Drawing Near

"...draw near to God and He will draw near to you..." (Jm. 4:8a)

An old picture from fall '08: NTBI Waukesha vs. NTBI Jackson!

I've been so encouraged this week. God has been proving my need for the Body of Christ over and over. He gave me at least three conversations with good friends here at school, fellow believers who struggle just like me, and it was so awesome to open up and share about how God has been challenging us through His Word! It's my senior semester and I am finally beginning to understand the beauty of a friendship that is characterized by reckless abandon to the arms of Christ. It's wonderful, and I thank God for the friendships I've built these two years.

In this process of growing closer to people, I am growing closer to my Lord. It really is all about relationships: my relationship with God through Christ...my relationships in the Body...and building relationships with the lost to communicate the Gospel! Even just recognizing that God is relational at His very core has encouraged me and challenged me to seek to know Him more every day.

This week flew by! My first test in Daniel-Revelation class went very well, praise the Lord! Thank you for all your prayers. God has truly provided for me financially, and I continue to be amazed by His grace being poured out in my life through other believers. It really has challenged me to hold my possessions with an open hand, that the Lord might bless others through me as I have been blessed.

Jennifer Kate and Bethany Ann...plus one to come!
I was very, very thankful to see my closest friend growing up, Bethany Felten, just before this semester began. She was married in December '07, and moved to Wisconsin the day after her wedding. And...her first baby is due this March! Please pray that she and the baby boy growing inside her will remain healthy. I cannot wait to go and visit Bethany, her husband Joey, and their new little one, hopefully in the spring or perhaps summertime.

Please be praying for me as I seek to be intentional in my relationships here at school. Sometimes the four months until graduation seem like days, and I've been seeking (with both success and failure) to use wisely all my time left at Bible school. I'm so thankful to be here! Each of you supporting and praying for me have played a huge role in God's provision to keep me here. It's such a privilege to study God's Word, and I praise the Lord for it.

I'm excited to be one of seven students on "Campus Life" this semester, which entails planning and overseeing the social events for NTBI students. It's been really fun so far and I look forward to posting pictures of future functions. (This Friday evening is "Movie Night"...hurray for popcorn!! :)

Thank you for reading, and for praying. I've been thinking about the importance of prayer, conversing with the God of the universe. It's only possible because of the blood of Christ who leads us boldly into the Holy of Holies. Friends, we are so blessed to be in relationship with the Creator God! Praise Him for His grace.

In His Great Love,
Jenna