Jessica S. Preston

Trading it all means letting go of the story I've rehearsed, letting go of past experiences that I've held onto for so long. Trading it all means me trying "one" more time after I said I wouldn't. Opening my heart to receive your love allowing myself to become vulnerable, tearing down the walls with hopes I don't have to replace them. Allowing you to take the lead as priest over me & our family, trusting your ability to lead. I've done it so far on my own, so of course it's scary to let you in & trade what I'm comfortable with for something I must become temporarily uncomfortable with. My request is that if I trade it all to take a chance on your love that you too trade it all to take a chance on my love.

“What did you do with all your books?” “I left everything in there. I didn’t want to bring anything from there, here.”   This was a question I asked a friend who was recently released from prison. Funny this piece of our conversation came to mind this morning. You’re getting ready to move from one place to another yet you look at your current space you’ve been residing for so long. You’ve collected so much stuff over the years. Stuff that at one point you needed and held onto so desperately and dared anyone take it from you. Some that fed you. Some that depleted you. Some that distracted you. Some that strengthened you. Some things you look at and ask why or where did this come from. Letters, notes, pictures, little nick knacks are everywhere. All this stuff surrounding a current space you’re about to leave for good. What are you going to do with the collection? Do you take it with you or do you leave it all there? Opening your bag, setting it on the bed you laid your head...

With a little over a week into the last month of the year, I can't help but reflect on this past year. My goodness, what a year it has been. I can remember leaving the year 2015 learning that I was up for consideration of entering into a new position at my job. This spoke well, especially since I'd just started in March of 2015. I was elated a tad bit scared yet I was confident that if God presented me to this position then I was well equipped to perform. Little did I know what was to come in the days, weeks and months ahead. Entering into 2016 I learned that gifts are not free. They come with some type of opposition, great or small. I witness many who shout over a prophetic word or some place they desire to reside or some position they desire to attain and yes, they are well qualified but fail to see the sharks in the water or the vultures roaming just above their heads searching for fresh blood & most of all, those silent issues that ...