I love this! I’ve been in a wide variety of churches and currently I simply attend one while we are waiting to move out towards the country (Ohio). Waiting for me looks like growing my spiritual gifts, fortunately I follow lots of amazing women (and men and sometime husband and wife teams) from all over and I’m thrilled to see you in this pursuit. The women I follow in ministry lead in power, authority, the kind of women who lead Mark 16:17-18 lives which is specific to those who believe not original apostles or men. I have had a specific and same prophetic word spoken over my life several times by different people or prayer teams and my season of waiting looks like practicing what I do more (so I pray for supernatural healing as a volunteer chaplain in a hospital, but also random people in public God has me pray over), and LOTS of time in my prayer room on my face (literally the floor) in worship and long sessions reading my Bible. Something exciting is coming and I have learned to really soak in the powering up season of my life. This place of waiting with the Lord is never dull!!!! Hang onto the full measure of who you are meant to be. There are literally thousands of women I meet in Christian conferences all over doing bold amazing things for the Lord. Sometimes from a platform or sometimes behind the scenes. A conference I’m going to in Scotland in September is at the church of a woman! Last time I went, Sept 2022, I had a power encounter with God and my life has literally never been the same. That pearl of great price is SO worth it and the ride along the way literally unscriptable!!!! Many blessings on your pursuit woman of God!!!!!
I resonate with so many things here, Jamie. I love reading others affirming words to you. Like them, I see you as being someone gifted in ministry and I wish so much that your past church would have celebrated your gifts rather than stifled them.
I cannot write about ministry right now because I am still processing the events of the last few weeks and I do not want to write out of anger and hurt. About ministry, I will say, God graciously provides rest when our souls need it. Sometimes that rest comes in the form of caregiver for ones mother, but it's rest all the same.
About writing, I think I have six posts in draft form just waiting to be completed and released to the world. They're nothing earth shattering, but just random thoughts I've had. I find so much of life becomes a writing prompt for me. Yesterday I was running on the flat road in front of my mom's house and I struggled. I'm very used to running hills in Birmingham, so I started thinking about that and how it relates to life. A hill provides a challenge and we have to adjust accordingly and then the downhill allows for recovery. Our spiritual journey is much the same. The valleys force us into closeness with the Lord and the mountaintops provide a welcome reprieve. If our spiritual journey was flat, I daresay, we wouldn't grow. Does that make sense?
I appreciate your work and your heart. You have taught me so much. I love you, friend. Keeping being curious. It's a blessing to those you encounter.
Thanks Hannah! I'm so glad to know you, and I love you. If you need a listening ear, I'm here. I'm glad we have a God who gives rest to the weary. He is so kind!
I think of all of life as the writing life. Writing becomes harder when you let experts tell you how to write (but really they mean how to market - and I hate marketing). It's funny that you wrote about recovery and hills and valleys. I very much identify with this and added something along these lines in today's post. I would love to read your posts. Please send them out into the world so that people can see you.
My goodness. I wondered over the years what had happened to cause you sadness you carefully and barely mentioned on social media. I admire your heart and calling so much. It is encouraging how you have not given up on following Jesus, despite the people who have done such unChristlike things (deliberate or not) that have greatly affected you.
Thank you, Jennifer. I always want to give others dignity, but I can't seem to stop writing out of where I am in the world. Sometimes that's looking back, seeing today, and moving forward. I'm thankful you are here.
I think it's wonderful that you are exploring who God has created you to be and the ways in which He has gifted you to serve in the kingdom. Our son attends a church that does a really effective job of highlighting the biblical teaching that every born-again believer is a priest of God - after all, we are a kingdom of priests according to 1 Peter.
And, grace upon grace to you for meeting the challenges of discerning how to live out your calling and gifts within the kingdom of God, especially as it intersects with the modern church's understanding of the how the physical Church is to be structured under God's directives. You are going to constantly be met with varying perspectives on that one ... stay focused on Jesus, as I know you are seeking to do.
I love hearing your heart, and your mind, and whatever is brewing in your soul. Thank you for being vulnerable to share.
I see you, working, Jamie. I am curious alongside you as to what doors will open, and what doors will remain shut. Isn’t there a verse of Scripture about that, too? Yes, I am curious as to God’s role in the door opening and shutting business. 😊
I have not put myself, or my work “out there” too much, and I wonder if some of that is because of, as Brene would say, “engineering my life small” to stay safe. But I am suspending those questions now, more and more, and find myself just walking on a small path with light just enough for the next bit of path. I think for myself, I have craved so long to be seen and affirmed, that I have not put as much work into seeing and affirming, if that makes sense. And…now I am realizing this comment is growing too long.
I look forward to continuing this thread, and love that we get to walk together on the path.
Thanks, Jen! I identify with a lot of what you share here. Sometimes craving affirmation and being seen helps us to see and affirm. I have both been one to see and to affirm others because of my own lack, but I have also not seen and not affirmed because of my own lack. I think sometimes we have to let go of old narratives to make space for new ones. Maybe I disagree with engineering our life small because I see some narratives as limitations we don’t know we have, and we can grow beyond them. I feel like somebody has to offer that key to help people grow and see first.
Anyhow, I am thankful to be on the path with you as well. Your comment was not too long.
As someone who has crossed paths with you over the years — both in person (at conferences) and online — I want to affirm your call to ministry. I love your heart.
I love this! I’ve been in a wide variety of churches and currently I simply attend one while we are waiting to move out towards the country (Ohio). Waiting for me looks like growing my spiritual gifts, fortunately I follow lots of amazing women (and men and sometime husband and wife teams) from all over and I’m thrilled to see you in this pursuit. The women I follow in ministry lead in power, authority, the kind of women who lead Mark 16:17-18 lives which is specific to those who believe not original apostles or men. I have had a specific and same prophetic word spoken over my life several times by different people or prayer teams and my season of waiting looks like practicing what I do more (so I pray for supernatural healing as a volunteer chaplain in a hospital, but also random people in public God has me pray over), and LOTS of time in my prayer room on my face (literally the floor) in worship and long sessions reading my Bible. Something exciting is coming and I have learned to really soak in the powering up season of my life. This place of waiting with the Lord is never dull!!!! Hang onto the full measure of who you are meant to be. There are literally thousands of women I meet in Christian conferences all over doing bold amazing things for the Lord. Sometimes from a platform or sometimes behind the scenes. A conference I’m going to in Scotland in September is at the church of a woman! Last time I went, Sept 2022, I had a power encounter with God and my life has literally never been the same. That pearl of great price is SO worth it and the ride along the way literally unscriptable!!!! Many blessings on your pursuit woman of God!!!!!
I resonate with so many things here, Jamie. I love reading others affirming words to you. Like them, I see you as being someone gifted in ministry and I wish so much that your past church would have celebrated your gifts rather than stifled them.
Thank you, Lesley! They did encourage the gifts for a time, but yes, thank you for your affirmation.
I cannot write about ministry right now because I am still processing the events of the last few weeks and I do not want to write out of anger and hurt. About ministry, I will say, God graciously provides rest when our souls need it. Sometimes that rest comes in the form of caregiver for ones mother, but it's rest all the same.
About writing, I think I have six posts in draft form just waiting to be completed and released to the world. They're nothing earth shattering, but just random thoughts I've had. I find so much of life becomes a writing prompt for me. Yesterday I was running on the flat road in front of my mom's house and I struggled. I'm very used to running hills in Birmingham, so I started thinking about that and how it relates to life. A hill provides a challenge and we have to adjust accordingly and then the downhill allows for recovery. Our spiritual journey is much the same. The valleys force us into closeness with the Lord and the mountaintops provide a welcome reprieve. If our spiritual journey was flat, I daresay, we wouldn't grow. Does that make sense?
I appreciate your work and your heart. You have taught me so much. I love you, friend. Keeping being curious. It's a blessing to those you encounter.
Thanks Hannah! I'm so glad to know you, and I love you. If you need a listening ear, I'm here. I'm glad we have a God who gives rest to the weary. He is so kind!
I think of all of life as the writing life. Writing becomes harder when you let experts tell you how to write (but really they mean how to market - and I hate marketing). It's funny that you wrote about recovery and hills and valleys. I very much identify with this and added something along these lines in today's post. I would love to read your posts. Please send them out into the world so that people can see you.
My goodness. I wondered over the years what had happened to cause you sadness you carefully and barely mentioned on social media. I admire your heart and calling so much. It is encouraging how you have not given up on following Jesus, despite the people who have done such unChristlike things (deliberate or not) that have greatly affected you.
Thank you, Jennifer. I always want to give others dignity, but I can't seem to stop writing out of where I am in the world. Sometimes that's looking back, seeing today, and moving forward. I'm thankful you are here.
I think it's wonderful that you are exploring who God has created you to be and the ways in which He has gifted you to serve in the kingdom. Our son attends a church that does a really effective job of highlighting the biblical teaching that every born-again believer is a priest of God - after all, we are a kingdom of priests according to 1 Peter.
And, grace upon grace to you for meeting the challenges of discerning how to live out your calling and gifts within the kingdom of God, especially as it intersects with the modern church's understanding of the how the physical Church is to be structured under God's directives. You are going to constantly be met with varying perspectives on that one ... stay focused on Jesus, as I know you are seeking to do.
Thanks, Lori.
I love hearing your heart, and your mind, and whatever is brewing in your soul. Thank you for being vulnerable to share.
I see you, working, Jamie. I am curious alongside you as to what doors will open, and what doors will remain shut. Isn’t there a verse of Scripture about that, too? Yes, I am curious as to God’s role in the door opening and shutting business. 😊
I have not put myself, or my work “out there” too much, and I wonder if some of that is because of, as Brene would say, “engineering my life small” to stay safe. But I am suspending those questions now, more and more, and find myself just walking on a small path with light just enough for the next bit of path. I think for myself, I have craved so long to be seen and affirmed, that I have not put as much work into seeing and affirming, if that makes sense. And…now I am realizing this comment is growing too long.
I look forward to continuing this thread, and love that we get to walk together on the path.
❤️
Thanks, Jen! I identify with a lot of what you share here. Sometimes craving affirmation and being seen helps us to see and affirm. I have both been one to see and to affirm others because of my own lack, but I have also not seen and not affirmed because of my own lack. I think sometimes we have to let go of old narratives to make space for new ones. Maybe I disagree with engineering our life small because I see some narratives as limitations we don’t know we have, and we can grow beyond them. I feel like somebody has to offer that key to help people grow and see first.
Anyhow, I am thankful to be on the path with you as well. Your comment was not too long.
As someone who has crossed paths with you over the years — both in person (at conferences) and online — I want to affirm your call to ministry. I love your heart.
Thank you, Denise. ❤️