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Have you ever found yourself at a strange crossroads, knowing that God is leading you, but it's in a direction you wouldn’t have chosen or anticipated, and you don't understand why?

That’s where I am right now.

Reflecting back to 2019, I remember a similar life crossroads. God led me to resign from my full-time job and switch to a shorter degree program, which wasn’t the degree I had moved from New York to Texas for. My body couldn’t keep up with the pace, and I knew I needed to slow down. I was heartbroken and didn’t like it at all, but even in my frustration, I knew God was leading me. Eventually, He gave me the peace that surpassed all my understanding, but it was hard.

I couldn’t have foreseen that surrendering to God in that process would lead me to pursue a doctorate, become a spiritual director, meet people who have deeply impacted my life, and, most importantly, grow in my relationship with Jesus. These amazing experiences were not without challenges but have been quite an adventure.

I'm not the same person I was five years ago; however, I wouldn’t be where I am today without surrendering my preferences, questions, and doubts, stepping out in faith, and enduring the grief of it all. Even though I knew it was God’s plan, I had to walk through that uncomfortable process.

Today, my circumstances are different, but I feel that same nudge from the Holy Spirit to follow closely even though I don't understand. Maybe five years from now, I’ll have some fantastic life updates to share. That would be nice, but the reality is it’s not guaranteed. Sometimes, we never understand the why behind God’s direction. I often need to surrender the why.

This led me to meditate on obedience.

I don’t obey Jesus because of the potential outcomes; I obey Him because of who He is. Knowing God and His character is more important than knowing the outcome of our circumstances because He never changes. Our circumstances will always change, but Jesus never does. And that's a guarantee. He remains the same yesterday, today, and forever.

It doesn’t always make sense in the moment, but I know I can never go wrong following Jesus. Today, I’m reminded and encouraged that He’s worth it. If you’re at a crossroads and a place of surrender, I hope this encourages you to step out in faith and obey Jesus. Know that it’s never in vain. God’s got you. He’s got me. He’s good, loving, faithful, and He's always worth it.

Thinking of you and praying for you today.

Moment by Moment,

Jenn

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RECOMMENDATIONS, RESOURCES, + REFLECTIONS

📢 ICYMI: Sacred Storytelling is right around the corner (starting July 1st!), and we only have a limited amount of spots. If you're a Christian YouTuber or know someone who is, check out ​this video​ and ​sign up here​ for more detailed information and a link to the application (which closes this weekend).

🎙️ The theme of today's newsletter brought me back to an incredible Mission: Uplift interview with my friend, Jon Collado. We chatted about the fruit of faithfulness during the Uplifting Fruit series, and the topics of trust, surrender, and obedience were woven throughout our conversation. I encourage you to check it out here. I can't wait to get back to interviewing!

📖 Season 4 of The Chosen (my favorite!) is finally releasing in The Chosen app throughout June. It's filled with grief, suffering (and joy, too) and prompted me to read (again) A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis. I posted this video in February about how The Chosen highlights sorrow. I hope to share another Chosen livestream soon.

✉️ If this message from me looks different to you, it's because the Mission: Uplift newsletter has officially merged with Moment by Moment. Welcome! Both worlds are slowly coming together, and I'm excited to share more details about what's coming this fall. I'm thrilled you're here and hope you stick around, but please know there's no pressure to stay if you're no longer interested.

🙏🏻 As you may have gathered from this newsletter, it's been quite a unique season. Many beautiful things are happening, but also many challenges, life hiccups, and more I'll discuss in time. I'd love your prayers as I navigate this final stretch of my writing phase and everything else. If you need prayer, please reply and share how I can pray with you!

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Quick note: Some links in this newsletter are possibly affiliates. If you make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Your support helps keep the lights on, and I am grateful! Want to show some extra love? You’re welcome to contribute to my virtual tip jar! 😊

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