Hey there!
I’m so excited you’re here and joining me on this journey. A little overwhelmingly excited actually! (That happens a lot if I’m being honest…) I’ve thought about writing a blog for years, but here we are! It’s finally becoming a reality. So here we go.
My name is Haley Janae. I’m a simple girl from a small town in the mid-west, and there is a lot I could tell you. But here are some of the basic, yet most important things…
I love Jesus. I grew up outside of Pella, Iowa ~ it’s a unique little Dutch town, full of churches, farmers, tulips, and really great food. A lot changed when my family moved to the Quad Cities, but it was the first of many times, that my eyes were opened to something new… something so much bigger. After high school, I graduated from Ashford University and continued my studies at Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas. I grew up learning about the LoRd my whole life, but I only started understanding what it was to KNOW Him when I started studying in Texas. It was there that I got to go further with Him, learn Him, and understand what it meant to walk with Him. Jesus is everything to me. He is who I follow. And He alone, is who I live for.
I love humans. I love the old, the young, and everyone in between. I’m the second of four biologically, but my family is so much bigger than that. Relationships are everything! I always knew I would go to college for psychology, but it didn’t take long to add a specialization of counseling and minors in criminal justice and sociology. On top of various ministry experiences in jails/prisons, refugee camps, and in downtown Dallas, I’ve taught swimming lessons for years, worked in a coffee shop, tutored students of all ages, assisted the elderly in a nursing home, and am now working as an activity coordinator at a daycare center for adults with Alzheimer’s and dementia. I’m happy as long as I’m working with, loving on, and being around people:)
And I love life. The glass is always half full. Laughter is a necessity. And traveling is a must. I’ve been blessed with many opportunities to travel overseas already, but I’ve always been most concerned with central Africa. After years of research, I finally got the opportunity to live in Uganda and partake in evaluating the impacts of war, but also to see what it would take to establish a trauma rehab center for young boys affected by war in South Sudan. After coming home, I finished college and started attending Christ for the Nations. It was there that the LoRd asked me to let Africa go temporarily, and open up my heart to the nations!
I cannot wait to see why.
