Jess Boctor

Category: Uncategorized

  • Sneak Peek! #decemberblogging

    Paul has run off to the store for something sweet, so I thought I would steal a moment to let you have a sneak peek of all the Christmas ornaments I have been making.

    Oh! Aren’t you all proud of me? I have been making these this week before we get our tree! Look at me being prepared for something! Keep your eyes on your windows, cause flying pigs may be leading the sleigh this year…
    Continuing the adventure, 

    Jessica 

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  • Thy Kingdom Come #26daysofprayer #decemberblogging

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    I often wonder why it is many modern American Christians think the Kingdom of Heaven is something we are meant to wait around for. Noah did not wait for an Ark to build itself. Jericho did not crumble on it’s own. Esther did not wait for someone else to speak up. So why are we excused to sit by and wait for the Kingdom of Heaven to come on it’s own accord?

    I know, we will never be able to create heaven on earth. There is a day of judgement coming and only God knows when it is. However, can’t we try to claim some of this territory in His name? We should be beginning the work of creating strongholds for His invasion, creating mini Kingdoms wherever we go.

    Pray that my life would be a strong hold for the Kingdom of Heaven. Pray I would be bold in expanding the Kingdom of God. Ask God to give me discipline and discernment to ask for the deliverance of others.
    Continuing the adventure, 

    Jess

  • War Cries #26daysofprayer #decemberblogging

    On Sunday, Derek Imai spoke about declaring war on sin, Satan, and death. It was an awesome message and gave me great encouragement in living a life which not only takes me faith into account, but filters every decision through it.

    He ended the message talking about singing worship songs is a way to declare battle again sin, Satan, and death. The idea which popped into my mind was those of war cries, those things which we yell and shout to intimidate our opponents, letting them know of the coming battle.

    I really want my life to be different. I want to live on the front lines, taking big risks for God. Shouting for Him with all my lungs can give. Singing my war cries for His glory.

    On top of all that, I really just love to sing.

    So please pray with me for a new opportunity to sing. For discipline to refine my skills. Pray God would give me a new song, and do wondrous things with it.
    Continuing the adventure, 

    Jess

  • Hallowed be Thy Name #26daysofprayer #decemberblogging

    This is day number five of twenty six. Each day I am posting a prayer request for each day as I approach my golden birthday of 26 years.

    Today is about giving Glory to God.

    This is something I pray for often in my life, because I know it is easy for my perspective to get skewed in this area. It never takes me much time to move from, “I am using these gift’s God has given me in order to bring Him glory” to “I’m using these gifts God gave me, and since he gave them to me, he would want me to be glorified, right?”

    So please pray with me that my perspective would be kept on God who really deserves the glory. Pray my life would be nothing more than a testament to His power, creativity, grace, and ability to heal. Pray I would be nothing more than a shade through which His light shines.
    Continuing the adventure, 

    Jess

  • Deserving the High Five #26daysofprayer #decemberblogging

    Last night at small group we had an interesting conversation about mortality. We were challenged to face the reality of how short our time really is here on earth, and in doing so, consider what would be our regret if we were called to heaven right now. It makes me wonder if I would yet receive the Jesus high five which I so earnestly want.

    The truth is I don’t think I do. I suffered a great loss about three and half years ago. It knocked me out flat, and I took some time away from ministry in order to lick my wounds. While I don’t think the loss of my grandmother will ever heal, I have learned to function with the disability. Yet I still have not engaged back into ministry again. There have been some one time events which I have helped out with, but I have not been in a committed engaged ministry where I give of myself sacrificially. 

    If I were called to meet Jesus face to face today, this would be my regret.

    So please pray for me I would move back into ministry. Pray the Holy Spirit would guide this move, so I would find a ministry where I fit, rather than where I am plugging a hole. Please pray old bitterness would be uprooted from my heart so I can be free to serve without reservation.
    Continuing the adventure, 

    Jess

  • Who is in Heaven #26daysofprayer

    I don’t really look forward to heaven. 

    My perspective has always been more about what we are doing right now, in the present, to reflect God to the world. Maybe it was one too many precious moments coloring books in Sunday school, or too many cartoonish depictions of nightgown clad figures scattered through vague scenery, but heaven always seemed trivial to me.

    My favorite depiction of heaven comes from C.S.Lewis when he writes the The Last Battle, the final installment of the Chronicles of Narnia. Aslan takes the children and all the characters from the books to a new Narnia, and the entire time they keep shouting “Further up! Further in!” because there is always more to take in. 

    Rereading this story and a series of conversations in my life have made me question how little importance I place on heaven. I don’t know if I will ever be a person who can keep my focus on the pearly gates, just because I am slightly like a Dori fish, and there is just too much to look at around me, but I want to be reminded of what it is to hope for the assurance which God has given us.

    So this is my prayer request for today; that my perspective would be changed about heaven. That I would be reminded I serve an amazing God who only makes amazing things. Most importantly, that I would learn to lean into the hope God has given us.

    Continuing the adventure, 

    Jess

    PS. My hope is that our last day will go something like this: I will stand in a ridiculously long line with my (human)Dad, who won’t mind. When I reach the gates, Jesus will give me a high-five and tell me that I had one hell of a ride, and he knows I made the most of it. Then, I want to go inside, kneel before the Father and hear him laugh.

    www.phantomblonde.com

  • GPP Street Team: What’s your hangup?

    I had told myself I wasn’t going to do these challenges anymore. I was going to get serious and talk only about books, music and God.

    But darn it Michelle you just keep drawing me in!

    When I saw that you had extended the deadline for the latest crusade to January, and I had just done this great frame on my wall, I knew I was done for!

     

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    From

    The “frame” of these two collages is actually an old window frame from my great-grandmothers house in Germany. Each collage has to do with the ideas of home. The one on the left, with the little girl in it, was done by me. Its a bit of a representation of the innocence we have in our homes, our safe havens. The one on the right, with the heart, was done by my mother. It has memorabilia from my grandmothers house, another safe haven. I thought these three pieces would be a great way to show how much home means to me.

    I look forward to next years theme of evidence journaling!

    Continuing the adventure, 

    Jessica