VBS and Some interesting Life Choices...

Hello Friends and Family!

I hope this blog post finds you all well and smiling! This week is VBS week at Glenkirk...and let me tell you it's QUITE the event!! About 850 kids showed up yesterday for the first day and were led by about 300 Jr. High and High School students through all the activities. It was such a humbling experience to look across a sanctuary PACKED with kids under the age of 11 and their leaders. I loved watching Jr. Higher's take control and be leaders fer these younger kids. It was so awesome, and totally warmed my heart. I love when different ministries in a church overlap like that...it's like...perfection.

Anthony and Stacey (Children's Ministry Gurus extraordinaire) have put together an awesome program, and the worship center looks SO legit with intelligent lights, gobos, an awesome pirate ship, and solid worship band. I am so impressed with the scope of this thing....the biggest VBS I'd ever been a part of had 100 kids...and that was in Harrisburg last summer. Before that....I'd never been a part of a VBS of more than 35 to 50 kids. So 850....blows my mind. As much as that number is awe inspiring, what happens in the classrooms is like 1000000000000000 times more important. You can have 1000 kids gather and have fun, but it's totally worthless if Jesus isn't being taught and glorified. At this VBS Jesus is friggin' everywhere...hahaha. From storytelling, to prayer, to worship, even the little call and response they do every day they are teaching these kids about God in a way they can come to own. I had SO much fun yesterday talking with the leaders and with some kids...running lunches to classrooms and simply observing Jesus in loads of smiles. It makes me sad that i have to sit in a silly office filing, and making labels today instead! GAH! Darn them bills...... Money is so frustrating. hahaahaha. Yeah that's life...
I'm excited to go back to VBS on Wednesday. There is also a lot going on this week during VBS 'After Hours' From 7-8:30 every night Jr high and High School is combining to hang out at various places in Glendora - In-N-Out, Del Taco, Goldenspoon. Just to hang out and eat good foods. I'm pretty excited about that...since we get free tacos tonight. Oh yes. It's UH-MAZING!

Life Decision - Due to a few conversations and experiences I've had lately, as well as some God Moments, I've come to realize that prioritizing needs to happen in my life. haha. I've been living my life a certain way for a long time....not by any means a bad way...just a certain way. Unfortunately it's caused much juggling, turmoil, and frustration....even tears (which are the best part....cause after a good cry, don't you always feel a lot better? I know I do....). Anyway - what has become most important to me has been shoved to the back burner more than a few times so I can try and impress people. People....being the key word there. If I'm to live my life for God, shouldn't I rather be trying to impress Him instead of...people? People that sometimes fail to see the bigger picture... I need to put what is most important in my life first and foremost... that being my ministry with my Father, and my husband-to-be. I guess this is something I've always known, but honestly I can be a little selfish sometimes. It's a difficult decision to make which means it will probably require a part of me to die (the selfish, people-pleasing, somewhat arrogant part), so that I can make room for more Jesus. :0) To be beautifully broken so that I can be wholly restored in Him. So that when God looks down on me, He can see his reflection. Doesn't that sound.....I dunno..... like fulfilling? Like peace? Like the best decision ever? Maybe I'm crazy, but what kind of leader would I be if I found a fault in my life and didn't fall into Jesus to try to fix it? How could I lead others to make decisions I was unwilling to make? How could I guide others to fall deeply in love with Jesus, when I chose to stay stagnant? Ew.
I'd love some prayer in this area if you're up for it! The hardest changes to make in ones life are definitely ones like these.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

In Other News -
Wedding plans are coming along wonderfully. We did the tux thing a few days ago... it was so weird!!! At David's Bridal..everything was "Let's try this on" "Let's look at this" "Walk down this isle of mirrors" "Let's make your mom cry" but at Men's Warehouse.... she plopped a kind of binder down in front of us and said - "Pick what you like". Matt picked out what he wanted...and what we wanted for the groomsmen. And we were done. 0_0 Dude. 4 hours at David's Bridal vs. 30 minutes at Men's Warehouse. Ah culture.
I'm trying to get the majority of the planning done, or in the process before school starts...cause OH the STRESS. bahahaha. But I'm sure everything will turn out fine as it always does. I'm getting more and more excited..... like reality sets in or something. I'm gonna be married! To Matt! How did I get so lucky?
Currently we are in the market for a DJ...and a Florist-like person......and maybe catering? I don't remember.

Huge and special thanks to all the people who have offered so much to us already!!!! The only money Matt and I have spent so far has been on his tux! hahahaha. It's been such a miracle, and I couldn't be more loved than I am at this moment. Many Thank You cards shall be written... which is saying something...cause I don't normally succeed at Thank You cards. ;0)

As this post comes to a close... i wanted to end it with something I read in Thessalonians this morning..it's how Paul ended his letter, and it makes me happy.

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
Love,
Jen

p.s. the "Love, Jen" part can only be found in select versions of the Bible. ;0)