Hello world!
It's me again! I do exist still and haven't fallen off the face of the Earth. Instead of this being a blog, it's more of a time for me to recollect my thoughts and recall all the things that God has done in my life for the past few months....since I can't keep up with a weekly blog! LOL
So here's an update:
I'm no longer attending BSSM for this year. Some of you know that I did have to leave the school for a lack of finances which of course, was totally my fault. Honestly, I was going off of faith and I totally believed that God would provide it all like He promises. I was a fool though to sit back and wait for God to move when I should've put in some effort. Oh well. We learn from our mistakes, right? So this all went down in the end of October and it left me hurt and confused. I was really excited about the school and really looking forward to an amazing year there, but little did I know, God had other plans. :D
So, remember that family I mentioned in a previous post that took me to the Bahamas with them? Well, I got to go visit them a few more times throughout the month of November and was asked to go up for a couple of weeks (this is in Etna, by the way, which is two hours north of Redding and still in California) and work off my debt from the Bahama's trip. Of course, during the month of November, I really started to look for full-time jobs while I waited for next year and trying again at BSSM. So in the mean time, I did go up and help them. I became Serena's "personal assistant" so to speak and helped her with organizing and paperwork since they just moved to a new house and have an amazing ministry to run. It was so much fun at the same time! I loved being able to come up and stay at their house in a beautiful area and help them out as they fed me (yay for feeding a poor college student! Woot!) and brought me joy. They are such a fun family and I was really bummed to have to go back to Redding.
So when I had to go back, I kept praying to God and asking if there was some way to move up to Etna and work up there somehow.....and save up for BSSM and move back down to Redding in the fall. But I couldn't think of a way to make it work so I just focused on job searching and trying to remain content in this time. And here is where the real lesson is learned: God is always mentioning in the Bible to be content always with everything. So I surrendered the idea of Etna and just really focused on the positives of Redding, like Bethel Church! After a few days, I was ok with this fact that I would get a job, work like crazy, and still be able to attend Bethel. When all of a sudden, I get a phone call and Serena has a proposition for me. She wanted me to move up to Etna, live with them, and work for them all year and they would pay for my whole tuition for school next year.......talk about a tear jerker! I was so overwhelmed with what God was doing and so thrilled that this would work out AND I wouldn't have to worry about leaving school next year. So of course, I took that opportunity! And here I am. Living in their house up in Etna and helping them out with their ministry as they feed and shelter me. Oh and if you are interested in their ministry, here are a few websites:
www.serenatravis.com
www.draketravis.com
http://www.gmcnx.org/
The last website is for their ministry and explains what they do!
I'm still thanking God to this day on how He worked everything out! So my suggestion: If you aren't happy with where you are at, surrender it to God and try to think of the positives and He'll come through for you in ALL situations! He's so amazing like that and He will never let you down. Just look at my life and see where He brought me! And it's funny because I kept getting prophetic words saying "This is going to be the most amazing year for you." And I can see that now!
Also, I did get the opportunity to go home for Christmas thanks to another amazing blessing from God! It was sooooooo nice to go and see friends and family in my home state of Minnesota! And if I didn't see any of you that are reading this and are offended, I'm sorry. It really was a short time that I was home and I was kept busy with family mostly! But I'm still happy I got to go home!
So now it looks like I'm living in Etna until about August and then moving back down to Redding to, once again, attend BSSM (which I'm super excited for). So feel free to call, email, or text (while in Minnesota I got a new phone and can text now! Hallelujah!), or even snail mail (just ask for the address) me. I miss you all and love you all dearly! And never forget, you are very much loved by God, and by me.
Love Always,
Jess
