Friday, November 30, 2012

Fab Friday


Fab Friday is pretty fab this week my friends!


-First go check out my sweet friend, Kenzie's blog! She is featuring me today along with some other great gals! I am so excited! I'll post soon about why I am so excited about being there, but let me just say she is the sweetest girl & loves the Lord with her whole heart!

-We have been staying with our friends for the whole week and it's been awesome. Aren't they cute :)





Thursday, November 29, 2012

Youth Ministry

You may have noticed I added a new tab at the top of my page called 'Youth Ministry.' I wanted to add this as a way to let you all know about all the awesome things God is doing in our ministry together at Access Church, along with stuff that happens in ministry or because of ministry. My heart is to encourage other wives, or any woman in ministry for that matter, to enjoy what God has laid before us. As a ministry wife, I know things aren't always easy or fun but God is working in you and through you to reach the lives of others! What an absolute privilege we have to take part in others becoming fully surrendered followers of Christ!

Here's the neatest thing that's happened recently. As many of you know my husband and I decided to leave the pups behind this week and visit our dear friends in our hometown. I cannot tell you how overwhelmed with joy we have been these past couple of days. 

{Brief  history.. We have known Dave since elementary school. He and my husband have been friends since they were small and they both used to make fun of me every time we had a class together, mean boys! Tanya and Dave met at a church Dave was leading worship at years ago. They fell for each other and the first time we got to hang out with Tanya, I knew instantly we'd be friends forever. They got married last year in Oct and Nathan and I were the Best Man and Maid of Honor, it was SO fun!
Nathan & I at Dave and Tanya's wedding


Wednesday, November 28, 2012

SO WHAT Wednesday

So What Wednesday

I'm linking up with Shannon again this week over at Life After I Dew. :)

This week I am saying SO WHAT  if..

-I lost all the work I was doing yesterday and waited until today to do it again because I spent all afternoon looking for it on my computer.

-I went shopping on Thanksgiving and bought my husband an iPad, impulsively, without checking our bank account.

-I also couldn't wait until Christmas so I just went ahead and gave it to him now. He loves it!

-If my husband wrestled a jr. high kid at youth and thinks he broke a rib. We are getting so old.

-I'm a whimp and must wear a jacket inside and out the whole time we've been up North. It's cold and I don't remember how I handled this when I lived here.

-I wore leggings and a big sweater the first three days I was on vacation. It's vacation, I can wear whatever I want ;)
.
-I am allergic to something here and have developed a rash all over my face. It should clear up..I hope. OK- it kinda bothers me. 

-I miss alone time with my husband and it's only been 3 days since we've been here. I am not used to sharing a house with another couple. However, we are having a great time! 

What are you saying SO WHAT to this week, Friends? 

Monday, November 26, 2012

Thankful for friends

Oh my.. We are just loving our little mini vacation. We are having such a wonderful time with our dear friends and connecting with new people. Nathan and I both grew up in this small town and I have a lot of mixed feelings towards it. Because it is so little, things weren't always pleasant but it's certainly been a different experience than when I was growing up here. So far we have been able to go to church with them, meet the staff and have so many wonderful conversations with them all. We even had the opportunity to pray for a student of theirs together. LOVE that we got to be a part of that!

 My husband and I get the joy of being a part of their youth this week as well! Nathan is teaching both lessons as a "guest speaker" and I am just looking forward to connecting with students and serving here. I LOVE how The Lord allows for us to be a part of other ministries even if it's in this small way. I am overwhelmed with joy at being a part of the good things God is doing here and building friendships in Christ.

It's also just so nice being here. We actually napped on Sunday. Yes, NAPPED.

 It.was.glorious.

 Friends, this never happens. We have both our youth services on Sunday nights, 5-6:30 and 7-8:30. And obviously we have our church service Sunday morning as well so as soon as we are done there, we are rushing to make sure everything is all set for the night. Of course we both adore doing youth but are also very appreciative for the opportunity to help serve somewhere else and relax some. Although, I miss our students... just a little :)

We have also watched some movies, (Twilight to be exact) stayed up late talking and just have been having so much fun spending time with our friends. When I first got here my friend and I couldn't stop talking, it was pretty funny.. Someone even said "do they ever stop to take a breath?" Haha. We just really missed each other. We all have those friends. The ones we can pick up with right where we left off? The ones where your husbands are also best friends. And then they move away but you get together and it's the best :)Yup, I have two of those girls. :) Love them!

I have only snapped this one picture but it's cute! -My hubs with our friends puppy Rocky. He love Nathan. It's cute and makes me miss our two, four-legged babies! 
Full recap with tons more pictures to come, promise! :)


Hope you're all having a great week too, friends!

Friday, November 23, 2012

Fab Friday

 
The Fridays after Thanksgiving are always FAB! Here's why:

-I'm writing from our new iPad! Oh ya, I stood in line for this baby and got a sweet deal and a gift card! Score! 


-Thanksgiving was awesome! We had a small crowd and we all had a ton of fun. It was so good to have a low key holiday with both of our families. 

-We are leaving tonight to go spend a week with our family and friends up North. One of the perks of working from home is we can go anywhere there is Internet :)

-Leftovers. Need I say more? 

-Kenzie over at Life according to Kenzie is going to feature me in one of her posts very soon so be looking for it and go check her out! I am so excited!

-I am heading out the door after this post to do some more black Friday shopping with my mom .. I LOVE this stuff and love even more that we go together! 

Have a great weekend friends!! 

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

So what Wednesday

So What Wednesday

I LOVE this link up! So fun!


SO WHAT if...

  • I wore the same outfit twice this week. It was cute and I don't have many shirts I can wear with leggings. Because no, leggings are not pants!
  • I am so excited to be featured on Kenzie's blog this week. She's awesome!
  • I paid $22 for a stupid turkey because I waited way too long to buy one.
  • Target didn't have my size leggings so I bought 2 sizes up. They're comfy and I've decided that I love them like that!
  • I braved Costco yesterday and it was terrible. I'm alive. 
  • I secretly wish I could be an extreme couponer and save $500 a month. That's a lot of money.
  • I'm sick. I am still determined to have a great Thanksgiving!
  • I haven't done much anything to prepare for Thanksgiving even though I am hosting and it happens to be Wednesday.
  • I like to go shopping on Black Friday and don't usually buy more than one item. I just think it's fun! 
  • My mom is staying with us and I just begged her to go me a Starbucks. She's my mom, isn't that still her job?
Happy Thanksgiving Friends!


Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Cream Cheese Cookies

It's been a while since I posted a recipe and I thought what better week than Thanksgiving week!

I LOVE these cookies. I got this recipe from the grandmother of the little ones I used to nanny for. She is the BEST. I loved when she would visit for the holidays. We would let the kids play and just bake all afternoon. She was so fun and the kids loved having her there. The first time she made them I swear I ate 20 in one day. They are sooo good. They are kinda like a sugar cookie but super gooey and soft since they're made with cream cheese. Funny story, when I made them the other day, her recipe read this way.. 1 6oz of cream cheese. At first it looked like one 6 oz of cream cheese. But then as I thought about it I was thinking.. what if it's supposed to be 16oz since they come in packages of 8oz each? So I text her and proceeded with the 16oz. I had everything in my mixer when she text back and said it only calls for 6oz. Good thing I hadn't started it! The cream cheese was still in the block so I just scooped it out and I plan on using it in another crockpot recipe! Don't judge! ;)

Monday, November 19, 2012

Christ our hope

My God. He is so faithful and beautiful.

He's so good to me. Oh my. How can people not want to know Him? Don't they know they are missing out on the best thing this life could ever offer? Is it because of us that they are resistant? Do they ask why would there be a need for change when they don't see one in us?

That makes me so sad. 

Because I know I have been guilty of this. I know at some point I have let someone down. I didn't show them Christ's love like I should have. I didn't say the right thing or act the right way. I didn't show love and compassion for His people. 

And yet, God still chose to use me in His plan of redemption for His people. He has given me the responsibility of caring for and loving students, of teaching them and guiding them into a relationship with Him. And I am so unworthy of this task. I am low and weak and deal with so much that I never thought He would chose me, use me. 

But He did. And He will use you too. And to be used by Him is the most amazing thing in the world.

And I am so grateful. To see lives changed for God. There isn't anything that compares. To watch as God adds to His kingdom through the working of us.

So I still ask, how can I die so Christ can live more? How can I move forward to a place that I am more intimate with Him? Because that's all that matters anyways. Nothing else. He is everything. He is in everything. He made everything. And everything is for Him. I couldn't speak if I wasn't made to worship Him, to praise His Holy name. I couldn't see if I wasn't meant to recognize His glory and fall on my face in awe.

I'd have no purpose. No reason to be here if it weren't for Him creating me. Uniquely. Before hand. For He is before all things and in him all things hold together. Col 1:17.

Be encouraged friends. Christ is our hope. Our love. He is passionate about us and will be fierce in pursuing us. He is willing that NONE shall parish. He will go after His lost sheep. He will run to them and hug and kiss them. He will wrap YOU up and hold you in His arms and His peace, His presence will be all we feel. All we know. He is in all. He is all.

How deep the Fathers love for us
How vast beyond all measure 
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure. 

With Love,
Jess


Friday, November 16, 2012

Fab Friday!



These Fab things are going on:
 
-Our church is teaming up with Habitat for Humanity tomorrow and Nathan and I finally get to take part in it! Our church has been a part of this before but we never had the chance to go so we are excited to finally get to help!
 
-I don't have a ton of thanksgiving decor because I usually just decorate early for Christmas but this year I went looking. I found these cute owls for $2! And the little place card holders for .99c! Score!


-I got to spend the day with my baby niece yesterday. We went to the park, played in the back yard, wore pearl necklaces... She is at such a fun age! Here she is giving Uncle Nee Nee high fives! So darn cute! (side note.. taking a baby to the store is hard work & I have done it a million times, but this time was different! Especially Costco! Confession.. I may have just left my cart sitting in the parking lot instead of putting it away because I wasn't about to leave the baby in the car by herself! And then it rolled into another car.. oops. There were no cars harmed during this process thank goodness. I drove away though.. I know, I am terrible!)
 
 
 
-I love the awesome people I have been meeting while blogging! I made a dear friend when I first started blogging that is also a youth pastor's wife and I am so thankful! I love when I find others who share the same love for the Lord and ministry! Check out her adorable blog!
Newborn Mama
 -I finally got some pumpkin spice creamer. I don't like pumpkin lattes at Starbucks but I like the creamer you can buy in the store! Yum! 

Happy Friday Friends! Be sure to Check out Laura's Blog and her Fab Friday!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Sweet Girl Bella


I love when I am able to visit my sister and my sweet nieces. Recently, as most of you know, I don't get a chance to visit them at home too much anymore because Bella has to be at the clinic or the hospital a lot.  When I do go see them, Bella is all smiles, as usual. Until her pokes. Then I have to walk out of the room with Gigi (Bella's little sister Gabbi) fearing I'll lose it and start crying since I hate to see her so upset. 

We'll play with her new toys or watch a movie while she just lays with mommy. Later I will walk Gigi to sleep. She usually fusses at me and I try to peer at her through the little window of the stroller, which causes her to get more mad because she see's me.  It's quite the ordeal, I tell ya :) As my sister would say, she's a monster. 

Monday, November 12, 2012

I just want you to know.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. These are things I never gave thought to before I became the wife of a pastor. Being a pastor's wife is a unique thing. I adore it because I feel so incredibly blessed to have been given such a huge responsibility by God. It also scares me for that same reason.
Here are some things I think you should know about Pastor's wives:

1. We aren't perfect and either are our husbands. Please show us grace in this area, as people tend to think this and thus when we sin, like everyone else, they are all surprised. It puts a lot of pressure on us because we know we are not perfect which in turn is setting us up for failure. 

2. We have our own friends. A while back a friend sent me an email from Proverbs 31 Ministry that Lysa TerKeurst wrote. This was a quote from a pastor's wife that sums up how I am sure most pastor's wives feel, "I think the thing that discourages me the most is people commenting on my friendships. Using the word clique to describe my friendships, rather than just being happy I have a community, is hurtful." Please recognize that we need close friendships. We need people who pray for us and who can comfort and encourage us through our joys and struggles. Woman who we can confide in and also who can confide in us. It's OK that we don't hit it off with every woman that comes in the Church, God made us all different and that's a good thing!

Friday, November 9, 2012

Fab Friday!

Hi Friends, it's that time of week again! 

- We have a High School sleepover event tonight for our youth girls! Tons of baking, bonfires, and cider. I'm getting old though.. we'll see how long I can stay awake ;-)

-I started the 'She Reads Truth' Colossians series with a friend of mine and I am so excited. I love the prayers they included for your "partner in the Gospel." 



-My talented husband made me my very own Logo and I LOVE it. He is also teaching me some stuff in photo shop and it's been really fun!

-My new Scentsy  bars came in the mail and my house smells like Christmas! LOVE it!

-It's been a great week in the blogger world. I really love that others take the time to do link ups and blog hops. It is a great way to get to know other awesome bloggers! 

- And I will leave you with this adorable picture! Bella is still doing great, her levels are up and she was able to start dance again this week. Isn't she the cutest?!

Happy Friday Friends! I hope your weeks have been great!

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Thanksgiving is on a Thursday

 I LOVE the holidays. As soon as October rolls around, that's it, I don't care if it's still 95 degrees out, my boots are getting worn! It's also the only time you'll see me purchase a hot beverage from Starbucks. I love their White Chocolate Mochas, (with or without peppermint) and Caramel Apple Cider but only during the holiday season. 

I grew up in a small town where it got colder much quicker and snows a bunch. I miss that because there is nothing that compares to waking up Christmas morning to snow. Getting suited up in our ridiculous snow suits and huge boots to go make snow angels. And finally when it was time to come inside we'd run to the back room where the pellet stove was and throw all our dirty suits and boots there to dry leaving us in our long johns to open gifts. *Side note... I was just praying yesterday that the Lord would remind me of all the good things about my childhood. Things that would remind me He was there and I was taken care of. This particular story I just kinda forgot about. But it brings such joy to my heart remembering it. :) *

Monday, November 5, 2012

If you want to win a pie contest...

I may be a little competitive. And by a little, I mean I am very competitive. Sometimes it's ok, and other times I annoy myself. I have been raving about the pie contest we were having at our ladies night out for weeks now. I was so excited. I found the most amazing pie recipe and I couldn't wait for everyone to try it. My husband, while doing announcements one week, says "I know you're all excited about this ladies night out coming up soon and my wife wanted me to tell you all she's going to win." I was mortified. But I believed it. Bad Jess.

So Friday afternoon, I went to the store and grabbed all my ingredients. Luckily I have made this pie before so I knew what to expect and how to make it more "presentable." (which is why you'll see that I chose to make my own crust this time)

There were a lot of great pies there and we all had so much fun trying them and hanging out with each other. When it came time to announce the winner, I was mid conversation, but you better believe I heard it. :)

Because I won

Honestly, this was a delicious pie. My personal all time favorite! But of course, I can't take full credit for it, I mean I did find this recipe online!  

Friday, November 2, 2012

Fab Friday- Best week EVER!



Here's how fab my week is.

Tonight is the pie contest for our ladies night out and I have got the BEST pie. I am sure of it :)

I am reading through Daniel, and I am loving it. I started it Wednesday and I just can't get enough. Such an awesome book.

My hubby finished his last class Wednesday night and will soon have his degree is Theology. This is so great for so many reasons. It frees up so much time and he has worked so hard to make this happen!

He also got a promotion and a raise at the job we work for from home. He's such a hard worker, I am so proud of him!


We have a dodge-ball tournament tomorrow for our jr. highers and it's going to be awesome!


I could hardly stand to wait to write this last one because it tops everything. Bella, my niece who was diagnosed with Luekemia in June, is finally in REMISSION! I am so filled with joy and thankfullness towards God. Lord, you are good. so so good. You hear us when we are undeserving. You are faithful and love us more than we could ever understand. Thank you so much for this AMAZING news. I pray YOU get all the glory!!


Princess Bella and my sister :)

 You can see Bella's journey here
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