A Family In Christ

    I can't believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve! It feels like this Christmas season has flown by so quickly!     This coming year is going to be a new start for me, and I want to make it a good one. I turn eighteen on January 1st, (cue the panic) so not only is it a new year, it's a new age for me. A new year, a new age, and hopefully a new mindset.     To be honest, whenever I heard the word 'mindset', I always kinda shut my brain down. 'Yeah, change your mindset and you can change your lifestyle, and all that stuff.' But now that things have gotten busy for me and I've gotten older, I need a new mindset. I need a new lifestyle. I'm going to be an adult, I need to work harder on the important things in life such as my relationships with friends, family and the Lord, my home life, my school work, and my health.     I want to make this year better than 2019. I want to fill it with memories with friends and family, and grow closer to the Lord. ...

   I was in the car the other day, listening to the song Jesus, Friend of Sinners by Casting Crowns, and it really made me stop and think. Some of the lyrics say 'break our hearts for what breaks Yours.' Being a super caring person, seeing people hurting, turning their backs on God and sinning deliberately, really hurts my heart. And I don't like pain. The sudden thought of having my heart broken for what breaks God's heart, scared me.    I've always been super determined not to get into a relationship that might be the wrong one, because I'm afraid of having my heartbroken. And now this new thought comes along, and it scares me even more. I wish I didn't have to say it, but I'm almost afraid to put myself out there for God's work, because if I see the world through His eyes, my heart will break.    But... maybe it needs to be broken... maybe it needs to broken so that my outsides will be pushed away, and His  insides can come forward and be used...

  Hey y'all! I had the extreme pleasure of being able to sign up for an ARC (advanced reader copy) of this beautiful book, 'Beloved', written by Kaitlyn Krispense.   I'm doing a review of it today, and I really hope that you guys will go buy this book when it comes out! It's soooo good! :D   1. What was your overall impression of the book? Did you love, like or dislike it? Why?: My overall impression was "OHMAGOSH! I LOVE THIS BOOK!" But to be more specific, ;P I thought it was a book that was true. The emotions that ring throughout the whole story hit me straight in the gut every time, and the growth that the main character went was incredible to read, as I myself have gone through changes. Nothing at all like in this story, but more emotional changes in life. I loved this book because the people were real. The events are things that happen here in our real life, and it's heartbreaking. But this story helps you to know that there is a better...

 Goodness! I haven't blogged on here in a while!   Well, today I was thinking about running the race. What race am I talking about? Well, it's this thing called 'life'. Heard of it before? I'm told it's pretty popular. ;P    Life is a race. 'Gotta get this thing done so I can move to this thing, and then this thing should help me get to this thing,' and so on. We're always racing to the next item or event in life.    One of my younger siblings is a busy body. He's always excited for something to come up, and he'll count down the days to the simplest of events. He's racing through the week from one thing to the next. Not saying that's bad, but as teens, older teens, and adults, we can get into a habit of doing it, and then never being satisfied with what we have at the moment. We should be running this race of life to glorify the God who put us here.   (I should probably mention, my younger sibling who does this is six. ;D)   ...

As I promise, here's my newest addition to the giant stack of books on my dresser. (No, I don't have a bookshelf. Long story) ;D   Sorry it's not a very good picture. The tree outside my window was making it extra difficult. -_- ;P But I'm soooooo happy that I have it in paper back now. :D I'm reading it for a third time. XD  Sorry for the short post, but I got stuff to do. :D ~Jessie

  Heh... My life has been eventful, and not eventful... if that makes sense. ;P Yesterday, I decided to be the glorious klutz that I am, and drop a butter knife on my big toe while unloading the dishwasher. Nothing serious. You can't even see it unless you look closely, but honestly, I felt like my toe had been severed from my foot, pain explode everywhere... it hurt reeeaaalllyyy bad.... -_- So, I was put up on the couch for a bit with some ice on it, but then my mom, dad and older bro had errands to run, so I baby sat the kids that morning, while trying to get school done, and dishes, and lunch, and with a hurting toe. Nothing eventful at all. XD I did live though. Surprisingly. ;P   Oh! Small piece of news (big for me) I am now the proud owner of a paperback copy of Resistance, by Jaye L. Knight! *squuueeeaaakkkk*!!!!!! XD I absolutely love that series, and would recommend it to anyone. :D  Gee wiz this book is thick! :D *another happy squeal* ;P Not much ...

I've learned so much this last weekend! I had the privilege to be able to go to the Oregon Christian Writers conference this last Saturday, and I have never been so encouraged in my writing! I would get these shocked realizations over and over again, that every person sitting in front of me in that large auditorium, was a writer. I had found my family and my happy place. :D  The main speaker was Carrie Stuart Parks. I had never heard of her until I had learned about the conference, and I'm hoping that I can check out some of her books. But, I absolutely LOVED listening to her speak. There's so much that I learned, and I made so many scribbles in my notebook, and I typed lot's on my computer. I met new people also. It was an incredible experience an environment. I'm really hoping I can go to the next one.   I was able to go with a friend of mine, and another friend's mom, who drove us, so we were able to talk about what we had learned during the lunch break, ...

Well, so far this year has been filled with surprises. Both good and bad. My sister and her husband found out that they're having a little girl! Yay!!! Super excited about that! :D Both of my beef calves died. The second died a week after the first. I've had animals die on me before, but with Samson, the second calf, I fought so hard for him. I did everything I could to keep him alive, but he died before we went to bed. I am upset, and disappointed, but there's nothing I can do about it now. :) I'm getting my braces off soon!!!! I am sooooo happy about that!!!!! :D :D :D I've had them on for about two and a half years. It'll be so weird not having metal in my mouth. O_O XD Anyways. Life has it's up's and down's, and that's reminded me that even though we hope for a good year, we never know what is coming. 

Hey! Sorry it's been a while since I last posted. :/ Lot's of stuff has happened for me in this new year! :D   I turned seventeen on Jan. 1st! Whoop whoop!!!! ;D I might start driving now, but I'm still trying to decide if I want to. XD   I'm going to try to work on school really hard, and also try to prepare myself for taking my EMT, possibly, next year. :)   My family and I just got a puppy! He's a German Shepherd, Golden Retriever mix. Pure black, and very busy. ;D He can be super cute when he's not trying to eat the carpet or chewing on socks... -_- ;P   My sister who just got married is expecting her first!! YAY!!!!!! I can't wait! :D   I guess other than that, not a whole lot has happened. We've just been busy with our day to day lives. I'm soooo ready for summer. -_- Made sweet tea already. ;D   I finished writing my book, Evidence or Angels, sometime in either September or November.... or maybe it was October..... O_O I can't ...