“Christianity did not become a movement that turned the world upside down because a guy named Paul was crazy, brave, adventurous, and bold and traveled the world to tell others about Jesus. That contributed, sure. But the world got turned upside down because there were thousands of people who loved Jesus – people we will never hear about or whose names we will never know – and they ate dinners with the people around them. They said hi to their neighbors. They lived as witnesses in their daily rhythms.” – Jefferson Bethke, To Hell With the Hustle
My friend, Katie, once told me, “Jez, your life is just one big dinner party!”
Wow. One big dinner party? I would be lying if I said the first image that popped into my head wasn’t a scene from the Hobbit or Lord of the Rings.
However, that statement has stuck with me ever since because:
1) That’s a huge compliment from the party girl herself
and
2) It rings much holier & eternal than the fellowship that the hobbits shared around the table.
It actually paints a picture of the dream that has been the very heartbeat of my soul.
A dream to create.
A dream to invite.
A dream to empower & teach.
A dream of Family.
A dream to create what?
There’s a beautiful scene in the newest film of “Little Women” that replays in my head a lot. It’s one that is so simple, but true. It’s the one where Beth, the 2nd youngest March sister, sits on the couch quietly on a Christmas morning as she watches her 3 sisters, mom, house maid & neighbors decorate, prepare and pest each other. Beth’s eyes gleam with gratitude, peace and joy as she soaks it all in (I mean, she did just survive a serious case of scarlet fever). Seconds later, her father, who had been off in the Union Army, finally returns home and the girls run and tackle him, releasing years of agony. In the beginning of the film, Beth expresses that her only wish was for her family to all be together, and in this scene, her wish is granted.
When I watch this scene, something inside me aches with how much I can relate to the deep joy that is felt in her heart when she looks around the room and is surrounded by her family.
It’s the same feeling I used to feel as a child every holiday or birthday as my huge, vivacious family gathered.
The same feeling I felt every night in Nepal as we sat together and listened to Papa lead us in prayer and devotions.
The way I would feel every night on the Camino as strangers from all over the world gathered at the table together to eat, share stories and learn from each other.
And the way I will always feel in the presence of my dear N squad.
If I had seen this movie before the Race, I would’ve resonated more with her sisters, Jo and Amy, and their dream to be a successful & acclaimed artist. I would’ve rolled my eyes at the lack of ambition Beth had outside of the family unit.
However, the more I sit at the feet of Jesus, the more I see the importance and holiness of the mundane.
The more I lean in to the Holy Spirit, the more I understand that it is not about what I do, but who I am becoming.
The more I seek the Father, the more I see his heart and desire for family.
That God is a family himself (the trinity) who creates family, and that that is His ultimate purpose.
To restore His family. To bring His children back to Him.
So to put it simple: I want to create Home. A safe space that overflows from the heart into the literal sense of the word. A community that cultivates safe spaces for people to come as they are, to be loved and to find healing and freedom. For people to know the Peace and Joy of Christ. A place where the presence of God abides. This will be my greatest form of Worship.
A dream to invite who?
I believe to invite is to love.
God loved us by inviting us back into communion with Him. The greatest gift we didn’t deserve.
The greatest invitation. The one yes that changed my life forever. The yes that overwhelmed me with love. A love that continues to save me.
John Mark Comer put salvation in a way that I never thought of.
He said that Salvation is about the healing and health of your soul as you come back into union with God the Father. To make you a son or daughter of God.
And if you’ve truly experienced God, you want every person to know this kind of love. This kind of healing of the soul.
So I will invite anyone and everyone so that they know this good news.
And I believe it starts with a simple invitation to the table.
A dream to empower & teach what?
I think this is the scary part. The area that I feel so inadequate and incapable of. If there’s anything I’ve learned in this season since I’ve last written to y’all, its that I struggle with walking in my own authority/leadership. I mentored/job coached youth and people with disabilities for 5 months and I’ve been nannying 5 girls under the age of 8 for almost 3 months now. During the best of times – COVID-19 (joking about the best part). Let me tell you, I will never look at teachers and stay at home parents the same! This is one of the hardest jobs.
But man, the Lord is crushing me in the most beautiful ways! He has used this season to take me into deeper levels of reliance on His peace, His patience and His grace. He is showing me what it means to lead by example and care selflessly to these little humans.
Before I ever knew I’d take on this role, the Lord had given me several dreams about children. Children that weren’t mine, but for some reason, I loved them as if they were my own – and their parents were always in the picture giving me their blessing to take them in.
I didn’t know what it meant then, but I think I understand it a bit more now. It goes back to that word: Mother.
Mother of nations. And I’ll now add: mother to the youth & generations to come.
I don’t know the specifics, nor will I try to guess what this dream will turn into. There’s no use in controlling anything. I’m sure we all know a little more about that now.
The world changes in an instant and things hardly go exactly as we plan, but the Lord will always have His way.
So, these are the things I do know for certain:
1. There is no true healing, love or freedom that is outside of Jesus.
2. I was made to worship Him. I desire to point people back to Him with my whole life. I want our home to be a house of Worship. His House.
3. The church, body of believers, Family of God – in all its expressions – is the most beautiful and powerful force on Earth when we truly walk in the way of our King. The simple, yet transformative way the Bible shows and tells us. When we, as the citizens, operate in love like His Kingdom is designed to. To free the oppressed, heal the sick and feed those in need.
If I can create, impart, teach and lead by example in these truths to any extent, then that’s all that matters. I truly believe that this generation is on the brink of seeing and living out new and true ways to reveal Jesus as King to our neighbors.
Now, you may be wondering, ok these are big dreams Jez. How the HECK is this going to happen? Where do you even start?
Ah, glad you asked. And even more glad that you made it this far because this is where it’s all leading to:
In September, I’ll be moving to Spain & interning at G42 Leadership Academy under the instruction/mentorship of the people who live Kingdom best in my biased opinion. (If borders close again due to the Pandemic, then we will relocate school to here in the US) ** Edit: Spain is def closed! So we’re going to Cleveland, Georgia! yeehaw!
“G42 Leadership Academy is a 9 month training program designed to transform, and equip, leaders to Establish the Kingdom of God around the world.” It’s for people who wish to plant churches, create missional communities (micro churches), a ministry or business. Its 3 months of instruction, 3 months on practicum in another country, and 3 months back in Spain to finalize and create a plan for the long haul.
Long haul, woah. I never thought I would say that. But, to this tribe (Kaylin, Oscar and Emely who are/will be the church with me), and to the Kingdom, there’s nothing I want more in life. A teacher I’ll be learning from said that they’re goal is to create a church that aims to make disciples, not converts or spectators – and that’s what we’re after. Let this be one big dinner party that only grows and never ends. Until we take our final seats as Sons and Daughters at the greatest feast in Heaven with Jesus himself!
The Lord Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies,
will host a rich feast on this mountain for all peoples—
a feast with plenty of meat and well-aged wine,
with an abundance of food and the finest of wine.
7 And on this mountain, he will destroy the shroud
wrapped around all the people, the veil spread over all nations.
8 It is the gloom of death!
He will swallow it up in victory forever!
And God, Lord Yahweh, will wipe away
every tear from every face.
He will remove every trace of disgrace
that his people have suffered throughout the world,
for the Lord Yahweh has promised it!
9 In that day they will say,
“Behold! This is our God!
We’ve waited for him, and he saved us!
This one, the Lord Yahweh—he is worth the wait!
We will keep shouting with joy
as we find our bliss in his salvation-kiss!”
Isaiah 25: 6-9
Love,
Jezebelle
Ways to partner with/support this dream:
1. Read for yourself about the mission of G42. It’s an incredible sister organization of Adventures in Missions (the missions organization I went on the World Race through).
https://www.generation42.org/the-school
2. Tuition is $10,000. I thought long and hard at the prospect of having to fundraise again. As you know, I didn’t enjoy doing it for the Race, but it showed me the beauty of community and how the Kingdom of God works. So this time is different. I truly see it as an investment and a partnership. If you would like to partner/support financially, you may here at this link: https://kingdomlifecoaches.secure.force.com/pmtx/dn8n__SiteDonation?id=a1t3i000000MEfW
or you can Venmo me at: @lovejezebelle
3. Prayer. Does this mean that I will be pursuing full time ministry? Missions? Or doing this in addition to a job? I guess those are things I am not completely sure about yet, and a huge part of why I’m going – to figure it out and to see what the Lord reveals and where He leads this church to be. This is the biggest prayer I’d love for y’all to join me in. I envision many things that this can turn into, so I’m really just letting the Lord lead me in it. Also, feel free to ask any questions you’d like. I’d love to share more about this dream with you, personally. I honestly can go on about it forever.
Thank you times a million for your support. I am incredibly excited.
