Just Go

Just Go

As I type this post, these phrases pop into my head:

Create the memories!

Take a leap of faith!

For me, fear has crept in and held me back from doing things. I get caught up in wanting to try something new, but then chicken out. What if I’m not good enough? Or will I make a fool out of myself?

This week I was challenged to make a bucket list of things I want to do this summer! I’ve started my list and can’t wait to check things off! My first place to check off was the Fizzdrinks in Frisco! It is the cutest old fashion soda joint! The drinks were super cute, tasty, and inexpensive!

This week I’ve spent a lot of time being an aunt! With school being out for me, I’ve gotten to attend activities at their school from the kickball tournament, 5th grade play, and even surprised them with lunch or afternoon treats! I’ve had the best time just getting to be present!

Another way I’ve gotten to “just go” this week is being intentional with friends! I’ve had time to have two hour lunches, talking about God’s word, being encouraged by friends and challenged as well!!

I’m excited for the opportunity to Just Go and for the opportunities, memories, and to try new things!

I’d love to hear how you are going to Just Go this summer!

Just Sparkle

Sparkle

A few days ago I walked into my favorite nail salon with just my purse.

Normally I take a book that I’m reading or my journal to write. But on this day I left it all in the car. As I sat in the chair and my pedicure began something happened and it wouldn’t stop...

Tears just started falling from my face. I’d wipe them off only for more to come. The music was so relaxing and soothing!

I needed to have a good quiet cry to just release some recent disappointments that I had faced, and through the tears, Praise God for the victories I’d been given.

My new nail color, lucky for me, has a specific purpose. It’s my favorite color (hot pink) and there’s a lot of sparkle on my nails. You see, as the tears ran down my face, the word “Sparkle” kept coming to my mind. We see signs all around that say “she leaves sparkle wherever she goes”!

As I stared at my nails, I realized I want to be remembered as someone who Sparkles through life. After just praying to the Lord, I walked out of the salon with peace and ready to Sparkle!

I just want to encourage you, whether you are walking through disappointment (or even victory) right now, strive to Sparkle through it. Let others see God sparkling through you!

Remember you are adding to your testimony through each victory and disappointment you walk through! 

Just Sparkle!

Today

Today

Today, I went for a walk and after passing 4 houses I began to run.

After 4 years of not running due to fear of falling again and hurting myself, I found myself placing one foot in front of the other.

Today, I listened to my body and stopped when I needed to and then ran some more! It was messy and slow, but strangely peaceful!

I stayed in my lane and didn’t quit! I ran longer than I ever imagined. Today, it felt amazing to just run and not quit! 

Today, fear did not win or cripple me! I just thanked God for helping me reach this Victory! Tomorrow I’m going to be sore and it’s going to be worth it!

If fear is holding you back from running your race I just want to encourage you to lay it down! Put one foot in front of the other!

Keep Moving!

Just Be Steadfast

Just Be Steadfast

            I’ve learned that life is full of ups and downs with many turning points. During discipleship, Chrissie asked me “What book are you personally studying in the Bible”?  I began praying and asking the Lord where He might want me to dig in deeper. The Lord led me to James where I’ve been reading each passage very slowly and letting it sink in to a deeper level. 

            Let’s read James 1:1- “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.” “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 ESV https://www.bible.com/59/jas.1.1-4.esv  

             Literally I was stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the word “steadfast”.  Steadfast literally jumped off the page to me.

Webster defines Steadfast as

a : firmly fixed in place : immovable

b : not subject to change

2 : firm in belief, determination, or adherence

            After reading these verses and these definitions I started reflecting on this in my own life. You see, I’ve found myself being so happy and then hitting the hard times where I get frustrated and may not dig my heels into God’s Word like He wants me to.  

            After reading this, I desire for my life with the Lord to be so steadfast that no matter if I’m walking through a JOYFUL season or a hard season I want to remain constant in my walk with the Lord.  No matter the situation I want to TRUST the Lord for His plan for my life and to increase my FAITH in Him! 

            I don’t know what you are walking through right now but I just want to encourage you to dig deep into the Lord and run hard to Him.  Let Him cover you, guide, and direct your every step!

                                              Just Be Steadfast,

                                              Jenn

Right on Time

Right on Time...

 Isn’t it amazing how God brings people in our life at just the right time? You know, I’ve experienced times where people were placed in my life.  Some of these people are in my life forever and some were for only a short season..
 I have been thinking about how God puts people in our lives at different times.  How often have we prayed for someone we don’t even know at the request of someone in our prayer group.  We may never know the person that we are praying for here on Earth, but nevertheless have been connected (through prayer) to another sister.  When we see that sister in Heaven, WE ALL will get to Rejoice at Prayers that were ANSWERED....

Here are some verses that I’ve just loved reading and have spoken to my heart..

1 Thess 5:11

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
This is an important lesson about having true community in our lives.  To be real and love on each other.

Deut 11:1

You shall therefore love the LORD your God and keep his charge, his statutes, his rules, and his commandments always.
I love this verse because even when we are frustrated with what is going on in our lives and not seeing Prayers answered the way we would like, we must keep digging in our heals even more to Christ...

Psalm 36:10

Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart!

Praise God we are all in this together...

Whether we have never met or been friends for years...

Praise God for ladies that will pray for each other daily... that will fight with you when you are feeling defeated...

God is Good....

                                           God Bless,

                                           Jenn Smith

What will You CHOOSE?

-->

What will you CHOOSE?

Every day we are given a fresh start, no matter what we are facing.  God’s word reminds us in Lamentations 3:22-23…

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Each day you have the CHOICE to decide how your day will go.  I’ve learned that each day may be filled with positive or negative, but I have a choice on how will I handle the situation. The day-to-day of life can sometimes get us so bogged down that we miss out on what the Lord is doing in our lives. 
I don’t want to be a person who misses out on what the Lord is doing in my life because I choose not to Glorify the Lord.
 Whatever you are facing today, you have the freedom to Choose how you will react to situations, how you will walk, and how you will Glorify the Lord.
Will you….

·      Choose to Praise the Lord for what He is doing in your life

·      Choose to Enjoy the new day you’ve been given

·      Choose to not Dwell in the negative

·      Choose Joy

·      Choose to be happy

·      Choose to Trust

·      Choose to have Faith, not fear

·      Choose to look for the positive

·      Choose to look ahead

·      Choose to laugh 

·      Choose to listen

·      Choose to go on an outing

·      Choose to step out and try something new.

·      Choose to let GO of the PAST.

·      Choose not to Worry

·      Choose to live in the PRESENT

·      Choose to monitor your time on Social media

                       What Will you Choose?
                          God Bless,
                          Jenn

Rejection

-->

REJECTION

We all have times in our lives where we deal with rejection.

Maybe it’s through a break up, a lost friendship, or we don’t get invited to a certain party or event. 

Maybe you have faced rejection through not getting a promotion at work that you had been working so hard to get.

If you are going through rejection, or have walked through it recently, this is a promise the Lord gave me as an example of how the Lord is with us during these times.
                                                Rejection…

…Is hard
…Leads to brokenness (which can lead to pity parties)

But God almighty is present through it all

He's holding you through the tears.
He brings you a brand new day to carry you through.
In the midst of brokenness, God is restoring and healing you!

YOU decide how you will deal with your emotions!  We were called to persevere and run after the Lord especially when dealing with rejection.  As we deal with rejection we lay it at HIS feet, refusing to dwell on it.

Lord, equip us with your promises as we heal and continue to go through life. 

May our rejection add to our testimony and most of all bring God the GLORY!

                                                 God Bless and Love,

                                                  Jenn 

Just Be.. even through the Loss

Just Be... Even Through the Loss

Have you ever just wanted to throw the covers over your head and fast forward through a day? This is how I feel about this day, January 21^st, as it was the 19^th anniversary of my Dad’s death.

Even after all these years I still remember vividly every part of the day. It was such a cold, dreary and rainy Friday night!

As much as it hurt, and the pain was unlike anything I had ever felt, I’m beyond grateful for my family and friends that stepped in and LOVED me. The days after Dad’s passing seem like I was living a dream each day only to be reminded that this was reality!

Lessons I’ve learned:

1.     If you are walking through brokenness, keep pressing into Jesus! He’s the only one that can heal you! God gives you everything you need.  He is close to the broken hearted.

2.   Don’t push your grief to the side. Deal with it and don’t keep it inside.

3.   Let yourself go through the emotions.

4.   Dig your heels deep into the LORD.   Run to scripture.

5.   After a loss, my sweet friend JenMac wrote scriptures on post it notes and placed them all over my house.

*Side note:  I still have them up in my house.

6. When you need a cry – cry!  When you want to talk about your loved  one- talk about them!

7. As my Uncle Robert said “Just Keep Moving.”

         8.  If you have a friend with a recent loss keep checking in on them.   They need you as they navigate through this journey.

Just Be... Reflective

Just be… Reflective

 As I lie in bed thinking about the weekend, I’m just in Awe of all that God has done in my life.  First of all, preparing to answer the questions for the women’s retreat really stopped me in my tracks.

I am typically a bubbly, energetic, and usually really happy person.  But when my world shattered I lived in defeat and complete brokenness for a year and a half.   Fast forward 4 years and I have learned to be completely thankful for the people he placed in my path.  

My family - They were there, grieved with me, and are continually by my side.  I’m incredibly thankful for their unconditional love, constant prayers, and pointing me back to Jesus in my brokenness.  It was a long season of being broken-hearted and they loved me through it. 

When in complete devastation, I called my dear friend Holly who walked through this journey with me. She has stayed a constant in my life.  

The woman who has loved me like a sister and let me be a fake aunt to their kids- Julie- embraced me but gave me a lot of tough love and scripture.  

Both Holly and Julie include me in their family events and have let me invest in not only their lives but their kids as well.

I’m beyond thankful that Chrissie asked me to grab dinner and I cried through most of it... From that night on she has discipled/mentored me through all different emotions going on 4 years now. She has pushed me in my walk with the Lord, challenged me to go deeper in my walk, and cheers me on through every situation! 

I never dreamed I would get to be a part of a Bible fellowship class with the most amazing teacher and friend- Deb.. She has been a faithful friend, letting me be salty at times, but not letting me stay there, and not afraid to push me..

Everyone needs a Brooke in their life.  I remember the details so vividly of that weekend and she was there every minute. They were moving into a new house and I just wept. She has encouraged, loved me, and wept with me.  

To all those who are in my TRIBE and daily impact my life- Thank you for being a part of my journey, for leading me back to scripture, encouraging me, and being a constant in my life no matter through the mountains, valleys, or low times.

God has placed amazing women in my life that I’m incredibly thankful and blessed to have in my life daily.  They’ve shown me what a TRIBE looks like.

Tammie has become one of my dearest friends, never judging, always knowing what to say, and I’m completely thankful God placed her in my life when he did.  In a few weeks I’ll be 39. This is not the path I thought I would be on, but God has been completely faithful!

If you’re walking in disappointment or hurt right now, look for the Victory and do not live in defeat.

Just Be... an Influencer

Just Be… an Influencer

I’ve been thinking lately about different situations in my life and the different relationships that have been placed there. 

I desire to be someone that makes a difference in others’ lives by allowing them to see something different in me. I want to make an impact on others that reminds them that they are loved and a treasure.

The Lord has placed people of all ages in my life. As an only child, I’ve been extremely blessed that many of my friends have let me be a part of their lives and their families.  To some of these kiddos I am their “Fake Aunt”. During this season of singleness I have been able to just be there to attend b-ball games, church performances, sleepovers, random adventures, and the lists goes on. But my biggest goal is that I am influencing their lives in a positive way.

      Recently, I’ve encountered different people that I have been able to just chat with in places like the line at McAlisters, Starbucks, Sprouts, and Krogers. 

An Influencer has to be careful of their words because of the people we are surrounded by. I don’t want to be a Negative Nancy but a Positive Polly !

         So I am committing to be a positive influence on everyone around me.  Who do YOU influence?

Just Be...Celebrating the Victory

Just Be… Celebrating the VICTORY

This past week I set a goal to stop drinking Coke Zero. I’m excited to celebrate the Victory of meeting this goal. I am trying to get rid of things that my body doesn’t need and start with small steps in my weight loss journey.

You see, for me, I don’t always walk in Victory. Sometimes I forget to give GRACE to myself which leads to walking in Defeat. We should strive to walk in Victory and celebrate not just the big milestones but the small ones as well.

What is a Victory?

The dictionary defines it as:

·      The overcoming of an enemy or antagonist.

·      Achievement of mastery or success in a struggle or endeavor against odds or difficulties.

What does God’s Word say about Victory?

1 Corinthians 15: 57

But thanks be to God, who gives us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

This reminds me to keep walking with the Lord, to dig into scripture, and to walk in Faith that I will have Victory.  I am intentionally looking for the Victories Christ has for me.

Apply:

This week I have added two new goals to my no Coke Zero:

*One is to get up earlier in the morning for my Quiet time (5:00 am)

* No fried food

This week I hope you will be looking for the VICTORY in your life!

I’m praying you will WALK in VICTORY and not Defeat!

My Word for the Year

Word for the Year

For the past 6 years, I have chosen a word that the Lord has given me to guide my focus for the year.  Previously, I’ve chosen Strive, Joy, Trust, Believe, Overflow, and others.  Going into this year, I had been praying for the Lord to reveal it to me.

While standing in the middle of Jerusalem, the Lord was speaking to my heart that this year I would have a phrase instead of just one word.  

“Here am I”

Here am I, Lord.  Use me, teach me, let me be obedient to what you have called me to do, and to not let FEAR keep me from being all that the Lord has called me to be.

This phrase kept flying through my head and then, when we were in the Friends of Zion museum, it showed up on the wall.   As we walked through the gift store I saw a ring (that I bought) that says “Here am I”.  Now, I have a daily reminder that God is at work in my life and I’m ready for him to use me like never before.

Don’t be afraid to choose a word or phrase of the year to help you grow in your walk with the Lord this year. 

Why do I choose a word of the year?

Every year I want to grow in my walk with the Lord.  This is a daily reminder for me to keep my focus sharp.  Each year I place the word in several places so I am reminded of it with the hustle and bustle of life.

Will you join me in telling the Lord “Here Am I”.

Just Be Ready

Just Be Ready

My prayer is that every “Just Be ….” writing will encourage your Walk with the Lord!

 

I know this post is a few days late since we have already started a new year, but I’ve been on a trip of a lifetime in Israel with Prestonwood Baptist Church.

A new year brings a fresh start to make and set new goals.  For me, this year, I’m ready for whatever God says or puts in my path.

I’m ready to fall more in love with Jesus and not let life get me distracted.  I’m ready to let go of things that I have no control of and to surrender to the Lord.

I’m ready to see with an expectant heart what God has planned for me.

When is the last time you have had an expectant heart? 

My prayer is that Ephesians 3:20-21 would come to life in all of our lives…

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

I’m ready to re-evaluate and give myself a report card on how I’m doing in specific areas of my life and make true lasting changes.

Just Be ready….

Now what??

1.    Choose to start your day with the Lord - Fresh new start of each day.

2.    Choose a reading plan

a.    You can find it in the back of your bible

b.    Try a chronological bible

c.    Look at the 1^st 5 app- Choose a plan (I just did the book of Jeremiah

3.    Journal your Prayers - so you can look back and read scriptures He has shown you and how He is, and has been, at work in your life.

4.    Praise God - Reflect on each day and write down ways you’ve seen God move in your life each day.  (I praise you for coffee with Kasie.  Or I praise you for walking with Christine.  Or I praise you for the beautiful sun rise.  Etc.)

5.    Change it Up - Add more worship music throughout your day.  Listen to podcasts (I highly recommend Wonder- Prestonwood Women’s Ministry).  Or read a book that will help you grow in your walk with the Lord.

Just Be READY for God to move in your life.

I’d love to hear how God is moving in your life.