So, I haven't been really good at blogging but I figure our upcoming move is worth telling about! I have many asking via facebook about our plans so I am going to direct you here!
When we moved to Germany 2 years ago it was to be a 3 year tour. However God has opened doors and is moving us on a bit sooner then we had expected. So here I will tell you where we are going and why we are going there.
A little over three and half years ago God used a very painful experience to draw us closer to Himself and impress upon James His call for him to prepare to go into full time ministry. At first I was hesitant and thought maybe it was just a phase James was going through and he would outgrow it. Soon I realized that was not the case, I felt peace and confirmation from God that yes that was His calling for James but also for me as his wife to serve along side and support him.
So James changed his education course a bit and enrolled in Liberty University to complete his bachelors degree in Biblical studies. The future and the path God would have for us was unknown but we knew that full time ministry was what we were working toward. So we started by getting more involved and really caring about our church and the people in it. After moving to Germany and finding our church here, we jumped in and started getting involved and made some really great friends. I became the director of the Crisis Pregnancy Center and I know that God has given me a passion for woman and ministering to them. James has been very involved with the mens group at our church and was teaching for a time. God has used this time to really grow him and to give him a burden for men and encouraging them to be the Godly men that God requires according to the scriptures.
About a year ago when the completion of James bachelors degree was something that was getting closer and closer he decided to start looking into the possibility of entering the Military Chaplaincy. There wasn't a whole lot of information, well really none at all about how to go from being an active duty warrant officer to a Chaplain candidate. We didn't even know if it was a possible thing to do, we thought he might have to serve out the remainder of his time and then go from there.
He didn't give up and finally got in contact with a chaplain recruiter who informed him that it actually was possible and so the process began. There were so many times that we thought "well there's no way this will get approved but it wont hurt to try". Each time the door was opened, and the process went pretty smoothly for the most part. So...to get to the point of what happens now-
James will be released from active duty and his current obligation to the Warrant Officer Corps. He will be commissioned into the reserves and go to Seminary for 3 years to obtain his Master Divinity with a pastoral emphasis. Following Seminary he will continue to be a reserve Chaplain.
For a good long while we thought that we would be heading to California to attend Seminary. We were excited to go there but had some reservations about it as well. God has been so good and given us the desire of our hearts which is to be near family. So we are going to be moving to Illinois where James will be attending Moody Theological Seminary in Chicago. My kids are sooooo excited to live by their grandparents and aunts and uncles!
We are currently in the process of buying a house and it seems as though we may even have a job lined up. There is a baptist church in Aurora that is considering James for their pastor. We met with them and James was able to preach twice at their church while we were home over the holidays. We should know more about that after this week.
Many have said "wow so fast", and I guess it does kind of seem that way. Now that you have the whole story you can see that really its not all that fast and is a journey that we started on years ago!
I hope you have enjoyed reading our update, but I make no promises of becoming a better blogger!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Be careful what you blog about!!!
So I am scrolling through my blog when I came across March 16th! I wrote about serving...getting more involved...and the possibility of volunteering at the Crisis Pregnancy Center.
Amazing how God works when we let Him!! Thru actually voicing my intent to serve the Lord in a greater way, that gave me a sense of accountability.....I said I am going to do this, now I have to do it! So after re-reading what I wrote back in March I thought I would share a little about how God has worked in and through me over the past couple of months.
I did indeed go to the pregnancy center and pick up a volunteer application. I chatted with the lady there for a bit and took my application home to fill out and bring back when I got around to it. Well I brought my application back and an interview was set up with the director of the center and the chairman of the board of directors. I went to my interview (which I was not at all nervous about, I mean I am just going to be interviewed to make sure I am a qualified well-intentioned volunteer). The meeting was not overly long or grueling and I was excited to get on board with the ministry. So finally at the end of the interview the pastor who is the chairman of the board for the center says to me "I told myself I wasn't going to say anything, but I think I have to." I was rather confused and said uh ok.. He went on to tell me that he wanted me to be the next director of the center. I smiled politely and said I would think about it. I left thinking that man is crazy and there is no way at all that I could possibly do that job or even be qualified. After all, I just came in to volunteer once a while! I left with no intention of really even thinking about taking that job, in my mind there was no way it would even work out.
The beginning part of April I left with my family to go back to the states because my mom was very sick, we ended up staying for the whole month and when I returned to Germany I was ready to start my volunteer training at the center.
Day 1 of my training went great and I was relieved that I was not asked at all about whether or not I was interested in the directors position... Until I was walking out the door to leave, "oh by the way have you thought about the directors job?" I said "yes, I am not going to do that and here's why..." I listed all my reasons why I couldn't do it. The lady told me to pray about it before I dismiss it completely (which I already had) So anyway, the Holy Spirit wouldn't leave me alone about it and for the sake of not making this story any longer I will say I ended up as the new Director of the Kaiserslautern Crisis Pregnancy Center.
I have been in this position for 3 weeks now and I have to say it is so fulfilling to be doing the work of the Lord. I am so excited to say that I have had 3 different young ladies come into the center requesting material help for their babies, each one of them is from Africa and studying at the university in Germany. I am about to start meeting with them to discuss the Bible and am excited to see their interest to talk about spiritual things, I have already had the opportunity to pray with and for each of them and their babies (2 are to be born in the fall and 1 is already 2 months old). Yesterday was the first time i met with one of the girls and when she left she looked at me and smiled and said I'll be waiting for your call to come back!
So I write all of this not to brag on myself or to say look at what I have done. But to say look at what God can do when we let Him do what He wants to do with us.
And the most important thing I have learned from this experience is that God does not necessarily call the equipped, but He equips those who He calls. I am a nervous wreck each time that phone rings or a young women walks into that office. Its by the power of God and His immeasurable strength that I am able to do that which He has called me to do!
Amazing how God works when we let Him!! Thru actually voicing my intent to serve the Lord in a greater way, that gave me a sense of accountability.....I said I am going to do this, now I have to do it! So after re-reading what I wrote back in March I thought I would share a little about how God has worked in and through me over the past couple of months.
I did indeed go to the pregnancy center and pick up a volunteer application. I chatted with the lady there for a bit and took my application home to fill out and bring back when I got around to it. Well I brought my application back and an interview was set up with the director of the center and the chairman of the board of directors. I went to my interview (which I was not at all nervous about, I mean I am just going to be interviewed to make sure I am a qualified well-intentioned volunteer). The meeting was not overly long or grueling and I was excited to get on board with the ministry. So finally at the end of the interview the pastor who is the chairman of the board for the center says to me "I told myself I wasn't going to say anything, but I think I have to." I was rather confused and said uh ok.. He went on to tell me that he wanted me to be the next director of the center. I smiled politely and said I would think about it. I left thinking that man is crazy and there is no way at all that I could possibly do that job or even be qualified. After all, I just came in to volunteer once a while! I left with no intention of really even thinking about taking that job, in my mind there was no way it would even work out.
The beginning part of April I left with my family to go back to the states because my mom was very sick, we ended up staying for the whole month and when I returned to Germany I was ready to start my volunteer training at the center.
Day 1 of my training went great and I was relieved that I was not asked at all about whether or not I was interested in the directors position... Until I was walking out the door to leave, "oh by the way have you thought about the directors job?" I said "yes, I am not going to do that and here's why..." I listed all my reasons why I couldn't do it. The lady told me to pray about it before I dismiss it completely (which I already had) So anyway, the Holy Spirit wouldn't leave me alone about it and for the sake of not making this story any longer I will say I ended up as the new Director of the Kaiserslautern Crisis Pregnancy Center.
I have been in this position for 3 weeks now and I have to say it is so fulfilling to be doing the work of the Lord. I am so excited to say that I have had 3 different young ladies come into the center requesting material help for their babies, each one of them is from Africa and studying at the university in Germany. I am about to start meeting with them to discuss the Bible and am excited to see their interest to talk about spiritual things, I have already had the opportunity to pray with and for each of them and their babies (2 are to be born in the fall and 1 is already 2 months old). Yesterday was the first time i met with one of the girls and when she left she looked at me and smiled and said I'll be waiting for your call to come back!
So I write all of this not to brag on myself or to say look at what I have done. But to say look at what God can do when we let Him do what He wants to do with us.
And the most important thing I have learned from this experience is that God does not necessarily call the equipped, but He equips those who He calls. I am a nervous wreck each time that phone rings or a young women walks into that office. Its by the power of God and His immeasurable strength that I am able to do that which He has called me to do!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Testimony...
I recently had to write out a one page paper on my salvation testimony for my husbands application to The Masters Seminary in California. I though I would share it with you all!!
(p.s. James was accepted, Im so proud of him! We are now waiting on the Army and Gods perfect timing as to how soon we can go)
(p.s. James was accepted, Im so proud of him! We are now waiting on the Army and Gods perfect timing as to how soon we can go)
My Salvation Testimony, by Jessica King
I was born to parents who were young teenagers. They were not Christians nor did they come from families of believers. My mother was 14 and scared; she wanted to have an abortion. My father was 16 and also scared but would not let my mother consider the abortion. Like I said my father was not a Christian, but felt strongly about abortion being wrong. My parents stayed together for only a short time after I was born and after they split I stayed with my mother. Both my parents were living lifestyles that were full of sin and substance abuse. When I was 5 years old my father married my stepmother and shortly after realized that the way in which both he and my mother were living their lives was not suitable for raising a child. My father admitted himself to rehab and sobered himself of drugs and alcohol. After this he sought and won custody of me from my mother. When it came time to enroll me in school my father and stepmother wanted to put me in a private school because the city we lived in was fairly rough and the public schools were not very nice. Although neither of them were Christians they ended up enrolling me in a Christian school. It was here that I first learned about Jesus, I had never been to church or been taught anything about God. My 1st grade teacher (Mrs. Hapner, I will never forget her name or face!) was sharing the story of Jesus during the Easter season. I remember her showing a picture of Jesus on the cross and telling the class that He died like that to save us from the punishment for all the wrong things we have done. She went on to tell about Jesus’ resurrection and presented us with the opportunity to pray and receive Jesus. I prayed with her that day and my name was written in the Lambs book of life! When I was 8 years old my family moved to a new town. My parents, not yet Christians, thought they should check out the church in town so they could bring their kids to Sunday school. There was a temporary preacher filling the pulpit who led both my father and step-mother to the Lord. I told my parents that I had already prayed with my teacher and that I was saved. After speaking with the preacher, he baptized me along with my father and stepmother. From then on my family became very involved and faithful to the church. I spent my teenage years in youth groups and while attending a youth conference pledged to live my life in Christian ministry. When I was 19 that same preacher who baptized me as a young girl was performing my marriage ceremony to his son! My husband, James, and I always attended church together and always saw God as a part of our lives. However, after about 5 or 6 years we really started to get serious about actually getting involved in the church and really learning to serve God. It was during this time that James told me that he was feeling called into ministry. It wasn’t long before I felt Gods peace and His call to serve along side my husband wherever He would have us. We felt the need to make a public profession of our call to ministry and went forward on a Sunday morning during an invitation after the church service. The most amazing testimony I have to share is that recently our 2 oldest sons and my mother have accepted Christ. I was able to watch my husband present the gospel to my mother who was on her death bed. We prayed with her and I believe with all my heart that she was saved at that time and just 6 days later went to live with Jesus in heaven. I had been praying for my mothers’ salvation since I was a teenager. I cried so many tears about her being lost and prayed so many times for God to bring her to Him. Not only was it amazing to see her and my sons accept Christ, but to be reminded that God is faithful and He always hears and answers our prayers.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Jakob Dakota King, 10 May 2004
So, Jakob turned SIX today!!!!!!
Wow, I just can't believe it. What a fun kid he is turning out to be. He adds so much sunshine to our home and is always trying to make us laugh. Jakob loves to be silly,he is super sweet and has the cutest dimple on his left cheek.
The other night Jakob came to me and told me that he is a christian now because he prayed and asked God to forgive him of all the bad stuff he does and that Jesus would live in his heart. Praise God, that's the most important news any of my kids could ever share with me.
I love this little guy more than words can express, I'm so proud to be his Mama and look forward to sharing in all that he does and experiences while he is my six year old little boy!
Happy Birthday, love!!
Wow, I just can't believe it. What a fun kid he is turning out to be. He adds so much sunshine to our home and is always trying to make us laugh. Jakob loves to be silly,he is super sweet and has the cutest dimple on his left cheek.
The other night Jakob came to me and told me that he is a christian now because he prayed and asked God to forgive him of all the bad stuff he does and that Jesus would live in his heart. Praise God, that's the most important news any of my kids could ever share with me.
I love this little guy more than words can express, I'm so proud to be his Mama and look forward to sharing in all that he does and experiences while he is my six year old little boy!
Happy Birthday, love!!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Time to serve....
Time for mom! I am really enjoying quiet afternoons at home.
Although, I can't help but wonder if God has a greater plan for me then sitting around my house "wasting time" at the computer! (lol)
James and I have both felt called into full time ministry, what this will look like or when it will happen is unknown to us at the time! We can not just pick up and go while he is committed to the military. I have decided not to sit around waiting to serve Him "after the military".
This week I will go to the crisis pregnancy center and pick up a volunteer packet, and seek out other places I can minister and serve within the community. Would love to have my God see me as this "woman of noble character" from Proverbs 31.
Will give updates as to what the LORD is doing in Germany!!
10 A wife of noble character, who can find?..................
......20 she opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy........
Proverbs 31
Monday, March 15, 2010
Heavenly Hug
So....... Here I sit on a Monday morning with my little guy running around and a mug of steaming coffee! Great way to start the week and try out a little blogging! I have never kept a blog before and make no promises at keeping up with this one! =) I enjoy keeping up with friends and family and reading their blogs, so I thought I would try it out!
I am reflecting today on Psalms 118. Most famously known for the verse that tells us "this is the day the LORD has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it"
Did you know that this Psalm begins and ends with the same verse?
Give thanks to the LORD for HE is good, HIS love endures forever. vs.1 and vs.29
How much is God wanting to remind me of His goodness today!?! The other day I was having a "moment" and I cried because I missed my family, it was my dads birthday and I wanted to be there! So, I am considering this passage today as a hug from my heavenly father. He has wrapped this verse around the chapter, He is wrapping His arms around me! HE is good, HIS love endures forever!!
I am reflecting today on Psalms 118. Most famously known for the verse that tells us "this is the day the LORD has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it"
Did you know that this Psalm begins and ends with the same verse?
Give thanks to the LORD for HE is good, HIS love endures forever. vs.1 and vs.29
How much is God wanting to remind me of His goodness today!?! The other day I was having a "moment" and I cried because I missed my family, it was my dads birthday and I wanted to be there! So, I am considering this passage today as a hug from my heavenly father. He has wrapped this verse around the chapter, He is wrapping His arms around me! HE is good, HIS love endures forever!!
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