The results are in...

I tried to find a picture from last New Years but could not find it. As we close out this year I have lost 30 pounds!!! Im beyond thrilled, at this point Im smaller than I was in high school. What a great feeling. My goal for the year was 30 pounds and now all I need is to loose 15 more pounds and tone my body! Thank you for all of the support and encouragement during this journey! I am so encouraged that I have actually stuck with my goals this year. I'm still praying through what God wants me to accomplish this upcoming year!

Blessings and Love
Jenn

Losing a Loved One

Losing a loved one is never easy. I feel like after losing so many loved ones it should be a walk in the park. Right??? No... It's truly amazing to me the different emotions you go through. Like right now I'm typing at 4:30 in the morning because I can not sleep.

Mama Lee(my mom's mom) went to be with Jesus on Wednesday evening. She always told me after our conversations in her exact words were "Jennifer Lee I love you more". I am so thankful she shared with me those words. My heart gets very sad when I realize that my grandmother will not get to meet who I marry. But then I rejoice thinking about her dancing on the streets of gold with my papa and she has a perfect new body.

Here is what God is teaching me right now through this time:

• God is Faithful.
• God is Love.
• God is holding my family in his hands right now.
• God has sent friends to shower my family with love right now.
• God is teaching me to make the most of every opportunity. To really follow and be obedient to what the Holy Spirit is telling me to do.

Please be praying for my precious friend Penny Pickard Franklin her husband died in a hunting accident leaving her with Jordyn (6 years old) and JP (4 years old). He was a preacher in New Orleans. Their church lost an amazing man of the Lord. My heart just breaks for them right now and know they will need our prayers right now and in the days ahead.

God Bless and Love,
Jenn

It's Reading Time!

While I have been on this wonderful break, I went to the Christian bookstore and started browsing. I am almost done with The one year Bible( only 3 days left) so for my new devotion book will be 5 Minute Apologetics for Today by Ron Rhodes. It has 365 Quick Answers to Key Questions.

I'm very excited to read this book and really ponder on the questions and look up the different scripture references. At the end of each day there is a Pearl of Wisdom I'm really excited about starting on this journey, to really grow deeper with my relationship with the Lord.

The book I chose to read is The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. This book is about a Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus.

I'm really excited to see what Journey the Lord has in store for me this next year. My prayer is that I would take more opportunities to share with people about the Lord and what he is currently doing in my life.

I would love to hear what books you would reccommend to add them to my list of reads...

God Bless....

A Shopping Experience to Remember

Yesterday I ran into the Lufkin Mall looking for a wallet because mine broke. After running in several stores, I went in Cato and found some cute shirts. As I was waiting to check out this lady walks up to me and asks, if she could pray for me. She did not know me and said that God had just laid it on her heart to pray for me. In the middle of the store this lady prayed for me.

I've never had this happen before so I was shocked in a way but I just thought how Awesome is this lady for being obedient to what God had told her to do. She took a step of faith by asking to pray for me because she did not know what my response would be.

I'm so thankful for this experience because the words this sweet woman prayed over me, will not be forgotten. Again I am reminded of stepping out to things God has called me to do and to not be afraid.

Faith

Hebrews 11:1-3 Faith is the Confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

One of my favorite Chapters of the Bible is Hebrews 11, which gives an account for people who lived by Faith. This morning as I was reading it I started thinking if my name would be in the there for Living by Faith Jenn did.....

God has really laid on my heart to ask people in my life, "Do they personally know Jesus?" Fear really creeps in on me with this because I'm afraid of losing their friendship or what they will think of me by asking this. But that should not matter because I want to know that I will see them again in Heaven.

So today what is God calling you to live by FAITH to do....

Let's not waste time for we do not know what tomorrow brings!
God Bless!

HOPE

Yesterday one of my sweet friends Jen Mac called to tell me about her morning devotion it was on Hope. I have never heard this acronym before so I thought I would share it with you this morning:

Holding
Only
Positive
Expectations

As we are about to celebrate the Birth of Christ, I decided to look up more verses on hope. No matter what you are going through be encouraged and have HOPE.

Job 11:18 And you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in security.

Psalms 33:18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,

Psalms 33:22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Psalms 39:7 And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.

Have a Blessed Day!
Jenn

New Years Goals

I feel like every day I'm being taught something new and truly on an adventure. The last few days Ive been reflecting on the Goals I set last year. I am the World's Worst about setting goals and not following through with them. Here are the 3 goals I have completed this year:

1. Reading the Bible through in One Year (Chronological Order). I have learned so many stories I never knew were in the Bible. This has really deepened and strengthened my walk with the Lord. As I'm learning more and more every day that I have to trust him, and most importantly to die to Self daily.

2. Loose Weight- This has been a journey of exciting and frustrating moments. Sometimes getting so frustrated because the weight would not come off or very exciting to go down a size. The key I have had to learn is discipline. I will report my final weight loss closer to New Years...

3. Nails- My whole life I have had a terrible habit of biting my nails. Well now I have fingernails and they are getting longer and stronger every day.

As we are approaching the New Year I am praying about what God wants for me to accomplish this next year. I would love to hear about the Goals you accomplished for this year or what your goals are for the upcoming year!

Enjoy every Minute of the Adventure Christ has given you!
God Bless
Jenn Smith