Life has been somewhat altered for me.
If you met me 10 years ago, which by the way, we probably would have met at a bar, and told me that one day I would be a missionary, married to a Dominican with twin girls I
But.
Somehow or Great God picked little 'ol me up and out of the drunken bars and planted me squarely in church. 6 months later I claimed to be His.
I quickly found myself on a plane bound for the DR, an island I couldn't even point to on a map.
I fell in love.
I heart the Dominican.
I returned several times and along the way I was honored to walk across the bridge over the massacre river, entering into Haiti. Everyone felt it. Holy Ground. I left my heart there.
I moved to the D.R. in 2007 and met a man that I fell madly in love with and us two became one on May 17, 2009.
Passionate about our ministries, and excited newlyweds we committed to waiting at least 2 years before trying to have a baby. One baby.
4 months and 2 pregnancy tests later we learned that God had an entirely different plan for us.
He rearranged us. Took everything we thought we knew and shifted it. Not enough to crush, but just enough to make us realize how utterly and completely weak we are and desperately in need of His power.
I had an incredibly pregnancy. I was sick for the whole first trimester. Like really sick. Like needed IV's and hospitals sick. But once that past I hardly knew I was preggo except for my growing belly that would startle me every time I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror!
I gained 65 lbs. yeah. 65. Oh and did I mention I am only 5'2". I truly loved every inch of my chubby little body, though I love my body 70 lbs lighter now!
My precious babies were born at 37 weeks and 5 days on May 25th, 2010. Hand crafted perfection.
Over the last year I have buried many of my old expectations and have finally begun to embrace this journey I am on. Embracing and celebrating that He had a plan for me before I was ever thought of.
When I became a missionary I had many dreams of what I wanted to do- children's ministry, Haitian ministry, women's events, but in the end it all boiled down to one thing...
I just wanted to serve one person a day. That was it. Strip all the "ministry" aside and there you're left with bare bones. Serve one person a day. Bless someone each day. After all, we are blessed to be a blessing.
And that is the theme of this blog. I am learning that through the many deaths of my many expectations the very marrow of what I felt called to do here in the D.R. is still flowing and very much alive... there is no putting it to death.
My prayer for my family and for my girls is that they would truly understand what it means to be blessed, but that it would not end there... there is so much more to it. We are blessed, to be a blessing to others.
This is our journey of blessing others. Through our daily lives. Through our traditions. I want to leave a legacy to our children that everything in our souls would point to worshipping Christ, to truly enjoying Him, to celebrating the magic and wonder and awe of this life He has given us and to a life of serving others.
That is why I want to write this blog. That is what I want to share.
Along the way there will be lots of sweet videos and pics as we try to navigate the early years of their lives. In fact it will likely consist mostly of this. At least for a little while. My days are a little like a circus act, just trying to balance it all, but I am hopeful for the day I regain my breath and can kick my 12 cup a day coffee addiction.
I am truly humbled by this journey.
Peace,
Jackie
