Delighted by Joy

On Saturday, my sister-in-laws and I hosted a Baby Shower for my pregnant sister-in-law. We hosted about 20 women at our new apartment. They day went fabulously. It was beautiful weather, the food and drinks were delightful, and it is safe to say that everyone had a pleasant time. It was nice to catch up with friends, but as well meet some new ones in between the duties of hosting.

When I woke up on the day of the Baby Shower, it wasn’t difficult to put my own needs aside and focus on the goal of the day, to put together this party for the guests and of course my sister-in-law. Although I was busy from 6:30 am till 8:30 pm, it was amazing how much joy I had through it all. Towards the end of the day, I asked myself, how could I have so much joy and peace during such a frantic day, where I barely had 10 minutes for me?

The answer lies in two places: expectations and mission. When we wake up with the idea, today is a day to serve others rather than myself. How does the outcome of our day differ? I’ve come to learn, that when I say I am going to serve others, often, I, in tern, end up having a day full of delightful little surprises from those around me.

When we do not expect anything in return, we give no room for disappointment. Joy is the foundation of our day.

When we live with a purpose and a mission during the day, we will enter into a deep peace. Everyday can have a purpose, not only when we host a party, give a presentation, help another person out, etc. I believe, when we follow Jesus each day, our purpose on this earth is to simply be love. However that may look in our lives—through the big and small things.

Mission is essential to a healthy organism and organization, when we lose sight of our mission, we lose sight of our purpose. Without a purpose, we become more susceptible to lose sight of hope and without hope, well, we are hopeless.

So I encourage you all to reflect on what your mission is today? Where are areas in our lives where unwise expectations may lie? How can we begin to start living more purposefully in our day to day lives?

Small is Big

I just returned back to Switzerland, from an amazing week in America. I had the joy of meeting my little godson—what a cutie! Time was spent with family and friends and just soaking in the American spirit, which I miss/appreciate so much. I met with one of my college roommates at the most adorable coffee shop in River North one evening. We simply caught up on life, jobs, family, friends so on and so forth. It was delightful.

As our evening was drawing towards an end, we started to talk about what we would like to do, where we would like to be, our dream jobs, and what the future may hold. We both admitted we are not in our ideal career field at the moment, but then questioned what does that even matter?

Of course, we do not want to wake up each day and go to a 9 to 5 that we hate, but we also do not want to get so consumed by our career that we forget to live a life outside of it. My girlfriend went on to explain about some of the most influential people in her life. It did not come as a surprise to me that she said her grandparents. Her grandmother was a secretary and grandfather, an electrician. Both didn’t do anything crazy with their careers or save anyone’s life, but they made a difference each and everyday and touched 100s of lives just by simply being.

Life is so much more than a career. Success is not measured by a paycheck or a job title. Success is measured by, well that differs depending on how you see it. Those who I view as successful in my life, are those who know what their God given talent in life is and has multiplied it for the sake of humanity. Those who have an impact on the community where they live and are making a positive change in this world, even if that change is bringing a smile to his or her neighbor’s face or being a vessel of love in the office. That is success in my eyes. Small is big.

Those Swiss Alps...

After a week spent in the mountains, I couldn't help but feel like an ant. Really, I was taking a ski lift with my girlfriend and we looked down at the 100s of snowboarders and skiers, first we were frightened by the greatness of this mountain and the lack of skills that we possessed to get ourselves down on two slates of wood and secondly, we realized how tiny we truly are, we (humans) looked like little specks on the mountain! It was such a powerful moment, we were in one of the prettiest places on this earth and literally shaking in our boots.

It is hard not to feel the power of God in moments like this. His perspective is different from ours and places like Valais, CH, really puts life in perspective. Our mountains in life are never as big as we make them and we are as well not as big as we seem to be. We have a tendency to allow our perspectives to overrule the truth of what it is. We forget that we have a Father, who not only created these mountains, but additionally has an intimate love for us.

Which leads me to my final point, I looked down on each little person on the slopes and felt how much God loves each one of those individuals, regardless of age, nationality, history, future. His love is there for them without boarders.

I found myself later that evening praying a prayer to God, saying, "Lord, your creation is beautiful, thank you for showing me your greatness today. But that beauty I saw today, does not compare to the joy I receive from being in your presence." It's true, the beautiful places, the great friends, amazing family, and simple joys in life are great, but they do not compare of the love God has for us!

He Died So That We May Live

Why did my life change? Why am I different than I was 4 years ago? Many people who know me well, can see this. I’m sure I have hurt, encouraged, and maybe even helped many people through this change. Some think I’m crazy, some think religious, some think I’m a better person. But why? Why would I go through this? A girl who does not like to upset the people around her. Why would she choose a path that would hurt some of the people most dear to her heart, for such a cause?

Jesus. He is the answer. I am sure many of you reading this, know or have heard of Jesus. You’ve heard the gospel stories, you heard how He died for our sins, and you heard that when we believe in Him we may enter into eternal life. But do you truly understand the meaning of this?

I know I didn’t until about two years ago. I had grown up in a church going, before meal praying family. I had gone from Catholic school to Catholic school and took a countless amount of religious classes. But I never fully understood it, until the grace of God came upon me. He died so that we may live.

He died so that we may live. This my friends has two meanings. The first meaning relates to life after death. We have two options when we die, we will go to heaven or hell. Sounds blunt right? It’s the truth and I love you all so much, I want you to hear the truth. It’s a burning fire on my heart that y’all can enter into eternal life in heaven, not the later option. It is my responsibility, to let you in on the most beautiful secret of life.

So right now if any of you reading this do not understand what Jesus did for us, I ask that you pray to God and ask Him to reveal to you the truth of the Gospel stories. I’m serious, it will be the best decision that you’ve ever made. For when we do not believe in Jesus, we have no chance of eternal life after this world passes away.

Why is this? Why should we believe in Jesus if we have a Father that loves us so much? Because God loved us so much, he gave us freewill. Freewill means, we have to ability to make our own decisions and choose our own paths and take our own responsibility for our lives. He doesn’t force us to love Him or believe that He exists, what kind of love is that when you’re forced into something? It is not genuine, meaningful, or by any means natural. Therefore, in God’s great wisdom, He has given us the ability to chose a life full of Him or a life empty of anything He has to offer us.

Which leads me to the second meaning of what it means to live after His death. Once we believe and understand the truth of the Gospel, it is then that we begin to live in freedom and love. We are free, only through the grace of God. We are no longer bond to worldly means, such as family, friends, traveling, money, alcohol, drugs, material things, events, etc. to bring us happiness. We can go a week with only eating soup and drinking tea and have all the joy in the world, because the source of our happiness and joy does not come from this world. It comes from above. We are no longer bond to the ways of this world, of following the main stream, but rather we are called to step out of these complacent roles and be excellent, extraordinary and unique. We are also called to not react as the world would react.

I had the opportunity the other morning to have breakfast with my husband’s Aunt. Her husband is currently in rehab, due to a 3 ½ inch tumor that the doctors had to remove from his brain. The medical team was able to remove about 60% of the tumor, but the rest will have to come out with radiation and chemo. Now this couple (the aunt and uncle) gave their lives to the people in Guinea, Africa for about 20 years working as a nurse and doctor and serving in the Church as missionaries. She looked at me and said, “Jeanna so many people have said to us, ‘how could God do such a thing to people like you, who have served your whole life the people around you’.” She replied to them saying, “God never promised us a life without sickness or death, we are thankful that we’ve lived 50 years without any sickness.”

She is not responding as the world would respond, because she has the joy of the Spirit. She knows that God will take care of her husband and that God’s wisdom is beyond ours. She has a thankful heart. She is a beautiful testimony for me, of how powerful the Spirit of God is to those who choose to love and follow Him. It gives us so much strength and power in our times of need here on earth. It allows us to rejoice always and rest in His peace.

God is so good y’all, seriously. I want nothing more than for more of my family and friends to develop an intimate relationship with Him. He will turn your world upside down.

Happy 1st Anni Switzerland

A year ago, I was waiting in the airport to board my flight to embark upon a new adventure in the mysterious land of Switzerland. I sat there and cried looking out on the sunset in O’Hare airport, thinking about how my family loved to watch sunsets together and maybe in Switzerland they don’t have sunsets or I wouldn’t find anyone to sit with me and enjoy the beauty of nature. Seriously, I know I was a bit overdramatic.

This last year has brought about so many new experiences, that I would not trade for the world. Jetzt spreche ich Deutsch und e bitz Schwitzerdütsch. I have learned about the intriguing Swiss culture, which in turn has made me thankful for my dear American culture …ich mache Witz meine Schweize Freunde;).  I have seen breathtaking views and traveled to see 8 beautiful countries. I’ve made new friends from all over the world and tried to keep in touch with the old. Now all of these experiences have been great, but do not compare to what God has accomplished in my life and the lives of those around me.

Seeing a new country could never beat the high of seeing someone give his or her life to Jesus. Learning a new language does not compare to witnessing a person healed from an illness that they’ve been suffering from for 10 years. Being emerged in a new culture is nothing compared to God hearing the prayers of His children and faithfully answering them. Making new friends is great but (again) it doesn’t measure up to allowing God use you as a tool in someones life to bring His love for the first time to their life.

I’ve learned life can be a beautiful thing,  with or without God. There are always beautiful places to see, beautiful relationships to be had, and beautiful things to learn. The difference is that a life with God is rich. I like the example in the book The Shack, where William P. Young writes that we are like birds walking on the ground when we live in the world without God. When God comes into our lives we become birds that can fly. God created this life with the intention that we allow Him to work in our lives and teach us to fly. We miss living a life to the full potential that this world has to offer, when we live without God. Yes, we can see beautiful things, have crazy experiences, great relationship, but all of these things are ultimately enhanced when God enters into our walk with us.

Free Heart

This world is a beautiful place. When we step into a walk of faith with God it is the biggest adventure that a human being can take on. He pulls us into the water and takes us deeper and deeper through the underwater cave just so that we can come up on the other side and be amazed by His beauty. We have a Father For with God nothing is impossible. 

who knows our hearts so deeply and is willing to put us through some of the craziest obstacles of life just so we could see what we can accomplish when we hand our lives over to Him.

When we allow our hearts to truly believe this truth, miracles around us begin to take place. Barriers begin to break down and our resurrection begins. Heaven kisses earth and leaves an everlasting lip print on our lives. Only when we allow God to have control and enter fully into our hearts, do we begin to see and feel the full access of this world. We begin to see the true beauty of our existence and the impossible becoming the possible.

Blessings are Everywhere

How often do we overlook the simple things in life due to our minds being set on something that is in the distance. How often do we pray for things and become disappointed because we feel as if God is not answering our prayers. Could it be that we are simply not aware of the way He answers our prayers?
We have a God with a sense of humor and who works in many ways. He always responds to our prayers whether we realize it or not.
Looking back on my past 6 months, I’ve prayed very consistent prayers overall. For example, I’ve asked God to bring family and friends closer to Him, to break me so that He is more and I am less, to bring peace and healing to those around me, that I can see more of Him etc.

He has answered all of the prayers in one way or another.

He showed me that I should leave America to bring those around me in the States closer to Him. He is changing my family and friend’s hearts back home for His good!

I asked God to break me so that I can become less and Him more, He responded by challenging me in a variety of different ways coming to a foreign country, entering into a new community, and beginning a new stage of life. He has brought me to a deeper level of peace, which in His goodness, he knew that this was only possible by taking me through the pain of leaving familiar faces and a comfortable environment. He took away pride and selfishness where I didn’t know pride and selfishness resided in my heart. He did so only to replace it more with His Spirit.

I asked God to see His face and experience Him in a new way, and He allowed me to experience a sudden change in health and the thrill of being rushed into a sudden operation so that I can see His hand at work in my life. He provided me with His peace and love during it all, even more than I ever experienced before. He allowed it to happen so I was more aware than ever of His presence and the miracles He works in our lives.

Here are a just a few testimonies from my life of how God answers my prayers in interesting ways. Because I am human, I know that there are thousands of more ways God has answered my prayers, but I’ve been unaware of it because I am looking for a specific package.  My new favorite prayer to offer up to God is, “Help me not to miss out on Your blessing because it isn’t packaged how I expect.”