FARGO

So Fargo has treated me VERY well since arriving here back in September... it amazes me how fast time really does fly. I mean honestly it feels like yesterday when I was a JH leader at my old church on a missions trip, or going on the CHALLENGE trip to Salt Lake City, UT. or sitting on the dock fishing, tubing with the family, and hanging out with extended family. and all sudden it is 8 months past and here I am. its CrAzY how life works isn't it? 

Well I am staying with a family friend who has three boys and they are expecting their fourth.. it has been a lot of fun, early mornings(which aren't fun), wrestling(or "wrasling" as the young cowboys that i stay with call it), trips to the General Store(when the boys are good and I buy them a piece of candy), or trips to Scheels(the place I work) to ride the ferris wheel, or do some practice hunting, or get some fudge... there is so much to do. I have bought over ten goldfish all with names ranging from Bob to Lucy to Bubble face to Tom & Jerry. lol. I have jumped off the top of the roof into way over 8 feet of snow, got my car stuck so many times I cant remember how many, lived through SO many blizzards... and discovered that pouring black coffee on your windshield is a quick fix to deicing it. but than will freeze over with brown ice... how nice. not. I have found out a lot of random things like that though. But overall I have not regreted moving up here for this short time. I have met some amazing people that I am sure will be life long friends and who knows I may just end up moving up here someday. That is if I can withstand the cold/wind/blizzards... but who knows... which if you think that Seattle is horrible for wind you should come to Fargo, and if you think that Minnesota is worse than any other state for snow... you haven't even seen it. 

I have learned a lot though since being here.. and a lot of it has to do with the church I have been going to. As most of you know, I left the church my family went to because I did not feel at all that I belonged there and that God wanted me somewhere else. I did not get along with many people at that church, nor did I agree with anything that was going on there. Not to say that the church was HORRIBLE cause it wasn't completly horrible, it just was defintly NOT the church for me. Ever since my family decided to go there when I was 15 I felt out of place. The people my age did not accept me for who I was and thought less of me since I went to a public school, which shouldn't be. So when I turned 18 I decided to leave, and I found a much better church for me. I was a JH leader and really thought things were falling into place(finally) and I LOVED saturday nights because thats when the single group would meet and I got SO much out of those nights, more than I ever had at any church. It was amazing. My notes became really deep those nights expecially and now since moving up here for this short term, my notes have gotten deeper. The church I am attending defintintly would not have been my first pick, only due to my misconception that all Baptist churches are the same. But I have learned a lot from the messages that have been preached and from the people here. I defintly have a different background than most of the people up here but I have learned to accept that and to learn from them. At first it was a major struggle to say the least but it has been becoming easier. Thankfully.  Also the family I am staying with could be nothing better,(except if the boys didn't wake me up every morning at 5:30 to play with them) but they have treated me as if I were their daughter. It has been amazing. and I will be eternally thankful for them. Anywho.. I have been working at a place called Scheels... and I was a cashier from October till the end of December, in which I was promoted to the Visa Booth getting people to sign up for Visas. It was cool from Oct. to Dec. I broke all the Scheels company records of having the most visas sold. It was pretty amazing, considering they have been in buisness since 1902 and I have broken those records. It was pretty amazing to be promoted to. I work for such a great store. I really hope that someday I will be able to come back either to Fargo, or when I eventually move out to Montana and work at least part time at Scheels. Which another cool thing about Scheels is that they are a Christian based company, another thing that God provided me with is a great job that was Christian based. Anywho. besides all that... I have been working/babysitting/sleeping/going to church everytime I can and hang out with the lovely Madison ALL the time.... she will def. be one that I keep up with hopefully for the rest of my life. and thats about my life here in Fargo in a nut shell...

wow.

So I just noticed that it has been a LONG time since I have last blogged. A lot has happened since July. For one thing my mom had a major unexpected heart surgery that went much better than could have ever hoped for. She healed fast, and the surgery even though it took a very long time went very well. She is in great health and better than ever. In other news I did a medical study on sleeping pills in September through October and it went really well. It really helped my sleeping habits, due to me not sleeping well the past two years, it really kicked it in the butt and I haven't slept better. When I was doing the Medical study it was in Fargo, ND and I was able to stay with a family friend and their three boys. They ended up asking if I would stay longer and nanny their boys for food and rent and whatever else. I thought and prayed about it, and I accepted. I am still currently living with them until April 11th when I will return to good old New Hope, MN, before I leave for Spring School in England. Which is another thing that I should probebly mention. I am going there from the middle of April to the end of June. I will be studying the Bible everyday, learning about the history of the church, different books of the Bible and their authors, and other such things. After that I plan on touring some days in London. I am really looking forward to meeting new friends and really studying the Bible intensly. Please pray for others that are going and that are there right now that they will be impacted and take as much away from it as they can and so will I. Also pray that when everyone returns to their homes from being there that we will not only be changed but also be able and wanting to change other peoples lives as well and that God will be able to speak through us clearly. Thanks! 

I have found my time in fargo to be great. I have really got a lot out of the messages that the Pastor preaches here at Fargo Baptist. It defintly would not have been my first church to pick from since I have moved away from the Baptist setting a while ago and did not see myself going back so fast to a Baptist church. But I will say that I am very happy that I have been attending there due to some great messages and things that I have gotten out of the messages, as well as really close friendships... 

I hope that all is well for everyone. I miss everyone at home, as well as everyone that is elsewhere. There is more to come about everything in Fargo.

Update about England!!

So I do have a major update about what I am going to be doing this coming fall... 

as many of you know I was planning on moving to Montana sometime this summer... not with my family, just out on my own, work there and rent an apartment for a year to get residency rights and then go onto MSU(Montana State University)... if I was not accepted into England's Torchbearer School.... but on Monday, April 14th my mom called me saying that I had recieved an envelope from Capernwray, at the time I was   out with Lacey finding her a prom dress... So I waited till I got home to open it. I was actully very nervous that I would find that I was not accepted, and prepared for the worst. But I got home, sat on my bed, and prayed that God would give me strength either way. When I opened the letter I read "OFFICAL ACCEPTANCE LETTER" it was amazing! God has really answered my prayers and those who have been praying about this as well!!

  I am planning on going to the school.. it starts September 27th and ends March 10th. But I will be leaving sometime early September 20th something so that I can catch up on the whole 9 hour difference. and tour around the school with people that are going there as well. 

  There is already a bunch of people that I have recently gotten/getting to know that are going this year to the same school. It really is amazing too see how thrilled we are all, and how much we all want to get out of this!! It is going to be a once in a lifetime experience!! I really want to thank Zack Schlottman, one of my closest guy friends for telling me about it, and Savannah. She was a former Caper student, and has answered so many questions and been there so much! It truly is an answer to prayer.

I am unsure as to when I will be coming back, it is only a one year school... unfortuntly. but I am planning on only going to the winter school. but I may end up going to the spring school as well!! who knows I am really just giving it to the Lord.

I really need a second job, to raise money. All in all I need about $7000 more that will pay for everything. But please just pray that I am able to get enough money before hand, cause the last thing I want to do is take out a student loan. 

Thanks for all those who have prayed, and thought about me and everything that is going on with this and other things lately it is truly a blessing!!!!

Oh and for all those who know me... this DOES mean that I WON'T be DRIVING for at least 7 months... to me that kinda stinks... okay a lot!! but to the rest of you... you probebly all started laughing and said I can finally drive without worrying about running into Jessica... haha. in all seriousness though... thanks to everyone who has been there for me, praying for me, and thinking about this!!! I really appreciate it!

Major Career Change.....

So since I was in 9Th grade I have wanted so badly to build and own my own coffee shop in Columbus Montana, and have a place to call all mine. It would be located in Columbus, Montana. Literally within 50 feet of the Yellowstone River, and all around you all you can see at the end is mountains, the Bear tooth Mountains, Sleeping Giant, Red lodge, etc... I have had everything, and i mean everything, down to the colors of the walls, and decorations... everything. I even have a whole note book, full of the different flavors, types of drinks, names of drinks, etc... But in the last month I have been praying more and more about what God wants me to do. 

Honestly I don't think God is calling me to be a coffee shop owner. In fact I believe he is calling me to become part of the Law Enforcement, and train to become a Cop. Ever since I remember I have wanted to be the Police Officer who helped people in times of hurt, growing up I remember more good things said than bad about cops. I now know that there is a lot to commit to, and yes my life can be on the line for a great deal of the job, but think about it, all of our lives are on the line. We don't know when we will die, if we will be hit by a car, or shot randomly, or die of a rare disease unknown to us. I do know that yes, it may be riskier, but I am not in it so that I can go on high speed chases and get paid for it, I am in it to make it so that what the kids of today and tomorrow will be growing up in a safer community such as the one that I grew up in. I really feel the desire and need to become a cop. Ever since I was little my neighbor Ryan and I would watch the shows: Cops, AMW, and other related shows. We grew up respecting the police officers not hating them. I want to be there when there is a car crash and I am the first on seen, and to help in anyway I can to any degree I can. I have witnessed car crashes, and have been in one myself, and trust me those cops who helped me when I totaled my car, really cared as to how I felt, and asked if they could help in any way. I really believe this is where God wants me. 

I was talking to my cousin Chad, who lives currently in Montana, and he said that the U of M(Montana) has a excellent cop training program and that I should live and work full time, and take part time classes there, for the first year and go full time after that so I would save thousands on my college bill for living in Montana, I am highly and seriously considering this, and I think that it would be very beneficial to my life.  

If you get a chance to pray for me in this area that would be great!  

England!!!!!

So as most of you know, I am just waiting for the acceptance letter from England. If you haven't heard already I will tell you what's up. In January I was out with one of my close friends and he told me that he knew of a college in England it is through the Capernwray Bible Schools(Torchbearer Bible College) he had found out from a girl that went there, last year. We then met along with one of my best girlfriends to find out more about the school itself and every other question we could think of. Here are some of the details:

I would be leaving sometime in August(most likely the middle of August) and we(my friend Stephanie Serakos, and Lacey Wabshaw(who is still deciding if she(Lacey) thinks this is where she should go next year)) Once we arrive we are going to tour around the college about 2-3 hours in the west, north, east, and south directions to see what is around the college(since we can leave the college and either take a train, bike, walk, etc... to any town) so we are going to see what is around so we know where to go if we want to get out and about. Also there is one Starbucks but it is a ways a way. Since England's currency is pounds and not dollars, and since the American dollar is so weak, that the price of  a small latte is $8.00(in American currency). So it looks like Steph, Lacey, and I are all going to stop our coffee addiction, but I am getting used to straight black coffee... so it's all good. 

Also the college does not look at your grades from the college you currently attend, or high school. They solely go by the references that you have, so you have two people be your references.(which they literally check yes/no answers to the questions.) It is kinda of funny though, there is a 25 pound non-refundable processing fee, which converts to $36.69 dollars here in America.. haha. But the cool thing is, is that if if the England school is too full, I can always apply for the same school in one of the many countries that this school has schools...(The countries are: Germany, Greece, Australia, Austria, New Zealand, Canada, Costa Rica, Albania, France, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and then there are two in the US, one in Colorado, and one in Texas). So your probably wondering why I want to go to England. Well the reason being is that I have always wanted to go to England, and this way there is a plane company called Ryan Air, and they literally cost under $20(American currency) to take a plane to Italy, France, anywhere in Europe. 

There are two different terms one from September till March("Winter Term") and one from March till May("Spring Term") I am planning on going to the Winter term. I would have a month for Christmas Break, and during that time I would more than likely travel around Europe with Steph and Lacey(if she comes) and if we decide otherwise we would come home(to the states) due to the fact that we are not allowed to stay on campus, because they hold different events that are planned ahead of time there, unless we want to work.. which I don't plan on doing. 

It costs roughly 8,000 for tuition for the Winter Term. Which really is not that bad. It includes, meals at the college, room, and board, as well as class materials, etc.. The reason the cost is so low, is because everyone who attends participates in daily chores, which is the basic chores that you do around your house, cleaning the bathrooms, or cleaning the dishes, etc... It is only a one year college, so I wouldn't be staying longer than that. But I think that it is plenty of time to get away and experience a different part of the world, and still be able to go to a Bible college!!  Also the cool thing is you would think that over in England they may be lacking in technology and have really old computers, but they have only Apple's over there. Which is great, especially for me since I have a Mac, so if I have technical problems, I can get help with it. 

Also another cool thing is that while the term is in session, everyone takes a 10 mission trip to anywhere from 10 miles from the school till Britain, or the Wales. There is no extra cost for that since it is included in the tuition for the term.

As far as dorms go: The guys, sleep in the same place the whole term, where as the girls are guaranteed at least one half of the term in the castle, but it is a possibility that you may get the second term in the castle, if not there is another dorm in the castle. 

As far as sports go there are tennis courts, a volleyball court, and soccer this is outdoors, indoors there is a heated swimming pool, sauna, sports hall, climbing wall, and table tennis room.

This school emphases on teaching their students more and more about the books of the Bible, missions, and other related issues, there are no classes, but rather there are lectures. 

After the Winter term ends in the middle of March, we plan on backpacking through Europe. I am super excited about that since I have always wanted to go backpacking through Europe, and go to England, Italy, Spain, Ireland, etc...

So I am just waiting to hear a reply from the college, which will be in about a month or a little longer than a month. I would really appreciate your prayers, as this all unfolds!! I really believe this is where God wants me! If you want to know anything or have any questions please feel free to ask, I don't mind at all!! 

Jess

The website is as follows:

www.capernwray.org.uk/euroschools/index.html

a random day in the life of a coffee addict...

I wake up to a phone call from Liz and she is wondering if we are still on for today(lunch with her and ash) I say YES! then i fall back asleep.. haha.. she then picks me up and we go to armstrong... to pick up ash of course, as we wait for her, Liz becomes way to hiper..lol.. and starts taking random pictures of her car... her dashboard, mirror, seats, etc... so then comes ash and she also brings along chelsey and bre. As I hand my camera to ashley(like I do everytime, for no reason at all), they(chels, ash, and bre) become all of a sudden hiper. haha.. interesting combo.. and liz and I talk about our last car rides, and liz trying to stay focused.. haha. then we stop at pancheros... where we order.. I do have to say that I ordered two tacos that were $5 and they were the tiniest tacos I have ever seen they were at the most 6 inches long... great... after trying to eat really fast, so that the girls would be back to school on time and I would be back in time for work... Bre randomly took very very funny, but random pictures..lol.. and so we rushed back, but while we were about to drive away after dropping the girls off, chels... dropped her stuff... haha...it was a sight to see.. and then liz and i sped away.. well liz did. I was dropped off at my house... and while I was there I thought since I always get really thirsty at the bank, I would brew some coffee and put it in a big water bottle so I would have enough...so while the coffee(which normally I don't like straight black coffee, but this stuff is really good, it is called Manogany, from Caribou) and I filled up the 34 ounce(Yes I filled it to the top) water bottle... haha.. the people at the bank thought I was insane, and that I wouldn't be able to finish the whole thing... but I did,... and now the coffee is just kicking in... only 8 hours later... of course.. hahha... lol.. anyways... then I went to see an old friend (emily) that goes to Bethel College, and that was in adventure in itself, I mapquested it, and I ended up mapquesting a different bethel... and needless to say ended up in the bad part of St. Paul... finally I found a gas station, in which, no one knew where Bethel College was, and a random guy said he knew where I was going, then he asked where I was going and I said Bethel College, and he said oh I don't know where that is... and then he(the same guy that said he knew where I was going, and then said he didn't know) wanted to me to believe him when he said that the capitol of Minnesota was really a "very fancy college"... he said he had only been in the states for a few months, and that he already thought very highly of the colleges here... I tried to explain to him that it was the state capitol... but he just wouldn't believe me.... so I left, and I called emily, and thankfully she helped me out... around 10 phone calls later to emily, and I was at Bethel... then I took a tour of her dorm, and met her roommates, we then went to Arbys.. had a great time there, an stayed till it closed... I do have to say I had a very interesting day. But I had a lot of fun! : )

my "date"(rachel's hockey game)

The evening started off with me picking up fries from wendy's on the way to Matthew Nyquist's house...(for those who don't know matthew... he is 5 and he is the brother to two of my friends...).. so anyways... I drove over to his house, and then on the way to the hockey game(which was in Blaine) and on the way there I had to keep quiet... cause matthew said that you can't watch Polar Express without "shushhing"(being quiet)... so we finally arrived at the game, and the first thing matthew did once we got in was to go play the "Hunting" game... he was actully pretty good.. amazing how a gun and a game, even without any money can entertain a little kid for a very, very long time... I went and got coffee while he got a sponge bob popsicle.. haha. We then went and bought $5 dollars worth of pucks to throw on the ice after the 2nd period... to try to win some big bucks(needless to say we didn't win...) and matthew had to much candy for his own good.. running around like little boys do.. but I think I made alot of the other fans deaf... I was cheering for Rach so loud... hahaa.. it was an intense game... one hit after another... the Blaine girls tripped, cheated, threw fists like no other... but the girls from Rach's team(including rach) took it well considering the circumstances.. haha.. oh boy... then the game ended with the score at 3-0(with Blaine winning). We left to go home, and matthew turned to me and said... our next date... we are going to go sledding, get some hot cocoa, and then go watch veggie tails in the movie theater.. how more romantic can you get?? lol.. haha.. oh boy...

In the last year....

So as I sit here thinking about what I should right I need to thank Jon Lundy for helping me get started on the whole blogging thing. 

So here I go... In the last year things have been pretty busy, and not only busy, but very crazy... I will give you a rundown of what happened... hope fully you don't get to bored..

Well it was offically the year I graduated.. along with 500 other people in my graduating class. I think after having beat the Junior girls in powder puff 36-0, having the boys basketball on their way to the state championship, running between hockey, football, soccer, and all the other sports that I loved to watch, there was also the craziness of being in the highest band, with the expectation of being the best of the best, from marching band, to pep band, the Orchestra hall concert, and other various concerts as well as a earlier trip to Hawaii. Along with being a nanny full time of a five year old hiper girl, who insisted that she drank coffee everyday(and she shocked me when she really did drink a whole mug of coffee), many church activites, running the siblings around, and of course getting together with friends you can defintly say that I was living life in the fast lane. Although on January 11th everything seemed to come to a complete stop. One of my close friends Chris, who I had went to middle school, and high school with, worked with at target for more then a year, and was in various classes tried to end his life that day. After going through a day and knowing that I had not been that great of an encouragment or that I could have been a greater friend or anything from making him end his life the way he did. Yes life is tough, and yes God gives you trials, but He will get you through them, and He will always be with you. Thankfully Chris was a Christian, but it is still hard for me to imagine that it has been a year without his friendly smile, his laugh, and his whole persona. I miss the kid a lot, there isn't a day that has gone by that I haven't thought of him. But through it, I have been able to witness to people I didn't think I would even have a chance to talk to about day to day things. It has been amazing to see how many people I have been able to get to know better. It was also neat to see at the funeral that the church was so full that there was no room anywhere else to fit anymore people. 

But then things started up, and life went on and I was once again busy with everything.... I started filling out college applications and trying to decide what college I wanted to attend. I decided on going to North Hennepin Community College to get my generals done, and then transfer to who knows where to get my small buisness degree so I can open my own coffee shop in Columbus, Montana. After some weeks the Boys varisty basketball team went to the state championship and only being seconds and literally couple points off the boys placed 2nd at state! : ) then came the spring concert, and then Graduation... I walked down to get my diploma and shake hands with about the 10 people that I was "suppossed to know" such as officals and other head people of the Robbinsdale School District. As I was walking down to get my diploma I was remenising over the last 18 years of my life, granted I only remember at the most 15 of them, I remember being one of two girls who would play football with the boys, get dirty and then wanting to tackle who ever I could to get the ball. then middle school flashed in my mind, of the akward gym classes that took place with the random gym teachers... and then high school, which went by way to fast... and then walking to get that diploma.. wow, seriously where did those years go? Then came graduation parties, saying goodbye to a close friend who went off to West Point. It was hard to say goodbye, but it had to be done. Summer came and went like a blink of an eye, from helping out as a counselor at elementry camp, going to senior high camp, going on a missions trip to NY. and also doing other off things around and of course hanging out at the pool almost everyday, and working alot, the coming college semester approched without warning. I began working at Mountain Mudd a coffee shop in that is family owned in August.. and also at US bank. I was working way too much for my own good( around 80-90 hours a week, and going to college part time) thankfully I was getting good grades. But I ended at Mountain Mudd in November. I then started working at Caribou in December and I absoultly love it. I have amazing people to work with and things are going great. Christmas was spent at my grandparents house(mom's side) due to the fact that it was more then not our last time saying our final goodbye to my grandpa who is serverly dying from Lukemia. Thankfully my grandpa is a Christian and has been a pastor for over 40 years. It is still hard to think though that he is going to not be there to be the pastor who marries me to the love of my life(whoever that may be), see my future kids(if God chooses to give me kids someday) grow up, or anything else that happens. But I know that God has given him a purposed life, and that he has done nothing short then living it to the fullest for God's glory, which ceases to amaze me everyday. I am also thankful that this year that Brittni(my sister) and I have been able to grow alot closer. The year ended with some great family friends, going bowling, pizza, and then to their house(Schlottman's) then being in a very small room with about 10 kids(8 of them being boys) all under the age of 12, with plastic arrows and fake guns going off and ping pong balls being thrown across the room at you... it was halarious but very chaotic. But to really say we ended the new year, the four oldest kids, Zack, and Ben Schlottman, and Brittni and I went to perkins and celebrated to say the least New Years! It was quite a fun time... So far this has been a start to another fun filled and hectic schedule year. But I am thankful that I have such amazing friends and family! 

For those who read this whole thing.... congrats... good job on getting through this entire long version of this past year... sorry there are no rewards... lol... haha