2012

A New Year!

  On New Years eve of 2010, Heavenly Father spoke a word to me about the coming year of 2011. He told me that it would be a year of New Beginnings for us. I had no idea what that was going to entail. I had some desires as to what I hoped that would mean.
  I don't know how many tears I had shed over the previous 3 years or how many desperate prayers I prayed, pleading with God to change our circumstances. Nights of despair and going to bed angry at the Lord because He had forgotten us, or just didn't care. Days that were so dark we could hardly see. Oppression brought on by unseen spirits that felt as if I were literally in chains. It was such a dark time.
  Why is it, the truth you know and believe in the light, you forget or choose not to believe in the dark? Truth does not change with circumstances. And that was the only thing that got us through. Choosing to believe in His Word even when circumstances screamed that it was false. I can even remember the sick feeling I had in my stomach during that time. I remember like it was yesterday what that darkness felt like. Sometimes we could even physically see darkness in the daylight.
  But we completed the time the Lord set for us to be there. Praise to HIM who sits on the throne, He lead us out of that place! We had tried to leave on our own but it failed. But when it was time, the Lord went before us and made the way straight!
  Even though this is a new year and so many people are making their new year resolutions, I do not want to forget what the Lord has done in the previous year:

1) Countless conformations that it was time to move (unlike the years before)
2) Stephen applied for seminary
3) Sold our house in less than 3 months, on June 27th, 2011
4) On the morning of the signing, Stephen received his acceptance letter
5) The Lord provided us a place to live until we moved to the seminary, for free!!
6) We received more money from the sale of our house than we ever thought we could..lived off the money  for 6 months when Stephen quit his job. Paid off our mortgage, as well as our car note!
7) July 30th, 2011, Jacob Paul Jansen was born. 8.1 lbs 21" long. Beautiful healthy little boy!
8) August 18th, 2011 we moved to seminary housing.
9) December 14th, 2011, Stephen completed his first semester at Southwestern, his 30th birthday!!!
10) God continues to provide for us financially while we are here, growing our faith everyday!

  And now for 2012, we have finally found a new church family. On January 1st, we joined Harvest church. I get so excited thinking and anticipating what the Lord has in store for this new year. I know that it's not all going to be fun, but I know HE has so much more for us to learn about HIM! I am excited about getting to know my Savior even more this year than ever before! And I do not ever want to forget where HE has brought me from! HE has saved me by HIS wonderful grace! But not only saved me, but has invited me to love HIM and know HIM!!

Happy New Year!

Calling

   I know that Jesus did not die on the cross so that i could just go to church on Sunday mornings. There is a very specific reason that the Father called me into knowledge of His Son. We know, because of so many references in the Scripture, that the reason we were created and why He saved us, was to bring Himself glory. ( a few being: Is 43:6-7, Jer 13:11, Psalm 106:8, Rom 3:23)
   But there is a very unique and specific calling for me. One that He had in mind before I was even born.  Paul and Barnabas were called out by His Holy Spirit for a specific mission.
Acts 13:2 "While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

   In that passage it does not say what the specific calling was on the two. But He had obviously told them.  When Paul wrote some of the letters to the churches, he told what his calling was.  (Rom 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:1; Gal 1:15-16)

 Can you bring Him the most glory from your life without knowing a specific calling?  Could Paul have been as effective in spreading the gospel if he had not received a specific calling? 
     He knew he was called to preach the gospel to the gentiles. He had his target, so he could stay on mark.  That was how God wanted to glorify Himself in Paul.
  Think of how much time we waste when we do not know our calling. We stand around not knowing what to do.

 2 Peter 1:10b "Therefore, Brethren, be all the more certain His calling and choosing you;"

1 Thes. 5:24 "Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."

Pursuit

You know, when you pursue and chase after, you can tire quickly.

Sometimes it's nice to

BE

Pursued.