The Three P’s……. (your people, passions, and places) and the notion that you don’t have to be perfect……  

That black and white beauty  I am calling my life map.   You see this weekend was my first weekend off in a while.  It’s the thick of busy season when you are a retreat speaker (who knew before  I followed this calling there was a season to grab some girlfriends and get away with Jesus– but there is.  Ps:  If you  need a fall speaker for your event– I still have a few weekends available!).  So I decided to take a  little relaxing  time with Jesus just for myself.

I was dog sitting at a friend’s lovely home (when you are single you dog sit ALOT)  and they had a beautiful back porch.  The temperature was above freezing, starting to show signs of spring, and the sun was out.  So I did this…

Not sure why it made the picture so big, but I am tired of trying to get it to resize, so you get a giant picture of my feet. And YES, my socks mismatch (AGAIN) .  I mean really , who has time to  mate socks.

During this little retreat , I read the BEST book by  Sophie Hudson that you must get if you want a good hug for your soul,laughter, and some tears called  Home is Where my People Are (click here for more info  ).  The whole thing I got out of it, was the gift of places, people and passions God places in  our lives.    I also was reading the awesome You are Loved No Matter What  by Holley Gerth  (click  Here   for info)  which reminds us we don’t need to chase perfection, we just need to chase after God.    That God will finish the work He wants done in our life.  So we can break up with perfect, and embrace  living our passions for God out of  an overflow  of God’s passionate love for us.

He loves you.
He guides you.
And He has take you to  places, people, and positions  FOR you– and for His glory story in you.

Back to the life map.  I decided , after reading Home is Where my People Are, to  draw a VERY geographically incorrect Map of TN, place on it the places I have lived, noting the people that God placed there.  I also had a few other countries to sprinkle in which I didn’t even try to draw on a map because I didn’t even know where Nepal was until I lived there for two years!) .  
Wrote the places, the people and the positions God had placed me in.  I have lived in  12 places ( i seem to notice a pattern of the two year move itch past college), have had 18ish jobs (that makes a resume exciting) and 8 churches have played significant roles in my life… plus TN wesleyan college,  PSI then turned Richmont, (which I went to twice for two master’s and they changed the name in between) and a short stint at Tribuvan University in nepal (had to go to lanaguage school to keep my visa and well, there was lots of political upheaval at the time which meant most classes canceled, which I must admit I did not protest) 

Each of the places, positions, and  people have been used by God  for the pattern He is weaving in my life.
Each has joys, heartbreak– life long friends, and those you secretly are grateful God only brought in your life for a  swift season (did i say that outloud) 

It was such a fun journey!

God has people, places , positions and passions written in His story for your life. Some make more sense then others. Some you love more then others. Each holds heart memories, and God took you to them, through them, and taught you in them.

Today friend, live your places, your people, your position, your passion knowing YOU are loved.  Live Loved .  and well.. LIVE!  

Connecting at Coffee with your heart  here  and Three Word Wednesday with my friend Kristin and others here   and reminding you don’t forget to join us at Live free Thursday here 
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6 Comments

  1. Jen it’s so great to meet you and realize you’re a fellow mismatched sock wearer like my daughter! I just spent some time reading your blog and watching your puzzle devo and I love you already! Look forward to reading more in the days to come. Wish you lived closer.

  2. “Each of the places, positions, and people have been used by God for the pattern He is weaving in my life.Each has joys, heartbreak– life long friends, and those you secretly are grateful God only brought in your life for a swift season (did i say that outloud)” That’s a lot to highlight, but it resonated with me. There is something to learn in every season – the hard ones and the thankfully swift ones. Grateful He is so gracious to teach us gently and in His timing. Blessed by your words!

  3. we don’t need to chase perfection, we just need to chase after God
    I’m taking this little nugget away today. And I’m thinking next I need a dog sitter, you should come to TX!!!