Jennifer G. Townsend

George Dyer — a remarkable racer and an even more remarkable person.

He brought along the 1977 car he drove to victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring—this very version, which he built himself. Here he is pictured with the car and another incredible racer, George Folmer.

What stood out most, beyond the engineering and history, was his humility. He is "the real OG." Since I just wrote about humility I thought I would show a real life example.

Captured at the Second Annual Air-Cooled Porsche Car Show in Boise, Idaho.

And a special shoutout to my husband, whose love for cars started at age three—tracing his finger over the 911 his dad brought home. Some passions really do last a lifetime.

"Sometimes the quickest way to feel renewed is to look beyond yourself."
Norman Vincent Peale

God didn't leave us guessing.
He gave us His Word.
Not filtered.
Not secondhand.
Go to the source.
Read it for yourself.

A small invitation to read.

Transformation rarely happens all at once—it begins when we choose God's way over our own. Over the next few weeks and months, let's explore some life-changing choices together. An invitation to live by faith. . Follow me at www.jennifergtownsend.com

Something is overwhelming about the 3 am hour when worries flood my mind and a list of to-dos pounds in my head! Many friends have also shared their troubles with this sinister hour.

God is also there during my 3 am wake-up call, reminding me of the gifts of His nearness. His gentle whisper never fails to lead me in the right direction, reminding me of all His promises and that I have nothing to fear. I have learned when I make time for Him, He takes care of me.

A change of attention, looking at God instead of my problems, often makes all the difference.

God’s Word says in Psalm 100:4: “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.” Interestingly, it is the same today, as in the Old Testament, when the Israelites used to carry God’s presence with them in the Tabernacle; the outer courts where they entered were filled with praise. God draws near to us through our praises when we take the time to notice and thank Him for His goodness instead of being overwhelmed by our struggles.

So, instead of listening to my worries last night, I listened to my Father and entered His presence with Thanksgiving. In my sleepy stupor, I reverted to my ABCs, going through the alphabet of things for which I am thankful. Bear with me in this. A is for apple, which made me think of all the beautiful flavors God has created, including the watermelon at the top of my list. B is for my daughter Bella, one of my greatest joys and teachers, and then I started thanking God for all the other people who have helped me along in my faith. When we start noticing God’s gifts, there are so many we can’t stop, and I fell back into a sweet sleep until morning.

So instead of counting sheep, let’s count our blessings and let God, the good Father that He is, lull us back to sleep.

Writer's Digest Winner!

I'm thrilled to be selected as one of the competition winners and be published in the November issue of Writer's Digest.

Feel free to read the entry on my website, [email protected]" rel="ugc" target="_blank">[email protected]

Thank you for following me on my writing journey.

Happy Valentines Day

Waylon Jennings's song Back to the Basics of Love (Luckenbach, Texas) is one of my favorite country songs as it reminds me to focus on what is most important, love, and to let go of the things that get in the way of that. Love liberates us to be our best selves. It is the ultimate relationship builder as it frees from the entanglements of comparison, judgment, envy and selfish ambition.
 
Love is it— it is our simple yet hard-to-do calling as followers of Christ. Religion means nothing without love, and so do so many things. God's economy is love, and He prioritizes relationships.
 
Lent begins on Valentine's Day this year; how fitting it is to start our reflection on the greatest act of love 40 days before it happened.
 
Many churches observe Lent by fasting, meditating, and practicing their faith during the 40 days leading up to Easter, and I want to join in.
 
This year, I'm going to practice Lent by focusing on the greatest commandment that encapsulates all the others—Matthew 22: 37-39, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… and Love your neighbor as yourself."
 
Our relationship with God is personal, so I plan to do something different this year. Each day, I want to focus on and thank God for what I love about Him and emulate His love by sharing that attribute with others. God's love enables us to be better lovers.
 
I never want to underestimate genuine love that generously honors, forgives, and refreshes others.
 
Please join me and share what you are doing for Lent this year. Hearing how God works in your other's lives makes my faith come alive.
 
Maybe it's time we got back to the basics of love.

Thankfulness is a Super Power
I gave my nephews 100 index cards to write down what they are grateful for each day and, at the end of 100 days, receive $100. I often write a thank you list after an emotionally charged event, and it's incredible how it can shift my feelings from disappointment to appreciation. Being thankful is a superpower I want to share with others.
 
Neuroscience reveals gratitude rewires our brains to be happier and more content. Experiments at UCLA and UC Davis have measured the effects of appreciation using brain magnetic resonance imaging. The conclusions point to gratitude's positive impact on mental and physical health, self-worth, and improving our relationships by developing more compassion. Thank you really is a magic word.
 
Thankfulness makes us slow down and pay attention to the important. Rather than chasing after the urgent, we gain perspective on what matters most and live accordingly.
 
God always looks after our best interests and knows that life will be easier if we remain thankful. 1 Thessalonians 5: 16 -18 says, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." He tells us this not because He needs us to be thankful but because we do.
 
Thankfulness is a powerful means of drawing near to God. It is fundamentally about not taking things for granted. We become more aware of God when we pay attention to His many gifts surrounding us.
 
What are you most thankful for? It's challenging to be grateful when life gets hard. It's easy to dwell on what is difficult instead of what we have. Focusing on the good stops me from being undone by the bad. Gratitude is progressive; it is the seed of contentment and joy. . . Read more by clicking on the link in bio.
Thankfulness redirects our attention from what is wrong in our world to what is right; it initiates satisfaction, enabling us to navigate life with faith and hope. . .

This is my most recent writing that will be published in Christian Devotions an online devotional I enjoy. Click link in bio to read more.

Excited to hear my poem, "Calloused Hands," was published in PAROUSIA magazine. Read on at parousiamag.com