Now, before I begin I must tell you that I, in no way, ever intended to write a book but I am leaning in that direction. Maybe it is exactly the healing I need, or maybe it’s exactly what someone else needs to hear. For now, we will start here. Safely in our little community of blog readers and prayer warriors I will let the story that has broken me and is now building me unfold into your hands, and hopefully hearts. I am searching for something here, what I don’t know, but I am certain it’s at my finger tips. I have no skill in this, in fact, I am in a completely different profession, I am a guest room crafter, weekend hiker, a twice tried twice failed blogger ( third times the charm right?), and I have zero formal training in the art of story telling nor any college degree to speak of. This is purely “heart-driven” errr “written” rather.
I guess we start from the beginning?
On no particular day I started watching some of Steve Harvey’s “Ending Remarks” on Youtube. Let me tell you, If that man ever pastored a church I would attend. I’m in aw at how he can articulate his stories and sometimes even get away with saying things so bluntly most of us would be banned for but I believe that’s why we have a Steve Harvey. Someone needs to say those things.
One Story stuck out to me. Listening to him with his most convincing swagger, and provoking tone Steve dared me to do something. I love a good challenge. He dared me to write down a “Faith List.” Now Steve didn’t call it a “Faith List” in his speech but that is what I have resolved to naming it. This list was to attempt to be 300 items long of things that you are asking God for. The challenge? Well the first part was to get a list of 300 things … I am STILL working on this list and I’m at 100… ONLY 100! The second part of this challenge is to look back on what you’ve asked for in one year and see where God has taken you with this list. Whipping out my phone I started… Number one…
1. For my body to heal from broken leg (during this task I had taken a fall and broken my ankle and leg)
2. For My Husband to pass a certain test
3. To become debt free / financially free
4. To not become homeless ( basically not go back to an apartment)
5. To declutter our home of unnecessary “things”
6. To become more positive, again
7. To build / buy my parents a house.
8. To do something equally as big for my grandparents
9. To have meaningful relationships with my siblings
10. To have a baby and be healthy
11. To own a home with several acres… my dream house
12. To lose 100 pounds
13. To buy my parents their dream land and studio
14. To be able to tip a waitress or waiter $1000.00
15. To serve a better life with Christ
16. To attend church regularly with my husband
17. To love myself as much as I love others ( still working on this)
18. To love my job and continue to excel in it
19. To own my dream Toyota 4 runner… (you can laugh but that’s all I want in a dream vehicle.)
20. To start a YouTube channel or a podcast with my closest friends or create another strand of revenue for us somehow.
21. To take my DREAM Christmas cabin getaway vacation with family ( cheesy Hallmark movie style)
22. For mine and My husband’s marriage to last our lifetime
23. To grow very old with My Husband
24. To finish My Husband’s parents’ house and yard.
25. Be able to give all my siblings and Husband’s siblings a large sum of money for Christmas one year.
26. To gift my husband’s dad a new leg every time he needs one.
27. To send the children in my life to the schools of their choice
28. To build and amazing guest house on our land so our people can come anytime and stay as long as they need.
29. To reverse my PCOS
30. To be a successful human being ( ???)
31. To have a successful business
32. To remain a successful company who does not fail
33. To meet someone famous
34. To take a small set of our closest friends on vacation to our own island
35. Buy an RV with cash
36. Be able to retire comfortably
37. Have a successful company that sets our people up for retirement
38. Be able to send my kids to college
39. Be able to have myself and my husband retire at 50
40. Be able to send our employees on incentive trips and create incentive like we’ve dreamed about.
41. To provide opportunity for family to work for us if they choose.
42. To be comfortable and be able to pay cash for everything by 2024
43. To reduce stress in both husband and I
44. To be able to take a dream travel destination every year
45. To be able to give 20% to the church consistently!
46. For Husband and I have a strong walk of faith with each other and God at the center.
47. To be able to donate all of what parent’s need for ministry every year.
48. To reverse my high blood pressure
49. To reverse my high triglycerides
50. To never break another bone in my body
51. To never be divorced
52. To be able to make Husband happy always
53. To be able to encourage others with our lives
54. To never appear selfish (to never be selfish)
55. To help Dad and Mom (both sides ) retire on time
56. To convince parentals to go to the dentist and doctor for their health
57. To help Father finish his homestead
58. To be able to leave all nieces and nephews $50,000 when we die
59. To leave our children 1 million dollars each when we die
60. To be Dave Ramsey debt free by 2024
61. To lose 50 pounds by September 2023
62. To take an Alaskan cruise
63. To own over 1000 acres of “good land”
64. To become the next big influencer with my blog.
65. To own a flea market , a bed and breakfast, and an air bnb separate from some regular rental properties
66. To never have to “work” another day by age 40
67. To never experience a house fire
68. To have a music room
69. To own Grandparent’s old house free and clear by 2023
70. Start a dog rescue
71. Success in the career God is leading me to.
72. To retire Parent’s early. (all sides)
73. To make my positive mark in the lives of people for the glory of God.
74. To be the top in my field of work for as long as God allows.
75. To see the Grand Canyon
76. To attend a concert at Red Rocks Amp
77. To travel to New York
78. To travel to Wyoming, Montana, and Utah in one trip
79. To travel to Yellowstone National Park
80. To travel to Rome
81. To read half a million books in my life
82. To have a lucrative YouTube channel
83. To be able to pay cash for all purchases
84. To sing in stage one time
85. For Husband to stay healthy
86. For Husband not to break a bone
87. Buy Husband his dream truck.
88. Attend a Steve Harvey show (after all he inspired this list)
89. Move the mountain of divorce ( see scripture about moving “mountains” at bottom.)
90. Move the mountain of manipulation
91. Move the mountain of family and friendship destruction
92. Lord, bring Husband to the feet of Jesus
93. For Husband to come home to me
94. Restore and Redeem my marriage
95. For God to restore what we have lost
96. For a new love to be created between Husband and I , one that is everlasting
97. To find our purpose , as a couple … and use it to glorify The King, our Lord and savior.
98. God’s Will
99. God’s Timing
100. God’s Way
Now I only got to number 88 when I first illustrated this list. Some of these things sound silly, small, some impossible, but listen, I was just doing what Steve told me to do. He said no matter how great or small put it on the list and pray over it. One year from now look at back your list and mark the things off that God has done for you. Little did I know I would have numbers 89-100 soon.
As you can tell in the midst of this list my circumstances changed. Something that I am still very much praying for today in present time. Something that The Good Lord and I are still walking through together. But you know what the bible says.
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 NIV
The next line of that verse is something profound that God has been working through with me….
Until next time…
-Jess
Pickles & Praise 
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