About Me

Foreword:

Before and after tales are what make for great stories. We pay money to see them with movies, we spend hours with friends hearing them, and we spend each day living them. The way you woke up today isn't that way you'll go to bed tonight. There's a before and an after.

I'd like to share my before and after that radically changed my trajectory.

Before:

First off, excuse the bathing suit. This is the best picture I could find to sum up my before. Here I sit, on the beach, reading my newest Christian book, completely comfortable. I've been born and raised in the buckle of the Bible Belt, and I love everything about that. Born again at the young age of nine, I have a ticket to ride. And I was ok with having just that.

Then there was God.


I'd like to interject with this picture to tell you, I love to laugh. So, there's that.

If anyone knows the Lord as their own, you'll understand me skipping over the indescribable head-on collisons that He places in our lives to get us to where He wants us to be.

Intermission:

DETOUR FOR THOSE WHO ARE BORED:

Back to the build-up.
In January 2011, I made a deal with the Lord. It went a lil sump'n like this:
Me: "Ok, God. You have me here and I'm sick of being comfortable. I want to change the world. Literally, the world. I know I've said that before, but I really think I'm serious. I think. You've instilled a spirit of adventure, and of courage, but WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!"
God: "**perhaps in a Morgan Freeman-isque voice** revealed to me that insane acts of faith just take a couple seconds of courage, of embarrasing bravery, and God will move for you.


I digress.
Well! I did what any Christian who feels complacent SHOULD do and signed up to go on a mission trip to Africa. YIKES. I say that casually, but I'm completely serious. Never mind that the Lord had been convicting me about mission work, specifically in Africa, for YEARS, [see "before" section and you'll understand why I chose to stay on the beach.]
Soooooo, I ended up on a plane headed towards somethin' beautiful.  

Africafter:

I spent the New Year in Uganda, and then went on to Kenya. I'm different. Ask anybody. I spent 2 weeks working in orphanage after orphanage, even visiting children who were unjustly imprisoned. And somewhere between there and home, I had a moment with the Lord.
Me: "Whoa. I'm in Africa. And my soul is at peace because I'm in accordance with what You asked me to do."
God: "Keep this up. Forever. Wherever. Whatever it takes. For My glory."
Me: "Yes, Lord, yes."
I have seen, therefore I am responsible.

 

The Credit Roll:

I have a family who loves me, and supports me in all my craziness completely. I'd be nothing without their guidance and love. I have a church that bleeds loyalty. We're a family, and I love them. I have the best set of friends anyone could ask for. They're bold and expectant in their ideas, and downright CRAZY for Jesus.


I graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in May 2012 with a degree in Public Relations. I want to work in nonprofits unless Morgan Freeman God tells me otherwise. I want to be an advocate for sustainable change. In short, the water crisis is what breaks my heart. Workin' on it. And I'll do anything short of sin to acheive these audacious dreams.
I love all things chocolate, pineapple, and I talk way too much. One could say I'm a typical girl, and I'd be inclined to agree with them. It's God who makes me feel special, unique. And I pray you feel special someday, too, as God rips you off your beach.  

Nice ta meet-cha!

-J