Filthy feet.

Knotty unwashed hair.

Lizards everywhere.

Snuggling with kiddos who have 

ring worm.

Staff infection.

And all sorts of yummy fungus going on.

Giving I.V. injections.

Getting thrown up on.

All these things are part of my every day life for now.

And i love it, i am so incredibly excited and happy and humbled at the place God has set before me for the next months.

But can i just tell you how true one word is...TRANSFORMATION.

You see, if you would have told me about two years ago that this is what would be in my daily life.

1. would. have. rolled my eyes. and. laughed.

You think i’m kidding, well i can assure you that i’m not.

Literally, i may have gotten sassy.

And responded with a “What?! No i love big cities. I have to wash my sheets once a week. I must wear make up and fix my hair daily. I prefer nice things. Not expensive things, just nice things. I like to fit in with the crowd. A dirty third world country, please! That would be a joke. Give me a nail file, and i’m happy.”

If you don’t believe me, ask my parents.

Sure, i have always been the same curious person. 

I’ve always been me.

But oh my word being here, at the young age of eighteen i have gone through SO many seasons trying out so many things to figure out who i want to be or what i want to be like.

And over the past two years.

God has wrecked me piece by piece.

And here I am.

And so many specific things have happened reminding me that yes, His timing is so perfect.

And so tonight, the beauty of His transformation in a life...in my life,

is blowing me away.

Oh i was so lost. Searching and searching for who I was.

And in the midst of trying to be everyone else, me was no longer there, really.

And then the amazing grace stepped in.

And He began to chip me away piece by piece.

And my heart started to beat..really beat...to the exact rhythm that He made for me.

And i began to see what freedom really felt like.

And i began to rest.

To rest in who I am.

And i’m still learning to attune my eyes and ears to how He specifically made me.

My passions, talents, and desires are there for a reason.

And i’m learning so so much how that plays into sharing Jesus with people.

No one person is alike. And that is so okay.

That is beautiful, actually.

So when people say “Yep, that’s just Jessica.”

Well, yeah it is.

Here i am.

 And me is all I have to offer. 

Me, saved and transformed by a relentless God.

And so in the midst of presenting and sharing me...who i am...with the world around me.

Jesus is shining, I pray.

And there you are.

You are you. You were made to be you. 

Not the you desperately chasing after temporary things to fill voids and desires.

But you created PERFECTLY by the most stunning Artist.

YOU are a piece of art. THE only piece of art like you. Created to specifically display the  beauty of your Creator in the way He designed you too.

I think what i love about this home is all of the different brains here.

Each one of these kids are so obviously different -- so unique.

And here they are...day after day...just being themselves.

Not chasing after any trends or stereotypes...they are just them.

And i believe we all have something to learn from these sweet kids with their crazy different unique brains.

These kids are teaching me something big to accept the way God made me as the most beautiful kind of worship.

We. Are. Here.

And what we choose to do with that..is well, just that.

A choice.

So today i encourage you to choose joy.

Choose Love. True love.

There’s power in it. 

Oh goodness is there ever.

I will again repeat.

“Wherever YOU are. Be all there.”

So much to learn in that.

Much love :)