unfamiliar sky.

The sky looks different here.

Everyday I wake up and catch a glimpse of an unfamiliar sky. It's same sky that I saw in Lake Forest and in Des Moines, but the Kansas sky is... unlike any sky I've seen before.

God is reminding me of His faithfulness... and He is reminding me of the [incredible] newness He promised me when I agreed to move down here.

The sky is reminding me of my life during this season.

who Am I?

And here I am; getting settled in my new home in Wichita, Kansas. I admit it's weird, but I cannot express how right it feels to be here. It's exciting to finally step into the place that I've been preparing for, and to see the place that God has been preparing for me.

As I drove down here a couple of days ago, the Lord said, "Jackie, who Am I?" What? God, what do you mean, 'who Am I?' "No Jackie, WHO AM I?"

I didn't get what He meant the first time He asked, but after my questioning of what He meant, He became more firm.

"WHO AM I?"

Oh, now I get it...

You are my God... the One who takes care of me... the One who stands next to me and walks with me daily... the One who loves me even when I'm being a complete moron... the One who says I'm beautiful and worthy of Love... the One who has called me to be apart of His Kingdom... the One who has freed me from death... You are my God. Creator. Savior. Father. You are my God. My... God.

I will not fear what lies a head of me. I will not fear living in a place that is unfamiliar. I will not fear... I will not fear...

"Leaving the familiar is terrifying, but entering the unknown is Glorious."

I am being taken care of. There is nothing in me that says I haven't been called here. I trust and believe that my Lord would never lead me to a place that would not glorify Him, or a place that would completely destroy me. Of course, I must keep my eyes fixed upon Him in order to fully walk in His presence, but my being here is intended for Him to receive all praise and to enlarge His Kingdom.

"Who Am I?"

I like that God asked me that. I like that He challenged me to think beyond my earthly understanding of Him. I like that He reminded me of how I have nothing to fear because I am a daughter of God. And I like that I was reminded of the battle we must fight every day.

Children, who Am I? I ask you again... WHO AM I?

who are you?

Recently, I was asked what person from the Bible I thought I was most similar to or could relate to the most. My first inclination was not to respond; I couldn't pick just one.

I began thinking about this question further. We all go through different seasons during our lives; therefore, changing who it is we can relate to during that specific time. I simply asked the Lord to show me who I "was" right now; at the place I'm standing at this moment of my life.

I was surprised by what the Lord spoke to me. I had a few in mind that I thought He's show me… but He took me to one of the last places I would have ever thought; 1 Kings:

Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship. The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings. That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, 'What do you want? Ask, and I will five it to you!'

Solomon replied, 'You showed faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued your faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne.

Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn't know his way around. And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?'

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. So God replied, 'Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies – I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! And I will also give you what did not ask for – riches and fame! No other king in the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David did, I will give you a long life.'

I'm not a male, and I'm certainly not a king, but as I read through these verses over and over again, I began to see why the Lord was speaking Solomon's name over my life right now. It's always cool when God surprises us.

So who are you most like? What person from the Bible can you most identify with at this moment?