Psalm 116

I read this Psalm today, and I really liked it. It made me think about so many different things. It challenged, comforted, and inspired me. It put me in awe of God, and how amazing he is. How much He saved and continues to save me from, how much he comforts me, how much he has given to me, and how much he really cares about me. He WILL be there if I call out and trust in him.



"I love the Lord for her heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.
Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.
The cords of death entangled me,
the anguish of the grave came upon me;
I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord:
"O Lord, save me!"
The lord is gracious and righteous;
Our God is full of compassion.
The Lord protects the
simplehearted
when I was in great need,
he saved me.
Be at rest once more, O my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.
For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
I believed; therefore I said " I am greatly afflicted."
And in my dismay I said, " all men are liars."
How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his saints.
O Lord, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the son
of your maidservant; you have freed me from my chains.
I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
and call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord-
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord. "

Summer Schedule

Hey guys! I have a very event-filled summer, and I am sure you do too. And believe it or not, its RIGHT around the corner. I can feel that its coming, and that it's coming SOON! :)
Here's a taste of what I will be up to this summer:

JUNE:
on call at La Roca (all month)
18: Cousin and two best friends coming! WOO-HOO!!
20-29: Group from Ohio
29: Texas group?

JULY:
2: friends and cousin leave
8: Auntie Dawn and cousins, Landon and Junior come! Yippee!!
18-25: Group from California

AUGUST:
1-10: Group from Salem
20: Auntie and cousins leave

September: School Begins

October: Furlough begins!

We are also hoping to start a new youth group here at the center this summer. I think that this ministry could be a very effective thing in the lives of the youth here in Autlan. They need the love of Christ in their lives so bad.

Now you have a bit of an idea as to what I will be up to this summer. I am very excited for all that is coming up, and I can't wait to see what God has planned!
God Bless, Jessica

I Want to Set the World on Fire

One of my favorite songs right now is "Set the World on Fire" by Britt Nicole. You can listen to it on her website: www.brittnicole.com She has a beautiful voice, and I love the feeling I get when I listen to this song. It portrays so well how I want to live, and what I who I want to be. When I listen to this song I think "this is who I want to be. This is what I want to do. I want to make a difference in the world by living for Christ. I want to make the world shine bright with God's love." But I need to be passionate about it, and be willing to do whatever it is God wants me to do to make that happen.

This song talks about how we can give hope to the poor, and tell the sick that there is healing, through our Savior, Jesus Christ. It talks about "setting the world on fire" and "making it burn bright" for Christ. Isn't that what being a missionary is all about? You don't have to move to a foreign country to make a difference in the world. Every Christian is constantly surrounded by people that God can use you to influence, encourage, and share the love of Christ with.

Thank you God, for giving me the opportunity to set the world on fire for you. I pray that one day, the world will shine bright with your love. Thank you for giving us as Christians, that passion to live our lives for you, and share your love with the other people in this world. And ultimately, thank you for showing us what love truly is, by sending your Son to die for our sins. I love you. Amen.
Wanting to set the world on fire, Jess

Happy Mother's Day!

I was thinking today, as I spent the day with my mom, about how we have one day out of the year that we set aside to celebrate our mother's, and all that they do for us. Why does it only have to be one day?
I am the oldest of five children, and still living at home, and my mom is ALWAYS doing something. She is always cleaning up someone's mess that isn't her own, doing school with my brothers and sisters, cooking, doing laundry etc. etc. Never taking the time to do anything for herself. And yet we take all that our mom's do for us for granted in so many different ways. Why can't every day be "mother's day" in the way that we are thankful for what our mom's do for us, and tell them that! Just a hug or a simple "I love you" or "thanks mom" could mean a lot. Instead of just being thankful for our mom's, lets let them know that we are thankful for them.
I have an awesome mom, and I am so thankful that God has blessed me with her. I love you mommy! Happy Mother's day!

Day At The Park! - Last Day In Salem

This was my last day in Salem, but it was one of my very favorites! It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, and a whole bunch of us got together and hung out at Riverfront Park for the afternoon. We played ultimate frisbee, sat in the grass and talked, took pictures, went on the best walk ever, and just enjoyed the beautiful day and friends that God gave us. It was amazing. I love you guys!!











After the park, we went to Jack's house and hung out for the evening. It was so much fun! Later, however, I had to say goodbye to all of my friends. =(
I had a great trip, thank you all for making it so special. Every day contains memories, pictures and fun times that I will remember forever.







I cannot take credit for these amazing pictures, they go to my friend Dean...thanks for being our photographer! You rock!! =)