Grace, Truth, and Love

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Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Corinthians 1:17.

I want to apologize.

In my previous blog post, I (Jenni) shared an article I had written in a Leadership class I was taking last spring (2024) in which I hatched a business plan for what essentially could be a Christian talent agency. Our family had been immersed in our church youth group’s fine arts program, and a unique opportunity opened up for our teens and some of their friends to perform at a fundraiser for an organization I helped to start 25 years ago. This conjunction yielded a business idea that was sure to be a win-win situation for everybody: The kids would perform, the organization would receive donations, and we would have a soft start to a nonprofit business these teens could continue to operate that would provide music, skits, artwork, and more to other Christian organizations as a means of raising funds. It seemed ideal; I couldn’t wait to write it into existence, so I made this plan the subject of my final project for the class, and I rather zealously published the idea in the aforementioned article, which I reposted to provide some context.

There was just one problem: No one had time for it. The piece the performers decided to play at the fall fundraiser was one they had played together before (and they played it again beautifully). There just wasn’t time to learn anything new, much less implement the plan for this ministry.

So… I’m sorry for putting an idea out there as a plan without a proper “Lord willing.” I still love the idea, and I firmly believe it’s important for us to use the gifts, talents, and desires with which God has wired us for His kingdom, but if He doesn’t bring the plan to pass, it’s not happening. Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

I chose the title for this post when I first started writing it back in December, 2024. It has since been amended many times – almost weekly, and toward the end of what has come to feel like the contractions of labor, sometimes multiple times each day. I’ve actually drafted other posts as well since I went to Shiloh (blog post; video recap), but none of them were as edifying as the golden silence I apparently needed to embrace for this season. I certainly never thought it would take this long to get a message out there. It truly has been a birthing process. So, thank you for bearing with me (pun intended)!

This past fall semester I took a class on Expository Preaching/Teaching. For my final, I had to deliver a message to a live audience, so I invited a group of ladies to gather for a fellowship meal (a lovely potluck spread hosted by a sweet, hospitable friend to and for whom I am grateful), and I shared the scriptural basis for a ministry to support one another with our gifts, skills, and talents. (Are you detecting a common theme?) My text was 1 Corinthians 12:14-25, which addresses the principle that those who are members of the body of Christ through faith are also members of one another. Just like ears, eyes, hands, and feet all need each other in order for our bodies to function correctly, no one is more important than another; we all have different gifts; we all need each other, and we are all called to suffer and rejoice with one another.

If Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior you were created to be an instrument of God’s grace to others through something you love to do. Whether that may be baking, organizing, painting, gardening, or filing taxes, when you do this thing you love for others, it meets a deep need in their lives. This is not to say that God only helps others using activities we enjoy, but this is the nature of a “calling,” and we should be careful to give God the glory, whether we’re the instrument or the recipient of the blessing.

It blesses me to help women identify their calling, overcome their obstacles, and live out the purpose for which they were created to bless others!

This summer I would like to start a podcast that will feature women in various fields who are effectively living out their callings. As these ladies talk about their gifts and ministries, I believe their examples will serve to inspire and help to equip others to pursue what God has called them to do. More on this in a future blog post. Lord willing.

This focus seems to be part of a larger call on my life to encourage others to trust the God of the Bible and to live out their faith in Him in practical ways. Through my study of biblical languages and archaeology, I have discovered a mountain of evidence that supports faith in the true, historical account of Scripture, and I can’t wait to share it!

I have an amazing opportunity to dig again at Shiloh in Israel this June as part of my study program. I would be so grateful for your prayer support! If you would like to contribute financially, please email me at jenni@gracetruthandlove.org, and I will send you payment info. (At this time, your gift is not tax-deductible.)

Update (6/15/25): Due to unforeseen circumstances, I was not able to go to Shiloh this season. I am praying for Dr. Scott Stripling and the team that is still currently in Israel, who are hoping to wrap things up and get home safely.

Every little bit helps! Anything I receive beyond my goal will go towards completing my graduation requirements. On my present track, I will graduate with an MA in Biblical Languages and Culture this August, and with a little more digging and study, I will also earn a master’s in Biblical History and Archaeology, ideally in the summer of 2026.

LORD WILLING!

Your elbow in Christ,

Jenni

Update 3/16: What I didn’t share previously is that the deadline to register for this season’s Shiloh dig was yesterday. That morning, I was anxiously praying for God’s provision, trying to rest in a potential “no.” Having resigned myself to the likelihood of not being able to participate this season despite the conviction that I should go, I was thrilled to learn of a perfectly timed blessing from the Lord that took care of a huge chunk of my expenses! So, I wanted to share that, because GOD IS NEVER LATE!

Thank you, Jesus!