An End and a Beginning
In September of 2020, the Father started stirring my heart. What He was doing wasn't foreign to me, but it caught me off guard. He started talking to me about the time frame in which I thought I would be here, and it startled me. When I moved to Ecuador, I came here with the mindset that I would make this place my home. I was tired of moving around and living from place to place for such a short time. Minus my two childhood totes in storage at my aunt's house in California, I literally moved here with everything I owned.
Everywhere I have lived, I have planted roots and have built a community around me. Whether deep or shallow, long or short, planting roots and settling myself is something I have always done, and the Father has blessed me every step of the way. But I have grown weary of it. I have longed for the day where I can plant my roots and let them flourish—not just for 16 or 24 months—but long term. Other desires of my heart that I know are of the Father have also been stirring and, I believe, are being brought forth.
In August of last year, I met someone. He is kind, loves Jesus with all his heart, is an exceptional dad to his three kids, has a passion for the Anti-Trafficking Movement, has a heart and understanding for missions/ministry, and has become my best friend. He is an answer to prayer in more ways than I can express.
I have done a lot of praying and processing, seeking the Holy Spirit, and have been asked "the tough questions" by my mentor, family, and close friends. To arrive at this point has not come easy for me. It is very bittersweet, and I feel like I did when I knew I would be leaving my teaching job. It is a mixture of emotions—sadness, grief, joy, and excitement. Much of what I am conveying to you is multifaceted. But with that, I have decided to step down from my position with Extreme Response International.
I do not expect you all to understand my decision, but I thank you in advance for your love, grace, and support.
In 2017, when I said ”yes" to ER, I knew then that my position would not be permanent. I knew it was a stepping stone to the next thing, but, at the time, I didn't know what that next thing was—now I do.
I have spent the past six years in three different countries, serving with two different ministries and in various capacities. I have grown and have been stretched. I have had moments of sheer joy and have been through some of the darkest times I have known. Passions inside of me that I didn't even know existed were brought forth, and the Father has used them for His good. I have learned to embrace other cultures with open arms and to love deeply. I have seen my Abba Father come through on promises that He spoke over my life long ago and have watched Him turn ashes into beauty. I would not change a single thing.
My passion for ministry remains the same, but in September, when I started to reflect on what the Father was telling me, I felt as though He said, "It's okay, Jessica. You have gone where I've told you to go. You have done what I've told you to do. Now it's my turn to give you the desires of your heart and then some."
So, what does that mean?
It means that my perspective of ministry is changing. I believe the mission field is wherever you go. For me, that meant spending a handful of years overseas. But the Father is nudging me in the direction of putting down roots, possibly building a life with someone I care deeply for, and exploring a new aspect of ministry.
It means that I am still passionate about kids knowing their worth and value in the eyes of our Heavenly Father, the Anti-Trafficking Movement, and trauma awareness. But I am praying and asking the Father what that may look like and how it may be different.
It means that I will be walking into the unknown, something I am familiar with, but this time it’s different. This time it involves someone else.
It means I still need your love, prayers, and (for the time being) your support.
I will be on-staff and work with ER until September 3, 2021. This means that your financial support is still essential as I will be living in Ecuador until then. Any excess funds in my program account will be disbursed to me (like a paycheck) until November 15, 2021.
If you have a reoccurring donation, you will need to stop this donation after your August donation has been posted or by September 3rd, or your donation will be automatically returned to you. Please get in touch with me if you have any questions or concerns or need help with this process. I will send out a reminder as this date gets closer!
Many of you have been on this journey with me from the beginning. Some of you joined me halfway, and others came on within the past year--I am grateful for all of you! Your love, prayers, and financial support have been (and still are) the greatest blessing. Thank you for saying “yes,” for letting the Father use you to bless and reach others with His love!
I will be returning to California on September 11 to spend time with family and friends, visit supporters, and share at the churches that have supported me over these past serval years. I will keep you all posted on travel dates!
I also have plans to attend a week-long debrief in mid-October through TRAIN International. Through all the transitions I have made over the past six years, I have not had a proper debriefing, and since this one involves closing a chapter of my life, I feel it is much needed. If you would like to give a one-time donation to help me pay for this or help cover my travel expenses, go to www.extremeresponse.org, click on the “DONATE” tab in the upper right-hand corner, and select my name under “Staff Support.” In the memo section, add “Debrief/Travel expenses.”
If you have questions or wish to know more specifics that I just shared, please do not hesitate to reach out to me! There are still a lot of unknowns, and I don’t have all the answers. But, I am taking a leap of faith and trusting my Heavenly Father as He guides me down this new road.