About the Author

Jennifer is an artist living in rural Nebraska with her US Army veteran husband. She loves to create and seeks to reflect the beauty of Christ and encourage others in meaningful, beautiful ways. You can find her and see more of her art on Studio JRU.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
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(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. Jennifer,
    I can truly relate to your story. I squirmed like crazy when God sidelined me with six years of six successive surgeries. I certainly didn’t ask for this season, but like you, I don’t regret going through it. Once you get past the excuse-making for not running around like a chicken with your head cut off, you eventually get tired of spinning in circles and settle in to “what is.” God needed some One on one time with me and He knew there was only one way He was going to get it and that was to bench me from the game called “life.” Oh, but the love He met me with in the crucible of suffering. What grace He poured out on me. I wouldn’t have gotten to know His heart of mercy for me had I not gone through the trials. No season ever goes to waste. My seasons of suffering reassure me that God knows exactly what He’s doing for my good and His glory. So glad to hear that you are easing back into your art projects. I can’t wait to see them. Go slow…let God set the pace!
    Blessings,
    Bev xx

    • You get it, Bev! It really just needed to get to the point of being too tired of spinning in circles and settling into what it was. So grateful for your support through my season! Thank you so very much! xo

  2. Jennifer,

    God doesn’t waste anything. Paul had a “thorn in the flesh”. God would not remove it but said to him, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect[m] in weakness. ” Each trial we go through teaches us something more about the greatness of our God. I quit a good job to care for my aging dad. Through that trial God strengthen me & grew my faith & trust muscles. In 2019 I was let go from a part-time job. I was happy for I knew God had something bigger & better in store for me. Two weeks later I had a better paying part time job as ICU Step down clerical in big local hospital. Started out as just two days a week, but has grown to two days 1 week then 3 the next. When one clerical is out I will gladly work the whole week if necessary. This job suits me so well. I can relate to the patients & their families. My empathy goes out to them. I have been in their shoes & want to help them out as much as possible. Just yesterday I prayed for a patient who was to have knee surgery. I have talked with families & tried to make their stay as comfortable as possible. God is awesome & wastes nothing. Praying you will be feeling some better soon.

    Blessings 🙂

    • What a beautiful place you are in, Beth. I am so grateful to have seen you go through your seasons through the comments you leave here. It has been a special journey to witness and so encouraging to all of us. You are doing His beautiful work! And thank you for your prayers!

  3. Jennifer,

    Thank you so much for this today. Like you, I am currently in a season. Well, for the past 5 years I’d say I have been in a season that seems to have gone on for so long, from ovarian cancer diagnosis to 3 major surgeries within 4 months, then 6 cycles of chemotherapy and a prolonged recovery and remission, then losing my younger sister to breast cancer, then going back to work and studying to finish a programme that had to be interrupted when I had my diagnosis. All seemed to be going ok and it felt like I was coming out of the season but maybe not as quickly as I wanted, as I saw my peers progressing and me still stuck in the same position. Then came relapse and uncertainty and decisions and exams to finish my programme and surgery again just 3 weeks ago. So, its been one very long season, but like you said, this season will not go to waste, because God is using it to teach me so many things like trust and faith and reliance on Him. I may not be where I want to be, but I know I am where God wants me to be at this particular time and season and I am headed for that place and the next season He has prepared for me, where he makes all things beautiful in His time.

    Shalom

    • I am so sorry for the difficult season you are going through, Susannah. It is just tough! But through all of that you still have faith and hope, that is such a beautiful thing! Praying for you along your way. Thank you so much for sharing your story to encourage all of us!

  4. God has you in this season, for His reason. Love that! May we all keep our focus on Him. God bless you as you seek Him fully.

  5. Yes, Thank God — and patient, teachable souls like you, Jennifer (& Bev, q.v.). I shall not herein re-enumerate what has been exhorted save “ditto” (with variations). God does graciously provide members one-another of His body, the Church, expressly for this: to God be the glory through Jesus His Son (Soli Deo Gloria); and for the benefit of others (loving our neighbors). I benefit from encouraging stories (such as this) and may add a sort-of ‘reminder’ I’ve once read (in the French language), to wit: “Vogue la galere”… let the galley be kept rowing (e.g., keep on, whatever may happen)… allowing God’s timing, His manner!
    Blessings galore,
    Bill

    • Bill, we are so grateful you are encouraged from our stories here and grateful for added reminders once you have read them. I love your French reminder, I think I need to start using that one!

  6. Good morning, Jennifer!
    It is so good to see you here and to read your words. You have shown me how God has been present in all of your trials and diagnoses. He is an amazing God and His timing really is perfect. I am praying for you as you move forward to honor God with your project. He will show you the way. Blessings!

  7. Beautiful message Jennifer! I have been in a state of “deconstruction” for a while now.. The Lord is using rheumatoid arthritis to grow me deeper into Him and His TRUE plan for my life. I know that without this time of deconstruction, His restoration of me would not be as sweet as it has been. Truly the joy of the Lord is my strength, and His grace is more than sufficient for me! I want to be a vessel of honor where His glory and love shines through, and draws others to Him.

  8. Your story rings true to me today! 3 years ago we lost our entire home to a fire, then one month after lost our precious pup to cancer. We waited 14 months for home to be rebuilt! What a blessing! But trying to work on trauma and anxiety from fire, just now starting to relax, pandemic hits and 5 months later My position 0f 12 years is eliminated!! I am main income earner and health insurance
    Struggling to sense the meaning …am I supposed to leave house, move. What is my next job? I’m close but not quite retirement age, what do I do now? I love flowers and plants, but worked as an admin assistant in an office, which was just okay but boring, but money was good and stable, so I stayed. No passion there…do I go with my passion and be broke, and now have no choice…been ppraying and trying to listen to god, still no answers, just trying to enjoy his world. Praying to be still and listen.

    • It is so hard when we keep praying and still don’t understand what we should do. I am sorry for all you have endured. I am joining you in prayer! I pray that you will sense what your next step should be. I pray doors and paths will be open to you. I pray you can live in your passion!

  9. Jennifer,

    Thanks for sharing. I can relate This current season of life has been going on for over 3 years. Some ebbs, but the lows have been truly difficult and overwhelming.

    Peace and blessings to you on your journey.

  10. Jennifer,
    I’m sorry for all of the pain, and struggles that you have been going through, and appreciate that despite it all you are here encouraging us with words of comfort of God’s love for us.
    Blessings to all,
    Penny

  11. God’s timing is best! I like your idea of saying this in answer to questions of when this or that will happen. And it takes the control out of our hands. Which to be honest, we really control very little. Keep recovering and staying in God’s timing. Prayers coming your way.

  12. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort. — 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

    Thank you for the reminder!