"J"ust "J"ennifer

Today for a little mid week fun, I think I will post about me.  For those of you actually reading my writing, you may be curious who am I, what I stand for, why I blog.  So, here goes...

I was born in a small town in Iowa.  Grew up on the Mississippi River and loved watching the riverboats come and go.  It's funny, my husband grew up on the beach and loves the ocean.  I grew up at the river, and am a river girl at heart.  I can remember going out with my Grampa and Great-Grampa and setting lines.  Fort those of you who have no idea what that is, they would scope out a spot in the Mississippi and drop lines with bait.  Then, a few days later we'd pull up the lines and hope we had some Mississippi Catfish.  Sometimes we got lucky, sometimes the river ran dry. 

Growing up we went to church.  It's been in my blood for as long as I can remember.  Sunday was our family day.  We would visit sometimes both, sometimes just one set of Grandparents after church.  I loved the Sunday's when we would go to my dad's folks.  Gramma and Granddad Johnson.  If we were going to their house, we were eating KFC and Gramma would usually make a cherry pie.  Oh the yumminess!!!  We would all pile around the small kitchen table and feast on chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, coleslaw, and pie.  Then, when it was time to leave, we would get to pick a candy bar from the fridge to enjoy later.  I miss those days. 

When I was a preteen, my dad got transferred through DuPont to Virginia.  So our family boxed up our belongings and moved across country.  I finished out my schooling in Virginia, attended college in Virginia, married (and divorced) my first husband in Virginia, had Matthew in Virginia, and met my current husband, all in Virginia.  Virginia was good to me but alas, staying put there was NOT what God had planned.

Faith has always been an important part of my life but I didn't take it seriously until Chris and I moved to Savannah, Georgia.  The fire started in, you guessed it, Virginia. My dad was a lay leader in the UMC.  I can remember us traveling to different churches in the area to listen to him preach.  One time, when I was still pregnant with Matthew, we traveled to hear dad give a sermon and as soon as my dad started talking from the pulpit, Matthew starting kicking.  Mom and I just smiled and giggled quietly.  But Savannah is where my faith jumped into full speed.

Chris and I were moved around a lot for his work.  We moved our family from Virginia to Indiana.  I laugh, I actually started blogging while we lived in Indiana so my family could see what we Evoy's were up to.  We lived between my family in Iowa and my family in Virginia so my first blog was named, In the Middle.  My family enjoyed being able to follow along on our journey of living away from family for the first time.  It was fun to write sassy little posts.  Then, Chris got transferred to Savannah.  And as my faith began to grow and we began making new friends and serving in new ministries, my purpose for my blogging changed.  It became an outlet for me to put pen to paper, per say, and spend time with God.  It allowed me quiet moments where I could sit and just type.  I tell Chris all the time, I'll proofread my blog before I hit the post button and every time there is a section that I don't remember typing.  That's God.  I try really hard to utilize my blog to point people to Jesus.  To remind myself of how great our God is.  It builds up my faith.

My blog has been a lifeline for me as I've grown in my walk with God.  We were transferred from Georgia to Minnesota and it was hard.  We had a great church and great friends in Savannah.  But my blog provided an outlet for God to show me and teach me what he desired for my family. 

This past winter, we dropped anchor in middle Tennessee.

The day we signed the contract to build our home I don't know if I was more excited about the house or the fact that our moving days were behind us.  As I look back on all the steps it took to get to this place, I realize, God's hand was in all of it.  Each place we've lived has grown me.  Each place has given me strong Christian relationships.  Each place was a stepping stone and training ground for now.  And each place is full of women that I can reach out to in time of prayer, praise, fear or excitement.  How blessed am I?

Chris and I feel we are in Tennessee for a reason.  One reason is to help start our new church, People of Hope.  We've been given an opportunity to stand along fellow friends and build up a church from the ground up.  Oh the excitement to watch God do His best work.  Feel free to follow our progress, donate or simply pray for this amazing church at:

http://peopleofhope.church/

 

God has a plan for each of us.  I love being able to look back over my life and see God in all of it.  Even when I was new to my faith, God was in my life.  I credit my parents for being so strong in their faith that I carry that same strength within me. 

My path hasn't been easy but my path has been blessed.  No life is perfect and there will be speed bumps.  But when you let go and let God lead, oh the sweetness in those moments.

Hi, my name is Jennifer.  I'm a believer of my Savior Jesus.  I'm a Mom, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend, an aunt, and an ambassador for Christ.  Nice to meet you.