Inspired by Life

Have you ever stood in front of glass doors wondering why they are not opening, only to realize that they are NOT automatic doors? Don't judge - but i have (like yesterday. how embarrassing). Sometimes, unfortunately, i think i approach the Bible the same way. i expect the Word to do all the work for me...only to realize that it's not automatic. God's Word is definitely active and living and sharper than a double edged sword when convicting hearts, but the words don't just jump off the page into my heart. i have to intentionally OPEN up the Book to get anywhere. God's Word speaks when i have prepared my heart to hear the message - i have to ask God to reveal His truth to me. DAILY i have to say NO to the flesh and role out of my WARM, COZY, COMFORTABLE covers onto my knees on a HARD, COLD, UNCOMFORTABLE wood floor. But i do it. Why? Because for some weird reason, God chose ME. God revealed Himself to me, offered me eternal life, and gave me the gift of a new life in...

Reading in 2 Timothy this week and well, i just love this book! So encouraging and challenging...but this passage esp.one of my favs: "But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a VESSEL FOR HONOR, sanctified and useful for the Master , prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will." 2 Timothy 2:20-26 So - imag...

"Under The Covers" is a poem my dear Uncle Terry wrote for me for my fourth birthday. He is a brilliant man and is so clever when it comes to poems and ditties. His writings have always captured my attention. No man has ever made me feel so special the way my Uncle Terry can...so i hope you enjoy "Under The Covers." UNDER THE COVERS: When the lights go off And shadows climb the walls, When floorboards squeak And no one's there at all, Under the covers I'm sure you will agree Is the safest place A little girl can be! When the smells of grass, Newly cut, scents the breeze, When crickets chirp And leaves rustle on trees, Under the covers Nodding off sleepily Is the best place A little girl to be! When the sniddles weave Bright ribbons of moonbeams, When the quizzlings hop With questions through your dreams, Under the covers Waiting expectantly Is where little girls Would surely want to be! Dolls and doll dresses, Bracelets, ribbons and curls, Stuffed animals sn...

yesterday i published a song that i kind of like...A LOT. not necessarily the screaming part, but the message. waiting on the Lord is one of those things that i've struggled with accepting. after all, don't i know best? my time line is better...things actually happen when i'm in charge, right? oh boy - guess again silly goose! there is verse after verse of God calling us and encouraging us to place our trust in Him and wait on Him to work. often when i try to take things into my own hands, force things to happen, i end up frustrated, wore-out, and things end up worse than when i started. and it's like God whispers "i told you to wait," but not in a little sibling annoying way of "i TOLD you so!" but more of a loving and tender reminder of the Lord saying "I was there all the way through your difficult time - just waiting for you to reach out and take my outstretched hand. I wanted so badly for you to rest confidently in Me and let Me work things...

"Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore He will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!" Isaiah 30:18 "Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the sould who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." Lamentations 3:25-26

in my pursuit of acquiring self-less love - i know, insane ambition, but none the less - i'm pursuing it. and i have thus come to the conclusion that genuine self-less love is... IMPOSSIBLE! well, at least on my own strength. it was about a year ago that God pointed out some serious flaws i had been making in my walk with Him and helped me to see that i was not being kind or loving in my speech, my actions, or my thoughts towards those that i was closest to. so after my confession, repentance, and resolute in my heart to do better for God's glory as a testament of His love, i started pursuing "self-less love." i know you are familiar with 1 Corinthians 13 (the "love" passage). i decided to do a check on my heart and see how i was doing in the area of love. so i put my name in the place of love and read it through: Janalee is patient...Janalee is kind...Janalee does not envy...i could go no more b/c i knew my words were lies. had my pursuit for self-less love...

so...our dude-that-talks for Resistance Thursday evenings challenged us this morning to take up the gospel. like SERIOUSLY. this guy - there's no lukewarm in his book... "JOIN US. THIS IS OUR WORLD. THIS IS OUR TIME." over and over again in my mind the words "will you commit? will you commit?" rang in my ears. wanting so badly to ignore the pressing heartbeat in my chest and the cry of my soul to get up and scream "I WILL. I WILL." I just sat there. numbed to move. too afraid to feel. no emotion, not here...not now please. ...i....can't. oh boy. why is it so hard for me to commit? maybe fear of failure knowing that i have been unfaithful in the past? maybe b/c of the hurt that i have felt before from people that said they would commit and didn't? maybe the challenge of giving my life away to something else other than my selfish desires? maybe just knowing that this may be the hardest yet best decision i will ever make after giving my life to Ch...

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Favorite Bible verse EVER: "This is the day that the Lord has made! We will rejoice and be glad in it!" Ps 118:24 Everyday i wake up, i get to make a conscious decision to live in light of this verse.

Bring me into a life of holiness. So different than this world. Bring me to a place of peace. Sweet peace. Into your arms of grace i fall. Keep me here. Change my heart. More like you i want to be. You said that this world would hate me. But You they hated first. You said if i loved the world, Then love You i could not. You chose me out of the world To make my home with You Lord. Sick. Homesick. Homesick for You. How long till i come home? How long will i wait? until my dying breath? My flesh is weak and my heart is breaking... Breaking for a dying world. Why have you given me compassion For this refuse that i live in? Surely You have not Given me this heart for my own... But instead to bring You glory And bring Your people home. You called me, so i will stand. To make my home with You Lord. Sick. Homesick. Homesick for You. I will wait for You. J-Dog 2010

After a lot of one-to-one with junior high girls, highschool girls, and college girls i get the same response from all of them. "This world bites." Okay. i know. i live in this world too. Sometimes i get a little bitter about how corruption can warp the minds of innocence as media feeds us lies all day long. What causes a little girl to abandon the simplicity of childhood and chase after dreams of the fantacy of maturity? Her sweet innocent mind is brutely hit with the cold reality of life as a "grown-up," the relational conflicts that deprive the mind of happiness, and the ugly pressures of responsibility that come with maturity. To grow up so quickly from child. to lady. to woman. Blink and you miss it. Blink and she doesn't even know what happened. Suddenly finding herself in a body that is not her own now with the attention of men's eyes and the hating eyes of fellow sisters...in a world where popularity is everything, love is meaningless, and indulging...

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Words...alone. can be: calming. or. stirring. peaceful. or. tainted. encouraging. or. hurtful. Words...together. can be: the same. How we use them. How we string them together. The impact words have on your life...the lives of those around you. Chosen carefully...OR...wrecklessly spewed out. Pray. Choose...wisely. Friendship broken. Friendship restored. Words. Meaning. Power. J-Dog 2010

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"We can exaggerate about many things; but we can never exaggerate our obligation to Jesus & the compassionate abundance of the love of Jesus to us. All our lives long we might talk of Jesus, & yet we should never come to an end of the sweet things that might be said of Him. Eternity will not be long enough to learn all He is, or to praise Him for all He has done, but then, that matters not; for we shall be always w/ Him, & we desire nothing more." -Frederick Faber

So, this is my third day of the treasure hunt. Sad to say that yesterday, i did not find a lot of clues and i definitely did not get any closer to my treasure, but there was a question that was brought to mind that has challenged me to examine my heart more in depth than i would have dreamed. That question being: "where does my treasure lie?" Yesterday was long and rough, and though i was thinking about seeking my treasure i didn't feel any excitement to dive into the Word or surrender myself in prayer. So i didn't. I went to prayer with the Resistance, but just sat there. I felt nothing. Then i was training with my client and it was like life was breathed back into me. I received a fresh wave of energy and excitement that swept over my body and i greeted my client with a genuine smile and excitement. Now...to me, there is something wrong with this picture. Obviously there are things in life we genuinely enjoy and have a "passion" for - but as a believer, a ...

This morning i bounced out of bed in anticipation and excitement of seeking my treasure...after working with my client at 6am i opened up the Word (which is unheard of for me early in the morning). After the inspiration of memorizing 1 Peter i jumped into my car and headed to work. I unconsciously flipped on the radio, only to second think it and turn it off. The silence was daunting but refreshing. Soon prayers and praise started streaming through my mouth like no body was watching. Absolutely refreshed and alive, i pulled into work. Work was long and studying this afternoon was dreadfully boring, but b/c i had my eyes on Jesus everything was in perspective and no bad attitudes! Praise the Lord! I do not say any of this to boast...i'm not perfect but i was just so encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit working in my life. I know what i'm like when i am not full of the Spirit and it isn't pretty or attractive. But i saw a little glimpse of God's character through my...

i'm on a treasure hunt this week! Object: to seek and find the Lord. The closer i am to the Lord at the end of the week, the closer i am to my treasure. ...let me explain myself. i am doing a summer leadership program with my church and our whole goal is to reach out to the people of Manhattan this summer and to equip us to make disciples this fall. but i kind of came off a big spring semester with school, work, relationships, etc and feel like i'm still catching my breath. in order to be successful in kingdom advancement this summer i realize that i need to seek Christ with my whole heart (seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you). by God's blessing and grace, i am becoming quite successful at the things that i do and obviously it is easy for pride to get in the way in ministry. especially when you are becoming successful at other things in your life, it is easy to think that you will be successful at anything you do when it comes to ministry...

Dear Sri Lanka: You are in my prayers. The rain comes on good and evil. My prayer is that the light will shine in the darkness through this time. Stay strong - be patient - and look for Truth in the midst of your devastation. My heart longs to be over on your side ministering to your broken hearts, but for now all i can do is pray for God's children and intercede on behalf of the children of darkness. Remember this life on earth is only a temporary residence. I love you all. Signed with love, God's prayer warrior Janalee http://au.christiantoday.com/article/sri-lankan-flood-affected-over-500000-people/8289.htm

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All over the world flags are flow. Boldly and proudly we wave our flags from poles, at the top of ships, hang them from our windows, wear them on our t-shirts...etc. Here in the U.S. we love our flag. It waves proudly on front porches and lawns of the American home. Of course we are not perfect, but we have ownership of our flag because it is what our country stands for and represents. Our roots of this country lie beneath the strips and stars. Our flag symbolizes the foundation of "this great country." I am proud to be an American. Not because of the people that are living in this nation at the present, but because of our roots and the values this country was established upon. At the Olympic games, the flag is one of the most treasured possessions. Interlocking rings of color on the official Olympic flag represents multiple countries coming together in one place to compete. But what really brings down the house is specific country flags. Individuals jump, shout, cheer, somet...

...what if every morning i woke up saying, "Lord, help me love you more than i did yesterday?" ...what if i went to bed at night thanking the Lord for the good and the bad of that day? ...what if i learned to listen first and speak second? ...what if He asked me to do great things for His kingdom? ...what if i obeyed His words more? ...what if i truly loved my neighbor more than myself? ...what if these questions weren't merely questions? James 1:22

Draw me in - into your presence Lord. Draw me close - close to your heart. Nothing here - will ever fill me. I need you now (draw me close) Come to my side (draw me close) Fall to my knees (draw me close) Heart surrender (i-i-i surrender) I give up - give it up to you. I'm laying down - my will and my way Nothing here - will ever fill me. I need you now (draw me close) Come to my side (draw me close) Fall to my knees (draw me close) Heart surrender (i-i-i surrender) Give me eyes - eyes for my Savior. Show me love - love to my neighbor. Let your hands - mold this clay. Let your will - have it's way. My heart is yours - ONLY. FULLY. HOLY. yours. J-Dog 2010

Last night i received a vision...there was a rope hanging out over an expanse. It was a very strong and sturdy rope that had been hand-twisted together very carefully with hands of mighty strength; and though it was old, it had lasted for many years - still strong and as sturdy as the first day it was weaved together. Where the rope attached in the sky i could not see and what laid within the expanse below i could not make out...but as i looked closer, i could make out a figure swinging on the rope. B/c of the figure's delicate features, i made out that it was a girl, and i noticed she was sliding down the rope and had stopped when she reached a knot on the rope. At which point, undaunted, began to make the most of her adventure and started swinging. Slowly rocking back and forth...then picking up speed and momentum, she swooped over the expanse with ease - back and forth. A smile started to form on her mouth and then she began to laugh - starting out as an amused chuckle, (i'm...

Here we go again...the continual battle of flesh vs. spirit... For some reason pride has been one of my biggest challenges to overcome DAILY! I wonder why i am always so quick to judge others...quick to rely on my own strength...quick to speak and slow to listen...quick to make my plans. etc. Sometimes God calls me outside of my comfort zone. And instead of trusting in God's grace, i get tripped up in "what would others think?" ...shoot the thought of what people say! That should not be the focus in my mind - i want to have a willing spirit to trust God and take a leap of faith! Prayerfully, i will become quick to love without condition...quick to pray...quick to listen and slow to speak...quick to look for the plans the Lord has laid out for my life. etc. Oh, how i love growing...sometimes i wish it was not such a slow process, but i'm probably the one that makes it slow.

so...i went to the conference over Christmas break. let's just say WOW! besides being challenging, encouraging, overwhelming and etc...it was a breather for me spiritual to take a moment away from the ritual life stuff and reflect a little on where God had brought me this last semester and where He wants to take me this semester. Prophesy was one thing that has been milling in my mind for a while and it was the first night of the conference that i specifically asked God to give me the gift of prophesy so that i would be able to exhort and encourage the believers around me at the conference. Well, cool thing was - God did! but let me just clarify, i wasn't going around to everyone and speaking words of knowledge, no...there was actually only three specific individuals that i was given clear words for. But just having the mindset of encouraging those around me and looking intentionally for ways to reach out - that is what i will remember from the conference. It radically transfor...

So...i'm scrubbing out the kitchen sink and Jack (my 10 yr old brother) and Janelle (my 8 yr old sister) come running in declaring "we're going to guard you!" Jack proceeds to send Janelle down the stairs to check on things while he positions himself at the kitchen entry. Well, uhm, great? now...i...feel...safe? After asking Jack what exactly he was "guarding me from," i found they didn't have anything else to do... Janelle reappeared from the basement proclaiming that no one was coming - i was safe. The kids laughed with excitement and ran out of the room hand-in-hand - mission accomplished and in search of new adventures. Ok, that was random...but it reminded of something. Something that God had/has been calling me to for quite some time...prayer - intercession for the saints. Christmas break was different (i don't want to use "weird"). It was good, not bad, but different. i went to this conference in Nebraska that overwhelmed me with inc...

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