sometimes the best and hardest thing to do is...trust

i've been making plans my whole life. plans for how to finish my homework, plans for what board game to play with my friends, plans for the summer, etc. looking back on my Marquette decision, i know God planned for me to come here. looking back on my majors decision, i know God planned for me to study criminology and psychology. He has been leading me in every way since before i even knew Him, whether i saw or see it.

what makes a year from now any different? He was faithful and will continue to be faithful. He was sovereign and will continue to be sovereign. He was true and will continue to be true. He pursued me and will continue to pursue me. He led me and will continue to lead me. He loved me and will continue to love me. He had perfect plans and will continue to have perfect plans. He was God and will continue to be God.

i've wrestled with God, tried to throw down some punches (haha), because i want to know where i'm going to be spending my time a year from now. i want to have the plans. i want to know. but God, being full of His perfect mercy and kindness, has shown me His great love and led me to repentance (Romans 2:4).

my desire to know my future is a clear depiction of my sin and lack of trust in God and where He will take me. i want to be able to tell people that "i will be doing _____ after I graduate." because for some reason, i think that gives me more security and purpose than my heavenly Father. this past weekend, God shined His glorious light into this place of my life. He started asking me the questions: "where do you find your identity, Jessica? am I not enough?" my heart broke and the tears began to fall. my purpose in this life is not to store up riches or labels, my purpose for this life is to store up treasures in heaven, "for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" Matthew 6:19-21.

His purpose for me is to live for Him and in Him and with Him and not get caught up in what the world has to offer. i don't need a label or career because being with Him is enough! this requires trust. trust in His promises. trust that He will be faithful. and this trust is the foundation of my faith: "now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see" Hebrews 11:1.

in faith, i turn from my selfish desires to know where i will be a year from now towards my Savior. i cannot see my future, but i am confident that Jesus will walk with me, that God will hold me and that the Holy Spirit will guide me to the place He has already gone ahead and prepared for me. He made me with unique talents and desires to use in a very specific way. right now, i don't know where that is or what that looks like, but following Him with my whole heart, i can more clearly see that my identity and worth is in being a daughter of the One, True King! in prayer i meet my Dad and see this world through His eyes! my hope and prayer is that you will come to know and experience the wonderful faithfulness of our Lord and Savior by trusting Him with all of your life. His promises bring more joy to this life than anything this world can offer!!!

"Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for that is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 2 Thessalonians 5:16-18

It's not always easy

Have you ever had one of those hard days? It's one of those, woke-up-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-bed kinda days. But I can't turn it around. All the things I've planned are just a little too late or a little too rushed. I feel like I keep doing and doing, but it's never good enough. Those prayers I've prayed still haven't been answered. Who am I trying to please? "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10.

And that's where it hits me, right between the eyes. My crappy mood, my perfectionism, my expectations, my plans are things of this world. I'm trying to create an image for myself, fulfill my desires, check off things on my to-do list. I want to see these people, I want to do this and I want to go there, etc. God calls us to not conform to this world, He says, "But be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2. Why am I not asking, "God, the author of perfection, what do you have for me today?"

It is such a trap to live in this world, surrounded by so many things that we can get our mind wrapped up around, but the ONLY escape is Jesus! HE IS PERFECTION! When we seek after the one who is perfection, we more clearly see the world and our place in it. We experience the fellowship of a relationship with Jesus that exceeds any that this world can offer. To clarify, I want to stress that we can't experience God solely through our actions. I could read countless bible verses or Christian books; I could listen to hundreds of sermons; I could invest my time in leading Bible Studies or serving in another ministry; I could fill my schedule with meetings to talk to people about Jesus; these can become overwhelming; we can feel overworked and underpaid. We have to open the door for God to work in ALL of our lives. We have to open our hearts to allowing God into those areas that we have been molding for ourselves. We know what they are, whether it is a relationship with a family member, a friend, a roommate, or a significant other or where we should invest our time in the coming months or where we should take our future or where our next meal is going to come from or how we are going to pay the bills or how we are going to find a job. The list could go on and on and on, but God knows our heart and He wants us to have peace and feel the comfort He has to offer.

From my own life experiences, I know that just because we have that peace and feel that comfort doesn't necessarily mean that God provides a job or mends the relationship, but it does mean that He can use our faith and joy in Him, despite our circumstances, to grow the Kingdom. The apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians, "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:12-13. Paul is saying that the triumphs and the troubles in his life have taught him to depend on God's strength, and not his own, at all times, and in that Paul can be content no matter where God takes him. And that's how we should learn to live.

When we see the world through the lens of Jesus, we see that it isn't about our outward actions and performance, but that when our hearts are aligned with Christ we can experience love and joy in Him, no matter what the world throws our way.

Return to the Mission Field

I made it back to Milwaukee last Sunday! I came off of a Red Eye flight and was absolutely exhausted.

Last week was a combination of intense emotion in missing everything about Seattle and sleeping off the jetlag! There were many times I would just start crying because something little reminded me of a time in Seattle. Luckily, everything in Milwaukee had continued moving while I was gone. I went to Bible Study and slowly realized the community I cherished so much in Seattle would not be meeting together in DNA groups to study the Bible anytime soon! I praise God for my gracious roommates who listened and comforted! I've been so blessed to spend time with dear friends here and catch-up on the happenings of the last month! But the Jessica that left a month ago is not the same!

It has been challenging trying to explain the whole experience and condense it into words, let alone a 5-10 minute presentation. It was so much more than that! It was people, living souls, living their daily lives on the streets, having little to no food and little to no community. It was hearts looking for more and so many children just wanting someone to love them and meet them at their level. It was women in chains desiring to change their bad habits and be free! It was a community of believers praying continually, hearts poured open to God, seeking His wisdom and understanding of the world and His children. It was His love being expressed in so many ways, to so many people!

We are all broken in some way, unable to fix ourselves or fill the gapping whole in our hearts! But God sent Jesus to death to pave the way to restore those broken areas and make His children feel new again, full of life and inner peace, no matter their life circumstances. He wants us to experience joy! Apart from God, we can temporarily make ourselves feel happy and try to convince ourselves it is joy, but true joy comes from experiencing God, letting go of ourself and having faith that the Creator of the beautiful flowers and majestic oceans is the only one that can take care of us and love us completely.

He continues to show me this message and as I let go of more, I feel a peace that exceeds my understanding because even though not having a job, feeling lonely, and having a broken family could run my life and tear me down, God says, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will find trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!" John 16:33.

A memorable quote from the trip for me was, "We shouldn't call this a mission trip, but instead a vision trip for your life." The mission of sharing our faith IS our lives. This trip has helped me see that more clearly and know that the lessons I learned in Seattle can be brought back to Milwaukee and impact the lives of those here just the same!

Last week, I started researching and praying for opportunities to continue the mission here in Milwaukee. I found a whole list of ministry options, but one stood out because of it's similarity in ministry name to the ministry I worked with in Seattle. This last week I visited with the pastor who works with those who have drug or alcohol addictions. We shared stories and he asked me if I would want to teach a class on forgiveness or death and dying, or simply tutor these adults on basic life skills, such as keyboarding and writing resumes. I was excited because this is an opportunity to bring God's love and redemption to people in Milwaukee and evidence that God does answer prayer.

This week I have had opportunities to catch up with some friends from project and that has been all the more encouraging!

I've been reminded that God protected my time in Seattle by not allowing anything post-project to be on my mind before I left and while I was there. But the reality is that I've reached the time that was kept hidden from me. It's not scary, not knowing. I'm learning to depend on God and trust His timing. He has all the plans figured out, so instead of stressing out over finding a job for the school year, I can trust that, if it is in His will, I will find employment. And now, I'm sitting on two job offers, trying to discern which of these God is calling me to.

When I titled this blog, I didn't fully understand the implications until I traveled outside my MKE bubble. Where You go, Lord, I will follow! The Milwaukee chapter of this story is just starting! :)

short and sweet!

I just wanted to apologize for not keeping constant updates on my time in Seattle. I've experienced so much wisdom and knowledge from God through the staff and visitors here. I've I been taking notes and will post more upon my return!

After the poverty simulation we did homeless ministry in downtown Seattle. We packed two lunches and ate lunch with someone who was living on the streets. This opened my eyes to the different reasons why people were on the streets, by choice or by circumstance. One of the days I was able to play with two little girls, Ida and Jocelyn. We showed Christ's love by attending to them and I was able to wash Ida's feet, a symbol of Christ's love!

The following week was youth ministry and I worked with an organization that helps women who were abused raise their children! We taught them about the food pyramid and giving good instructions. We also listened to the K-5 read, helped them write, and my favorite: teach them math!!! In the  afternoons we went to a local park and played sports! I helped with lacrosse and ultimate frisbee! At lunch time we were able to talk to the kids and they shared their frustrations and struggles with us. It was so sad that we only had three days to be with them, but I learned that investing in kids who don't receive that attention at home is one of the best things we can do for these kids!

The 4th of July was different but so much fun! We watched the fireworks on a hill overlooking the sound! So beautiful!!!

This week we are in prison talking to inmates and hearing their stories! I've been so encouraged to see the freedom they have while still behind bars! Inspirational! I hope to learn what that true freedom looks like back in Milwaukee!

Prayer for our ministry this week and the transition home for us all on Saturday! Thanks y'all!

servant served

i has been challenging to BE served when i'm so use to serving. luckily i've moved into this slowly because i was assigned dinner prep team this last week. we helped chop up veggies and fruit and serve everyone dinner! i have to constantly remind myself that God has provided amazing men and women who have been praying for me since far before they knew me. i am blessed beyond what i can comprehend right now! and it's not about me, it's about Him!

"is not this kind of fasting i have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?" isaiah 58:6

ironically, i wrote this before our homeless simulation. stay tuned for more details on that in upcoming posts, in the meantime, we need prayer for our homeless ministry!

rainy day!

since i've been here, it has only rained on Thursday! (now it's sprinkled a few days). otherwise, the temps are similar to spring in WI. nights get in the 50's and days don't exceed 77 degrees. the campus we are staying at reminds me a lot of Marquette. the buildings are older and there is a lot of grassy space. it's really quiet at night though. no Milwaukee sirens and there aren't screens on the windows so we have to sleep with the windows closed.

the wheels on the bus go round and round

we ride the bus about 30 mins to Seattle and 30 mins back. when we go to Tacoma it takes about an hour and a half. despite which location, we pass through the city and  see the water, mountains, an  city scape. everything is so beautiful, it almost doesn't feel real. the clouds are unbelievable! they are so large and as you look out the bus windows the sky just goes on forever! even when it is raining, it is so beautiful!! the bus is seafoam green, btw! so we get some interesting looks!

Worship is more than a song!

Wednesday night after a long day i was exhausted but i knew that i needed to praise God through worship. when i worship God, i feel closest to Him. a group of us wen  outside with a guitar and sang with our hearts and eyes fixed on Christ. what stood out the most to me was that this summer project is a mission trip, but it should be looked at like a vision trip for the rest of our lives. when we pray we are praying for all the people who will cross our paths along the way in our lifetime.

ready, set, GO!

preface: i wrote these posts Friday but you will soon learn why they weren't posted then. this first week has been so exhausting and yet i have learned so many valuable lessons about the sinful nature of humanity and  redemptive power of God!

our days have been jam-packed! we have been going from 7am until about 10pm most days! i've been challenged beyond belief to find strength in Him and not myself! i feel like i just got here, and at the same time as i feel like it's almost over. it's a zy balancing out activity!

by the power of God, i was able to find peace when i was feeling homesick on Day Two. this allowed me to have freedom in starting friendships in Seattle and being present with everyone. i've been exposed to so many people from so many different places around the world. it is so fascinating to see all of our lives crossing for this brief period of time. it's amazing and i'm in awe of how God answers prayers, revives, and restores! we all have a story and all of our stories are part of God's story, the great story of Jesus!

thankfully, i made time each day to at least journal a little bit about the day so that i would be able to update it later with the details.

HERE!

so much is going on in Seattle and so fast! i arrived in Seattle on day afternoon! we were welcomed by the staff and the other students that were here already! we enjoyed a BBQ out on the patio at picnic tables! the temperature was beautiful and the sun was shining! thank you to everyone who helped me get here!

The Great Unknown - You've never failed and You won't start now

The new Hillsong United song, Oceans (Where Feet May Fail), has been such a wonderful blessing to me lately! I only have 16 days until I leave for Seattle!! crazy! With much anticipation, I have been acquiring the last of my donations and starting to pack!

Surely, I have a one-page description of what I will be doing in Seattle, but I have no idea what GOD IS GOING TO DO! My prayer, not only for myself, but for the rest of my team, is these lyrics:

"Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters, wherever You would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander, and my faith will be made stronger, in the presence of my Savior!"

This trip will be the longest time I have been out of the Midwest, my first flight without my family, my first time being to Washington, my first time leaving everyone that I know, and the first time talking to others about God with people I haven't even met yet (in person)! However fear-inducing these things may seem, I will not fear because I know that although I will be physically alone on the plane, God is always with His people. I will not fear because I know that His will is going to be done! My fears are so much smaller than the power of God! I am in His hands and this trip is more about bringing all the glory back to Him, not myself!

I cannot wait to share with you all what God is doing in Seattle this summer!

Lord, bless those who have been a blessing to me! Give them more than they have given me! Bless them in a way that they will know it could have only come from You! Prepare our ministry team with open hearts, obedient minds, and bless us with safe travels to Seattle. Prepare those hearts you have ready in Seattle to hear the Gospel and have a restored relationship with You. I want to pray for my friends on their mission trips, as well! Protect them and teach them more about depending on You and You alone! Let Your will be done in Seattle and in the hearts of many throughout the world! I pray these things in Your Son's holy and righteous name, Amen! 

The little things!

I finished school last week and spent a lot of this past week reflecting on the semester and looking at all the things God has brought me through.  I realized quickly that instead of focusing on all the things I didn't have and all the friends that were no longer in the city with me, I could focus on the people who were around me.  I recognized this transitional time period is to be used to love people!

I spent my morning with a bunch of awesome one to four-year olds, playing, singing, and teaching them about Jesus!

Our story this week was about Nehemiah and building the wall to protect the town and the people.  Nehemiah not only wanted to help build the wall, but he lead other people to want to help build the wall too.

The children love love love knocking things down, so building a wall with blocks was extremely difficult.  However, overtime each child learned how to add a block to the top of the wall without knocking it down.  It was the little act of handing a block to their neighbor that demonstrated their cooperation and sharing capacity.

Each small block is necessary to complete the giant wall to protect the town.  It continually reminds me that each one of these children are important to God.  Each one was created just the way they are because God "knit them together before they were born" (Psalm 139:13).  Each one of them deserves to be told about God's love and shown God's love.  Jesus said to the people, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" (Mark 10:14).

I love being able to work with the children at my church because their wide-eyed smiles and laughter show the joy that God instills in each of us.  God uses so many people in the Bible who were considered poor, young, or unwise to show us that He accepts everyone just the way they are! And that true fullness of life comes from having a relationship with Him!

As the little ones said this morning, "I can help you, and you can help too!" We are all on this journey of life together, so slow yourself down for a minute and be like a child, eager to learn, excited about life, and willing to help others and accept help from others! We can help each other, just like Nehemiah and his friends!  It's the little things we do for each other that help build one another up and show how much we care about their presence in our lives.

I pray that you would be reminded of the people who have helped you along the way (including God) and that you would be able to see the people in your life who need you to show them your love and God's love! Shine His light and "love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31). All prayers in Jesus' name, Amen!

follow the Leader!

"Where You go, I'll go! And where You stay, I'll stay! I will follow You!"

I have felt the Lord prompting my trip to Seattle for a year and a half now.  Most specifically, about a year ago when I heard a pastor speaking about two boys who sought refuge from a gun fight in the church.  These boys who had grown up knowing only the streets and gang life, were presented with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I knew that the youth of the city would forever be in my heart!

One of the boys received Jesus as His Savior, knowing that God loves him and has a plan for his life; his relationship with God was severed because of his selfish desires, which are sin; because God loves him so much, He sent His one and only Son to live among His people as a human, teach His people the way, be betrayed by His own people, and die for His people, in order to bridge the gap between His people (YOU!) and Himself.  He was restored and lifted from the depths of the gang life.

To accept that you are too weak to make it through this life on your own, that you make mistakes; to turn yourself in for the sins you've committed (whatever size they may be), and to fully accept the love of God: His mercy, grace, and love is to turn from the darkness of this world and embrace the fullness, joy, and peace offered by our Lord and Savior!  If this is something you've never heard before, or would like to talk about it more please email me: jessica.eckert@marquette.edu!

God has been seeking after you your whole life.  Think about it, you made it this far!  The God of the universe who rescued you from disease, isolation, depression, divorce, betrayal, abuse, neglect...loves you SO much that He wanted to save you from death, too!  When Jesus rose from the grave on the third day, He defeated death!  Our God wants to be your friend, so what are you waiting for...ask Him to show Himself.

Lord, I pray that you show those who don't know you or are seeking more of you, to reveal yourself to them.  I pray that they would see Jesus as their friend, who wants to restore them, but that they would recognize that restoration begins when we admit our faults and accept that they have been paid for on the cross.  I pray that they would see that when they enter into a relationship with Jesus, their sins are forgiven and you see them as clean, beautiful, glorious, righteous, and holy!  They are clothed in Christ's righteousness.  Oh God, pierce the hearts of your people and lead them to your goodness and grace.  I pray these prayers in your Son's holy and righteous name, AMEN!