tag:jeanwatson.com,2005:/blogs/jean-s-journal?p=43Jean's Journal2021-11-13T17:54:49-05:00Jean Watsonfalsetag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/68085432021-11-13T17:54:49-05:002023-12-10T13:22:07-05:00The Power of Thanksgiving<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/835d53484dac78fef2f9820e7b419292423a93a6/original/image.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><span class="font_large">Have you bought your turkey yet? Are you ready to celebrate "Thanksgiving" with your family? Hmmm, for me that would be a definite "no"! (Well, I did pick up a bag of stuffing the other day, and my husband bought a turkey on sale. Does that count?)</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Anyway, as we get ready to prepare our tables, let's use this month to prepare our hearts as well.....for <em>whatever </em>God wants to give us. You see, giving thanks is more than just a holiday - it's a state of mind that humbles us before God and others. Giving thanks is a deliberate choice to be content with what we already possess. It's an act of faith that tells the Lord that we trust him completely even when our lives don't look exactly the way we want them to. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">There is power in thanksgiving to change our hard hearts and make them soft again. There is power in thanksgiving to open our hearts to God like little children who say to him, "Your love is enough for me." And though we don't give thanks in order to receive, giving thanks <em>does</em> prepare our hearts for blessing. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Have you ever given a gift to a child only to have it thrown aside with no expression of gratitude? It makes you a little less joyful about giving to the child again, doesn't it? But when our gifts are received with joy and gratefulness, we are eager to give again, and again, and again. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I wonder if God feels that way about me sometimes. How many days do I wake up with breath in my lungs, plenty of food to eat, a warm place to live, and more blessings than I can number. Yet, many times I forget to stop and give thanks. Like a spoiled child, I go about my day as if I deserve all these things! I wonder if I rob myself of blessings because I don't take time to daily thank God for the ones I already have. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Perhaps that is why the apostle Paul was so adamant about remembering to give thanks. In I Thess 5:18 he said,<em> “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”</em> Easy for Paul to say, right? Actually, he wrote those powerful words from a Roman prison where he was living with no sanitation and probably surrounded by rats and fleas!</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">How could Paul give thanks in those conditions? Perhaps He learned from the disciples who had seen Jesus give thanks before He fed the 5,000 with only five loaves and two fish. Perhaps he heard how Jesus<em> </em>gave thanks <em>before</em> he raised Lazarus from the dead, or how a man with leprosy gave thanks and was made whole! Paul knew that thanksgiving was a way we express faith to the Lord, and that <em>faith is the basket our hearts use to receive the fullness of God's love. </em></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The word “thanksgiving” literally means “to give grace”, and when we give grace to God, our hearts are prepared to receive His grace and power! Is there an area of your life where you could use some grace? Today, instead of asking God to change your circumstances, try giving thanks <em>in</em> your circumstances instead. Trust God that He has a purpose for every detail of your life. The very things that are making you uncomfortable could be the very things God will use to bring transformation in you and through you!</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">So, as we go about our shopping, decorating, and cooking this year, let's take time to give thanks to the Lord for what is already on the table of our lives. In so doing, our hearts will be prepared for the feast of all that He has for us!</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><em>Father, forgive me for complaining when things don’t go my way. Help me to be thankful in my circumstances today knowing that You are working all things together for my good! Thank you that as I ‘give grace’ back to you, I know that You can turn my trials into blessings. In Jesus’ name, amen.</em></span></p>
<p> </p>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/65407242021-02-05T15:18:55-05:002022-06-01T08:46:02-04:00help me in my unbelief!<p> </p>
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<p>Happy February, friend!</p>
<p>How was your week? Have things been pretty smooth, or have you been praying for breakthrough in some area of your life? Well, for me it was a week to grow in faith which means I faced a challenge! I don’t know about you, but it is always easier for me to pray for others than it is for me to pray for myself. I think it’s because when we are the ones in the fire - facing pain, sickness, a financial or relational challenge - it’s easy for our emotions get involved.</p>
<p>When I received some news I didn’t want to hear this week, my first response was<em> fear</em>. The situation in front of me seemed so big, and God seemed very small. Fear caused me to lose proper perspective and forget everything that I’ve learned about the Lord’s faithfulness! Well, though my faith was weak, I’ve been on these battlefields before, and I knew I was not helpless. I prayed and prayed and prayed. I prayed like blind Bartimaeus, who cried out to Jesus saying,<em>“Son of David, have mercy on me!” </em>I prayed like the persistent widow who didn’t give up until the judge gave her what she asked for.</p>
<p>I opened my Bible and read psalms about Gods faithfulness out loud to myself. I worshiped God even though I didn’t really feel like it. Finally, I called my friends and asked them to pray with me. Though I was struggling, I waited on God and hoped that He would fix the situation that I could not fix. And He did! In the end, the problem turned itself around and actually became a blessing! The Lord did exceedingly above what I had asked for or thought was possible. Wow, what an awesome God we serve!</p>
<p>So, let me share a few things I learned in my struggle. First, what can we do when we feel overwhelmed with fear or unbelief? Well, we can ask for faith. God doesn’t expect us to believe in Him on our own. Mark chapter 9 tells the story of a man whose son was demon possessed. The disciples could not cast the demon out so that man came to Jesus and begged him for help, saying,</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>“But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” "‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:23-24)</em></p>
<p>Of course, Jesus went on the cast the demon out even though the father's faith was not perfect. I find that passage so encouraging. Even when we are struggling to believe, we can still ask! God understands where we are and honors our little mustard seed grain of faith.</p>
<p>Second, don’t believe your emotions. Fear is never from God, and when we become consumed with fear, doubt, and unbelief, we cannot see truth. If you feel overcome with fear about something, train yourself to go back to the word of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. Get your Bible out and start reading psalms about God’s faithfulness, like Psalm 23 or Psalm 91. Feed your mind with truth, and peace will come. I also like to listen to worship music and good biblical teaching online to help my mind and heart come into alignment with truth again.</p>
<p>Finally, call your friends! The Lord never intended us to go through life alone. We need each other especially when we feel weak. Reach out to people who will pray for you and with you. Let others carry the burden with you! There is no shame in asking for help. Do you remember the story of the paralytic in the Bible? He wanted to be healed but could not get to Jesus on his own - he couldn’t walk, and the house was full of people. Mark 2:4-5 says,</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>"And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” </em></p>
<p>Jesus saw the faith - not only of the paralyzed man but also the faith of his friends who went to great trouble to bring him to Jesus believing he would be healed. God honors faith. He is moved by the hearts of those who seek him and believe him enough to press through the hinderances of unbelief and fear. If you feel like the paralytic at the moment - unable to get to Jesus on your own - then ask someone to help you get to Him by praying for you!</p>
<p>Whatever you are facing this week, just know that you are not alone. God understands what is happening, and He alone is able to fix the situation. Call out to Him even if you don’t feel like it and ask Him for more faith. Fill your mind and heart with truth. And finally, reach out to someone who can pray for you. If you don’t know anyone who will pray, I will pray for you. In fact, I am going to pray for you right now.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Father in heaven, You know that one who is reading this who is struggling today. The waves are getting higher, and my friend is afraid. I ask you in Jesus' name to give whoever is hurting the faith he or she needs to believe that Your love is bigger than the challenge in front of them. We bring our struggles to you now, Lord, and ask You bring the answer that is needed and the peace and comfort of Your presence while we wait. Thank you, Lord, that nothing is too difficult for You! </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>In Jesus name, amen.</em></p>
<p>Take a deep breath, my friend, and know that Jesus loves you. He's got your back! Just wait - the answer is on the way.</p>
<p>As always, I am thankful for YOU! Thanks for your prayers and support over the years. I hope to be creating new music this year and finishing a new book....who knows - maybe even some concerts and speaking events??? <em>We serve a big God.</em></p>
<p>peace and joy,</p>
<p>Jean</p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/3c907affe365cb643e04f32b83902bd91a7c68bf/original/smileinstall.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>4:37Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/65184502021-01-11T18:21:32-05:002023-12-10T11:32:38-05:00wait on the Lord!<p> </p>
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<p>I’m writing these words in mid-January, and I feel like I should be saying, “Happy New Year”, but somehow that greeting doesn’t feel quite right today! No matter where you live in this world, none of us were exempt from trials in 2020, and for some of us 2021 seems all the more uncertain!</p>
<p>Though there is a lot going on around us that we can’t control, a very long time ago, eleven men were in a similar place. They were trying to sort out the events of the past and had no idea what to expect in the future. Jesus, their teacher and friend, had just been crucified. Can you imagine their sadness, loss, regret, and confusion? They had fully expected Jesus to deliver their people from the Romans. Instead of leading a mighty military move to drive them out, however, he died and left them alone!! Then, to make things more confusing, he appeared to the disciples and gave them some instructions:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but rather to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “You heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.…But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:4-5, 8</em></p>
<p>The disciples fully expected Jesus to deliver their nation from the Romans. But he explained that he was going to bring his kingdom a different way - through them! God had an amazing plan for these illiterate, uneducated, men who deserted Jesus when he was arrested. But human flesh can never accomplish the works of God. They needed the Holy Spirit - and they got him!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)</em></p>
<p>After the Holy Spirit filled the disciples, Peter preached the gospel message for the first time, and about 3,000 souls came to believe in Christ. Now <em>that</em> could only have been accomplished through the power of the Spirit! And that was just the beginning. After Pentecost, the motley crew of disciples went out from Jerusalem and changed history. By the power fo the Spirit, they healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, loved the unlovely, and saved the lost.</p>
<p>The kingdom of heaven was coming to earth.</p>
<p>In the same way, the Lord has not put us here to live in fear. He has given us all a job to do - to reflect the glory of God in the world and share his love with all who will receive it! But none of us can accomplish our highest calling without power from on high. We all need more of the Holy Spirit, and we can have more if we will do what the first disciples did - wait on God and pray!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>they shall mount up with wings like eagles; </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>they shall run and not be weary; </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31) </em></p>
<p>Could you use some fresh strength today? Could you use fresh vision and direction from God? Then I encourage you to join me in pressing the pause button in your life and taking time to wait on the Lord. I felt this instruction so strongly in my spirit, that I just returned from a 3-day retreat with the Lord - just me, my Bible, a journal, a keyboard, and God. It was a powerful time. Not particularly “enjoyable”, but in the discomfort, I was able to hear the Lord’s voice more clearly. He showed me ares of sin in my heart that needed cleansing, wounds that needed healing, and thoughts that needed adjusting. I came away feeling lighter than before with clearer vision and fresh strength.</p>
<p>Yes, 2021 looks a bit foreboding at the moment, and I don’t think things will get easier any time soon. But if you and I take time to press into God and <em>wait on Him</em>, I know that He will renew our strength. Let’s dial down our distractions and spend more time reading the Word and listening to the Lord in prayer. Perhaps the God is calling you to fast television or social media for a time. Maybe waiting on him could include fasting one meal a day and spending that time praying and worshiping. Whatever it looks like - WAIT on the Lord, and He will fill you with the fresh power from heaven that you need to walk in victory this year….no matter what happens!</p>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/63385112020-06-01T17:24:26-04:002022-06-01T08:59:31-04:00perfect vision<p><span class="font_regular">Dear Ones, </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Well, 2020 has certainly been an interesting year so far! How are you doing during this time of upheaval in the world? Between the Covid19 pandemic, political unrest, and now outrage over the untimely death of Georg Floyd, it certainly seems like the fabric of our society is being torn apart at the seams! Without the Lord, we would certainly have reason to live in turmoil and fear right now. But the truth is, none of this is taking God by surprise. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Remember back in January when we were all saying, “Yes! 2020 is the year of ‘perfect vision!’’ It all seemed exciting and wonderful back then. But the Lord’s way of clarifying our vision has been more challenging than any of us may have guessed. Please understand, I am not suggesting that God has brought about these tragedies and difficulties. What I am noticing, however, is that in the midst of all the suffering, our vision is being clarified! With all that we have relied on for security being stripped away, many of us have been forced to re-think our priorities and rely on the Lord more than ever before. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">For myself, this has been a time of re-evaluating the “why’s” of my ministry. Why am I doing what I am doing, and what does the Lord want to change in my life? I remember going to a Christian music conference many years ago and hearing Margaret Becker speak about vision. She encouraged us to get out a piece of blank paper and write with our non-dominant hand what the Lord had asked us to do when we first started following him. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">It was such a powerful exercise, and even if you are not a musician or in ministry, I invite you to try it! What did the Lord ask you to do? What is He asking you to do? By writing with your non-dominant hand, a part of your brain is activated which does not think or judge what you write. It helps the soul express what it really believes and knows. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">When I first tried this exercise, I didn’t know exactly what to write. So I drove home from Nashville to Michigan in silence and prayed. When I got home, I knew the answer. The Lord was asking me to “bring the sound of heaven to earth”. In other words, He wanted me to use my life to express his heart through words and music. I am called to be a mouthpiece of spirit and truth while I walk this earth. Having that vision has helped me stay the course and be focused over the years, especially when things have been tough! </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">This year, I have sensed the Lord drawing me back to have my vision clarified, however. I can’t do ministry as I used to do it because of physical constraints. So what is He calling me to do during this time? How can I be faithful when all of my familiar tools have been stripped away? What parts of my life and ministry does the Lord want to change or purify? Well, just as the fruit trees in our orchard need pruning to be more fruitful, I believe that having certain branches “cut” from my vine could make me more fruitful than every before! If I can’t be recording, speaking or performing, then what is the Lord’s call to me in this moment? </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">God’s call to me is to “abide in the vine” and seek Him with all my heart. I sense that He wants me to learn to let go of the need to “produce” or “perform” for Him and just be. There is no wasted time as I rest and spend more time in prayer and in the word. There is no wasted time as I love my family, work in my garden or train my horse. Clear vision will come as simply receive my Father’s love and know that He is pleased with me, not because of what I do for Him, but just because I am His child! </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Friends, this is not a time to get caught up in the drama we see in the news every day. This is not the time to be swept up in fear. This is a time to simply abide in the Lord. Rest in him. Listen. Dwell. Pray. Receive God's love and allow him to heal your heart. Stop performing and just be. This is the year of God’s perfect vision clarified in your life if you will receive it! </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Will you, along with me, seek the Lord with all that you have this year? Let’s re-set our priorities by simply loving the Lord and loving those around us. As we “abide” in the vine, and He abides in us, God will change what needs to be changed in us so he can change the world through us. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_regular"><em>“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) </em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_regular"><em>Lord, thank you for reminding us that we can’t do anything of eternal signiificance in our own strength. Thank you for clearing away anything that was distracting us or hindering us from seeking you with our whole hearts. Help us use this time to receive your healing, your freedom, your revelation, and your strength so that we can become all you have called us to be. In Jesus’ name, amen.</em></span></p>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/60972802020-01-13T20:24:16-05:002022-06-01T09:26:06-04:00to listen and be heard<p>I just returned from a short trip to Tallahassee, Florida where I had a chance to speak and sing for some inmates in a Florida prison. Those who know me know that I have a soft heart for those who are living behind bars, not because I excuse whatever crimes they have committed but because they are human beings just like me. All of us have sinned, and we serve a merciful God who can forgive sin and give us a new life…regardless of what side of the bars we live on.</p>
<p>I’m never afraid of prisoners, and I love to catch their eyes and just let them know they are noticed and valued by someone. Prison is a place where shame and disgrace run high, where a name becomes a number, and where second chances are few.</p>
<p>In this particular meeting I had a chance to share some music and my story, and then the platform was open for members of the audience to take the mic and share theirs. Well, when given the chance to speak, there were more responses than there was time to listen. Only three were able to share, and the stories were painful, powerful, and told of encounters with God these men had had when they were at their lowest. When no one cared if they lived or died….not even themselves….a God who saw them, heard them, and loved them revealed Himself and brought hope! Their stories touched my heart. One man had been abandoned and rejected by his own mother when he was a small child. Many had grown up without fathers. Most had been raised up in homes full of violence with no one who cared or listened. One of the men made the most profound statement. “When I was free, no one listened to me. In prison, no one listens to me,” he said. These offenders - some of them young, some old and having served decades behind bars - expressed one need above all else: the need to be heard.</p>
<p>God has made us creatures with voices and spirits that long to be understood. We may not understand our own pain, but somehow just expressing it brings healing. Just knowing someone cares enough to listen is enough. I believe that listening is one of the best ways we can love someone. We may not have answers or solutions, but the simple gesture of giving time and attention to share in someones suffering is healing balm. This is how God loves us - by listening to our little voices when we cry out to Him! One of my favorite scriptures is Psalm 116. Almost twenty years ago, I was lying on my bed n a deep, dark depression. I saw my Bible beside the bed and flipped it open. The pages opened to Psalm 116 where David said, <em>“I love the Lord because He heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me therefore I will call on Him as long as I live. The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the Lord, 'O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!' ” </em></p>
<p>I read those words and claimed that prayer for myself. <em>“O God deliver my soul. O God, help me.”</em></p>
<p>Well, God must have been listening because after that prayer a series of miracles happened that were completely supernatural. The Lord opened doors for me that no man could shut. He turned my life around and healed my heart. He gave me a new life and a purpose. Most of all, I would never doubt that when I call to Him, God is listening. There are many religions in the world and many idols we could serve but there is only one God, and He does the most unimaginable thing - He listens to the prayers of men and women who call to him! God listens.</p>
<p>Is that not all we need to know? Perhaps you are reading this and feeling overwhelmed with pain, confusion, fear, or loneliness The whole message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is this: God knows who you are, He knows where you are, He loves you just the way you are, and He hears you when you call to him. God is listening. Your friends and family may seem far away at the moment. You may feel completely alone. but God is listening to you!! All you have to do is call out to Him. You may not sense His presence right away when you pray. You may not hear an answer right away, but just know that in time, you will. Keep talking to him. Keep calling on him. Write your prayers down if you want, and believe that He is listening. In time you will hear His voice calling back to you, and you will see answers to your prayers.</p>
<p>While you are waiting for the Lord’s answers, show the love of God to someone who needs to be heard. Take time to listen to the one in front of you. Ask questions, look into their eyes, and let them know that you care. You don’t have to fix problems or offer solutions. All you have to do is listen. And through your listening God can bring the healing that is needed.</p>
<p>After the ministry at the prison was over, I was packing up my violin when an inmate approached me cautiously. He said he was trying to learn to play the violin but had no instruction and no help. Would I be willing to answer some questions? In response, I offered to not only give him a short violin lesson but handed him my own violin to play for a moment. He looked at me, stunned!! I would allow someone like him to play a valuable instrument? The answer was ‘yes’. He was of much more value than a piece of wood, and seeing the joy on his face was worth more than the instrument itself to me. A few moments of time and a listening ear told the man he was valuable. He was heard. I flew home to Michigan the next day having received more than I gave as is often the case.</p>
<p>Sometimes the Lord speaks to us in dreams and visions, and other times He speaks through the one in front of us.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Thank you, Lord, for the reminder that You are always listening to us. Thank you for the reminder that we are called to become listeners and in so doing show Your love to the world. Thank You for teaching us so often through the ones who have no voice. You can speak through animals, through small children, and through the least of these. Help us remember that You are always listening when it seems like no one else is. Help us share Your love by listening to someone who needs to be heard today. In Jesus name, Amen.</em></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><em><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/7cf4589336c687168948e5113d8f2fdc53756836/original/81706559-2638421219576119-7586606931456819200-o.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></em></p>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/60033222019-12-10T19:12:18-05:002023-12-10T12:06:27-05:00behold!<p>Well, the most wonderful - I mean the most frantic - time of the year is upon us...December! </p>
<p>When I was a child, I LOVED December. There were Christmas parties, decorations, lights, music, the smell of evergreens and Christmas cookies baking, and the almost unbearable anticipation of waiting for Christmas morning. In all these exciting childhood memories, however, the ones that stand out most are of the simple Christmas pageant at church and the beautiful candlelit Christmas Eve service. Even as a very small child, I could sense the <em>holiness </em>of the birth of Jesus in these moments. Pondering this miraculous event was intoxicatingly wonderful, as if heaven was appearing on earth for a moment. And it was. </p>
<p>At the front of the church, an old creche was reverently displayed. I loved when mom or dad took me to see it up close. Made of wood and filled with straw, an electric light bathed the holy family with a golden glow that seemed almost magical. I'm sure I must have touched the straw to make sure it was real! Time was spent studying the faces of the shepherd and the wise men. Time was spent quietly <em>beholding</em> the scene in silent wonder. The advent season leading up to Christmas was never a stressful time. It was a time of quiet adoration. December passed slowly because every day was a day of preparing to celebrate the Lord's birth. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, December has not been quite so reverent since I've grown up. Instead of drawing near to the Lord, the Advent season has become more of a marathon of finding and purchasing gifts, decorating, and preparing for gatherings of friends and family. For me, December is also the busiest time of year for my ministry. Waiting? Pondering? Worshiping? Beholding? There is no time for that! </p>
<p>But this year is different. My husband bought an old manger scene on Ebay. It's not fancy like the one in my childhood, and it has Spanish moss instead of straw, but it still stirs my heart in childlike wonder. Handel's "Messiah" plays in the background as I write tonight. Candles are lit, and the fire is glowing. Together, my husband and I are pausing to listen, to worship, to wait upon God, and most of all, to <em>behold </em>Him, and it's wonderful.</p>
<p>This act of beholding is all about stopping to spend time in the Lord's presence simply pondering what happened in a little town called Bethlehem over two thousand years ago. The word "behold" means to, "fix the eyes upon, to see with attention, or to observe with care." Beholding the Lord is not lack of action. Beholding Him in worship is the most active thing we can do with our time! It's a choice to keep the eyes of our hearts on the Lord above all the busyness going on around us and all the worries and fears that threaten to consume us.</p>
<p>And here's the miracle! As I have set aside time to read the Scriptures, to pray and just to rest in the presence of the Lord, my heart is becoming like the little manger scene - still, holy, and glowing. Out of that gentle peace, my daily tasks are finished with more ease than before. My mind is quiet and clear, and plans are made without confusion or strife. Seflishness has given way to selflessness as I look for opportunities to give to those around me each day. Day by day, I ask the Lord to show me how I can prepare my heart to receive more of His love and to be changed by that love. Ah, the childlike simplicity of not striving, just beholding! </p>
<p>My friend, I hope you, too, are inspired to leave behind the chaos and materialism that the world has made of Christmas. Instead, this year, create space in your schedule, in your mind, and in your heart for the Lord to be born anew! Pause and behold the wonder of Christ with us, Emmanuel! </p>
<p><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/72b043b7cfe0edfdbff5139e4e01bdec46f7eb69/original/manger.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>"Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10-11)</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/58811032019-09-04T21:12:09-04:002023-12-10T14:15:26-05:00Christmas in September<p>This summer while most of us were celebrating warm, sunny weather and enjoying time with family, I was humming Christmas carols! I started working on some new Christmas music last spring, and producer Billy Smiley helped flesh out my ideas and hire the folks that could bring them to life. To learn more about the making of "For Unto Us" check out the stories and the songs here: <a contents="foruntous" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://jeanwatson.com/for-unto-us">foruntous</a> </p>
<p>There were many little miracles along the way which I will share over time. The most personal miracle was the renewing of my calling as a singer. Over the years, my ministry has changed as the Lord has been using me more and more as a speaker and a writer. I have found myself wondering whether music was something that was to take more of a backseat in my life as I got older. As I recorded the songs for the new album, however, I discovered that God has other plans for me...at least for now!</p>
<p>The Lord has taught me that we all need to steward the gifts He gives us well and to offer everything we are for His service in worship. So, as I sang into the microphone one more time, I closed my eyes and believed by faith that nothing but pure love....God's spirit ...was coming out of my mouth. No fear. No doubt. Just worship. I pictured Jesus in front of me and sang <em>for Him, by Him, in Him.</em> </p>
<p>The result? As I now hear the final mixes coming through, I am hearing a new voice - confident, free, joyful, radiant - my very best singing when the world says I should be past my prime. Is it any accident that God waits until the world says it isn't possible before He does things? His works must always be done in His strength, not ours. </p>
<p>My hope is that these simple Christmas songs will do much more than entertain. I believe the listener will be able to encounter Jesus in the music if he or she listens carefully! Yes, it's just music, but when we offer the simplest of our gifts to the Lord, He can use them to change the world. </p>
<p>Whatever YOU do, my friend, do it unto the Lord and watch what He will do through you! </p>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/58194472019-07-09T23:47:28-04:002020-08-20T07:32:57-04:00come join us on Mackinac Island!<p>You know you have always wanted to go...well now is the time! Mark and I will be on the island ministering at Mackinac Island Bible Church with dear friends Pastor Ken and Lori Straight THIS WEEKEND. These folks are the real deal, and they are doing a phenomenal job of sharing the love of Christ with the tourists and workers on this beautiful island. Come join us for church at the Mission Point Resort on Sunday at 9:30 AM (Jean will be leading worship and speaking). You are also welcome to a more intimate time of sharing and prayer at the church office (6688 Main Street) Sunday evening at 8 PM. Join us for the music, the message, and for a great time! </p>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/54875102018-10-26T13:52:46-04:002020-08-20T05:59:23-04:00what faith looks like<p>I don’t know about you, but my concept of faith has been challenged lately. In the past couple of months, I have known people dealing with heart-crushing situations - death, suicide, cancer, natural disasters - you name it! Just this weekend, I met a lady who lost her husband and three children in a boating accident. I know another who lost his wife in a car crash, and two others who committed suicide. I have a friend who was sold as a child by her own father to sex traffickers, and last week, a dear friend who had only been married a year lost her husband to cancer.</p>
<p>We all have our story of tragedy, and even as Christians, how can we overcome in the face of such pain? When the trials come, our faith can be challenged. Where was God? Why did He allow these things happen, and could things have been prevented if we had had more faith? Maybe you and I need to rethink our idea of what faith truly looks like…</p>
<p>When Jesus’ disciples couldn’t heal a boy who suffered from epileptic seizures, Jesus rebuked them for their lack of faith saying in Matthew 17:20, “I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” Still, in His own ministry, He did not always heal and deliver people from their suffering. At the pool of Bethesda there were many who were sick, yet only one was healed. Jesus said in John 5:19, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. Perhaps Jesus’ faith wasn’t so much about what He wanted as it was about knowing what the Father was doing and trusting His love in every situation.</p>
<p>When Jesus taught us how to pray, He said to first acknowledge the Father’s holiness and His place of sovereignty as we say, “Our Father who art in heaven, holy is Your name.” As we pray these words, we remember and declare that He alone is God, and we are not. The next part of the Lord’s Prayer brings faith into sharp focus as we pray, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Faith seeks to know the very heart of God. Faith sees beyond the pain of this world into the glory that can come through pain if we acknowledge what God can do through it.</p>
<p>How we want to deliver our loved ones from pain! Yet if we could have rescued Joseph when he suffered in Egypt, we would have aborted God’s plan of salvation for the Israelites that he would eventually save from starvation. If we could have rescued Jesus when he was beaten and hung on a cross for a crime He didn’t commit, we would have aborted God’s plan of salvation for the entire world.</p>
<p>In the church, we often see faith as the ability to pray and believe for miracles which it certainly is. But I have come to know that our faith fails when we try to believe for what we want instead of seeking what God wants. When we, like Jesus, have the humility to lay down our desires and ask. “Father, what does Your kingdom look like in this situation? What are You doing?” then we truly see the kingdom of heaven come on earth. That is when miracles happen! I have seen those miracles with my own eyes - both the miracle of healing on this earth and the miracle of healing in the next. The truth is - faith seeks the Lord’s glory and purpose rather than personal comfort. Faith trusts God’s unfailing love no matter what happens.</p>
<p>I had a chance to witness true faith this week through my friend who lost the man she had married just one year ago to cancer. Though her heart was completely crushed with grief, she wrote these powerful words:</p>
<p><em>“If a man who loved life and food and running and biking and doing just about everything could somehow find joy after not eating or drinking or doing pretty much anything for eleven months, I can do all things through the same God who strengthened him.” </em></p>
<p>That is faith…..not focusing on her loss and her pain, but focusing on the One who can get her through the pain! Until we get to heaven, life will hurt - there is no getting around that. But by faith, we can experience the presence of God in our pain, and He can even bring glorious fruit through our pain. Yes, we can see His kingdom come and His will be done. That is the miracle we seek! Wherever you are today, no matter what you are going through, I invite you to ask the Lord into your suffering. Ask him for His presence and His power and His kingdom in your situation. As you do that, I know the Lord will do miracles in you and through you!</p>
<p><em>Father, we come to you as hurting, wounded people. Every day there are new trials to test our faith. yet Your mercies are also new every morning! When we are tested and tried, help us to look to You and trust Your love completely. Help us to seek Your kingdom and Your will above our own. Give us faith for miracles where we need them! in Jesus’ name, amen.</em></p>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/52792462018-06-06T14:43:35-04:002023-12-10T11:44:03-05:00seize the day! <p>I am not a 'morning person'. </p>
<p>Never have been. My creative juices don't even think about getting started until after noon. But lately, the Lord has been teaching me that how I begin my day often determines how fruitful the Lord is in me in the hours that follow. </p>
<p>Like it or not, let's just remember that we are in a spiritual battle! Every day, we have been given <em>time </em>to either exalt God or forget Him, to see His kingdom come and share His love or to be swept along in a current of lethargy, laziness, and unbelief. The Lord has been teaching me to wake up and begin my day by declaring who He is and reminding myself who I am in Him. As I choose to set my mind on things above when I wake up, my heart and my actions will follow!</p>
<p>So, I am going to share my strategy for a great day. Perhaps you have a better one, but feel free to try this if you want to begin your day in victory rather than defeat, reminding the devil that he has nothing on Christ in you!!!! </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><i>Strategy for the BEST DAY EVER:</i></strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>1. Make delicious coffee with freshly ground beans. JUST KIDDING although that really is what I do...just ask my husband. :)</strong></p>
<p><strong>2. Spend time in the Word of God. Find a Bible reading plan you like or a devotional to guide you. </strong></p>
<p><strong>3. Declare out loud who God is in you and who you are in Him. The word of God coming out of your mouth is building faith in your heart and reminding the powers of darkness that they are under your feet. (see Eph 2:6)</strong></p>
<p><strong>Here is a declaration I use. You can adjust to suit the needs of the day.: </strong></p>
<p><strong><em>"By faith I declare that God alone is Holy. He alone is the Lord. He sent His son Jesus to die for me that my sins might be forgiven. There is salvation in no other name but Jesus. Christ alone is my Savior, my Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Christ alone is my fortress and my strong tower. He is my healer, my deliverer my provider, and my very present help in time of need. He is the first and the last, the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. He is before all things and above all things."</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>"Through Christ, I have become a child of God. I have been born again, and I am a new creation. I am set apart, I am forgiven, I am accepted, and I am set free from guilt and shame. I am called in Christ for good works which He has prepared for me to do. He who began a good work in me will bring it to completion. I am the righteousness of God in Christ. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. My God will supply my needs. I am complete in Christ. I am dead in Christ and I am risen with Christ. I have the mind of Christ. I am seated in heavenly places today in Christ. This day I declare that my life is not my own. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. No weapon formed against me shall prosper. " </em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>"Lord, come rule and reign in me completely this day…in my body my mind, and my spirit. Have your way in me. Let your kingdom come and your will be done in my life! In Jesus' name, amen."</em></strong></p>
<p><strong>4. Present your requests to the Lord. Ask! I like to write my prayers down so I can see how God answers in His way and His time. </strong></p>
<p><strong>5. Do some kind of physical exercise. I know this seems 'unspiritual', but for me it is essential! I need to take care of the Lord's temple so I have energy, health and strength to do whatever he calls me to do. Find a routine that works for you, and just do it! </strong></p>
<p><strong>6. GO, enjoy your day and bless someone's socks off!!</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, there you have it: Jean's morning strategy for a great day. I would love to hear your routine and what works for you! </p>
<p> </p>
<p>peace and joy,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jean</p>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/49848582017-12-19T17:08:44-05:002023-12-10T11:51:27-05:00beyond the wrapping paper<p>December has been an abundantly fruitful month for me. I sang and spoke in prisons, churches, a baseball stadium, a coffeehouse, a country club, and on Mackinac Island! Most folks love Christmas music and ask me to bring familiar carols and some holiday cheer. My favorite part is not the music, however. I love inviting people to think about the mystery of Christmas! People who would not normally think about spiritual things may take a moment to wonder if the familiar narrative about angels, a manger, a star, and three magi could be more than just a nice story.</p>
<p>Christmas is an<em> invitation</em> to ponder the possibility of a world beyond what we can see. If the story of Jesus’ birth is really true, how does He affect our lives? Could there be a God who has a purpose and plan for us? How we long to peek beyond the wrappings of this world and see into the next! </p>
<p>When I was growing up, the days leading up to Christmas were full of anticipation. My brothers and I knew all the places Mom usually hid the gifts, and we couldn’t resist trying to peel back a corner of the wrapping paper to see what was inside! Whether we guessed the contents of the carefully wrapped packages or not, we had to wait until Christmas morning to open them. Sometimes there was the excitement of finding exactly what we wanted under the tree, like the year I got my first John Denver album and a sleeping bag from Sears - both of which I still have. Other Christmases were less satisfying, like the time I got a white cowgirl suit with a skirt and a tiny gold horse pin. How was I supposed to ride a horse in a skirt, and what was I to do with a horse pin? I wanted a real horse! </p>
<p>Regardless of the gifts we received, it was the heart of the giver that was shown, however. Beneath the shiny paper, ribbons, and bows, we found the love of our parents. And love is what shepherds found lying in a manger in Bethlehem not so very long ago… </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold,an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:8-14) </em></p>
<p>When they least expected it, the greatest Christmas gift of all time - a Savior - was found by those who needed Him most and deserved Him the least. The shepherds of Jesus’ day were from the lowest class of that society. They had no civil rights and could not be admitted into court as witnesses. Shepherds were considered generally untrustworthy, and their daily work made them ceremonially unclean. And yet to the least of these the wrapping of the natural world was pulled back and lowly shepherds got to see a piece of heaven. To those who thought they were rejected and alone, Emmanuel - God with us - was born! Why didn’t the townspeople in Bethlehem hear the angelic choir or see the heavenly light? Perhaps the noise and lights of the city kept them from noticing the miracle. <em>They were too distracted by the things of this world to see into the next. </em></p>
<p>Like the townspeople in Bethlehem, it’s easy for us to see only the ‘wrapping paper’ of our lives and miss the gift inside the box. When we are focused on our circumstances - our grief, disappointments, fears, losses, and loneliness - life can seem like a gift we never asked for and wish we could exchange. </p>
<p>But Christmas is that wonderful reminder that if we, like the shepherds, are watching and listening, we just might catch a glimpse of what is beyond the wrapping paper. Could there be a gift for us even inside our sorrows? If we take our eyes off the cares of this world and seek Jesus right where we are, we can find Emmanuel, God with us! No matter what we are facing, God is there. If we seek Him, we can find His peace, His comfort, His joy, and His life born where we least expect it. </p>
<p>This Christmas, I invite you to come away from the noise and distractions of life and seek the Savior. Take your eyes off your circumstances and look for God <em>in the midst of your circumstances.</em> Peel back the paper, open the box, receive the gift of God’s great love for YOU. Don’t be afraid - He is the Gift that never disappoints! </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/a7044544213d60286a6e6868721d89fee7d8c861/original/istock-000027770805small.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></em></p>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/48356202017-09-02T14:28:52-04:002021-12-18T07:39:47-05:00prayers and jars<p>I woke up this morning to cold floors and chilly air….NOOOO!! Summer can’t be ending already! I was just getting ready to enjoy it! Oh well, one thing in life is sure - change happens. We can resist it, but it’s inevitable. In my life, a lot more than the weather has changed and is changing! My husband has retired from the military and is now living here in Michigan full-time! Yay!! I don't have to mow the grass anymore!!! </p>
<p>Autumn is coming...</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/28491be926bdce11c0a9ee5a0b9513c91e6daaa6/original/img-2114.jpg?1504376697" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>but the chickens don't care.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/1d5ccc219ae03c877fda5ced1302c16332fc4e6a/original/img-2116.jpg?1504376702" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>There has also been change in my ministry. I have always wanted to be used to share the love of God through words and music, but the focus of how and where to do that is getting clearer. The desire of my heart is to find the places where Jesus wants to go - where there is the most pain and brokenness - and go there. He uses music and His word to bring His love in whatever form it is needed. Just as Jesus did in the Bible, the Holy Spirit wants to flow through us and bring healing, faith, comfort, and life. Through me, He uses music to do just that. The music may seen frivolous, but it is the heart and soul of the ministry He does through me. Music is His 'secret weapon' which can carry His anointing straight to the heart and do miraculous things. I have given up trying to understand it. I just know it works! </p>
<p>I was recently at the Hope Rescue Mission in Nashville doing a concert for the homeless population there. The presence of God captivated the room! Afterwards, I prayed with many and was approached by a young man who seemed deeply moved. He said, "I'm not a godly man, but GOD touched my heart today. I feel like I have a reason to get out of bed tomorrow." </p>
<p>What more can I say? This is my life. This is my joy - to watch God touch hearts and leave them different over and over again. As I continue on this journey, the Lord has assured me that the cost of carrying the gospel will not become less for me...it will become greater. How could it not? The journey of the Cross is a narrow road, and the Lord never promised it would be easy. He did promise to send help when we need it though. Think of the man who was summoned by the guards to help Jesus carry His cross. Think about that....a man helped God fulfill His calling!! I can't really wrap my mind around that, but that story says to me that the Lord will surely send help for me to fulfill my calling when I need it. </p>
<p>That being said, I have been carrying my cross for a long time and need help, so I am taking a big step out of my comfort zone and asking for it. Humility....hmmmm </p>
<p>So, here goes: I am entering a season with a lot of conferences on the calendar. I will be speaking to women in several states about transformation in Christ and about living in JOY. One would think I would have mastered these topics by now, but though I am leading, I am still in the school of figuring them out in my own life! Please pray that I will have time and focus to study and pray so I can prepare well. Pray for physical energy and limited distractions. Pray for me to hear from the Lord clearly. </p>
<p>While I prepare and study, I am also beginning a new musical project. I won't speak too much of that today...I'll save that for next month! Just know it's global, multi-generational, and stretching between the most ancient music of our faith to the most contemporary. It's exciting, but it's expensive as music at a professional level always is. We are beginning to lay the groundwork for recording and aim to release this new work in late spring/early summer 2018. Trust me, this one is worth the wait! </p>
<p>I love making the music but hate having to pray and believe God for the provision. As a mostly non-profit ministry, I rely on donations and CD sales to fund my travel and music. Please note, I am NOT asking for money! I am asking for prayer that the Lord will direct my steps in this venture and that He will bring the provision in His way and in His time. As the poor widow went to her neighbors asking for jars, I am asking you for your prayers to help me have faith for God's vision, not mine. (trust me, His vision is bigger than my faith right now!) </p>
<p>So, thank you for your love and your PRAYERS!!! We need the Holy Spirit and each other to fulfill God's plans. Together, let's go carry the cross to which we have been called and appointed. </p>
<p> </p>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/47540532017-06-22T16:19:12-04:002021-11-24T01:31:12-05:00Be still and know.<p>I’ve just returned from a busy travel season. Not only did I travel around the globe doing ministry, but I also flew to Texas to be with my husband as he retired from military service! We cleaned and packed up his old life in one part of the country and drove 22 hours straight with two dogs in a car to our new life as a family in Michigan. (the dogs did great, by the way, and required far fewer potty breaks than we did!) </p>
<p>After such a strenuous time emotionally and physically and so much time away, I’m now eager to be back to the business of writing, creating, performing and ministering. I am so aware that time is short and there are many things I want to do for God! But as much as I burn inside to be fruitful for the Lord, there seems to be no strength or provision to continue at the moment. I keep praying and reminding God of all that needs to be done, but He keeps answering my prayers with only a stern, parental silence. My work, it seems, is again to rest in the Lord right now and just seek His face and enjoy His presence. I confess this is not easy for me! </p>
<p>For many of us, going and doing are much easier than resting and being. Our society tells us we must do more, work harder, and run faster to survive, but God’s kingdom is different. The Lord says in His word that fruitfulness comes as we stop working to make things happen and learn to simply be still and believe. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! (Psalm 46:10) </em></p>
<p>God is saying, “Don’t be afraid! Stop trying to make things happen and trust that I AM making things happen!” It’s easy to be still and believe when there is nothing pressing to do and no worries in life. But when bills are piling up, when we face struggles at home and at work, or when life is simply overwhelming, being still is not an easy task. </p>
<p>Being still involves trusting that the Lord is God and He is in control, not us. To be still, we must believe God has a plan and that no matter what we face today, HE is greater than every storm and every battle. Well, I don’t know what storm or battle you might be facing today, but, right now I invite you to close your eyes for a moment, be still, and just receive the word of the Lord for your life: </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>He makes me to lie down in green pastures; </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>He leads me beside the still waters. </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>He restores my soul; </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>I will fear no evil; for You are with me; </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23)</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">In this famous psalm, David reminds us who the Lord is: He is our shepherd, and He is our provider. He leads us, He restores us, He comforts us, and He protects us. He gives us victory over our enemies. He anoints us with His presence and fills us with His love. Because God’s blessing in on our lives, goodness and mercy will follow us all our days. The Lord will never leave us or forsake us. </p>
<p>Notice how much God does in this beautiful psalm and how little we have to do. Faith is the act of receiving what God has already provided. Faith rests in green pastures and drinks from still waters…unafraid. </p>
<p>Faith lets God do the miracles and simply believes. </p>
<p>As we learn to let God be God in our hearts, I know that He will do miracles in us and through us! The saltiness of His presence in us will make others thirsty. The radiance of His joy in us will make others long for what we have…which is simply Jesus. </p>
<p>This week let’s start with no expectations and no agenda. May our only goal be to be still wherever we are and know that He is God! </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Father forgive us for not trusting You completely. Give us the faith to believe that You are truly Lord over all. Help us learn to be still and worship You no matter what is going on around us believing that You will be exalted! in Jesus’ name, amen.</em></p>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/44610192016-11-10T16:17:59-05:002021-09-24T10:33:22-04:00hallelujahIn these uncertain times where so much is changing around us, thank goodness there is ONE who never changes! Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever! His love never changes! How good to know that the Lord is our shepherd. No matter what is going on in our country, our world, or in our lives, we can breathe a sigh of relief. So today, I invite you to take a moment and just praise God for His goodness. <br><br>As I was traveling to Nashville a few months ago, my rental car was running out of gas. (it had not been filled up which I didn't know!) As I prayed and rolled into the nearest gas station, I saw a young man crying with his head in his hands. I approached him and asked if I could pray for him. He agreed. Not knowing what was going on, I just prayed that the Lord would have mercy on him and bring the help that was needed. I found out later that this young man had just lost his sister to a drug overdose. Though the girl was not brought back to life, I thought, "How merciful of God to bring me at that moment with a touch of love and a prayer!" Though I would never see him again, I went on my journey smiling - knowing that the Lord had sent me to reveal His love by sharing in a stranger's pain.<br><br>When I arrived in Nashville, I recorded a video of a song I had been working on....'Hallelujah' by Leonard Cohen arranged for a single violin. I heard the parts in my head and recorded them using a 'loop station'. As I performed the song, my heart was praying for a young man I had met by the side of the road and weeping for a young lady who died way too young.<br><br>As you listen, I hope your heart will be inspired to sing 'hallelujah' no matter what you are going through. As you praise Him, I pray that the Lord will meet you by the side of the road and touch you with His love!!! <br><br>rejoicing!<br>jean<br><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="qlpgC9Erg4g" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/qlpgC9Erg4g/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qlpgC9Erg4g?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/44191302016-10-14T09:55:42-04:002021-11-03T08:16:40-04:00today's the day!!Today is a day of rejoicing. My new CD 'WONDER' is released to the world, and I couldn't be happier about it! Why is this CD so special to me? Probably because it doesn't feel like 'mine'. It happened quite by accident (God's design, of course) when John Ellis and I were worshiping in the studio last year. The sound that was being created that day was more than music. It carried the palpable presence of holiness. So we recorded that moment and then another moment and another. By January, producer Billy Smiley called and said, I think something incredible is happening. Let's finish a CD and do it well! <br><br>And do it well we - I mean HE - did. Michael W. Smith came alongside me and accompanied me on one track as did Peter Furler of the Newsboys, Steve Hindalong of The Choir and so many others! I added three solo violin tracks which are so much a part of who I am as a worshiper. Late in the game, I even did a bonus track of Cohen's 'Hallelujah' which is exclusively available on iTunes. <br><br>So, today you the listener get to enjoy the feast with us who have prepared it. I am so delighted to share it with you. I hope it brings moments of comfort, joy, and delight in God's presence as it has for me! Next Wednesday, October 19, you can even download 'I Can Hear Your Voice' with Michael W. Smith FREE at <a contents="newreleasetoday.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.newreleasetoday.com/freemusic.php">newreleasetoday.com</a>. In the meantime, you can listen and download at <a contents="ITunes" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/wonder/id1164110798">ITunes</a><br><br>There are many more surprises coming...videos, music and stories....so stay tuned. Let's continue to unwrap ALL the gifts God has for us in Christ. Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/41351772016-04-13T20:37:41-04:002021-11-25T04:46:26-05:00back to IRELANDI am sitting here after a long day of teaching....yes, I still teach music lessons one day a week to eager young piano, vocal, and violin students. My feet are propped up and there's a blanket over my legs. I'm so comfortable right now that I'm not sure I want to move to my bedroom to go to sleep! I will enjoy my little rest to the fullest because tomorrow begins another journey the green island of my dreams and destiny. How many times have I been to Ireland? I have lost count. But my heart still skips a beat when the plane floats down onto the runway in Dublin. <br><br>I remember the years when I would get out maps of Ireland and simply drink it all in, trying to imagine what all those funny-named cities actually looked like. Limerick, Cork, Tipperary, Kilkenny, and Killarney. How would I ever get to these places I had dreamed of as a child? I used to try to plan my way as if I could make it happen. Then one day, it did happen all on its own. At the right time, the Lord told an Irish friend of mine that He was bringing in a woman 'from the outside'. We spoke on the phone once, and she believed I was the 'one' He was referring to. So, completely by faith, I boarded a plane for Ireland to be greeted by a woman I had never met, to sing and speak in all the places I had dreamed about. <br><br>That was many visits ago, and all the strange-named cities have become familiar now. But each trip is a brand new adventure full of encounters with God that are as real as soda bread and potatoes! I love sharing the gospel in this country because the people are so ready, so hungry for spiritual truth. I also just love the culture. I have never met a people that was more hospitable and just plain<em> fun</em> as the Irish!! <br><br>So I'll enjoy my rest tonight because tomorrow there will be no rest for awhile....its time to "run the race marked out for me" and enjoy the soda bread and potatoes along the way. I can't wait to see what God is going to do this time and to share the adventure with you when I return. Please pray for me if you feel led - for safety and grace on my travels, for the luggage to arrive, for no jet lag, and for God's power to flow through me mightily as I sing and speak! Slan go foill....Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/41254772016-04-07T15:05:05-04:002016-04-08T21:43:02-04:00by faith not sight<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="C9npvyfsUw4" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/C9npvyfsUw4/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C9npvyfsUw4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>Happy Spring all my friends and prayer warriors out there! </p>
<p>I thought I would send the latest 'video blog' from my 'back yard' to encourage anyone who is praying and believing for something or someone. Keep praying, keep believing, and keep speaking God's Word over your situation until you see His Word become flesh in your life! </p>
<p>I would also appreciate your prayers as I head into a busy month of ministry. I will be speaking/singing at three events this weekend in the Kalamazoo area, including the KPEP center which is full of men and women who are trying to get free of the cycle of drugs/incarceration. </p>
<p>Next Thursday, I hop on a plane bound for Ireland, the land which brings me so much joy! I have a full weekend of ministry in three cities there and am asking for prayer to be able to focus and prepare in prayer without distraction! Also, please pray for physical strength and traveling mercies and grace on my family while I am away. A few days after my return, I fly to Florida for more ministry. I love the travel, but it is taxing on my physically. </p>
<p>God is doing so many amazing things lately....I've been working on a very exciting recording project which is in the final stages of production. I can't wait to share this music with you!! There will be more details forthcoming about this latest adventure, but in the meantime, please pray for the facilitation and finances needed to finish it. </p>
<p>Thank you for blessing me with your support, your prayers, and your friendship. I am eternally grateful to walk this road with you following the Master! </p>
<p>for Him, </p>
<p>Jean</p>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/39665692015-12-20T10:46:43-05:002015-12-25T16:20:05-05:00the lowest placeChristmas came early for me last night, and my heart is completely full....no need for further celebration though there are still gifts to be exchanged and family gatherings to be enjoyed! For four years, I have travelled to Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility to celebrate the season with men who will not be going home this Christmas. When people hear that I do prison ministry, they often thank me for the 'sacrifice' I am making. What might be hard to understand is that prison ministry is one of the most fulfilling things I get to do!<br><br>My audience is dressed in prison-issue blue and orange with look-alike black plastic oxfords. Some faces show pain, grief, anger, and despair while others are stone-cold, protecting the pain within. I scan the room as I sing, searching for eyes to connect with and hearts to love. Some look at me, some do not, but I love them anyway. I love them all. I don't have to know what they have done. My job is not to judge - just to let Jesus love them through me. And He does! As the music plays, hearts soften, and tears begin to flow. Eyes close and mouths move with mine as we sing familiar carols. Some smile, and I weep as their voices grow louder than mine. <br><br><em>"Long lay the world in sin and error pining 'til He appeared and the soul felt its worth..."</em><br><br>Then I speak, sharing the story of how God <em>appeared </em>in my life in such a radical way about 15 years ago. After a simple prayer, the Lord opened doors for me leading me from a dark and desolate place where I thought I had failed God into the land of my destiny. I spoke about Bethlehem and the manger....not the Hallmark Christmas card scene but rather the reality of a dark, cold, and dirty cattle stall that reeked of animal urine. How could God be born in such a place? Actually, how could He be born in any other place? His glory only comes in the humble places. His love can only be received by the humble-hearted. God delights in bringing HIs light into darkness and transforming stables into throne rooms. This is the story of Christmas - the possibility of God's ridiculous, miraculous love that can take what is dirty and turn it into something glorious. <br><br>As I share, stoney faces have melted, and tired eyes glisten with a spark of childlike faith. "Let's pray together", I offer, and heads bow, eager to receive. One final song, and all are on their feet. We share a moment of joy and connection as they line up like kindergarteners hoping to shake my hand. No hugs are allowed, so the touch of a hand becomes precious. How I cherish the touch of each hand, knowing that God within me is touching them. Or perhaps God within them is touching me? I have no idea what the Lord will do in each man's life, but I do know that we all have had the possibility of an encounter with God and with it, the possibility of a miracle. <br><br>What more could I ask for for Christmas? I have already been to Bethlehem! My heart is glowing, and I can't wait to go back. Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/38699602015-09-26T11:18:46-04:002021-11-02T08:12:35-04:00returning and rest<span class="text Isa-30-15" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">“In returning and rest you shall be saved;</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="text Isa-30-15" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15) <br><br>As I write these words I am sitting still for the first time in what seems like forever! The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of travel, ministry, media appearances, and busyness. Last week, I was in Ireland speaking and singing in several churches in Navan, Kilkenny, and Dublin. After a long journey back to Michigan which included three flights and two bus rides through New York City, I had just a few hours sleep before having to teach a full day's worth of music lessons. After teaching, I repacked the suitcase and drove to Indiana for a live television interview and performance. The day after that, I was back on the plane to Pennsylvania to prepare for two church services and a CD release concert tomorrow. Following this trip, I will spend five days in Nashville for meetings, videos, recordings, and another TV appearance. The day after I return from Nashville, I move into a new house!<br><br>In the midst of all this craziness, I have asked the Lord how I will survive without collapsing? In answer to my question, God reminded me that Jesus lived in the craziness of the world but was never stressed. <em>Busyness happens, but stress is a choice. </em>When the schedule is overly full or circumstances are challenging, we can choose how to respond to whatever life throws our way! We don't have control over the moment, but we can have victory<em> in</em> the moment if we stay at rest in the Lord. We can be confident that His grace has brought us safe thus far and grace will lead us home! <br><br>So as I sat on the bus in the middle of Manhattan knowing I would probably miss my next flight, I was able to <em>rest</em>. God was in the midst of me and quietness and confidence in Him was my strength. Even though I was walking through the valley 'of the shadow of death', I did not have to fear evil! I could lay my head down no matter where I was and just go to sleep, both physically and spiritually. <br><br>Today, if you feel stressed and overwhelmed, take a deep breath. God is so much bigger than busy schedules and impossible circumstances. He has gone ahead of you and already made a way through whatever you are facing! So relax, grab a cup of tea (or coffee if you're like me), and enjoy the ride. <strong><em>You were made to walk on water.</em></strong></span>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/36956012015-05-06T08:19:08-04:002023-01-11T04:21:07-05:00expect the miraculous.I just returned from another visit to the UK and am 'sat' with a cup of tea pondering all that the Lord did...in me! These trips always build my faith. I am suddenly thrust out of my comfort zone and must sing and speak in strange places on very little sleep. There have been many challenges over the years.<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">I’ve had my car broken into and my money, credit cards, phone, passport and identification stolen. I’ve lost my luggage may times. I’ve been threatened by volcanic ash and blizzards. I’ve had to minister and perform through sickness and fatigue. I have had to trust God to take care of my children’s needs while I am gone with no way to help. I have faced persecution, ridicule, and self doubt. Yet I always return from my travels with a greater understanding of God’s love for me! In a way, the only way faith grows is by stepping out and walking in it. We can talk about faith and say we believe, but as James explains, "F</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; letter-spacing: 0px;">aith without works is dead." Actually, the greatest works I've ever seen God do occurred when I felt the most weak. </span><font face="Helvetica Neue">The</font><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; letter-spacing: 0px;"> Lord uses vessels who know they are nothing without Him! </span><br><br><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; letter-spacing: 0px;">So, now I am home and the dust is settling in my heart, but I know the Lord's love and power a little better than I did before. I </span><font face="Helvetica Neue">don't</font><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><font face="Helvetica Neue">have</font><font face="Helvetica Neue" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> to drive on the 'wrong' side of the road today. I can drink 'real' coffee instead of tea if I want. I won't face blizzards or lost luggage. I probably won't get lost. But I will go about my natural routine knowing that the kingdom of God is at hand everywhere I go. The One who heals the</font><font face="Arial"><b style="letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 22px;"> </b><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 22px;">sick, cleanses lepers, and </span><span style="line-height: 22px;">raises</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 22px;"> the dead dwells in me, and the I get to watch Him work! May I never grow comfortable except in Him. May I see everyone I meet today through His eyes of love. May I live always expecting the miraculous!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/dc9d0a9ef0ccf0e8e5f6d4511b1757900ddd1e9f/medium/jean-warmsworth.jpg?1430914112" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/1a3002d4036b440f42195718ae844c9c891c485b/medium/piano-warmsworth-2.jpg?1430914196" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/3b538021345f9a5f35a43dc71557d563b832cbcf/medium/jean-shambles.jpg?1430914245" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/5cc030d7396fcf86c75dd55a48fbad9d0920082a/medium/warmsworth-prayer.jpg?1430914157" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/af0a66e3f2c6c5e5aefba6723826391431963155/medium/york.jpg?1430914127" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/dba14cfdf30f1535578884d1aebfc2582ec0ba17/medium/violin-warmsworth.jpg?1430914649" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></span></font>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/35588212015-02-25T23:18:40-05:002015-02-25T23:31:12-05:00front row seatI love to be on the front lines of ministry. If I had been alive when Jesus walked the earth, I would have been with Zaccheus up in the tree so I could have a good view! The fun part about a living faith is that we can all have that front row seat to Jesus' ministry every day! All we have to do is be available and be obedient when He tells us to do something. Here is a story of one of those times when I had a front row seat and got to watch the Master at work. :)<br><br><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="iklEdpqikHc" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/iklEdpqikHc/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iklEdpqikHc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/34963692015-01-30T18:43:25-05:002021-08-27T06:26:11-04:00Spirit DayI am home this week doing normal things that people do. I'm so excited! I get to do laundry and clean my house. I get to take out the trash. I get to breathe! I have been traveling so much for ministry the past few months that I have not even unpacked my suitcase. I guess it's time! I am not complaining, though. It's been a glorious time of watching the Lord bear His fruit through me... <br><br>This month I traveled to Virginia and then to Texas where I was invited to be the guest speaker at 'Spirit Day' at Floral Heights Church in Wichita Falls, Texas. The title of the event was 'Living In the Joy Of The Lord' which is a topic which I haven't mastered yet but am passionate about teaching! These Texan ladies received me and the message with open arms, and I left with a heart filled with joy. <br><br>When we are doing what God has made us to do and allowing His Spirit to flow through us, we get to share His joy! I am so enormously thankful that I am able to sing, to speak, and to learn to love like Jesus loves every day. Now that I am home doing the less glamorous things like cooking and cleaning, may I still live in the Lord's joy all the time as I fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/240a4a99b9e60e9aae978d2262607b55775f4de7/original/10933706-874546809264462-2632850330607939834-n.jpg?1422661217" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/e173ba111d1dde2e3ee2a7f3352a0ab060c23bdf/original/1549468-874549949264148-6472216295007398541-n.jpg?1422661226" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/5dffeed53dda093a6fbc1edf940c5b4dfd54ec08/original/10173624-874550032597473-6564891756094548914-n.jpg?1422661239" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/cac1ce36d5689d41696a687527aaf21fafaa876d/original/10338830-874549999264143-2098571990498393521-n.jpg?1422661245" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/98637456fd388afcdbe085d2292cdd8ee814f860/original/10920928-874549922597484-7389453780781997605-n.jpg?1422661252" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/02166df7fd4b489e87bc1557de697966a928d5c2/original/10931268-874548205930989-6811416506920404821-n.jpg?1422661282" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/34253752014-12-21T20:53:44-05:002014-12-21T21:00:08-05:00performing on The 700 Club with Phil KeaggyI just found out these songs have been aired on CBN. I had so much fun performing with Phil! What a blessing! Enjoy :<br><br><a contents="http://www.cbn.com/tv/3932409082001" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.cbn.com/tv/3932409082001">http://www.cbn.com/tv/3932409082001</a><br><br><a contents="http://www.cbn.com/tv/3932409092001" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.cbn.com/tv/3932409092001">http://www.cbn.com/tv/3932409092001</a><br><br> Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/33387002014-11-28T12:25:58-05:002014-12-25T09:16:31-05:00the making of a dream One night as I was pondering Christmas music for my new CD, I had an idea. I had always loved the song, "Do You Hear What I Hear" when I was a child. As I sat at my piano, I could hear myself singing it in a new way, however...with some new chords and a different feel than most arrangements I have heard. That night I made a crude demo of my idea and sent it to producer Billy Smiley at about 2 AM. I told Billy that I could hear a 'Phil Keaggy-ish' guitar sound in the arrangement never dreaming that Phil would one day actually play the song and record a music video with me! The morning after I made the demo, my husband called and said he had had a dream that I recorded the song, 'Do You Hear What I Hear'!<p> </p>
<p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(113, 118, 122); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 21px; background-color: rgb(244, 245, 247);">So here is the dream come to life - Phil Keaggy playing the sound that I heard in my head. May we all have faith like a child to see what God sees and hear what He hears!<iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="w9nKkWS6H3o" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/w9nKkWS6H3o/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w9nKkWS6H3o?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/32591872014-10-30T20:16:53-04:002014-10-30T20:16:53-04:00new CD review!What a thankful day it is! <br><br>http://soul-audio.com/2014/10/review-jean-watson-christmas-not-the-way-it-seems/Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/31684452014-09-02T18:55:18-04:002020-02-15T10:33:52-05:00pre-release downloads coming soon!To all my brave Kickstarter supporters: thank you SO much for your generous support of my recording adventures this year. God is doing amazing things, and I will be sharing all the details very soon. The Christmas CD is here, and those of you who ordered pre-release downloads will be sent a link to those later this week. More news to follow! Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/30555622014-07-03T13:21:01-04:002021-02-11T01:14:46-05:00watching the Master work...June was one of the most exciting, hold-onto-your-hat kind of months I have ever lived through! There was ministry and travel and a wedding....MINE...plus the filming of a music video with Phil Keaggy in Nashville. Now I am back home in Michigan and taking a moment to breathe and give thanks.<br><br>My life feels like it is moving very fast now after years of prayer. I have never felt myself so propelled forward by the power of the Holy Spirit as I do right now! I remember Jesus saying He could only what He saw HIs Father doing, and that is how I feel - like I am just watching God working! The wedding was beautiful, sacred, and joyful. It was a moment of high worship which is exactly what I wanted it to be. God was so good to confirm His will to our families with the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, etc..<br><br>After the wedding, my husband Mark and I journeyed south to Nashville where we made a Christmas music video with Phil Keaggy. I can't reveal too many details about that right now, but I will tell you that it was another moment of high worship for me where I was keenly aware of God's presence and power. We just sat back and watched while He created!! Can't wait to share this!! After the video, we continued south to Alabama and Florida where we spent time with Mark's family and did ministry at Bethlehem Family Camp in Bonifay, Florida. There we encountered God's presence again and praised Him for what He was doing in our midst.<br><br><br>Perhaps that is what worship really is..<em>.just praising God for who He is and what He is doing.</em> Now I sit at my computer and reflect and revel in the goodness of God. I long to stay in this place of watching God at work and worshiping! How much worry and anxiety I would spare myself if I just kept my eyes on what He is doing rather than on what I can't do! Thank God that He is able and willing and loving. Can't wait to sit back and watch Him work again today!<br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/45714/dc858d0c9a3005df4baf7f2671fce6c12c38e4e6/original/videoshoot1.jpg?1404407958" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br><br><br><br> Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/29920402014-06-04T07:55:44-04:002014-06-04T07:57:41-04:00We Are The Salt Of The Earth<span style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I had the privilege of being able to preach a lot this week publicly, and one of the places I spoke was particularly unique. It was a church service at a campground on the shore of a lake. The sun was shining, there was a light breeze coming off the water, and I suddenly realized that I was preaching in the same setting that Jesus often did. He probably did most of his teaching outdoors and much of it on the shores of a lake! And when people heard the sound of his voice they were drawn to Him….He preached with authority, and His message was something revolutionary that people had never heard before. He was a physical picture of His heavenly Father. In fact, in John 14:9 he said, anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! </span></span>
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<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify; font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 18, 32);"><span style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Jesus was not of this world - He was holy, so everything he touched was made holy. The atmosphere around him was holy. Holiness is who God is…it is wholeness and perfection, righteousness, peace, and joy. Holiness is the state of being pure in heart as the Lord is. No evil can stand against holiness, so when it comes, the power of darkness has to go. <i>When holiness appears on the earth, it always brings transformation.</i></span></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify; font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 18, 32);"><span style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Jesus was holy because of his relationship with His heavenly father, and now we as believers have the same connection and relationship with the father that Jesus did. Jesus said we are no longer called slaves. We have been made sons and daughters of God through Him.</span></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify; font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 18, 32);"><span style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Galatians 4:7</span><span style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b> </b>says,<b> “</b>S</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">o that you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, also an heir through God.”</span></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify; font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 18, 32);"><span style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We have the same spirit of holiness dwelling in our mortal bodies that dwells in Christ. That is not to say that we are God as He is, but through him, we get to share his nature. Hebrews 12:10 says, “But he, meaning God, disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.”</span></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify; font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 18, 32);"><span style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If we allow it to, that holiness will gradually transform us from the inside out. The kingdom of God will spread in us…as Jesus said…like yeast in a loaf of bread. God’s spirit in us will start to change everything in us that doesn’t look like him. All we have to do is be willing and say, “Yes Lord, let your kingdom come in me!”</span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify; font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 18, 32);"><span style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">As His kingdom comes more and more inside our hearts, minds, and bodies, it will also begin to affect the atmosphere around us. The Lord will bring his kingdom to the world through our lowly bodies! Just think - God wants to change the world through you and me!</span></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify; font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 18, 32);"><span style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Jesus said in Matthew 5:13, ”You are the salt of the earth.” What does salt do to our food? It changes its flavor. It only takes a little salt to transform any food and bring it to life! Jesus is saying that, just like salt, if the spirit of God lives in us, He can use little people like us to bring transformation and life! </span></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify; font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 18, 32);"><span style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We are called to be salt in the world…a little taste of heaven to those around us!<i> But being salty or full of the holy spirit, is a choice. </i>We can choose to not be the salt of the earth by living for ourselves and not for the Lord. To bring change and transformation we must be willing to be transformed. We need to be made salty again! We need to get rid of anything in us that doesn’t look like Christ, and that’s not easy. But the more we allow the Lord to make us holy, the more fruitful our lives become on every level. </span></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify; font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 18, 32);"><span style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">In my own life, I know that I need to be made more salty every day…I want to be so full of Jesus that whoever I am around would be able to taste His love through me. I want to live a life that is fruitful and not just spent on my own desires and ambitions. I want to carry more and more of His holiness in me! Let’s ask God to give us willing hearts to be changed so that He can use us to bring change. </span></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify; font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 18, 32);"><span style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><i>Father, forgive us for not always living as the salt of the earth. Forgive us when we live for ourselves or conform to the world. Show us how to be made salty again. Change our hearts so that you can use us to change the world! In Jesus’ name amen.</i></span></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify; font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 18, 32); min-height: 16px;"><a contents="http://www.mixcloud.com/UCBIreland/jean-watson-we-are-the-salt-of-the-earth-daily-radio-programme-on-ucb-ireland/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.mixcloud.com/UCBIreland/jean-watson-we-are-the-salt-of-the-earth-daily-radio-programme-on-ucb-ireland/"><span style="color:#DAA520;">http://www.mixcloud.com/UCBIreland/jean-watson-we-are-the-salt-of-the-earth-daily-radio-programme-on-ucb-ireland/</span></a></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify; font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 18, 32); min-height: 16px;"> </p>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/28395362014-04-02T17:06:51-04:002021-01-21T11:28:32-05:00the sound of heaven is coming!God has blessed me with an opportunity to record with Phil Keaggy, Billy Smiley, and lots of other amazing musicians, but I need your help! Please share with anyone who might be interested. (watch the video...you can see me actually walking on Lake Michigan :))) <br><br><a contents="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2020666384/the-sound-of-heaven-project" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2020666384/the-sound-of-heaven-project">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2020666384/the-sound-of-heaven-project</a><br> Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/28305762014-03-30T18:42:33-04:002021-01-18T21:37:01-05:00new interview!I was very honored to be interviewed by www.hallels.com this week- check it out! <br>There is so much going on right now, my head is spinning. I am ministering in Ireland this week and would appreciate your prayers! I've also got lots of exciting news to share in the next week or so, so stay tuned!<br><br><br><br><br><br><a contents="www.hallels.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.hallels.com"><span style="color:#DAA520;">www.hallels.com</span></a>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/27472122014-03-14T12:50:21-04:002022-02-14T05:40:37-05:00Walking On Water<br>I am coming into a very busy season of my life with so much on the horizon that, if I think about the future too much, I start to panic! Several doors in my life have suddenly opened, and I am thrilled to walk through them! At the same time, however, I sometimes wonder if I am really ready to do all that is before me! <p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">One of my children very wisely reminded me of the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:34 when he said, "</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." If I know I am doing what God is calling me to do, then I shouldn't be worried or anxious. Certainly, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! I know that in my mind, but my heart doesn't always believe it! </span><span style="color: rgb(2, 19, 33); font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">In spite of my fears, however, I've made a decision to walk forward into the challenges that are in front of me without looking down! If I can keep my heart focused on the Lord and rest in Him at all times, I know He will do the work through me, and the fruit will be glorious! But if I lose my focus on God and allow myself to live in fear, then I won't be able to do anything by the spirit, and I will live in a state of stress and anxiety which is never God's will for me.</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial;">I am reminded of the story of Peter walking on the water to Jesus in the Bible. The disciples had just had a busy day of ministry, and the Lord sent them away from the crowds in a boat so they could cross the lake. He himself stayed behind to pray. Matthew chapter 14 tells the rest of the story, "… the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.<b> </b>But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”<b> </b>So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind <i>was</i> boisterous,<b> </b>he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”<b> </b>And immediately Jesus stretched out <i>His</i> hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 16px; font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial;">The first thing I notice about this story is the fact that <i>Jesus sent them right into a storm that night</i>. He certainly knew what they would face, and He deliberately chose not to go with them! In fact, He waited until the fourth watch of the night to go out and join them which is sometime between 3 AM and dawn! Jesus wasn't concerned about the comfort level of his friends. He knew they needed a challenge more than they needed a feeling of security.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 16px; font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial;">The next thing I notice is that only one of the disciples chose to get out of the boat and take Jesus up on His challenge to come to Him. Only Peter chose to try something that looked impossible. And only Peter got to experience a few seconds of heaven that night as he walked into the realm of faith. It was only when he remembered that he was in the world and became afraid that he began to fall. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 16px; font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial;">Just as Jesus didn't force the disciples to come to Him, I believe God allows us to experience as much of who He is as we want to! We can choose to live in the realm where we seem in control, or we can step into the realm of faith where impossible things become possible. There was no condemnation for the eleven disciples who stayed in the boat, but only one got to become a part of a miracle.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 16px; font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial;">Miracles never happen by human strength or ability. God wants to do extraordinary through each one of us, but the works of God can only be done by faith. <i>So today each of us has a choice</i>. We can continue to live in our comfort zone and just survive, or we can step out into the realm of faith and participate in something supernatural, something beyond human ability, something extraordinary.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 16px; font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial;">So, where do you see yourself in this story? Are you one of the disciples who would rather stay where it seems safer in the boat….or do you hear Jesus calling you to come out on the water? Is there a part of you that knows you will always regret it if you don't try what God is inviting you to do? Let's pray that we will all hear exactly what God is asking of us and that He will give us the courage to step out in faith and go! </p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 16px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Verdana;"><i>Father, I know that you have extraordinary plans for our lives….plans to give us a hope and a future that is beyond what we could ask or imagine! We want to experience the abundant life that you have for each of us in Christ. Give us the courage to step out into that abundant life even when it seems difficult or impossible. Help us to keep our eyes fixed on you and you alone we pray in Jesus' name, amen!</i></p><a contents="http://www.mixcloud.com/UCBIreland/jean-watson-walking-on-water-daily-radio-program-on-ucb-ireland/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.mixcloud.com/UCBIreland/jean-watson-walking-on-water-daily-radio-program-on-ucb-ireland/"><span style="color:#DAA520;">http://www.mixcloud.com/UCBIreland/jean-watson-walking-on-water-daily-radio-program-on-ucb-ireland/</span></a>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/26564532014-02-27T08:16:59-05:002023-12-10T11:32:19-05:00pray without ceasing...<span class="font_large">Did you know that every day, from the moment our eyes open in the morning until they close again at night, we are engaged in spiritual warfare? Every day, we will face challenges and temptations that are probably beyond our human ability to overcome. Life would certainly be a hopeless battle if we did not believe that we could have victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. So how do we live in the victory that Jesus purchased for us on the cross?</span>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large">Well, I believe that when we are faced with a challenge, the most important thing we can do is simply ask for help!! That seems like such a simplistic answer, but I believe that often we live at a lower level than we are called to simply because we do not ask God to help us. When we are in relationship with God through His son Jesus Christ, the Bible says that we can pray in Jesus' name and instantly have access to supernatural power. That doesn't mean that we will receive whatever we pray for, but it does mean that all the possibilities of heaven become possible in our lives!</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large">If only we really believed that! So often we get discouraged when we don't see immediate answers. Cultivating a life of prayer, however, is not about receiving answers, its about having a continual conversation with the Lord. Prayer is about learning to hear His voice. Its about allowing God's heart to change our hearts so that His desires become our desires. When we are praying in agreement with God's Word and in alignment with His perfect will and timing, then we truly can expect miracles!! </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large">Paul encouraged us in I Thessalonians 5:17 to "pray without ceasing", and James 5:16 says that, "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."…..Jesus Himself said in John 16:24, " Ask and you will receive that your joy may be full." Paul knew it, James knew it, and Jesus knew it - prayer changes things!! God hears us when we call, and our words in prayer are more powerful than we realize!</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large">Prayer is the key to seeing change where God's kingdom has not yet come on earth, and I have seen prayers bring His kingdom to earth time and time again. But as much I as I know how important prayer is, I sometimes struggle to live in that state of praying without ceasing. The devil will try anything and everything to keep you and I from praying! So often I get up in the morning with every intention of spending a good amount of time in prayer. And sure enough, distractions come from every direction to keep me from conversing with the Lord! </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large">With the age of the internet and the smartphone, distractions and temptations are constant unless we decisively <i>choose to create undistracted time with God</i>. For me this takes great discipline, and I don't always succeed. But I know that many times, I walk around lacking, discouraged, and feeling pressed down simply because I have not made time to ask God for help!</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large">Prayer is so simple! Anyone can do it. Prayer is simply telling God where we need Him and asking Him for help. Satan desperately does not want us to ASK because he knows that we have access to the Father if we are in Christ, and he does not!! If only we would realize how much God would gladly bless us if we would simply ask!!! Doesn't God bless us without prayer? Well, God's love is certainly not contingent on our prayers, but I believe prayer allows us to access the fullest benefits of His love. <i>Remember that prayer is not about the answer but rather about how we are changed in the process of praying</i>. Its not the world that needs transformation as much as it is we ourselves. Prayer connects us with the love of God which transforms us more and more into the image of Christ. As the spirit of God grows inside us, His faith grows inside us. And only when HIs faith is present do miracles happen. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large">Are you feeling encouraged to make prayer a bigger priority in your life? I know I am! I want my human faith to be replaced with His. I want so much of Jesus to live in me that strongholds would fall without me saying a word. I need His faith to believe that miracles are indeed possible in my life! Through prayer, all things become possible if we will only take the time to ask and keep on asking until we see God;s answer formed in us…whatever that answer may be. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large"><i>Father, I thank you that we have access to you through your son, Jesus, who died for us on the cross. Thank you that you hear us when we call. Thank you that whatever we ask in prayer, believing, we will receive. Lord, we ask you to make us a people of prayer. Teach us how to pray without ceasing. Bring Your kingdom in us and through us, we pray! In Jesus' name, amen.</i><br><br><a contents="UCB Ireland Radio podcast" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.mixcloud.com/UCBIreland/jean-watson-pray-without-ceasing-daily-radio-program-on-ucb-ireland/"><span style="color:#DAA520;">http://www.mixcloud.com/UCBIreland/jean-watson-pray-without-ceasing-daily-radio-program-on-ucb-ireland/</span></a></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"> </p>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/26276302014-02-22T13:28:36-05:002014-02-27T08:24:52-05:00Best Day Ever Why is it I always get to fly into storms instead of away from them? So many times, it seems like the very places God is sending me are the most difficult places to get to...both spiritually and physically! And last weekend was no exception. My daughter and I were scheduled to fly to the east coast for some long-awaited family time and some ministry in Pennsylvania. And sure enough, the day we were to leave, the east coast was hit with a severe snowstorm. All flights were cancelled for two days, and the only way to get there was by car. So, we hopped in my car and drove over 2,000 miles roundtrip! It was grueling but so worth it. <br><br>I was able to see family members and dear friends that I missed and then sang and spoke at Grace Fellowship Church in Shillington, PA. Grace Fellowship is one of my favorite churches to visit, and I am so thankful for the way the people at Grace always welcome me and allow me to minister with freedom! Here is the message I preached....THE BEST DAY EVER. <br>Whether we are headed into a storm, coming out of a storm, or resting from a storm, in Christ, every day of our lives IS the best day ever! :)Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/25597662014-02-11T11:48:29-05:002021-06-29T06:34:48-04:00be strong and of good courage<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large"> I was outside shoveling snow the other day, and in the silence of winter, a strange sound caught my attention. It was a single song bird bravely announcing its presence. That song was a welcome reminder that spring is indeed coming someday! And the Lord used that little bird to give me hope that change is coming in my life, as well. As I look at the future with all kinds of new possibilities on the horizon for me, however, I wonder if I am really ready for change. We may not like our circumstances, but at least we know what to expect! Even our discomfort can become comfortable because we can feel somewhat in control.</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large">Change on the other hand, requires faith. So as I ponder the possibility of change and growth in my life, I wonder if it is safer to stay in my little boat rather than to step out onto the waters of faith. And yet, as I look back through my prayer journals, I see prayers that I poured out to God over months and even years. And I hear God saying, why are you surprised at the changes that are coming? Haven't you prayed for these things? </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large">The truth is, it takes faith to pray, but it also takes faith to step out and receive the answer to prayer. Many times I prayed for things and then found out that I had to do something by faith to receive the answer. For years, I prayed that the Lord would open a door for me to do ministry in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. I actually wrote those words down on a little card which I carried in my pocket for three years! Every day I would get the card out and look at it, and speak the words of my prayer. and Every day, the card got smaller and smaller!</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large">And then one day in 2006, the door opened, and I was asked to come to England for the first time to do ministry. I spent days packing and couldn't sleep the night before my flight. I was terrified, and the Lord reminded me of the words he spoke to Joshua before he led the Israelites across the river Jordan into the promised land…in Joshua 1:9 He said, "<span style="font: 13.0px Verdana">Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God <i>is</i> with you wherever you go.”</span> </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large">God said that he had prepared me for this moment, that He would go with me, and that everything I did would be by His power alone. So I crossed the ocean that first time, with a backpack and a violin on my back dragging a seventy pound keyboard behind me. I went to strange churches in a beautiful land that I had never seen, and the most amazing things happened! Heaven was poured out wherever I went. On that first concert tour, a girl who was severely hearing impaired was completely healed. Others were spontaneously convicted by the Holy Spirit as I sang and spoke. I was overwhelmed watching the Lord do miraculous things knowing I was completely untrained for ministry. and I knew that just like Joshua, God was with me wherever I went! </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large">I could have shrunk back and not stepped into my destiny. I remember being so terrified that God wouldn't show up and that I would make a fool of myself! It would have been so much safer to just stay home and not take that risk. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large">Now, here I am facing new Jordan rivers, and facing the same fears about crossing them. Will God still be with me? How do I know this is His will? What if I am wrong? But there are rivers and new lands in front of me, and I know that I will always regret it if I don't step out and try! </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large">I wonder if you can relate to my story about England. Perhaps you have a dream like I did and need to write that dream down and start praying and asking God for the faith to see it come to pass. Or perhaps, like me, the dream is coming to pass and now you're not sure if you have the courage to step into it! </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large">Well, I want to encourage you to be strong and of good courage. Change can be scary, but you will never fulfill your God given destiny without taking a risk! <i>Nothing significant is ever done in the kingdom of God by human strength or ability, and God will intentionally push you into the realm of faith so that He is doing the work, not you.</i> </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large">Ephesians 3:20 says <span style="font: 12.0px Verdana">that he is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, God has a great work for you to do, but he needs you to step out and trust Him for that work to be done. </span>Spring is coming, change is coming, and it will be <i>good</i> if we have courage to embrace it and step into it! If you feel unqualified for a challenge that is before you, that's probably exactly the direction God wants you to go. You will be amazed at how He will use you to do what you could never do on your own strength. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="font_large"> <i>Father thank you for placing your dreams inside of our hearts. Help us to recognize those dreams. Help us to have the perseverance to pray for those dreams to come to pass, and the courage to step into them! Thank you for the miracles that you will do through each of us as we learn to live by your strength rather than our own. In Jesus name, amen.</i><br><br><a contents="UCB Ireland Podcast" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.mixcloud.com/UCBIreland/jean-watson-be-strong-of-a-good-courage-daily-radio-program-on-ucb-ireland/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#FFD700;">http://www.mixcloud.com/UCBIreland/jean-watson-be-strong-of-a-good-courage-daily-radio-program-on-ucb-ireland/</span></a></span></p>
<div> </div>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/19053362013-10-22T14:42:16-04:002021-11-13T16:17:03-05:00beauty in Manchester...Well, I just realized I have been a terrible blogger! Please forgive my lack of communication. It has been a gloriously busy and fruitful season in my life, and I am enjoying every moment. :) :) I just returned from two ministry trips - one to Ireland and one to England. Both were so full and rich. Ireland was full of surprises, from my luggage not arriving and having to minister with one set of clothes, a violin, and a computer (I actually kind of liked that) to preaching at the first ever Jean Watson Men's Conference (I actually kind of liked that) to meeting a lady who had flown all the way from Wales to meet me and invite me to come minister in her land (I actually kind of loved that!! <br><br>England was stressful but beautiful beyond belief. The stress was just me growing in faith again. I had to learn to drive stick shift with the wrong hand on the wrong side of the car on the wrong side of the road!! Ouch, that was hard!!! Once, I even got stuck in a car park and could not get out. (my Irish travel companion had to pull us out of that mess!) Then the GPS (satnav) froze on us, and we ended up in cow pastures outside of York, England in the middle of the night. Faith-building it was. <br><br>But it was ALL WORTH IT for one night in Manchester. <br><br>I was able to go out on the streets of Manchester with a team carrying hot coffee and food looking for hurting women. Before we went out , though, we prayed, and as we prayed, I saw a woman's face in my mind. She had blond short or pulled back hair and distinct features. I told my friends what I had seen but did not know if it was God or my imagination!. We walked deep into the heart of the city and stood on a street corner....watching drug dealers, pimps, and girls.....it was a lot to take in!! Then scantily-clad girls came to us out of the darkness....all ages, all nationalities. Some could not speak English. Some seemed to be young teenagers. It was heartbreaking.<div style="font-family: Helvetica; "> </div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; ">I stood and watched for awhile, not knowing what to do. Then I saw a face....it was the face I had seen in my prayer!!! Without thinking, I blurted out, "YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL!" She shouted back, "NO I'M NOT!" <span style="font-size: 12px; "> With her response I was able to come closer and explain that the Lord had brought me all the way from America that day to tell her how gorgeous she was. Stunned by my words…this lady began to open up her heart to me. She showed me more bruises and a stab wound., She even allowed me to put my arm around her and to pray for her. then she looked up and made the most profound statement. She said, "God is in your hands"…I wondered at that moment if this was perhaps one of the few times she had ever been touched with love. </span>
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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; font-family: Helvetica; ">We had a beautiful conversation about God …about heaven, about evil and darkness, and about love which she doubted could be real. She seemed to think she was too dirty and worthless to be touched, and yet as I hugged her I felt privileged…like I was hugging a queen. This wounded woman was not worthless, she was chosen. God loved her so much that he showed me her face in advance….telling me that on a certain night I would find a beautiful blond woman on a street corner in England who needed His love. </div>
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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; font-family: Helvetica; ">Being able to pray with this lady really changed me. The Lord used that encounter to confirm something He is doing in me....checking my heart, checking my motives, sharpening my focus. Yes, I love to sing. I love to speak. I love to perform and entertain. But the motive has to be so sharp...only to bring His love. Only through His love. Nothing else!!! I praise God that I have the best job in the world. I get to bring God's love to people all over the world through words and music. Thanks for helping me expand the Lord's kingdom! </div>
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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; font-family: Helvetica; "><a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/UCBIreland/jean-watson-wounded-with-a-higher-love-daily-radio-prorgam-on-ucb-ireland/">http://www.mixcloud.com/UCBIreland/jean-watson-wounded-with-a-higher-love-daily-radio-prorgam-on-ucb-ireland/</a></div>
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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; font-family: Helvetica; ">Jean</div>Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/7117662013-05-09T17:18:58-04:002022-09-02T11:17:59-04:00Bach, Bethlehem, and Family This month is full of travel which is not unusual for me. But four trips to the east coast in four weeks? Thats a little much. And then back to Ireland. I love it! Two of these trips are purely for family....last weekend I returned to my hometown of Reading, PA to visit family. While I was there, I took my mother to the Bach Festival in Bethlehem, PA. It was a weekend from heaven. The weather was gorgeous, and we stayed at a vintage 1920s hotel in downtown Bethlehem which is one of my favorite spots on earth...a city that was settled by the Moravians in the 1700's and has lots of charm. My mother used to sing in the Bethlehem Bach Choir, so there are many memories for her. And the music....the music....is sublime. I love listening to Bach because he was a man of musical genius and rich faith. The combination is pure worship for me! But the icing on the cake that makes is so perfect is the family part. the love part. To be there without my mother, sharing her joy, just wouldn't be the same. Its an incredible bonding experience. I think it has to be a foretaste of heaven, because heaven is all about worship and togetherness. Joy just doesn't seem to be joy unless its shared!!! God truly created us to be interconnected - with each other and with him. I don't understand what hell is, except that it must be the opposite - isolation and separation. So, I returned to life in Michigan full of music and full of love. Praise God for His blessings. Tomorrow I return to PA, this time for a horseback riding retreat with one of my daughters - more joy and more love! Then back to eastern PA for ministry in Milford the following weekend. If you live in PA, please come join us. Share my joy!Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/5411972013-04-16T09:05:41-04:002022-08-18T01:45:51-04:00new cd update Spring has finally sprung and Michigan, and today I saw the first bloom of color in my garden! (just one or two flowers, but hey, that's enough to make me happy!) AND things are slowly creeping forward with the new CD, and there is an end in sight. Its kind of like watching grass grow. :) This week, we are recording string parts on three songs which I can't wait to hear! Everything else is done and dusted. When strings are recorded and mixed, the record needs to me 'mastered' and the artwork finished. Don't ask me the title, because I still can't name the baby! I have two or three possible titles, but I think I will know when I see the photographs for the cover. I know I should know these things by now, but I tend to take a long time to make big decisions...wanting to be sure I REALLY heard from the Lord. Overspiritualizing?? Not for me. I believe its not me doing all these things, but Christ in me. Just music, just a CD? Yes, but if its God's, then He can use it to spread the SOUND OF HEAVEN. I can't wait....Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/3765872013-03-16T09:33:04-04:002013-03-16T09:33:04-04:00He's always right... yes its coming, its coming. Not soon enough for me! There are always a million things at the end and lots of people to coordinate. For me, the hardest part is the decisions that have to be made....what should the artwork look like? Who should take the photographs? How should the songs be arranged? They may seem like small decisions, but I believe that what I do belongs to the Lord and is anointed for HIs purposes. So it is my responsibility to try to hear from Him as clearly as possible how He wants things done....even in the small details. Through it all, I am learning to hear from God more clearly and more quickly. Sometimes, once I have heard, I begin to doubt and second guess myself! Sometimes what the Lord says makes no sense! But at the end of the journey, I discover again and again the most profound truth.............HE IS A LOT SMARTER THAN ME AND HE IS ALWAYS RIGHT :)Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/687042013-01-20T08:56:07-05:002022-03-09T15:01:25-05:00resting in the Lord Today I am sitting in an airport waiting for my next flight....two flights cancelled this week! So I have several hours to REST after having led a ladies retreat on the topic of RESTING in the Lord....I wonder if God is trying to tell me something? Forcing me to sit in places with nowhere to go and nothing to do - praise God for His rest. Actually the weekend was explosive and powerful. As we were learning about what 'resting in the Lord' really means, the Lord was hard at work on our hearts. Resting in Him is actually a position of tremendous power as we learn to stay under the umbrella of His presence at all times. When we learn to rest in Him, His glory comes and rests on us!! There is no place I would rather be. So, here I sit basking in His presence and RESTING. Thank you, Lord, for moving through me this weekend. Thank you, Lord, for refreshing me with your constant presence. Thank you for cancelled flights, for knowing just what we need. Thank you for rest.Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/573572012-12-12T04:24:50-05:002022-05-23T00:21:57-04:00possible touchdown in England in April! just putting out the word.....England is a strong possibility in April. The Lord is speaking to my heart that I may need to make an appearance in the land of tea and scones again. Please email me asap for booking requests as I don't stay long and the weekends fill up fast! Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/535232012-11-27T03:01:04-05:002021-08-06T03:22:51-04:00coming to the east.... yay, I get to fly HOME to Berks County, PA this weekend. Can't wait to see family and eat some good PA dutch food. Many people ask if I am of Jewish descent or perhaps Greek or Italian. Well, guess what? I am pretty much 100% German. I have my dad to thank for the black hair! While I am visiting I will be singing at a benefit concert in Maryland and maybe other places that are a surprise right now??? Praying for more opportunities to perform in the area, so if your church or ladies group would like a ministry concert of special event, please let me know! Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/2506322012-11-13T04:00:00-05:002012-11-13T04:00:00-05:00more fire I've been back from Ireland for almost a week now and pondering what the Lord did this time. He challenged me on this trip! I have done this enough now that I am comfortable knowing that the Lord will always show up and bring His glory when we call on Him. But this time, as I preached a message on what Jesus called, "Greater Works", the Lord showed me that I have not been used as fully as I could be used! There is always more....accordling to our willingness. There is always more need for His kingdom than I seem able to bring. Yet I can ask for MORE! And more He gave. He enlarged my faith yet again and challenged me to ask for bigger things than before. As I asked, I felt new freedom and power in the ministry. The work became even easier before as I trusted my God to do everything through me - the music, the words, the praying. Praise God for the continued hunger that I see in the Irish people. They are so willing to receive! So, I left Ireland having seen greater works than before....perhaps the greatest being what He did in me. Praise God for the help and facilitaion of all the churches: the Apostolic Church in Dublin, All Nations Church in Dublin, and Word of Victory in Killarney. Lord, when can I go back???? :)Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/2170792012-09-20T03:05:00-04:002020-10-23T04:03:30-04:00Irish Fire Well, I have been back from Ireland for about a week now and am so thankful for all that God did....it was like a nightmare preparing for the trip! So many things seemed to go wrong, and I could feel the enemy trying to distract me and sap my energy. At times like that, I find myself asking God if I can quit yet! But He reminds me that there is always a price to be paid and sacrifices to be made for the harvest. It is not me that pays the price, but Christ, of course. BUT the Word says that a servant is not above His master and we are blessed if we are sharing in His suffering. Following in His footsteps means we are not exempt from walking in some of the difficult places where He walked....so when I see it that way, I feel honored that I get to fellowship with giants like Paul and Peter who suffered greatly for "the way". <br><br>
In the end, it was so worth it! The ministry concerts were all full and fruitful. Hearty thanks to all those who helped bring in the harvest: the Galvins who carried my stuff around, fed me, housed me, and taught me more proper Irish English. (now I know how to 'murder a coffee'!) Thanks to the churches who received an American woman very graciously and informed me that 'there is deliverance for me' (being American! :)) It was such a blessing to meet and fellowship with Pastor Frank and Miriam Copeland at New Hope Christian Centre in Killarney and Pastor Pat and Sian Fiztgerald in Dublin. There was such immediate kinship in the Lord and such an openness to the Spirit in the meetings. The men and women at the Teen Challenge Centre in County Wicklow blessed my socks off as we worshipped and sought the Lord together!<br><br>
I always come away blown away by the hunger for God that I see in Ireland right now. I feel like one person holding out a piece of bread for starving people. There is such a blessedness found in HUNGER. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. I am humbled by that hunger - especially that of the men at Teen Challenge. The Lord was so present in that place as hearts burned for the Lord!! The big thing that the Lord told me to do on this trip was so say little and just TOUCH people with His love. So, believing that He is in me, I touched and watched as He broke strongholds, healed, delivered, and saved. <br><br>
The highlight of the trip was a moment at Teen Challenge where I prayed for a young man bent over with shame, covered with tatoos. I just touched him and instantly, the Lord allowed me to feel his pain. It went right through me and I wept with him - Jesus' tears mingled with ours. I don't understand all that the Lord does, but I do understand one thing - that the greatest of these is love. Jesus delights to enter our pain with us, to bear our suffering, to carry our sorrows, to heal, and to save. May we all know the love of Christ which passes knowledge and be filled with all the fullness of God...may we all know what it feels like to be HUNGRY. :)<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br type="_moz">Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/1961272012-08-03T05:30:43-04:002019-05-25T00:15:41-04:00Columbia Wow, Jesus was glorious last night at the Columbia Lakefront Festival! It was such a perfect August evening, and a glorious golden moon was rising over the lake as I sang. What a glorious venue...to be able to sing and play in a public place....proclaiming the name of Jesus outside the walls of the church. Passersby stopped to listen, one man heard me from an outdoor restaurant and was touched, others told me they did not know it was a christian concert but stayed and were ministered to. Thanks to Rick Larocca who always facilitates me with grace and adds his awesome voice and guitar skills! Also thanks to Daryl who did an outstanding job on sound. The people of Columbia always come out to meet me year after year, and I am honored to see the same faces there supporting me. If anyone has any pictures, let me know!Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/670062012-07-31T12:02:44-04:002020-11-26T03:08:37-05:00new CD coming No more down time for me, it seems! I just got back from a very fun and fruitful trip to Nashville to do some songwriting with producer Don Koch. Don and I collaborate so well musically. He is a master songwriter who teaches me so much how to best express what God puts on my heart. At the same time, he is great about releasing me to myself. He knows how to make an artist shine at what they do best! It was also a joy to bring my daughters with me on this trip. I cherished the time on the road with them and loved sharing a bit of my musical recording life with them. Praise God for how He meets all of our needs!<br><br>
Now its back on the road. Concerts in MD and PA this weekend and time with family. I am not complaining! I am so satisfied when I with those I love doing what He made me to do.....<br type="_moz">Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/1827272012-06-23T18:28:06-04:002022-05-11T06:58:18-04:00joy home now...basking in the Lord's joy! I ministered this weekend at "4th Fridays" in Dearborn, Michigan and "The Event" in Chelsea. Michigan. Both events were so much fun. I felt very free, and the Lord moved so strongly! A lot of that was due to the outstanding support shown by those who organized the events. Thank you to the awesome sound crews!! You spoiled me! Thanks to Rufus and Denise Harris in Dearborn and to everyone at Chelsea First Assembly of God. You were such a blessing to me, and I pray that the Lord encourages you and allow you to see the fruit of your labor. Thank you for allowing me to pour out what the Lord pours into me! Jean Watsontag:jeanwatson.com,2005:Post/1793512012-06-16T09:58:29-04:002022-05-30T05:15:51-04:00thanks for your patience!Have fun exploring all the new links on the site! For the first time ever, you can now download tracks directly from www.jeanwatson.com. Please be patient as I upload new content every day. I know all the music is not yet available on this site....I am working on it! In the meantime, it is always available on ITunes or CDBaby. blessings today....Jean Watson