He loved me enough.

"The curtain it closed and it felt like the end. But your blood caught the fall and took away every sin. Even though men deny, you're the only sacrifice that loved us enough. You loved us so much, Lord, that you gave your life. See, you saved my life."

When I hear these words, I am drawn back to the brokenness of this world and those who live in it - us. And on a day like today, Good Friday, I take a moment (well, actually I take the whole day...) to dwell on one of the most (if not THE most) significant events that I believe changed the course of humanity.

FACT: We live in a broken world. Just look around you. I used to struggle to understand this and often questioned how this God-dude fit into the whole picture. But over the years I have come to believe brokenness doesn't make sense without God.
I can't understand brokenness outside the context of sin. (Cos that's what sin is.) And to know sin, I need to know God. But the beauty of this is that once I understand sin in the light of God, (the one from whom sin tears us away from,) I am immediately exposed to the love and forgiveness that happened on this day, Good Friday. So while Good Friday reminds us of pain, separation and hurt, I cannot dwell on this sadness for more than a moment when the truth of sacrificial love and salvation come bursting into my darkness and give me the hope that makes my brokenness bearable.

And all because He loved me enough.

This is what I believe. Hope that's ok with you.

By the way, that song I quoted at the start is "Hero", by Kirk Franklin. Check it out. He's one of my favs...

Love.
J x

Unpretty emails.

I assume that most of you who read this will know that I work in the area of Volunteer Coordination. My organisation is on the brink of launching a new project that would see our volunteers mobilised into a dark area of our city with the long-term view of making it a safer environment for the community.

It’s a big project, and it’s not pretty. And this week I was presented with the first of many challenges: how to distribute the information to the team in a way to get the ‘best’ response. This is not easy! So here's what I did...

I stressed over it, and spent ages fiddling around with email templates, searching for the perfect picture to illustrate the content, wrote draft after draft…. All because you only get one shot to launch an idea. One chance to pitch a sale. You can't make a second first impression.

But then I thought...

I am not presenting a PRODUCT.

I am presenting a MISSION.

Whatever sales tactics I was trying to employ are not welcome here. (I don’t even have a marketing degree, so who am I fooling anyway??)

Before I go on, let me also say this: Professional marketing is required in the world we live in. And I do believe there is a place for it in our churches and ministry fields as well. But in this instance I said NO to the flashy colours, funky logos and hyperlinks and decided to keep it real. And unpretty.

The content was real. The purpose and the need behind the project is black and white. So I decided my email would be too. It wasn’t pretty, but neither was what I was writing about.

So while it may not have been very appealing to those who prefer the pretty emails with the visual effects, I am sure that those who truly want the information would be happy to get it in whatever format it was delivered.

Keeping it real. And unpretty.
Jess xx


(If you'd like to find out more about what I do, this project I'm talking about, or anything else, email me at jessica@encounteryouth.com.au or visit our website.)

The bench doesn't need me...

Since my recent beachside relocation, I have come to enjoy some quiet moments on the bench at the end of my street. This is a special bench, and not just because it sits right on the edge of the beach, overlooking the water - it’s a perfect spot at sunset – my bench is special because it requires nothing from me, or you for that matter…

The bench doesn’t need me…
… to look good. So I don’t have to worry about the way I look, my outfit, my hair, my weight,…
… to listen. So I don’t have to pay attention.
… to lead or teach. So I don’t have to have any answers.
… to pay up front. So money isn’t an issue here.
… to be anywhere by a certain time. So my time is my own.
… to make conversation. So I can sit in silence.

During my  time on the bench, I am everything I need to be, and have everything that I need.

So if you’re like me, and get a little overwhelmed with life sometimes, go sit on a bench by the beach for a little while (or your “beach bench” equivalent) and let yourself just be un-needed for a while.

"Do try it"... (said in the voice of that guy from the Dilmah ads...)

(One of the many sunset views I've been able to enjoy lately. 

Beachside living is awesome)