A New Start!

Today is a new beginning!  Today I get a jump start on my 2015 goal to lose the remaining 20 pounds that I didn't loose in 2013 or 2014.  I lost. I gained. I lost again.  I maintained.  Yes, that would be me.  I am so over my excuses - I'm tired.  I'm hurting, like really bad.  I can't sleep.  I don't have time.  I can't breathe!

I can go on and on... I can honestly go on and on. But I won't.

So as many of you know, I joined It Works Global - health and wellness at it's finest - this year!  I was tired and worn down and found something so amazing that I cannot stop talking or writing about it!  I found greens!  I am so excited that greens give me energy and balance, supplements my nutrition with 8 servings of fruits and veggies and so much more!  Yay!  I don't have to give up on my health and fitness goals.  Yes!  I can start again today!!

 

Jennifer Edwards (JourneywithJennifer)

First Time Camper

 

Dear God!

Thank You for the most precious days!

I never imagined me, Jennifer, at anyone's camp, including Church Camp. I started out not really sure if I should go to camp at all. I was thinking, we're not going. I wasn't making the connection between church and camp. But then I started thinking, we should go. One day lead to another and I was talking to Laurie and later Gayle about maybe going and volunteering.

I remember praying and waiting for the knots in my stomach and the feeling of "what have I done". "I can't go to camp!!" Those feelings never came. I wonder sometimes if it's me or you Lord, leading me. This time I knew it was You! You know me, Lord, my quirks and my fears, but You never let me down.

Fast Forward and we are at Day 3 and camp is over, for now. I cannot express how much this experience meant to me. Lord, Thank You!

I shot a bow and arrow for the first time. I didn't hit the target, but I hit within that little big circle thing.

I feel muscles I didn't know I had...

I walked in the rain. I should have danced!

I met new people and got to know some people better!

I thought it was funny when I yelled out pink and blue to the girls as they were going to eat and they were a tad embarrassed for me.

I winced as they walked barefoot to the lake.

I was proud when they caught fish, but almost threw up when they kissed it.

I watched the boys proudly come back from sailing and boat rides. They loved every minute of the excitement!

I thoroughly enjoyed worship! We were outside in the woods on concrete singing, dancing, and praising the Lord!

I watched the kids dance, laugh, play, and meet new challenges each day! They were absolutely awesome! They were fearless!

The Youth Counselors were more than happy to help this rookie! They love the kids and the kids love them too!

As I took my last walk through CC #16, I looked at the empty bunks, remembered the laughter and the tears; plans for next year; the friendships and the prayers; the food, the spills and the late nights and early mornings. More than anything else God, I remember standing in the doorway as we were leaving for worship Tuesday evening after all the rain. I looked at the beautiful earth you've given us and was filled with the spirit of truth!

I can now make the connection with camp and God! My prayer is that our children make this connection too!

With Love from your Daughter, Jennifer!

Prayers - A New Day!

I am not sure why this is important to me today, but I want to pray for all who desire a new day.  I have this urgency to pray for someone who's in need of a change.  I don't know that we are here to keep living the same day over and over again. 

I say this because there are many people who are broken.  They are living within, among, and through heartbreak and despair.  Some people really don't know Jesus.  They long for Him and do not know Him or even know that He is the one they are longing for...

I do know that we all want a purpose other than what we've chosen for ourselves.  There's a desire within to know something powerful and righteous, just something pure and real.  We want to know true love, we want to know Jesus!

Dear Lord,

I praise Your name!  Lord, I give thanks that we can call You by name.  I cannot say enough about Your goodness.  Your grace and mercy are a gift to us all. 

I pray for those who are hurting in their hearts and minds.  I pray for healing, Lord.  I pray for a new day.  Lord, I love to hear this is the day that the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it.  I pray that we all rejoice in every single day that you give us.  I pray that we wait expectantly each day just for You!  Lord, give us strength and lift us up.  Keep us forever safe in Your loving arms.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

                                                                                 

                                                                               ***JourneywithJennifer***



This is the day the Lord has made, We will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24 NIV)

Prayers -- Believing in God!

Today is a new day and I have a prayer for anyone who does not believe there's a God - the one true God.  I wrestle with this unfortunate truth at times because it's tough knowing there are people who do not have Jesus!

Each week my pastor asks if there's someone in our church who doesn't know Him and wants to know more about Him.  Last Sunday tears burned my eyes as I thought of my life without Him.  I thought "Lord, where would I be?"  And so just imagining someone else lost brought tears to my eyes.
 
Don't get me wrong here, I've had some days where I literally prayed for Him to help me overcome my unbelief.  If there was a prayer that hadn't been answered, doubts about His promises for me, or even if I believed He gave someone else a blessing that should have been for me, I had to take it all to Him.

I had to admit to myself that I had some unbelief and there's some work here that needs to be accomplished in order for me to grow.  I admitted my shortcomings and realized I couldn't work this out on my own.  I had to go to Him.  I needed Him and He came through for me. 

God is good!  I can honestly say those thoughts are now few and far between.

I attribute the thoughts, the doubts, and all the misunderstandings to me not knowing Him.  If I don't know Him, then I don't really know what His favor looks or feels like.  If I don't spend time with Him, then I can forget His goodness.  If I don't praise Him, then I can miss the blessing.  And that's a blessing I don't want to miss.  I don't want to miss the awesome feeling of knowing and believing in God!!

My Heavenly Father, I praise Your holy name.  I give thanks for all we've been given and for what is to come.  Lord, I am amazed at how much You love us all.  You sent your one and only Son to die for all of our sins so that we may spend eternity with You!  Lord, without You, we are nothing.  Lord, with You, we can do all things and we give thanks.

My prayers are for all who do not know You.  People are broken and do not know they're broken.  They are in need of healing and do not know they need to be healed.  Our lives are empty and need to be filled.  I ask that our hearts and minds are healed in Jesus' name.  I ask that we all recognize that our longing is for You!  Please help us overcome our unbelief.  May we all confess Jesus is Lord and give glory to God!  In Jesus's name I pray, AMEN!

                                                                            **JourneywithJennifer**

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10-11 NKJV)

Prayers - Accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior

I've been thinking of all the people who accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior over the past few weeks!  I am so excited and happy for you all!  There's joy in my heart.  I am not only happy that you have eternal life, but I am also excited about the possibilities.  The truth is the possibilities are endless with God!  Your life has changed for the better and I cannot say enough about the awesome God we serve!  Praise God!  Your life will change in ways you've never imagined!  Trust in the LORD!

I pray that you may know Him and not only know Him, but also believe Him.  I pray that you'll find a friend in Christ, relying on Him and Him alone.  I pray that you'll have patience as you learn who you are in Christ and as the plans He has for you unfold. I pray that you'll spend time daily with God. 

Praying and believing in the God we serve!  Praying for you all!
         

                                                                                                   **JourneywithJennifer**

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV

Prayers - Worship

The first time I heard Rochelle Frazier speak, she spoke about a time on retreat where she let go and worshipped God!  I heard shawl, dance, praise - I was fascinated, wondering what that looks like. 

Several years ago I was looking for a church home and asked my friends, the Sanders, why they chose their church.  And they answered that worship was a big part of their choice.

Last year our church had a great service - Awestruck.  Leading up to that night, I wondered how that would be for me... It was a time of worship like never before!  I experienced pure JOY!!

My cousin Courtney is the Worship Leader at her church.  She can sang! All her life she's been singing for the Lord.

My heart is full today as I think of what freedom in worship would be like for us all.  I can just see us praising and worshipping our God with love!  If every church in every nation praised Him in worship with an abundance of love - what would it look like?  I tell you it would be PURE JOY!!!

Dear God!  I praise your name!  I am so excited just thinking of YOU!! God my prayer today is that we worship you in spirit and in truth.  Lord, I pray that we call out your name, that we raise our hands, and that we humble our hearts!  Lord, I pray that we bring all that we are!

In Jesus' name.  Amen.

                                                                                                   ***JourneywithJennifer***



Lift up your hands in the holy place and praise the LORD! Psalms 134:2 HCSB

Prayers - Love and Loss

For the past several years, we've seen loss in our families.  We've seen enough to last us a lifetime, and there's more to come.  I know that our loved ones have gone on to Heaven, which gives us peace in the pain.  I know that God has a plan and a purpose for us all and we should seek Him with all that we are. 

Praise God for all that we are in Him.  I am thankful for the time that we had and the times to come.  Lord I ask that you be with us as we go through these tough days.  I ask that you wipe every tear from our eyes, Lord.  Remind us that you will destroy death forever.  We know that you will make all things new.  Lord, please remind us that we will neither suffer or fear.  For you are with us through the end of the age.  Lord continue to comfort us through our tears.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

                                                                                             ***JourneywithJennifer***

Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy Psalms. 126:5