A Tribute to Dad...

It's Dads birthday this weekend and I have been reflecting on the gift God

My First Wedding

gave me by allowing me to be his daughter. All these thoughts have been whirling around in my mind and I decided it was worthy of a blog post to celebrate His special day. 

Dad...this is for you, 

Growing up I never realized how blessed I was by having the dad I did. He sure set the bar high for any future man by being an amazing husband to my mom and an amazing dad to my sisters and me. He held us when we cried, through sobs of incoherent blubber, he brushed our hair and always told us we were so beautiful in our little dresses. He put up with hairspray, nail polish, chick flicks and boy talks - and still does! 

Dad's Birthday

Dad taught me how to drive, including letting me purchase a stick shift I didn't know how to work...and graciously let me ride when I broke down in tears - then took me out for ice cream. One of my favorite memories of my dad might have come during my junior year in High School. It was softball season. As I rounded the corner of 3rd base after hitting my first home run, I saw Dad in the stands with both arms in the air and the pride on his face...I could hear his voice cheering me on. This picture is locked into my memory and will never go away. I had never felt so on-top-of the world. He was committed to being at almost every softball game, track meet and swim meet including all away games; band concerts, parades and football games - all while pastoring a church. Family was his priority - we felt that.

Graduation 2013

Dad has taught me the importance of humility and what it looks like to be a life-long learner. We graduated last year just 6 days a part. Him with his Doctor of Ministry degree and me with my Bachelors. Dad has instilled in me a deep love for Jesus, a desire to commit my life to sharing Christ with the next generation, a love for kids - including a a childlike joy - and a fiercly competitive nature.

I will be forever grateful for the influence my Dad has had on me and on so many others - I can only pray I can keep this legacy alive. Dad, I love you more than words can describe and I am so grateful God made me to be your daughter. Happy Birthday!!

About that competitive nature...

Love,
Your Jenna girl

**Disclaimer: I know I have friends who do not have this kind of relationship due to loss - the affects of living in a broken world. Might I encourage you with the knowledge that Almighty Father has CHOSEN YOU. "...even as he chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him...." Ephesians 1:3-14 -- Look up the rest, then commit it to your memory...it's gold. 

Thankful for the friendship we have...<3

A Journey with Jesus

It is that time of year where rain is creeping in and fall is taking over. Any outdoor adventures are soon to be a thing of the past and not likely for another handful of months...so I had to sneak in another one today. I ventured out this afternoon for a local hike. Many people had been telling me about this one so I had to try it out. I think one of the reasons I like hiking so much is that it is a real life example of what it feels like to journey with Jesus.

This was a monumental hike for me...one where I experienced Jesus closer than ever before. My first hike by myself. Yes, I know that isn't the smartest idea on the planet, but I was told it was a safe one and I had food, shelter, pepper spray and a whistle should anything happen (Mom, you can lecture me later). I found this little cross etched into a tree about a mile in and I knew that it was going to be a good date with Jesus.

Today's hike by myself consisted of me and Jesus having conversations all day. Doing a hike alone made me think of what my life feels like as a single person - wishing I had someone next to me to journey through life with, to share experiences with and to laugh with. Every switchback I came to, I kept thinking this HAS to be the last one. I must be getting close. But, around every corner, there was another corner and another and another.

The further I climbed, the less city noise I heard and the clearer the sky was getting as I moved toward the top. Each new curve reminded me of the things of life that slow us down - those things that distract us from where God wants us to be. There were moments hiking up that I felt there was no way I could keep moving. My feet felt heavier and heavier with each passing step (it doesn't help that I did a 3 mile run last night so I started the day sore).

About halfway up I came across this beautiful bridge. Up until this point, it was a pretty steady climb up. Hitting this bridge was a reprieve....a little place to just stand and watch the creek below. See the water moving, see the birds flying from tree to tree. It was a little gift from God. I think in our daily lives, God gives us little gifts here and there but we are so often too busy to see those. Today, His gifts were much clearer.




 By the time I got to the top, I realized just why the rest of it was worth it. It was easy to forget what I was thinking, why I was climbing higher and higher. But once I hit the top, I took a deep breath in and was instantly reminded. As I journey through this life, though I dream of the day I get to journey with someone else, I realized today that God has me on the exact path He wants me to be on. I need to remind myself that every set-back, every unexpected turn and every "mountain" I am climbing, I am simply climbing to where God is calling me to go.


This year in BSF, we are studying the life of Moses. We are reading through the Exodus right now and I have been learning things I never realized. Reading things that I KNOW I have read many times, but never REALLY read. "God SAW the people of Israel - and GOD KNEW." Exodus 2:25 - God knew the Israelites were living in bondage, living as slaves to the Egyptians. Then a few verses later, "The Lord said, "I have surely SEEN the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have HEARD their cry because of their taskmasters. I KNOW their sufferings and I have COME down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians...." Exodus 3:7-8 Today, I remembered that God hears my cries, he knows my deepest prayers and HIS plan will only be revealed in His time. God is a God of detail and intentionality and I know He is working out all of the details of my life for His glory and my good. What a mighty God we serve.