come ALL.

Come all you weary with your heavy loads

Lay down your burdens find rest for your souls

Cause MY yoke is easy MY burden is kind

I'll TAKE yours upon me and you can take MINE

THRICE. {come all who are weary}

I am weary.

These teenagers are burdened with the pressure to be of the world in which they do not belong. 

Our Father God WANTS to take our burden. LONGS to take our burden. 

but do we give it to Him?

Recently our team has been studying the crucifixion of Jesus in Mark 15, and something struck me. Did Jesus ever tell the disciples that his soon death was referred to as, "the cruelest and most hideous punishment possible." 

He surely told them he would die, but why not how?

Did Jesus hold information from them to protect them from carrying a burden that was not theirs to carry? 

to save them from their earthly struggle to gain control? 

The same Jesus that protected, loved, and gently guided them through His perfect plan; is the same Jesus that WANTS my burden. 

So why do I hold on so tight?

FRIENDS & FAMILY.

These past months have been filled with great triumph and great empathy. As you get to know high school students, you start to see their struggles through different eyes. They don't just dress a certain way or speak a certain way to get attention. They are crying to be heard. The stores of these girls are filled with past hurts and deep pain that the only the Lord alone can carry. As I walk this journey with them, I realize that the most valuable thing i can teach these girls is to go to their Heavenly Father and lay their burdens at HIS feet.

We have been in Judson High school for 2 month now and have seen opportunities to serve left and right! We attend their FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) every Thursday and hear students share their heart and passion for our Creator. We are hoping to start a food drive in 2011, as well as picking up trash in and around the campus on a regular basis. Teaching these kids how to serve their teachers and school first and foremost, is an excellent way to be doers of the Word instead of just hearers. After FCA we help in the special needs classroom where we made french toast last week! Their teacher is a Christian and says he has been praying for sometime for help in his classroom. We have already prayed with him and another teacher in his classroom! What an answer to our prayers. It feels so nice to be in the classroom again.

One student in particular stands out, Amanda. She is a 14 year old swimmer who whats to shine for Jesus in any and every way possible. We are in the process of discussing a bible study among her peers, and she continues to amaze me with her drive towards Christ. Swimming is her life. She practices twice a day everyday except Sundays and Saturday night. It is her everything.The other day she was at a doctors appointment where she found out she shrunk 1/2 inch from her scoliosis. She quite possibly will need surgery. Her response to the news the doctor told her was, "If I have to have surgery I'll be out of the water for a year. So that scares me really bad. But what if I do. And God is using that to teach me I can glorify him in other ways. I was thinking maybe I could go on a missions trip. I've always wanted to." She gets it. She is choosing to give the Lord her burden because it is to heavy to carry alone, and in that she finds joy.

Thank you for your constant encouragement and prayers. I am continually sharing your stories and the verses you send me. Please pray that I would REST in our Fathers sweet embrace and give Him the burdens these young ones are carrying. That I would put my first priority in finding my time with Him to be useful for Him. That these students would be still and know that He alone is God, and He alone is their Rock, Redeemer,Immanuel, Prince of Peace, Comforter, Shepherd, and our perfect Abba. Praise be to our Father who sent such a precious gift to die so that we may live.

Live loved in His easy Yoke and sweet embrace friends,

Jessica.

Christopher speaking to the High School at Journey!

GIRLS night.

OH ISRAEL.

God will provide. He always does.

-Mary, our new homeless friend

 .this is her response when we asked her if she needed anything.

Friends & Family.

As I write this, I am in complete AWE of the Lord. Today I received an email from Hume Lake, a camp I worked at for 4 summers. In 2008 I did not cash a check for $512.54, and they would like to get my address and resend it to me. I cannot even begin to  express what perfect timing this is. I am taking online classes through UCSD extension to renew my teaching credential, and did not know where I was going to get money to pay for my next class. I also was in need of some new running shoes, and was figuring out how I could put all my gift cards together to buy some. 

God will provide. He always does.

Today we entered into Judson High School to fill out volunteer forms. These forms be will processed in the next 48 hours. This means by Wednesday morning, after breakfast tacos with our students, we can join them at school. This also makes us open to tutor, join with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and start community recycling projects. All this happened within one hour. Four days prior God really stirred within our team a longing to bring ourselves back onto our knees, giving up what we thought we could do on our own. We worshiped and then when we felt God say we were ready, we prayed. During prayer we felt called to pray around the school. So we did. During that time, our youth pastor was in a meeting with the Judson school counselor where she said she would personally set up a orientation for us.

God will provide. He always does.

In the beginning of October we as a team signed up for specific Sundays to teach a lesson to the Middle School and High School group. I signed up for Romans 8, and felt God calling me to involve students. My host brother, Christopher, is 15 and has natural leadership qualities and a zeal for the Lord so I of course asked him! As the weeks of preparation went on, he began to take the lead. This past Sunday, Christopher lead the entire teaching for both services. As a result students have already approached the youth pastor about possibly teaching as well. His sister, Amanda, loves the Lord with such an amazing passion. She does not pray out loud, even when it is just the family because she is really shy. God called me to ask her to pray before Chris spoke. She did! For both services, she got in front of the entire youth group and talked with her creator with such boldness.

God will provide. He always does.

Two weeks ago we had a Girls Night that combined all the Oak Hills churches. Over 200 girls arrived, and at Journey Fellowship we brought 30 girls. That is the biggest amount of kids that have ever signed up for a youth event. One of our junior high students heard about the Lord's grace and mercy, and became a Christian that very night. We also had a sleepover with our girls which brought honesty, vunerability, and irreplaceable conversation. Through this God opened doors for me to start a small group with four girls that want to give out of the overflow in their life, but recognize that they first must be filled.

God will provide. He always does. 

"In repentance and rest is your salvation, In quietness and trust is your strength....."

ISAIAH 30:15

 The part that I often want to leave out is the end of the verse that says, "But you will have none of it." The Lord is reminding Israel of where true strength lies, yet they want nothing to do with it. I am Israel. So often I try on my own. I feel the need to make things happen, and move onto the next. Yet my strength should be quietness and trusting. If I am reading that correctly, none of that involves me making something happen that I think should. God does not change. His promises are always true. In those moments when I trust. I see strength. In those moments I am quiet. I am at peace. IN THOSE MOMENTS. I see.....God will provide. He always does.

Your prayers are treasured deep within my heart. Your notes of encouragement reach further then you will ever know. Thank you for sharing in the wonderful works of our Father. Please continue to pray for discernment as students let us into their lives. Pray for total and utter reliance on the Lord as a team and individuals. 

Holy. Holy. Holy is the Lord God Almighty. 

Jess

(If you would like to check out my blog http://jwonser.blogspot.com/  I will upload a small video of Christopher teaching and post pictures of Girls Night.)

Judson Football.

Trent. Hannah. Jenny. Ashley. & Me.

Pickles at the Football game...When in Texas....

FREEDOM.

Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery around you. I am emphatic about this. The moment any of you submits to circumcision or any other rule-keeping system, at that same moment Christ's hard-won gift of FREEDOM is squandered.

galations 5. 1-2

So often I find myself taking up my yoke of slavery because it is all I know. Comfort is a big motivation to remain stagnent. In this verse I realize that who Christ sets free from sin & everything that encompasses it, is FREE. HE alone makes me worthy and makes me useful. As soon as I try to take up what or who the world tells me I should be is the same moment I claim that I am not free. If I can encourage any of you in this season it would be: live loved and know that who Christ sets free; is FREE indeed. Nothing and no one can claim your worth besides Christ alone, and when HE calls....GO.

FRIENDS & FAMILY.

As I read over that verse more and more I smile realizing the simplicity of loving Christ like a child. When you tell a child they are free, they never question. Through these last couple of weeks I have found myself asking questions like: "Why have we not gotten into the school yet?" or "When am I going to get any opportunities to have a true vulnerable conversations with students I have just met?"

Through these questions God has allowed so many pivotal moments to conspire, reminding me, yet again that HE is alone is GOD. Case is point: the Judson High School Football coach, Jim Rackly, is a Christian. Through different contacts we were able to meet up with him. He told us that the Lord has given him the gift of coaching, therefore he uses every opportunity to be a light in a very dark place. In that he has the entire team sit through a devotion every Friday. You could only imagine the look on our faces when we sat through one of these devotions where every young man listened with attentive ears. In two to three weeks, we will get to lead those devotions! We get the opportunity to speak to 60 high school boys about the Lord in a public high school. God alone makes these things possible. 

Please pray that we continue to be available for any and every moment God wants to use us. Pray for open hearts and doors while we prepare and deliver the devotion.

Our new High School Gathering at Journey Fellowship has been able to see a consistent 30 students come every week. There is a couple of girls I have been able to chat with outside of church prior to our new gathering. As I sat with these girls the first night and asked them to fill out cards with their information, I felt prompted to share my story. With the Lord's perfect timing a few of them opened up about the brokeness they face on a daily basis.

Please pray that I would not rush any emotion, but listen with a open heart. Also that I would seek wisdom and insight on how to best encourage these beautiful girls.

Some other God ordained moments include: meeting several other students at Judson through my host family, starting a breakfast club on Wednesday mornings right next to the school where just this past week a boy asked "what is the meaning of life?", meeting three new girls that faithfully serve in the kids ministry and hopefully being able to serve alongside them,  having a high school student say she feels the Lord's presence when I am around-Thank you Holy Spirit!-, and sharing dinner with our homeless friend Mark who asked if he could pray for us as a team!

I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to boast of the Lord's goodness. Thank you for the encouragement that you have sent through letters, emails, and phone calls. The Lord has used those to remind me of His great LOVE.

As I share all the new memories I realize what the joy of the Lord is exemplified through. It is found in the moments we know we are FREE and dare to live it out.

love you all,

jessica.

Our San Antonio Hub Team. We are in a total of five different High Schools.

Fishers of Men.

MARK 1:17-18

'And Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you BECOME fishers of men." IMMEDIATELY, they left their nets and followed HIM.'

How often do we read something, but never take the time to dwell and process through its purpose. I have read this section of scripture everyday this past week, and not until Thursday did I truly dwell. Why did they leave everything that they held important to follow someone who said "Follow Me"? All who follow the Lord know that it was the understanding that there is something greater than ourselves. I want my life to be defined by someone who immediately responds to the Lord's calling, wherever it takes me. I want to become and abide in my Heavenly Father to become a fisher of men.

Friends & Family.

We have just finished our last week of Foundational Training. In that we listened to 37 different sermons, learned the basics of teaching, preaching, and mentoring, and studied four different ways to study God's Word through P'shat, Remez, Drash, and Sod. Needless to say it has been a busy three weeks! At our commissioning ceremony I was asked to speak in front of all the families that Hosted each apprentice. I shared my "GO" story, and realized that this is just one of many moments that I will get to proclaim the Lord's faithfulness. They also asked me to appear on a radio show with some other teammates on Sept. 11th! I am in awe of all the opportunities that have come my way already.Tomorrow we start our first day in the church office at Journey Fellowship, and I am so excited to put to test what I have learned. 

Last Saturday I moved into my permanent host home, the Cofields, and they are absolutely amazing! They remind me so much of my family it's crazy. I have my own little apartment where I can truly focus and retreat. They are extremely musical and are constantly praising the Lord with their gifts. My first night here they prayed over me and my eyes filled with tears in recognition of how blessed I am. A huge smile just came over my face as I again realize that every need has been met in abundance!

We are yet to hear from Judson High School in reference to our admittance, but our team has not taken a backseat to our commitment to these students. Just today we spent time walking around the school praying over each student that will enter its doors. We know that greater is HE who is in us than he who is in the world. My prayer for these next couple of weeks is that we would live a life of expectancy of what the Lord will do in this school. Sometimes it is so hard to not just go volunteer to coach something just to get into the school, but I know my work would be in vain if it is not the Lord's timing. Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord (I try to remind myself that!)

Almost every single day this week I have received a letter from someone back at home. I cannot begin to describe how encouraged I am by this. I even had a teammate that asked me, "How did you get so many people to send you stuff?" to which I responded, "My community and fellowship is so incredibly wonderful at home! The Lord knew I needed this!" Thank you to all of you that have diligently prayed for our team and the ministry. I have grown weary at times while driving the team members from house to house (some days my commute was 4 hours total each day). Your letters and prayers remind me that even the little things should be done with a joyful heart unto the Lord.

Please continue to pray for open doors to Judson.

Pray for soften hearts on our team so we can best serve the Lord.

Pray for a servants heart while I drive and struggle through my personal pride.

Pray for the Lord's love to abound in our actions.

Each of you are treasured in my heart, and I literally could not do this without your support. 

You are the Lord's hands and feet.

Jessica.

my going away party.

Thank you to everyone who came to see me off to good ol' TX. I felt so loved within the great community God has blessed me with. 

The amazing Jim & Kim

My small group girls that I miss and love dearly. seriously.

my friends that are far more talented than I will ever be.

This is our Pais Team that will work at Journey Fellowship & Judson High School

GO.

In April I got this single word from the Lord while praying with a highschool student. At that time I was cluless to what it meant. Go where? Go out? How?This past Sunday I got the opportunity to visit my new church, Journey Fellowship. They were starting a new series that the Lord had been developing in their hearts for the past two years. Its title. "GO". I sat in awe as I heard this vision to go out into their community, schools, and beyond to show Jesus. 

Friends and family, in that moment I realized I am exactly where God wants me. I am so blessed to be supported in this years journey. not only have you helped me reach my entire financial goal, but I have one person a day devoted to prayer as well. These people have committed to pray for the team, our community, and the work that the Lord is already doing. HE is so faithful.

Training, which started this past Monday, has been extremely beneficial. I learned that we can only effectively impact this community through Christ's Agape love. I see that through accepting this call I am required to always seek Christ first and look beyond the ordinary. Seeking how I am called to go the extra mile in all that I do is a big part of that. I am so excited to see and learn more through the next week and half.

As many of you know I have been temporary home, but just got to meet me my new host mom yesterday. They have graciously given me basically my own apartment in their garage. This allows me to invite students over and develop more mentoring opportunities. What a blessing! 

My new address is:

 304 Crown Court

Converse, TX 78109 

c/o The Cofields.

Our school has recently been switched to Judson High School instead of Samuel Clemens. No PAIS team has ever been apart of this school, so this will be quite the journey. In saying that I am so passionate that our Lord will amaze us with HIS work in these learners lives.

Prayer has been a huge motivation. The following people have graciously volunteered to pray for our team. 

Monday: Stacey Williams

Tuesday: Charlotte 

Wednesday: Mom Wonser

Thursday: Tammy Huckaby

Friday: Kim and Jim Sorenson

Saturday: Brittany B.

Sunday: Jessica B.

If you feel strongly to pray as well, PLEASE do so. Our team is still in awe of the support my community has offered.

May the Lord, our Rock and Redeemer, be glorified in all our efforts both in California and Texas. Ye Haw!

Jess.

And so the journey begins....

2 Thessalonians 1:11 .With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that God may count you worthy of HIS calling, and that by HIS power HE may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by faith. We pray this so that the name of out Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in HIM, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. FRIENDS & FAMILY. I wanted to start this letter out with that verse because it puts into words what my main goal is: to fulfill the deeds the Lord has set out before me, and to glorify HIM in every act. I write this with great excitement to boast about what the Lord has already done in my life! At this moment I have received $3,140.00 dollars in support, and a monthly supporter of $200. That is more then enough to pay for my medical bills! I feel extremely blessed to have received your letters of encouragement, and commitment to prayer. I even had a family buy me a computer that will help me stay connected to my California community. If the Lord provides in my wants how much more will he provide in my needs. I strongly believe and trust I will be able to raise the total amount before I leave.  As many of you know I will be officially leaving for Texas on August 4th. I will be working with a church in San Antonio called Journey Fellowship. This is a sister church to Max Lucado's church Oak Hills. Through this church I will be working with High School students, as we hope to get into Samuel Clemens High School. I do not yet know what family I will be staying with, but I will keep you posted on my new address. I lack words when it comes to explaining my thoughts on what is to come. Many times I have tried to figure it all out, just to realize no one truly has control except God. I am excited to proclaim what the Lord will unfold as time goes on. I would love to have a daily prayer plan to support my team, the students I will be involved with, and for the mission the Lord has set out. I ask that you prayerfully consider taking this step. If you would like to chose a day to pray for our team please let me know. How amazing would it be to go to Texas knowing that someone is faithfully praying once a day for this season.  My specific prayer requests are as follows. . that the Holy Spirit would stir within the High School ministry . that the church would be open to where the Lord is leading us as a team . that the school would have a need that we can meet . for health and safety for the team and myself . for my focus to be continually on the Lord's will and that I would seek first HIS kingdom Thank you for taking that time to read all that has been written. Please e-mail me with any verses, encouragement, or bit of wisdom that the Lord puts on your heart. You are apart of this community to come!  Great is HIS faithfulness. j.wonser