"Here I am. I stand with arms wide open..."

My Water Baptism: One Year Later.

"All the good You've done for me-I lift up my voice for all to see!"

- lyrics taken from the song: Rooftops, by Jesus Culture

Listen to: Rooftops, by Jesus Culture.

I remember the pressure I felt on my chest. It's where I normally feel the Holy Spirit nudge me. 

"Do it. Now is the time." He said.

I had all of this head knowledge of God and a life that was already proclaiming Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I was baptized as a baby and I thought: why now, God? But it wasn't the first time I had felt that nudge. This time, obedience stepped in. I knew it was the time.

I was nervous. My heart thumped. I was embarrassed because I was worried that other people would be in shock that I hadn't done it already.  I'm a fairly "Rooftop" girl- I speak what I know is truth and I do it with a passion. Yet, I was nervous to be an adult and to do it again. 

This time-it was my choice.

There were many times when it wasn't right-baptism had been available to me in other churches, at other stages of my life-but I wasn't ready and the circumstances didn't feel right. Now, at twenty-six year old, in my loving church-it was right. My career was public enough, (I knew an international group of people from singing opera) and Facebook, yes...Facebook- made it very easy to "Go public!" .....Along with the live stream from TFHNY (The Father's House, New York-my home church) that broadcasts globally.....

Well, God knew that it was time for this very public singing girl to make a very public proclamation.

"Here I am-I stand with arms wide open to the One, the Son! The Everlasting God!"

I DID IT!

May 22, 2011.

 I hear the Holy Spirit very clearly, so I knew that I had to be obedient. I remember preparing that afternoon for the service in the evening knowing, knowing- one hundred percent- that my life was going to be different after. I didn't know how or why, but I knew.

Still nervous - but confident, I stood in line and went up to the baptismal font. My dear friend, Becca Johnson, our beautiful worship leader, was singing one of my favorite songs, "Unrestrained," --- and there I was- baptized by my wonderful pastor! Climbing out of the water-filled with new life---- I was full of joy!!!! The entire service was so awesome! It's full of worship: jumping and dancing! I remember feeling so overjoyed and as if Heaven had touched earth!:) 

(Plugging your nose is recommended;)

"Because of You, I freely live.

My life to You, oh God-I give."

The Response

It was pretty awesome! The pictures and videos were posted to Facebook, (Thanks to my dear brother, Greg and his awesome girlfriend, Kim!)... and I was able to talk about it with so many people! 

And...I have a live record of that beautiful moment!

"To share this love throughout the earth..." <3

The fruit of taking that step of faith and making a public, rooftop proclamation has been....beyond what I can describe here in words. But..I will tell you of all He has done since then-the best that I can!

ANOINTING

The anointing on my voice has reached new levels. I know that God is using my music (whether I sing a sacred or secular song), to heal and to speak to hearts everywhere-live and through recordings. 

It's nothing I can take credit for-it's Him using the gift He so freely gave me to reach His beloved people. There have been several moments where I could feel the Spirit of the Lord descend on an audience- and they "stopped." 

God was moving through me. 

People would say, "I don't know why, but that song made me cry," or "You moved me so much." 

I tell you truly: it wasn't me-it was the presence of the Lord-and He was singing right to them.

OPPORTUNITY!

This is pretty amazing. I love telling of His faithfulness! 

Since last year-I have had tremendous blessings in my career. 

I did things I didn't even know I could do-and He gets all the credit!

• I've had incredible job opportunities-by important companies or people-that I've had no hand in!
• I've discovered that I like to write and create art! I started by adapting a monologue and performing it in church-that grew into a helping to write/create and arrange music for an entire Christmas production at our church! 
• God created something out of an idea He planted-and in three months time-a full scale production was born-written, produced and designed...... and.....thousands of people were able to see it over a series of nine performances!  ONLY GOD CAN DO THAT!  (1947-A Vintage Christmas)

Now, I'm writing all the time!:)

RELATIONSHIPS

• I've met the important people I needed to meet to help connect me- ( both professionally and personally), through God given opportunities in and out of church-people that will impact my entire future.

I've met some of my best friends in the entire world:)

MINISTRY

• I've been blessed to be able to sing on our beautiful worship team at church and sing for some pretty incredible events: like our amazing Easter Experience a few weeks ago! I saw approximately 10,000 people come to worship at the Blue Cross Arena. 

Only God can do that! 

• I've led worship several times-while singing away on tour and in some amazing settings: like on an urban New York City........

MISSIONS TRIP!

...that God provided for me to go on with BASIC College Ministries. 

The entire trip was funded by a beautiful friend of mine! Can you imagine!

There I was-singing on a street corner in the middle of Harlem...

And in nursing homes, soup kitchens and group homes

...bringing music to all kinds of people...

because that's what Jesus has in store!

I couldn't have done that on my own-I was too afraid. 

He made me look into faces and see places that I would have never seen on my own.

He changed my heart to love His people

-to see them as He sees them.

I'll never go back.

"Knowing that Your Perfect Grace-Has brought me to this place."

A new me.

A new boldness.

A new passion.

Apart from Him, I can do nothing. 

( based on John 15:5)

I owe Him everything.

He freely gives:)

So, I encourage you!

 If you have considered being baptized and God has put it on your heart-

Go for it! 

*If you don't know Jesus, He wants to know you. 

He loves you and wants to give you His living water. <3

Be Blessed!:)

Thanks for letting me share my story with you:)

Love,

Jess

"So, I'll shout out Your Name! 

From the Rooftops I proclaim-

that I am Yours!"

The Artist Unveiled: A Work in Progress.

MUSIC

There is tremendous power in the rest. For most of us performers, we like to count the rests, to skip forward and push through the rests; to resist the rests- but that's not why they're written. They're written for us to be able to breathe. The composer, (who knows better then we,) the performer, knows the moment we need to breathe: to "tank up," as one of my coaches says- so we can complete the rest of our melodic journey. If we don't take a "pausa," we may loose the emphasis on what just happened, miss the current moment, or not be ready for what's to come. The duration of the rest is up to the meter and rhythm the composer has set and is interpreted by the conductor. When to resume after the "pausa" is indicated when the conductor lifts His baton. When He sees that we are, "tanked up." When He cues us in. If we're moving in tempi and we're watching; we'll be right on cue. If we're too fast or too slow-we'll have to catch up with Him.

Favorably, God is a compassionate conductor and a gracious composer. He'll always write in favor of His instrument and guide them back to finish His piece properly. The performer must merely connect their gaze with Him and watch His hand; finding they are gently led. 

God is our composer and our conductor. I like to say He's my Master Maestro:) The Bible says He already knows all the days of our lives, (Psalm 139)-so, He knows the full score.  He knows every aria of my existence and brings about every duet and every trio...but I don't know them yet. And yet, they're written. 

I am an unfinished work. God is always working on me. I am unfinished composition, an unfinished masterpiece and so are you. God's Word says: 

"He who has begun a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."  -1 Philippians 1:6. 

So to God, we are carried unto completion because He knows all the days and He will carry ours unto completion! 

PAINT

If I were a portrait, I would see layers of myself-perhaps half a face: half shaded and colored, half  drawn. The other half? Invisible ink-completed; yet not visible to my eye. God dips His paint brush and defines my lines as I grow. He's still bringing about new colors and He's actively shading me in. He make me bold and  He makes me elegant. He defines my depth and my texture. He adds the perfect amount of brightness and brings me into perfect scale....even though I can't always see it-I know I'm becoming the vision of  His masterpiece that He envisioned since the beginning of time. And so are you.

POTTERY

If I were a piece of clay- I am still being molded. If I loose my shape, my potter builds me anew. If my pot is cracked, He uses His light to shine brighter through me. If I'm painted, He paints me, If I need to be constructed, He spins the wheel-He hydrates the clay, He molds it-He knows how to mend me. And He knows how to perfectly and lovingly mold you.

A MASTERPIECE

From my perspective, I am an unfinished symphony, an incomplete score, an incomplete work- I do not know where or how I continue-but I know I'm working with the most masterful Living composer ever to compose! How exciting! If He writes a rest, I'll learn to practice the rest- because I know He's setting up my next musical moment.  He's writing in the most perfect harmony; He's gathering the right dynamics-because He already knows the other characters He must introduce (He's also the most introspective librettist) and He knows that I have to be ready to meet them! He's got the perfect form in mind--and I can't make any guess on it. (There's no ABA, or  Rondo or Symphonic form and analysis I can exact!)  I can't go on to the next scene if my character hasn't developed or if the other characters need to move through their own plot line! He can't bring me in on the next phrase if I'm not connected with Him. Maybe I messed up and I need to rehearse the piece again-but it's ok! He's not looking for perfection; He's just looking for me to let Him guide me:)

CREATIVE CREATOR

The King of Kings is still painting me. Though I am an artist, I am an unfinished work; a work in progress. A masterpiece by the Master Painter. He is the only one who sees its completion. I know that He will certainly carry me unto completion because He's sees the whole vision. I'm going to follow and step in time-letting Him gently lead. I'll glady be shaded and molded and pause for the res-t so I may take the next step. This Artist and Master Creator is certainly well pleased with His work. He poured out His love into me-and He does the same in you. 

So don't worry if You can't see the whole picture-It's incredibly breath taking from His perspective:-)

What a masterful work you are and how He loves you very much:)

Read Psalm 139:)