Wednesday, May 28, 2014

A Story Worth Living


My Story is one of faithfulness, which I have personally come to love in the last few months but which I honestly did not see any value in before then.

When I was 17 I went on my first mission trip to Mexico with my youth group. It was a week of hard work in 115 degree weather, ministering to sweet families and children. It was the first time I really saw the face of poverty. I still picture those faces and can remember the names of some of the children.

That week changed my life in many ways.

That week, we were at the evening church meeting. It was a tiny church, no A/C, rickety pews, an outhouse for a bathroom.

A girl in her early twenties came in and the pastor asked me, since I spoke Spanish, to speak with her and minister to her.

I had never done anything like that in my life! I was terrified!

Though I spoke Spanish, it was not well enough to share the Gospel message…or so I thought.

I love that about God. You think you don’t qualify. You think there isn’t anyway you can get outside of who you “think” you are in order to do what He desires of you. 
All he requires of you is to say yes to Him and He fills you to not just enough, but to overflowing.

That evening, I introduced myself to this girl, who was known for walking the streets and was only a few years older than I and I presented the gospel message…in Spanish!

And let me tell you…I never knew I knew some of the words I used!

It was amazing.
I felt the Holy Spirit come over me and overwhelm me and I spoke without any fear, without any hesitation.

Ya’ll that’s not normal. I have spoken Spanish all my life, but I don’t speak it often at all and so my vocabulary is very limited, but not on that day.

She came to know the Lord that night. I don’t know what happened to her after that. She was supposed to come and get baptized the next day, but she never came.

I can still see her face. If we could go back in time I could find her among the crowd. And sometimes, even 15 years later, I think about her. She was the first person I ever led to Christ. Actually, she is the only person I have ever led to Christ other than my children.

That sounds a little pathetic and I’m a little embarrassed about that…I’ve been a believer all my life and have only ever led 3 people to Christ, two of those being my children!
  
That same week, on the last day of our trip, the leader of our group asked me if I would give my testimony.

I said no.

Not because I was nervous, of course I was, but I knew that God would speak through me like He had the night before. No, it wasn’t nerves, it wasn’t fear either.

I didn’t have anything to say.

As far as I knew, at 17, I didn’t have a story to tell. 
What was I going to say? 

My story of being a good girl and loving Jesus all my life wasn’t going to move anyone to repentance. It wasn’t one of those, ‘look what God has done in my life…look what God has brought me from,” kind of story.

He encouraged me and said, 'God will speak for you and He will use your story.'
I said no. 

I didn’t have a story to tell.

A few years later, in my college dorm room, again surrounded by believers whom I loved dearly and who came from all walks of life and had so many different testimonies were telling their stories.

And again, I had nothing to say.

Girls my age, barely 19 had stories to tell. They had stories of being saved from witchcraft, of finding Jesus in the midst of parents who walked out on them and living life in a drunken and drug induced stupor.

What was I suppose to say in that tiny room? I cried with them, I laughed with them, I encouraged them…and then it was my turn.

“I really don’t have a testimony. I’ve been a Christian all my life and the worst I’ve ever done is disobeying my parents. I really don’t have a story to tell.”

I’ll never forget this, but one of the girls said to me, “That’s one of the most beautiful stories you could tell. You have been true and faithful to God and He has loved you and protected you because of it. You have a story to tell, and that story is one of purity.”

As I write those words, sitting in a corner of Panera, I’m tearing up because I remember clearly, I thought, “That’s sweet…but whatever!” 

Now looking back at my life she was so right. 
And 19 year old me had no idea.

A few weeks ago, I read someone’s story and it was one of those stories that make you catch your breath and cry and ask God why people have to suffer so and then praise God for His rescue.

I heard that voice…the voice that told that 16 and 19 year old from years past. 
Your story isn’t like hers. 
Your story, it won’t bring people to tears or move anyone. 
Your story just isn’t powerful like that.

I cowered a little bit. As I write this…part of me still believes that.

What does a good girl have to say?

But I have to believe the truth.

The truth is I don’t have just one story. I have a lot of stories.

I have the story of being good and faithful to God despite the world around me and the peer pressure and angst of adolescence.

I have the story of walking in faithfulness to God and in purity before Him in my 8 year courtship with my husband.

I have the story of being saved from fears that tormented me for my entire life.

I have the story of walking through pre-and post-partum depression, losing my faith, yet being reminded of God’s love and faithfulness.

I have the story of being a totally, messed up, imperfect mom and wife and walking in His grace daily.

I have the story of realizing that I can do none of this life well and so I surrender my life to Christ and whatever He has called me to daily.

I have the story of coming to a point that despite my desire to be perfect and “good,” I am imperfect and not good enough, but He loves me despite my imperfections and is more than enough. He is faithful and He calls me faithful.


Maybe you don’t think you have much of a story.
Maybe you don’t think God could use your story.

He can. He will. He wants to.
And the best part is, your story isn’t finished. He is still writing it. 
He has the pen in his hand and he is writing a story that is worth sharing.

He is writing a story that is worth living.

Your story is worth gold.
Your story was worth the son of God coming to earth and dying on a cross for you.
Jesus knows your story is worth sharing…He wrote it…He died for it.

Tell your story. Tell all of your stories.


You are His beloved, 

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Monday, May 26, 2014

How to Uproot Jealousy



I lived with jealousy for years.

Every time I saw the Lord use one of my friends, I would fight these feelings of jealousy.
Friends who I loved dearly and lived life with and admired so much.

Oh the shame that came with that envy!

If I saw a friend leading a bible study and being praised for her efforts…jealousy.
If I saw a friend using her gifts and creating beautiful art or designs…jealousy.
If I saw a friend singing at Church...especially a song I loved…Jealousy.
If I saw a friend telling her story and applauded for her bravery…Jealousy.

I never admitted to my jealousy. I felt the envy, but I couldn't understand it and I would push the feelings away and pretend they weren't real.

I was jealous of my friends and I didn't know why.

I was so ashamed. I was happy for their success, for their bravery, for their gifts. I was in awe of them, sincerely so.

But that twinge…it pricked my heart and I felt so guilty.

I prayed, “Lord take those feelings away. I don’t understand them.
I don’t like feeling this way, because all it does is make me feel worse than I already do.”

In Genesis, we see the best example of what jealousy is and can become:


Joseph, tells his brothers and Father his dream of the sun and moon and stars bowing down to him.

But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant” Genesis 37:11.

A little while later, jealousy overwhelms all his brothers and they sell Joseph into slavery.


Joseph had dreams. He had gifts. He had callings. He had a purpose for his life given to him by the almighty God.

Joseph may have been a little cocky.
Maybe he always got his way since he was “the favorite.”

But I think the main reason for his brothers’ jealousy was the fact that he was not only outspoken about his dreams, but because if he wasn't already using his gifts, his brothers, I believe, knew that one day he would. They knew that there was something special about Joseph…his dreams and callings were evident in his life somehow and that is what brought out the jealousy more than anything else.

And that is what brought out my jealousy.

When I would see friends, walking and living out God’s gifts, talents and callings on
their lives, that is what would make me jealous.

I wasn't jealous that God was using them,
I was jealous of the fact that He wasn't using me.

For years, I didn't use any of my gifts.
For years, I wasn't passionate or purposeful about anything.

I had my babies and I was busy being mom and wife and I believed I didn't have time for anything else.

I stopped writing because I couldn't keep up with it.
I stopped singing because I couldn't stay committed to it.
I stopped sewing because I didn't have time for it.
I stopped teaching because I didn't have energy for it.

I was living each day without any passion or purpose.
I was living each day drowning in the mundane and monotony of being mom.

I believe that there is faithfulness in that monotony. He calls me to the mundane and monotony and He makes it beautiful. He is and was teaching me faithfulness in that monotony of motherhood. He is teaching me to be a servant in motherhood.

But, God placed other dreams and gifts and passions in my life to be used and purposed for His kingdom and I was not using them. At. All.

Others were and I was jealous.

God wanted to use me. He wanted to use the gifts He had given me.

In that jealousy and shame, I cowered to the belief that I wasn't good enough.
My gifts weren't as good as theirs; why would He want to use me?

He has given you so much more to offer and you are walking in disobedience if you aren't using His gifts.

Like the servant in the bible who was given one talent and when the master came and said what did you do with the talent I gave you, he says, “…I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.” Matthew 25:25 ESV

If what you do with His gift is bury it, not invest in it and live out its worth, you are walking in disobedience to the One who gave you that talent.

“For everyone who has will more be given and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” Matthew 25:29

We must all give our gifts to God and use them in whatever capacity that we can.

If you sing, get on the praise team.
If you cook, host people at your table.
If you are an encourager, gather women around you.
If you write, start a blog!

He wants you to use your gifts that He has given you. Don’t hide them in the ground like I did and allow jealousy to overwhelm you because you aren't walking in your dreams and passions.

I know motherhood can be overwhelming.
I know that the idea of taking one more thing on can be daunting.

Yet, if you are walking in what He has gifted and called you to, believe me, you will thrive.

He will give you the strength and the power to do what He has called you to.
He will use it for His glory. All you have to do is say, ‘Here I am Lord,’ and He will be faithful to you, because you are being faithful to Him.

“So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are Gods field, Gods building…Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:7-9 ESV.

Water your gift, God will give the growth. The jealousy will fade because you are His fellow worker and your foundation is in Jesus Christ.

Beloved, find your passions, walk in them, use them, don’t bury them but allow them to uproot that jealous spirit and be fulfilled in the callings Jesus has placed on you.


Friday, May 23, 2014

Pursuing Beautiful - My Famous French Toast



In our house we have lots of traditions.

I love traditions.

I love telling my kids, "this is what we do..." because that's what traditions are; they are the things you, as a family, do. They are part of who you are and part of what makes your family special.

In our home we do a lot of celebrating and a lot of feasting!

We celebrate, a lot. Whenever we have a good excuse, we celebrate and feast!

First day of school, last day of school, special awards, birthdays, holidays...you get the idea.
If we are doing a morning feast, such as birthday mornings or Christmas Morning I make my "Famous French Toast!" or so lovingly described by my children!

What makes them famous? Butter, Sugar and more sugar! They are yummy, totally not healthy and may make the kids a little crazy, but that's what beautiful celebrations are all about!


 Ingredients:
2 Eggs, 1 stick of butter, bread, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, brown sugar. 


Melt the stick of butter. 






In a bowl add 2 eggs, 1 cup of milk, 1 tsp of vanilla and 1-2 tsp cinnamon.


We like cinnamon so we add a little more. 


Stir...


Mmmm...cinnamon and vanilla!



1 to 2 cups of brown Sugar.


Stop eating the sugar!


Mix the sugar and the melted butter. 


Pour it and spread evenly into a baking pan.


Put one layer of bread down and half of your liquid ingredients on; 
then put a second layer and do the same. 






Keep your helpers happy and give them a piece of toast. 



Put it in the oven at 350 for 25 minutes.


Take it out and sprinkle some powdered sugar over it. 



Enjoy Your Feast! 

It's delicious! You have yummy French toast with a layer of slightly caramelized sugar at the bottom. 

Tips: You can use any kind of bread, but a slightly thicker bread works well, like texas toast, french bread, etc. I don't like french toast to be eggy, so I only use two eggs and more milk, but you can experiment with this. We also don't like the bread to be soggy, so I pour the contents on evenly though you could dip each piece of bread.


Perfect for a weekend Celebration!
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Have your voted for my friend Robyn? Vote Here and Read her Interview Here! 


You are His beloved,







Thursday, May 22, 2014

Resolved to Surrender


At the beginning of the New Year I had made a resolution: I was going to take a bubble bath once a week!

A perfect kind of resolution!
The first few weeks into the year I was beside myself, for I came to realize God desired so much more from my life than I had been giving Him. In the midst of motherhood and babies; being a loving wife and intentional mother, I lost the vision for myself.
I lost the desire to dream in the midst of diapers.
I lost the desire to plan in the “to do” lists.
I had lost the joy of the work set before me.
The idea of God desiring to use me for more was daunting and overwhelming. I had nothing else to give. Yet, I was restless and discontent...click here to continue reading.

I'm writing over at Devotional Diva Today. Click here to continue reading...


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[photo credit: Dennis Wong via photopin cc]





Tuesday, May 20, 2014

When Time Doesn't Stand Still

I look at my small children and I can’t imagine them getting older.
When they were born I lived in the moments of this beautiful, crazy ride called motherhood.


I didn't understand that Time wouldn't stand still.
I couldn't comprehend that Time would fly by like everyone said it would.

There were days when Time went agonizingly slow.
Those first few weeks of non-stop feedings and diaper changes 
and trying to figure out life all over again.
The days of sleep training and potty training and character training.
The nights of teething and sickness and bone tiredness. 

Some days went fast.
Especially the fun days.
The vacations, the Christmas mornings, the birthday weeks, the park days…

The days I thought about and planned for and stressed over…they came.
I cried.
We found our rhythm in the change.

The first time they slept through the night.
The first time they spent the night at Yaya and Pop's.
The first time we went on vacation without them.
That first day of preschool.
That first day of kindergarten.
The first time we went to Disney world.
The first time they slept at a friends house.





Time doesn't stand still for anyone.

I never pictured my son and daughters as older when they were babies.
I never saw my son as being 8, or my daughter at age 5.
I didn't even picture the baby being 2.

Yet, Time doesn't stand still for anyone.

Birthdays come and I live in denial of them because, really;
how can another year be spent?




How can it be that in 8 years you’ll be driving and in 10 you’ll be driving away?

How can it be that in 7 years you’ll be on the cusp of young womanhood, with hormones and crazy emotions?

How can it be that in 3 years, you will all be in school…grasping knowledge faster than I can keep up with?

How is that possible?

If I close my eyes I can imagine what you’ll look like…
If I close my eyes I can see you at 16, 14 and 11.

Yet, I don’t want to imagine it, because it hurts too much to think about.

Time doesn't stand still for anyone.

I can’t imagine you not having breakfast at the table every morning.
I can’t imagine you not asking for a snack or to play or to read every day.
I can’t imagine you driving or dating or going away to camp or a mission trip.
I can’t imagine you not being at the dinner table every night sharing you best and worsts.
I can’t imagine you not being half asleep and tucking you in every night.
I can’t imagine you not being a part of my every day life.







It just can’t be…

Time doesn't stand still for anyone.

One day, you’ll drive away to college.
One day, you’ll walk away and toward the one God designed for you.
One day you’ll fly to a life that was planned for you.





And I’ll be watching from the sidelines.
And I’ll remember when you were 2 and 5 and 8.
And I’ll hurt, but it will be a good hurt.

Today, I chose to live for you in the now.
I choose to sit down, to play memory, to hug;
to look at who you have become, because
I never thought you would be 2 and 5 and 8.



Time doesn't stand still for anyone. 


Don't forget to Vote for my Friend Robyn to win the Style for Justice Trip to Rwanda!
Read her interview Here and Vote!

Time is in His hands beloved,


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Monday, May 19, 2014

Taking a Risk
























A lot of times, what God calls each of us to isn’t always fun, or easy or safe.
Many times, obeying what God calls us to is scary and uncertain.

Having faith isn’t easy.
Walking in what He calls you to isn’t easy.
Putting one foot in front of another isn’t easy.

There is always a risk.

You don’t know where that next step will lead you.
You don’t know if the path will be smooth or rocky.
You don’t know how any of this life is going to work out.

All you know is that God is calling you and all you have to do is run towards Him, knowing that our trust isn’t in our steps or our path, but in the firm, loving voice that calls us forward.


This past week, Noonday Collection, along with International Justice Mission announced that they had gathered a team together to travel to Rwanda and through that Mission they hope to share with the world that “when we use our purchasing power for good and pursue the cause of justice, hope for the poor is possible.”

They have also created an amazing opportunity for one woman to join the team and advocate with them.

One of my dearest friends, Robyn Jungeblut has entered the contest. She has put aside all doubt and fear and has heard the voice calling her and saying, risk everything and follow me.

I had the privilege of interviewing Robyn and to hear of the dreams, callings and passions that God has placed on her life and I am excited to introduce Robyn to you and share with you her heart.

My prayers is that you will be moved by her words and her story and will want to vote for Robyn and send her to Rwanda with Noonday Collection. Please read her interview and be inspired and encouraged! 





We met at Panera and caught up on our lives and families. Laughing and being "healthy” as we ate our salads and savored our baguettes. I have been privileged to call Robyn my friend for over 8 years! And in those 8 years, she has been one who has always been such a source of encouragement for me. Her words are always filled with the spirit, always intentional and full of love. This meeting wasn’t any different.

As I started asking her questions, her passions and love for Jesus began to pour out in each answer. She was inspiring, full of hope, humility and passion.


In February, you were able to attend the if:Gathering, what did God reveal to you at the conference?

Angie Smith said at the conference, ‘When I get to heaven, I want my cheeks to be flushed from working out my salvation,’ and that hit me. I want my cheeks to be flushed. I want to be panting! And He opened my eyes to that and to walking in that abiding. 

Another thing: while at the If: Gathering, I was having time with the Lord and I said, 'ok Lord I am happy with where you have me. I love the fact that I get to be a mom to these 4 great kids. I love the fact that we are starting a church soon, I love the fact that you give me opportunities for me to speak; but you will not leave me alone with the fact that we are called to adopt and you will not leave me alone with the thought of these women and children who are being trafficked…' The Lord knows I can not physically be with those people right now, but I also know that God is God and He is gonna allow whatever He wants to happen, happen. I’m putting that all before the Lord and say, ‘so what do you want me to do?’ What is my response to this, as a girl in my thirties who wants to do what He wants me to do, but I have a baby at home?

That day I went down and ran into Noonday, and of course, I was attracted to it because of the adorable jewelry. I got some information, bought some earrings and left.

I got home and asked the Lord, what do you want me to do with all this, ‘cause I already told you I would do anything.' He very clearly told me to go and look at Noonday, so I did.

What is the Noonday Collection?

Basically, [Noonday] is a company that was started out of Austin and the woman who started it wanted to save for her adoption. She wanted to do something to save financially and to help women from different countries. You support these women, as their ambassador, so that they have a job creating jewelry and are not drawn into the sex trade and so they aren’t sold into slavery. They have something that gives them dignity as well as a portion of the sales goes to adoption. So God told me to pursue this and with the money I could earn, I would put it in a savings account and it goes to Jungeblut number 5. And I could do this where God has me planted right now. It’s my way to help.


What prompted you to enter the Style for Justice Contest? 

On Tuesday, I found out I had managed to save enough money so I could become an ambassador for Noonday.

On Wednesday morning, I open my email and the contest is all over my email and it blows my mind!

The idea of being able to not only go to Rwanda, but to go and meet these women that I think of constantly, its obsessive, really...I love the fact that there is an opportunity for them to know that they are loved by our mighty God, that He is providing for them and that they can have a job that they can be proud of... So many times we as believers go and love on them, but we don’t help them to get out of their situation. These ladies, they need jobs, they need money to provide for their families, they need help and somebody is doing that!  To get to go and meet these women and love on these women and create relationships, it’s so awesome.

Also, on a side note, Adam (Robyn’s husband) went to Rwanda in 2007 and that’s where God gave him the call for adoption. Ever since then, we have tried to get me or us, over there and I have had this longing to go…knowing that I would go one day, but I didn’t know how or when.

What is your hope or desire if you do win this amazing opportunity?

This is so much more than the easy answer, like 'I want to go and encourage them'. But, what do I have to offer them except for Jesus? I don’t have anything to offer them, I really don’t. I want to go and I want to love the heck out of them. I want to let them know how much they are loved. I want them to know that what they are doing is huge. 

But, it's so much more than that; I want to come back here and use my people…I have such a burden or passion to mobilize the people in my life, because we have some of the most gifted friends, who have resources that they don’t even realize they have. To bring back these ladies stories from Rwanda and be a representative for them and speak out for them. To get out of our comfort zones and start doing whatever we can to partner with them and help them in the situations that they are in and to love them from here.  To realize that we as moms who have kids, WE can still do things.

If I can do anything, I want to bring the stories back to mobilize the community.

As moms, we wear lots of hats. And of course, our greatest ministries are to our husbands and children, but how do you balance and pursue the other dreams and callings God has placed in you heart in the midst of motherhood?

I’m still trying to figure that out, but I don’t think you can separate them. I wake up in the morning and squeeze in my time with Jesus…but it’s throughout the day too…in my conversation with my kids, while we are doing the dishes, do I have worship music on? Are we having dance party right there? When Adam comes home, are we encouraging him? What are we talking about around the dinner table? Are we serving as a family? Who are we praying for?

I know that for us, for example, the girls who were kidnapped in Nigeria…I have a 10 year old, a 7 year old, a 4 year old and an 18 month old, so I can’t give them a bunch of details, but I give them a story they can comprehend and we are spending time everyday praying for these girls by name, and oh my word! Hearing my kids…they are little missionaries inside of our school! Throughout the day we talk about them and we pray for them right there.

We work ministry into our family. When Adam calls and says, ‘hey I’m about to go into a meeting or into an interview,’ we pray for daddy throughout the day and so everything we can do as a family, we intertwine it and I realize I can’t separate it. The only thing I separate is my personal time with the Lord, because if I can’t get that, I can’t pour out. I will tell you some of the sweetest times I have had with my Lord has been with my kids right there. It’s cool, because that’s the season of life that we are in right now and it’s very intertwined.

On a side note, I think Adam and I have had to back up and say, we see a calling in each other and I am going to provide space for him to go and do what God has called him to do; and in that same way, he has provided space for me to go and do what He has called me to do. Whereas, so many times we would feel like we couldn't leave our spouse with the kids because that would be asking too much, but now we are championing each other!

What Has God called you to right now?

Right now, I think more than anything He has called me to be his child and to sit and be loved by Him and to love Him. He has called me to be the wife of the most amazing, fun, loving, leader of a man that I have ever met in my life and that comes with all kinds of things, but it is awesome. He has called me to be the mother of these four children that I could not have dreamed up; they are unbelievable. He has called me to be a speaker for women and every opportunity I get to do that, I am just blown away and so honored by that. He has called me to love on my extended family, he has called me to be a good friend, he has called our family to adopt and we are very much pursuing that and very much seeking that, and I am very excited that he has called me to pursue Noonday as an ambassador.

If God could use you to do anything…what would astound you?

If Adam and our kids, or even just Adam and I could go and love on the people groups that God has called us to and represent them by mobilizing others…I keep coming back to that. 

Us, traveling and speaking together to mobilize the church into action for these amazing people…BUT, I wouldn't want to do it without spending an intense amount of time with these people. You know, getting to know their faces, their names, their stories. Being able to hold their hand and look them in the eyes and say, what is it that you need? Laughing with them, really getting to know them and coming back over here and being able to represent them and mobilize our church! Mobilize the Christians! 

To be able to go and be the hands and feet of Jesus. That sounds so cliché, but to be able to go and have a ministry where we can just travel and speak about stuff like that…it would blow my mind! I could pictures us in a bus with homeschooling on the side (laughter) how fun would that be!?! But to take my kids! I will never forget watching Avery do missions and her heart…How the Lord opened it up, and getting to be her mom! She wasn't taught to do that it was just in her, and if Adam and I could just go for it…that would be…

What is one thing that God called you to that was hard or scary?

The scariest thing I ever walked through in my entire life is when I carried Elle   And yet, it was the most amazing time that I have ever had with the Lord, because every single day I had to trust Him that things were going to be the way that He had called them to be. I didn't know what that looked like. I didn't know if I would be carrying a child that was missing limbs. I didn't know if I was going to carry a child whose brain didn't develop completely. I had no idea what was going to come, but every single day trusting Him. 

And it was physically hard, because I couldn't stand up straight for nine months. 
That was definitely the hardest and scariest thing. Trusting God that he did this for a reason and I don’t think its over, I don’t think the reason is over or that she was born and it was done, but that was definitely the hardest.

[You can go to the link to hear Robyn's testimony provided at the end of the post!]


What did you learn through all that?

There is nothing I can do to make Him love me more or less. I've always wanted to be his favorite and I already am. We all are. I really think I use to wake up everyday and think, 'I have got to make you proud of me, tell me what it is that will make you proud of me and I’ll do it'. And I would get so frustrated, because he wouldn't tell me and I think what he wanted me to know was that, in John, it says that He loved me first and He did! I always felt I had to earn that love, but to be able to walk in that and know that there is really nothing I can do. He hasn't skipped over me, I haven’t missed it, I haven’t missed him! There have been so many times where I have woken up and think ‘well, I've missed my chance!' I’m not a young 20 year old with reckless abandonment anymore! I have responsibilities, a husband and four great kids. I can’t just go. So many times I think I have missed it, I have I missed my calling, but that’s not how it works. My yeses come every day in very small ways and God uses all of it. Storms are brewing and he has some stuff in the works and it’s good.

What’s the one thing you could tell moms like me and you about pursuing our God given dreams?

Do it! Do it scared. Take one step at a time. Take a risk. Commit to the yes. 

God says I’ll bring it, you follow through.

Ok, so what happens if you don’t win the Noonday contest and trip to Rwanda?

I've been obedient. I've been faithful. I've taken the risk. I know there is something He wants to work out in my calling and whether it’s through the winning or something else, He’s working.

Ok, last question, if you could choose one object to represent you life’s journey so far, what would it be?

When I gave my life to the Lord I got the picture of a blank piece a paper and I signed it at the bottom (Rick Warren has so taken this for the Purpose Driven Life and I promise this happen before I read it, so don’t think I’m stealing it from him- we laugh!).

But literally, when he called me to the ministry, I wanted so many questions answered. What are you going to do? What is the fomula? How do I …? And He was like no, trust Me. Here’s a blank piece of paper: You get on board with me and give it back and when I have an assignment for you I’ll slide it across the table and you read it and say, 'ok' and I’m gonna take it back and I’m gonna keep on writing your story. But you have no idea how that blank piece of paper is gonna be filled! He’s writing the story and I’m just going ok, what’s next.

CLICK to VOTE for ROBYN!



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Her heart and passions are so evident and I personally can not wait to see what God does through her life and her callings!

Go Vote today and everyday until May 28th! You can vote using all of your electronic devices daily! 

*Robyn Jungeblut is married to Adam Jungeblut, Campus Pastor at Parkway Fellowship North Campus in Katy, Texas. She is a mother to 4 amazing kids, a home educator, and speaker. She is passionate about women and desires for women to not only know the Lord, but to know that He loves them and has called them to something great.  Her desire is that Christians will be mobilized and become the answer to all of the injustice that are in the world today.
Robyn enjoys hanging out with her husband and kids, worship, coffee and laughing with friends.

You can hear Robyn’s AMAZING testimony of her carrying her baby girl, Elle, who’s pregnancy was deemed a miscarriage, but God protected that sweet baby despite the DNC procedure! What a Mighty God we Serve! Hear her story here…



You are His beloved,









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