JaDean Stricker

Sometimes in battles soldiers come up on an ambush or maybe an area that is strongly held by the enemy and immediately those soldiers are inundated with enemy fire and begin a fight for their life. These battles have no respect for age, tenure, race, or gender. It is a non-discriminatory fight over territory, rights, and ownership. Spiritual battles are much the same! That’s why Paul said to endure hardship as a good soldier. Because, truth be told, the battle will end one way or another. We will win or we will fail and face the same fight again on another day. Many times, however, victory comes when a commanding officer sends reinforcements. Right when the fight seems to be lost there is a dramatic turn as the soldiers look left and right and realize help and strength is standing on either side of them and even above them and what was once certain defeat is now certain victory for their comrades have stepped in to fight with and for them. I have been in a “fight” like this lately. However, the last couple of days, I have felt so stirred in my heart as I realize my commanding officer has called on some of my fellow soldiers to get in the war with me and for me. I can’t tell you how I know but I just know … . Somebody … . . Somewhere is praying and things I never thought would change are changing! I don’t see it but I know it and that is proof enough for me!

As I was frantically trying to find another way to Arkansas today after my 7:30 flight was canceled and Delta had told me there were no other flights available to get me there,  I thought outside the box and went to check on a one-way car rental.  After speaking with 6 car rental places and receiving 6 NO we can’t help you responses WHILE I was on hold on the phone with Delta, I decided maybe prayer would be a good idea.  So, I paused and said Lord, let YOUR will happen and then I said, “the favor of the Lord is upon me and surrounds me like a shield” (thanks Dave Wagner!). So, I’m standing there in this “pause” of “I don’t know what to do”. When all of a sudden Sally from Delta comes back on from keeping me on eternal hold and says good news we found you a flight!  

As I finish the last leg of my flight into Little Rock,  I again paused and thought “Lord, what if just one of those car places would have said yes?”. I would be driving 10 hours one way right now and fighting falling asleep at the wheel and be exhausted when I get there.  Sometimes God’s “no’s” in life are buying time for Him to work out the details of an amazing yes!  I love Him! I trust Him AND I am at my best when I am with Him! 

You can’t really describe it.  You can’t really communicate when you are there.  You just know when you have arrived at the place called broken.   It is a knowing that no matter what you say or do, it is never enough.  It is a place where you KNOW that if God doesn’t come through, then you will die in the place where you stand.  It’s the place where you KNOW that you can’t please everyone and you are tired of trying.  It’s the place where people will just have to know that you love them and that your heartbeat was never to hurt them.  It’s a place where only God’s opinion matters because people’s opinions and most importantly your opinion have only caused pain and suffering but very rarely results.  It’s a place where we stop beating ourselves up for everything we are not but realize that everything we are not, He is!  Broken is my new address because it is where God lives and wherever He is, is where I want to be!  Book a ticket to the place called broken.  It’s painful, it’s costly, and it is hard to find sometimes BUT once you get there, you wonder why you ever tried to go anywhere else. :)

p.s. If you are seeing this on Facebook, I am not on Facebook right now other than quick checks to see if anyone needs anything.  I would love to hear your comments though.  Come follow my blog at jadean.tumblr.com

Okay,  everyone.  So many of you have messaged me or written and asked how you could help me since I totaled my car.  Well, here’s the deal.  What I need is money to get another car.  The insurance company gave me a very small amount of money to replace my car.  I have served the Lord in ministry since I was a kid and have always been a giver so it is hard for me to ask for money and I never really have had an abundance of it.  I have always been taken care of though.

Here is the idea I have in my mind.  I believe that out of my over 900 friends that there might be at least 200 that would be willing to donate at least $20 to the cause of my car.  that would give me enough to be able to get a car without incurring payments which will be very tight on a ministry salary and not have to go into more debt to get the car.  Anyone who knows me know that my cars have always been “ministry” cars and that whatever I am able to buy will go  

So, that’s the long and the short of it.  That’s how people can help the most.  Since I need the money relatively quickly since I only get a rental car for a certain number of days I am giving my pay pal info along with my address.

You can send me money through PayPal by choosing the send money option and putting in the email jstricker@jcakids.org and the amount and it will come straight to my account.  My mailing address is 6539 Rambler Drive, Pensacola, Florida. 32505.

Any extra money after the car is bought will go to the ministry here in Pensacola. :)

Okay,  everyone.  So many of you have messaged me or written and asked how you could help me since I totaled my car.  Well, here’s the deal.  What I need is money to get another car.  The insurance company gave me a very small amount of money to replace my car.  I have served the Lord in ministry since I was a kid and have always been a giver so it is hard for me to ask for money and I never really have had an abundance of it.  I have always been taken care of though.

Here is the idea I have in my mind.  I believe that out of my over 900 friends that there might be at least 200 that would be willing to donate at least $20 to the cause of my car.  that would give me enough to be able to get a car without incurring payments which will be very tight on a ministry salary and not have to go into more debt to get the car.  Anyone who knows me know that my cars have always been “ministry” cars and that whatever I am able to buy will go  

So, that’s the long and the short of it.  That’s how people can help the most.  Since I need the money relatively quickly since I only get a rental car for a certain number of days I am giving my pay pal info along with my address.

You can send me money through PayPal by choosing the send money option and putting in the email jstricker@jcakids.org and the amount and it will come straight to my account.  My mailing address is 6539 Rambler Drive, Pensacola, Florida. 32505.

Any extra money after the car is bought will go to the ministry here in Pensacola. :)

The Lord gave this to me at our recent Worship Symposium.  Lord, let worship to You always be enough for me … . .

An Audience of One

Give me an audience of One

 And let that be enough for me 

Let my heart be content just to worship You 

find that place where nothing else will do

and to my audience of One I want to say

You saw me before I was born

And guard my life with Your blood

When I stretch out my arms to You

It always makes You smile 

And Your smile always makes sing

You ARE … . . ALL I need,

You’re the greatest thing in my life

So … .with Angels I cry holy

With elders I cry worthy

Surrounded by thousands OR … . .

 … … . just You and me

I live for my audience of One

It is the greatest thing I will ever do!

I sat with an amazing gift in my life last night and talked about the things of the Lord and, as always with any mentor, she said something I woke up thinking about. She said people have it messed up and the devil likes it that way. She said people think they are avoiding religion when they don’t give in to “religious” traditions but in reality that is not what religion is. Religion is when we come to church on Sunday and experience the presence of God and high praises but then carry none of that back into our everyday lives. If my decisions and my attitudes are no different as a result of my time with Him than I am just getting an “emotional fix”. If I go to the nations and see God move in amazing ways but can’t control my tongue or love unlovely people or manage my emotions then what I have is an experience not a relationship. Hmmmm … . . something to think about … . .

Today, I am grateful for an amazing church and friends that God has given me.  So often it is easy to look around and see what we don’t have in life but it is so amazing when we can look around and see what we DO have.  

Yesterday I sat at lunch in a local restaurant as a waitress I had gotten know from going to the restaurant often just began crying and telling me about how her family of four had been given 15 days to get out of their rental property and how they had no money and no time.  I just kept thinking, Lord I need more money.  I could so help this family and be an amazing witness for You in the process.  

As I was praying for this new found friend, I began to think about all I have and how blessed I am.

I thought about our worship team at church and how many hours they have put in rehearsing and praying.  As a result, Sunday night in worship, the presence of God fell in such an amazing way.  I’m still singing and being ministered to and challenged by the song “I Need You More”.  Thanks worship team.

I think about our dance team who, on so many occasions, I have seen a fire come in their eyes as they are determined to break down walls and lead us into the presence of God no matter what.  Thanks dance team.

I think about a Pastoral staff that has literally laid down their lives and daily take up crosses that most of us have no idea of the burden.  Thank you our amazing Pastors.

I think about my friends and how “in-season” they are in my life and how grateful I am that God didn’t give me friends I wanted but friends I needed.  There’s a difference and that difference makes all the difference!  Thank you my friends!

Most importantly I think about my God!  He is a Father, a Redeemer, a Provider, a Counselor, a Safe-Place, and the love of my life!  There is no end to His adjectives and as a friend said on Sunday, we can’t exhaust His power!  That’s enough to be grateful for by itself!

“LIfe” will kick back in soon enough but for now, I’m pausing to say Thank You, Lord.  My cup is full!  I only have one request.  Can I have more of You?!