in me Oh Lord!

love ~Jessica

...I'M BACK!

Hello all my faithful friends,
Here I am (again) after another umpteen months of not being a faithful blogger! I owe you all a big ...SORRY! Ever since I've been back I have been travelling here there and everywhere! Next stop? But of course, Michigan!!! As you all know, I'm OVERJOYED to say I'm a "HAPPILY ENGAGED" women, so that's why I'm heading back to Michigan where my "prince" resides! After that, my next stop shall be Missouri, where I will be visiting my sisters. I believe I will be "quite" busy, from working on wedding plans to trying to visit all my friends and family. I hope to have all of this accomplished before the next "exciting" chapter in my life begins!!! So, that's the "microwavable" version of my blog update in a nutshell! Stay tuned and hopefully I won't be so laaate until my next update! =) 

Love you all! Your friend, acquaintance, family, etc ~Jessica

hola amigos!!

Hello again!

I saw my last update was in February! Wow! I guess I skipped a whole month! Well, May was a bit crazy busy anyway so I have a good excuse this time!! ..lol I wanted to update one last time before I head back to the United States of America.

So, here I sit on a nice smelling bus (..those don't come around everyday) ..so I learn to count even those blessings! Us 3 amigas (Haley Rosa and I) are on our way back to Erandique. We picked Haley up at the Mission house in Pena on Friday, and u can be sure we were just extatic to see eachother again (we both nearly fell to the floor while squeezing eachother so crushingly tight)! ;). Right now, As I glare across the bus, I see our dear Haley looking much like one of those animals that climb trees with the bushy tail! Yesterday, at the dentist, she got much work done in her mouth (many cavities filled, 2 wisdom teeth pulled, and a cleaning), to say the least, she's a lil' sore today ..oh yeah, and a bit puffy!

So, our next stop will be La Esperanza which will take us on one more bus to Erandique then after that we have plans to get back onto another vehicle to head up the Mt to Dannies for supper! Whew!

I think I'm really gonna miss my Honduran life here! ..full of excitment and changes! (Flat tires, electricity shut offs, and I can't forget ..the bumpy roads)! Just messin! ;) but, I will miss it here, I'll miss the people, life in the clinic, my missionary family and the tranquillo cultural social life! But, I am ready to end this season and go on to the next (the fall leaves are beautiful in fall, and the pumpkin pies are delicious, and the hay rides are fun but drinking hot chocolate, sitting by a fire, breathing in the crisp winter air with the moon shining on all the white individual snowflakes that shimmer across the fields are also nice..and cozy!) So,I will learn to be thankful for all things and always count my blessings! I don't know exactly what my plans are when I get back but I'll just allow the wind to blow me wherever it chooses. I can say one thing though, I can't wait to see all my MUCH missed ppl!

I guess I'll end this for now and wish you all a blessed day and life! ..adios! I'll see you soon!!! ;)

Love, ~Jessica

Hello to all!

Here I sit on a nice green lawn while relaxing under the sun (that keeps trying to peek out from behind the clouds)! ..not sure if I'll see it's face anymore or at least for the rest of the day because the clouds keep piling up! We just got done eating a good meal with our new friends!

Well Rainy season is approaching and here that means we'll have more electricity outages, more cold showers, mildew threats, sour clothing, flooding in the house and on the streets, more windy days and chilly evenings, termites, mice, spiders, scorpions, and all the other pests I forgot to mention, slippery roads and mudslides! But really I'm not complaining ..there's always a good side to things as well, eh! ;) We get no more dusty roads, and with all the rain we could also have fun travelling adventures (slippy slidy all the way home!) ...;) Oh yeah ..and we get to pull out our unbrellas and puddle boots! We get to have candlelight dinners, hot soup and chili here we come, get to whip out the hot chocolate and soft cuddelie blankies, we'll have beautiful flowers of all sorts dusting over the land, prettier sunsets, and juicier fruits!!! So, we leave one season and go unto the next! That's how life is here on the Mission field! Tash (my sweet old roommate and friend) left a couple weeks ago, and the entire Kornelson clan just left this Monday! Now we have a new family that came to take their place, and their a lot of fun! Dannie and Marilyn plan to have their sisters come for a visit in a week and there's also a prayer group of youth that have plans to come out in May sometime. The next people that will be leaving from the mission will be Rosa and I (In June). See what I mean? ..People come and go and seasons change!

Were just ending what they call Semana Santa (which means Holy week for the Catholics). Businesses take a week off and friends and family get together and have fiestas (the whole town just takes it easy while the ninos play on the streets with their amigos and primos and others feast! They also have many, what they call, processions! It's basically when the Catholic churches and most of the town get together and sing mournfull songs through out the streets while one will be ahead carrying a cross or a tomb of Jesus and others hold up St. Mary. St.Paul, and one of the other Saints (I forget which one). They do this while many sit outside of their houses to watch on. But, it seems sad to me because they lift up a lot of Jesus' death but put lil' attention onto his resurrection and life! I pray God would show them that He's alive today!!! ..that He can be their friend and Father, He can send them grace in time of temptation, comfort while in sorrow, strength when weak, and cleansing of sins and softening of hearts! He is alive today and forever! Thank you Jesus!!! This is the way I will celebrate His resurrection!!!

Well, I realize as time keeps ticking, as of today, Rosa and I have a total of 7 weeks left!!! So, my prayers have been geared, lately, that God would allow me to be a light in this dark world and Jesus' hands and feet to the needy, that I would pour out my life for others, and give my time, prayers, and love to any who pass my way! Sometimes it's not easy but ..oh, the glory and joy to see someone who lacks be filled and whole again!

Well, I should go for now (life calls)!! Love you all and adios for now! Oh yeah! ..and Happy Resurrection day!!!

With love, Jessica

"Hello" and "Goodbye" I guess! Sorry, this post has to be so short but I said last time that I'll try to post more then every 3 months so... But, I'm here right now in Pena Blanca and it's hooooooooooottttt to say the least (hot enough to fry my brain from being able to put up a good ol post)! I can't wait to get back to Erandique (is all I can say)! Yep, were planning to head back today.

Well, Tash is gone and were surviving! Rosa and I worked in the clinic (with out her) on Friday of last week and we did pretty good! Rosa has been a great blessing with not only working in the clinic with me but also being my room mate, prayer warrior, cooking companion, :) friend, and sis in Christ!

Ok, gotta go, sorry sooo short but that's kinda how it goes.

...will keep you posted all my blog friends!!!!!!!!  ((huggs!))