Welcome to my very first Friday Fellowship!!!
I love podcasts and interviews of my favorite podcast people and their friends. So I decided to do something similar but in print. Each Friday, I will invite a friend to join us. It may be someone you "know" or it may be someone you don't know but I think you will enjoy the interviews either way. And I'm asking questions that all start with F. Because it's Friday Fellowship and I love alliteration.
My first guest is Jordan Street.
If you have read my blog for any amount of time - you will remember me sharing a lot about my friend Janet (pictured above) who died of Ovarian cancer 3 years ago. She was one of the first people I met when I joined our church 13 years ago and she was just a hero of the faith to me. She just poured out Jesus in everything she did. She and her daughter Jordan had a special relationship. They even worked together for several years in our youth department at church. Jordan is just a younger version of Janet and I remember even when she was in high school asking Janet for parenting tips because I hoped that one day I would have a daughter who would be like Jordan.
{Even looking at this picture catches my breath because I still expect to walk into church and see Janet's smiling face. We all miss her so much. }
Jordan married an amazing guy David and her mom was able to be at her wedding. David is in the ministry and they serve together in east Arkansas. At Janet's funeral, she had filmed a video she wanted to show to everyone who came. She spoke of her faith and directly to her family. I will never forget her telling Jordan that she knew she would one day have a daughter of her own. So later when Jordan became pregnant - I just knew it would be a girl.
Instead, Jordan had a precious little boy named Hank who has the best head of curls and is just adorable. He is almost two and Jordan is now pregnant with a little girl. She is naming her Lucy which was her mom's nickname. Lucy has been diagnosed with a very serious heart condition. She has a severe form of Ebstein's Anomaly. This will require multiple heart surgeries before the age of 2 or 3 years old (one surgery before she can ever leave the hospital when she is born.) There is even a chance Lucy won't survive.
I wanted to include Jordan in my series but I specifically wanted to post her TODAY because she has a big appointment today where they will look at Lucy's heart and make some plans and I just want to have as many people praying over her today as possible. So before you read on - will you stop and pray for Lucy? Jordan has been through so much losing her best friend/mother and I'm just praying for a miracle for Lucy.
And now let's visit with Jordan and ask her some "F" questions:
1. What is your favorite Food?
My favorite food is anything involving CHEESE! Oh, I love cheese. Mac and cheese, mozzarella sticks, freshly shredded cheddar cheese, yum!
2. What is your very favorite piece of clothing right now? (FASHION)
Does a piece of jewelry count? Yes? Okay. It's actually a necklace I don't even have in my possession yet. It's a little gold necklace with three small pendants on it. One with a "D" for my husband David. One with an "h" for my little Hank muffin. And one with an "l" for our Lucy lion on the way.
3. Tell us about your Family?
Oh my family, well, it's big and a bit confusing but I love them all so deeply. I was blessed with the greatest momma on the face of the earth in all history. She is with Jesus now (as of almost 3 years ago). My heart still explodes with love and deep sorrow over her.
I have the greatest step-dad on the face of the planet. I call him Tony, but he's my dad. He's raised me since I was 5 (my biological father passed away when I was 5), and I couldn't have asked for a better man to step in and lead lead our family.
By blood, I have my brother Bryan who has been an awesome big brother to me. We've drawn even closer together since losing our mom. I wish we lived closer so our boys could play together!
I have the greatest step-dad on the face of the planet. I call him Tony, but he's my dad. He's raised me since I was 5 (my biological father passed away when I was 5), and I couldn't have asked for a better man to step in and lead lead our family.
By blood, I have my brother Bryan who has been an awesome big brother to me. We've drawn even closer together since losing our mom. I wish we lived closer so our boys could play together!
I could go on and on and on. I have some amazing step-siblings, who, even though we live far away and don't get to catch up often, I love them with all my heart!
I have been so blessed by my amazing husband who has walked with me through the darkest days. He's loved me through some very ugly moments - moments when I can't even love myself, he has stuck by me. My sweet Hank Carpenter, who will be 2 in December, has been a light and a joy in our home. He brings laughter even on our darkest days. And then our precious Lucy Rae who I am currently 34 weeks pregnant with. We don't know what the journey ahead looks like. We just pray God grants her life and allows us to bring her home with us to be a family of 4.
4. What is the most important quality in your Friends? OR tell us something that a Friend has done for you that you can't forget.
I have some of the best friends in the world (who have really become family to me - especially over the past 3 years). I want to give a HUGE shoutout to three of them who just came to my house recently and blew me away with their generosity and hard work. Maegan, Susan and Rachel. These three ladies love BIG. They love me so well and so tangibly. A couple weeks ago they drove 4 hours to me and my family, they stormed our house with paint brushes, rollers and happy hearts, and completely put together Lucy's nursery. I didn't lift a finger or a paint brush the entire time. What?! Yes. They did it all. I can't even put into words how this blessed my heart. Not only their hard work, but simply their hearts. They really are the BEST.
5. What's something you have learned recently in your Faith journey? And/or share your favorite scripture right now and why or your favorite Bible Study or book you have read recently.
Something I am STILL learning in my faith journey is to STAY IN TODAY. Stay in this moment. Our future right now is so scary and so unsure. It's hard not to drift into tomorrow. I honestly struggle with so much fear right now. All I want is for our Lucy to be healthy and to live. This period of waiting for the unknown is the hardest. But I do try to relish in the current moments. Every time I feel Lucy move and dance around in my belly. Every belly laugh Hank bellows out. Every time he grabs my hand and pulls me all around the house. I'm trying to take it all in. Staying in the moment is hard, but it's exactly where we need to be. With that, I will simply quote the words of our Savior. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matthew 6:33
6. What is your biggest Fear?
Well, currently, I think it is very obvious. My biggest fear is not being able to bring home our Lucy.
7. What are some of your Favorite things right now?
Um, this is easy. Burt's Bees Chapstick. ONLY the minty original kind! I could never ever ever survive without my chapstick. Seriously. I also love some fresh-brewed coffee in the mornings with my French vanilla flavored International Delight coffee creamer. Yum! And this isn't a tangible thing, but I really, really love sleeping! Putting my head on my pillow at night is by far my favorite time of day!
8. What has been your biggest Failure?
I think maybe my biggest failure is an ongoing struggle of mine. I quit too easily. There are several things I have tried my hand at, and if I'm not able to pick it up quickly, I quit. I wonder how many things I could potentially be quite good at that I've given up on prematurely. Piano, guitar, calligraphy - those are three things that come to mind immediately. Trust me, there's a long list of other things, but those are some of the ones I still wish I could do!
9. What do you do for Fun?
I love a good board game! Settlers of Catan has been a favorite of mine for several years now. I try to convince myself and others that it is NOT a nerdy game, but I'm afraid it might be. Either way, I really love it, but I might be a little too competitive!!
10. Tell me about what animals you have? (Furry things)
We actually don't have any animals, and we are very happy to keep it that way! :) But sadly, our poor Hank is absolutely terrified of anything that is not a human and can move or make noise...so that's really unfortunate. We're working through it!
11. What is your favorite FILM? (movie)
My all-time favorite movie is The Princess Bride. I have no idea how many times I've seen it, but it never gets old. If you haven't seen it, that's really just "inconceivable!" Ah, that was so lame and cheesy, but I had to do it!
12. What is one Fact we might not know about you?
I get embarrassed way too easily! I hate being the center of attention - especially unexpectedly. I would much rather blend in with the crowd and watch someone else be up front and have all the attention. Also, large groups of people give me anxiety. I really prefer intimate settings with a few people, some coffee and sweet, uninterrupted conversations (which is currently very rare with children)!
You can follow Jordan on Instagram HERE for updates on Lucy.
You can also read her blog HERE.
Jordan also designs stationary and it's BEAUTIFUL. You can find here HERE.
I'm so glad you got to "meet" Jordan today and thank you in advance for praying for her!
