Blogging has become quite a thing. Some of us have our favorite blogs that we visit daily and as a reader, you think "I can totally do this" and then reality hits. That's where I find myself right now but that's alright because I said I'd share my journey so here it is. I'm so torn about what to write perhaps because I have so much running through my head. I'm thinking about my readers, my audience, my message, my last post and how long that was. I know you all were thinking the same. I'll just write and see where it goes.
I want to write about the moment I got saved and decided to walk with the Lord but something precedes that, well, a lot does but I'll share some.
It all started with prayer. When I was a kid, in middle school, I had a black and white composition notebook which can now be found in my mom's basement closet in New Jersey. Maybe. She has threatened to throw all of my books away to which I say, "One day I'll have a huge house and will have a library filled with all of those books you've kept for me, you wait and see." Yep, we're waiting.
In this composition book, I'd write "Dear God" letters and I don't remember what I'd write about specifically but I'm going to guess I wrote about my family and protecting us all. I probably wrote about my dreams of one day inspiring people from the Bronx to dream big dreams just as much as the kids from the Upper West Side did and how we could accomplish them too. I probably wrote about my crush. Was it Frederick or David? No last names necessary mostly because I don't remember. Shout out to them! I probably vented to God about the bullies in my school and how they wanted to jump me and take my brand new sneakers. They were the Deion Sanders for all who are wondering. I just dated myself, didn't I? The point I'm making is that I had a relationship with God then and didn't even know it. I didn't know if He was listening, I assumed He was but nothing and no one told me He was. Yet still, I continued my conversation with Him. I was okay with no response then, now it's a different story. "Why aren't you answering me, Lord?" I'll cry out like David did in the Psalms if I must these days.
When I got to high school and then college, I stopped writing my letters. I must have thought I was grown enough to handle my own life. In times of trouble, I'd pray before bed but that was it. At least I thought that was it. My grandmother, who is with the Lord now, was a woman of faith. Aren't all of our grandmother's? Thank God for them. It's what she taught me that laid the foundation of faith for me. It's what she taught me then and what she believed in that has now allowed me to receive, accept and know that God is real. Whatever bit of faith she left behind, I continue pressing toward in hopes of passing it along as well.
Even though I stopped praying, others were praying for me. I am grateful for praying grandparents. I know that I am where I am now, with my life completely turned around, because she prayed. I know I am where I am now, because my mom prayed. I know that I am here now because my Dad prayed, because my sissy prayed, my aunts prayed. I know that I am here now because some of you, reading this post, have also prayed for me. You know who you are. Shout out to Patricio for not leaving his post and praying for me when I needed it most. I am thankful for a woman who despite my not liking her at the time (I had some issues to work through, okay?), still prayed for me. We later reconciled and she told me she had been praying for me, I was amazed that she would even do that. She knew I didn't like her one bit and because she knew that love was stronger than hate - she prayed. Powerful. Lesson there, pray for your enemies. I am thankful for praying folks, period. I am thankful for your prayers. I am thankful that God answers prayers even in the form of letters, my letters. He was listening all along.
I am an answered prayer. I know that I would be the same old Jen, heading down a path of destruction (will share more on what that looks like) if I didn't have people who believed in the power of prayer and in the power of the true living God. It's because of them I am now a mutant, set apart, different, changed, transformed, peculiar, strange, crazy for Jesus -- so thank you guys! Keep praying for your families and loved ones, keep praying for the city of Los Angeles, keep praying for Hollywood, keep praying for the homeless, keep praying for our youth, keep praying for peace, keep praying for New York, keep praying for our leaders, keep praying for marriages, keep praying for me because I am praying for you. Here's some Bible to back it up. Keep praying because He's listening.
You too are an answered prayer. Whose prayers are you thankful for?
It all started with prayer. When I was a kid, in middle school, I had a black and white composition notebook which can now be found in my mom's basement closet in New Jersey. Maybe. She has threatened to throw all of my books away to which I say, "One day I'll have a huge house and will have a library filled with all of those books you've kept for me, you wait and see." Yep, we're waiting.
In this composition book, I'd write "Dear God" letters and I don't remember what I'd write about specifically but I'm going to guess I wrote about my family and protecting us all. I probably wrote about my dreams of one day inspiring people from the Bronx to dream big dreams just as much as the kids from the Upper West Side did and how we could accomplish them too. I probably wrote about my crush. Was it Frederick or David? No last names necessary mostly because I don't remember. Shout out to them! I probably vented to God about the bullies in my school and how they wanted to jump me and take my brand new sneakers. They were the Deion Sanders for all who are wondering. I just dated myself, didn't I? The point I'm making is that I had a relationship with God then and didn't even know it. I didn't know if He was listening, I assumed He was but nothing and no one told me He was. Yet still, I continued my conversation with Him. I was okay with no response then, now it's a different story. "Why aren't you answering me, Lord?" I'll cry out like David did in the Psalms if I must these days.
When I got to high school and then college, I stopped writing my letters. I must have thought I was grown enough to handle my own life. In times of trouble, I'd pray before bed but that was it. At least I thought that was it. My grandmother, who is with the Lord now, was a woman of faith. Aren't all of our grandmother's? Thank God for them. It's what she taught me that laid the foundation of faith for me. It's what she taught me then and what she believed in that has now allowed me to receive, accept and know that God is real. Whatever bit of faith she left behind, I continue pressing toward in hopes of passing it along as well.
Even though I stopped praying, others were praying for me. I am grateful for praying grandparents. I know that I am where I am now, with my life completely turned around, because she prayed. I know I am where I am now, because my mom prayed. I know that I am here now because my Dad prayed, because my sissy prayed, my aunts prayed. I know that I am here now because some of you, reading this post, have also prayed for me. You know who you are. Shout out to Patricio for not leaving his post and praying for me when I needed it most. I am thankful for a woman who despite my not liking her at the time (I had some issues to work through, okay?), still prayed for me. We later reconciled and she told me she had been praying for me, I was amazed that she would even do that. She knew I didn't like her one bit and because she knew that love was stronger than hate - she prayed. Powerful. Lesson there, pray for your enemies. I am thankful for praying folks, period. I am thankful for your prayers. I am thankful that God answers prayers even in the form of letters, my letters. He was listening all along.
I am an answered prayer. I know that I would be the same old Jen, heading down a path of destruction (will share more on what that looks like) if I didn't have people who believed in the power of prayer and in the power of the true living God. It's because of them I am now a mutant, set apart, different, changed, transformed, peculiar, strange, crazy for Jesus -- so thank you guys! Keep praying for your families and loved ones, keep praying for the city of Los Angeles, keep praying for Hollywood, keep praying for the homeless, keep praying for our youth, keep praying for peace, keep praying for New York, keep praying for our leaders, keep praying for marriages, keep praying for me because I am praying for you. Here's some Bible to back it up. Keep praying because He's listening.
You too are an answered prayer. Whose prayers are you thankful for?
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