change...

"Fear of change comes from a shallow relationship with Jesus. People fear change because they've lost their focus on Jesus. Change isn't only about instituting something new or eliminating the status quo. Change is about our growing relationship with Jesus. If that relationship is growing and deepening, so are we. And our ability to face the future and respond to change in positive ways grows, too."
-Bill Easum

Maybe, yes.

Change is inevitable.

I've come to realize that even more over the past few months. From changes in relationships, to changes in location, to changes in careers. It seems that every time I turn around, or answer another phone call, or read another e-mail something is changing.

How true (at least in my life, perhaps not in yours) that how I cope with change comes down to my relationship with Jesus. If things are good between us change doesn't seem so hard to handle. Or maybe it still is hard to handle, but I'm more ok with it because I have a greater sense of who's got it all under control when I clearly have no control.
On the other hand, I can always tell when I've let my relationship with Jesus slip because that's when I get more stressed over what should be a simple change.

I know in my head that God is in control. I know that He loves me and that He wouldn't bring me to different places in my life to abandon me. But there's a difference in knowing that in my head and getting a revelation of it in my heart.

Change is inevitable. How I deal with it, how much I trust God with it, how closely I cling to the promises of the Bible, is up to me.

Love you just the way you are. FULL STOP!

Basically, I'm sick and tired of hearing about people who appear to having everything together and then out comes this dirty little secret and suddenly its as though life falls apart. Friends and family disperse and you're left thinking maybe it was better to keep the secret rather then tell the truth.

What makes me even more upset is when within "Christian" circles we treat a person as if they have leprosy. It's like we have this thought that if we ignore the issue (or the person) it will just go away and our community can go back to normal...until another dirty little secret comes out.

But maybe it's not a dirty little secret, maybe it's a husband and wife who separate for a time (which by the way isn't always a BAD thing...in some cases it could probably a really GOOD thing). Or maybe one of our good little Christian girls date non-Christian boy (and that is usually no secret).

I think the church has screwed up pretty darn bad at being the hands and feet of Jesus in some cases. We look down on people, we judge them, we gossip about them (although that should come as no surprise).

Remember that story of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:3-11)? Didn't Jesus say "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her"?

I'm pretty sure each of us has sinned (if you're not sure read Romans 3:23). Meaning no one is in a position to judge.

I'm not by any means saying that sin is ok. However, who the heck am I to judge and condemn a person?

And as far as the way Christians treat other Christians...how the heck do you think you'll reach someone who's not a Christian if you can't even act like a Christian to another Christian?

Basically my point is this, my job is to love God and love people (Luke 10:27). Not to love God and change people...to love people. When I (and the rest of the Christian community) can get this right, I'm pretty sure we'll see some amazing things happen.

I love love!

If you know me at all you know that I get excited quite easily.

WELL...how's this for an exciting week...

THREE of my friends from college are engaged (two of them are engaged to each other).

Basically the smile on my face is pretty darn big and I super pumped!

PLUS it's only 141 more sleeps until my wedding.

I love love!

written for thefamilyroom

I recently wrote this for thefamilyroom blog (you can check it out here) It won't be up for a couple more weeks, but I thought I'd share it on here as well...



Being only 21 and not yet married (although the count down is on…146 more sleeps!), I’m sure it would seem odd that I’m involved in something that’s all about building up family when I don’t even have my own. But I do come from a GREAT family, which makes me passionate about the fact that EVERY family should be GREAT!

Through my job I have the privilege of interacting with many families, and I really enjoy watching how families function as a unit.

I’ve come to the conclusion that destiny of a family relies on relationships. There are numerous families everywhere that have fallen (or are falling) apart because of poor relationships. And it breaks my heart. Even families that appear strong in my world seem to be breaking apart at the seams.

A little while ago I made my brother and sister promise that we’d never hate each other. Now, we’re a pretty tight bunch, so I doubt that would really ever happen, and I credit our close relationships to my parents. James, Jillian and I never had the option of fighting with each other. And if there was ever an issue we were required to talk it through, apologize and FORGIVE each other meaning NO GRUDGES!

Now, years later with two of us out of the house we’re all the best of friends. Thanks to communication at an early age we’ve created a safe place where we can share our minds and hearts and know that the other person isn’t going to judge or resent us for what we think.

In some cases redemption between siblings may be too late (or so it seems…there’s always hope), but in your own family it’s never too late to start you kids off respecting and loving each other.

As a child there were times when I’d be more angry at my mum then at my brother or sister because she made us figure things out. Now, I can’t thank her enough for helping me build relationships with my best friends.

I love you, and you’re family!

~cj

Pearls.

The cheerful little girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them, a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.

"Oh mommy please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please?"

Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face.

"A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2.00. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.

Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere, Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night as he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"

"Oh yes, daddy. You know that I love you."

"Then give me your pearls."

"Oh, daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess, the white horse from my collection, the one with the pink tail. Remember, daddy? The one you gave me. She's my very favorite."

"That's okay, Honey, daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.

About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"

"Daddy, you know I love you."

"Then give me your pearls."

"Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."

"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you."

And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.

A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian style.

As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.

"What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"

Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, daddy; this is for you."

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny.

He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure.


**I didn't write this**

The Way They See It

The Way I See It #283
The most important thing in life is to
stop saying "I wish" and start saying
"I will." Consider nothing impossible
then treat possibilities as probabilities.

-David Copperfield


The Way I See It #291
In a world where celebrity equals
talent, and where make-believe is
called reality, it is most important
to have real love, truth and stability
in your life.

-Bernie Brillstein

Don't get me wrong.

I'd way rather be in Australia right now. But who wouldn't right? I mean it's getting cooler here in Canada and only getting hotter down there. But I don't think you really understand my wanting to go.

I'm missing something and I'm pretty sure it's there.

Don't get me wrong, I'm loving being in Lethbridge right now (ha, betcha never thought you'd hear those words come out of my mouth!). I love being close to Matt (more then you'll probably ever know). I'm loving being close to my family. I love my job (who knew that at the age of 21 I'd already be doing what I've been dreaming about forever, plus way more?)

BUT, there's this tiny little detail that's missing, and unfortunately it's on the other side of the world...

the girlfriends who listen to and know my heart, my dreams, my passion, my true feelings.

If you're a guy, you probably don't understand what I'm saying (unless you're Matt ;)). If you're a girl hopefully you're totally picking up what I'm putting down. I'm missing those people who are always up for a chat. It's totally a girl thing, and I'm slowly coming to the point where I'm getting over it (good, or bad we're not totally sure).

And that dear reader is why I'd rather be in Australia (with Matt of course!).

ps:L.A. would work REALLY well too.

I'm messy.

I've just about finished reading a book called Messy Spirituality by Mike Yaconelli. In just reading the first chapter I was nearly in tears as I felt like Mike was writing about me! Every chapter since has been so real to me.

It's somewhat funny being in ministry with people expecting you to have all your ducks in a row (or maybe I'm the only one who's expecting that of myself). And it seems that everyday I realize how out of whack my ducks really are. And then just when I start to think that maybe I've got it all together something else happens and I yet again realize that I'm not perfect.

The greatest part about it all is that I'm really the only one expecting myself to be perfect. No one else really notices or cares b/c they're all busy trying to get their ducks in a row as well. And if they are noticing, maybe they need to take notice of some of Jesus' words to the religious people in the New Testament. (Maybe that's a bit harsh, but it's truly how I feel.)

I'm coming to a place where I'm ok being messy. I'm ok with the fact that my ducks aren't completely organized b/c I'm coming to realize that Jesus really truly does love me anyways and believe it or not is going to continue to use me.

That's not to say that I'm not going to attempt to get my ducks in a row. B/c I'm so in love with Jesus I can't help but give Him my all and give it to Him with excellence.

I'm in the process of cleaning up, and chances are I always will be. The greatest part about it all is that I have a promise that God will never leave me or forsake me not matter how messy I get.

don't ask me, I don't know.

Don't ask me "how are you?" today.


I don't know.


I'm just having one of those days.


That's not a cope out.


I just honestly don't know.


Maybe try asking tomorrow.


:)