Hope in Tokyo

Tokyo has taken me by surprise...I never dreamed I'd love it so!

Gateway Worship had our first ever Worship Roundtable in Japan, hosted by Hope Church! This is a time when local church worship leadership comes together and bounces ideas off each other, learns from one another, and worships and prays together.

After the weekend Roundtable, we had the honor of participating in Sunday morning church at Hope. Did I mention that Tim Sheppard can PREACH?!

"God has created a language that any of us can speak -- from the youngest, to the oldest -- regardless of your background, race, or gender -- YOU can praise the Lord."  - Tim Sheppard

Melon Fanta ^^ I'm obsessed!

Much love xo

Jess

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Taiwan VLOG: Night Market

The night market is a popular spot for the locals, so we obviously hit the Kaohsiung streets 100% tourist mode. Food choices range from chicken feet to stinky tofu. This place engages all of the senses -- need I say more?! There's no place like the night market and it'll always be a must-stop for me when visiting Taiwan!

That's real life ^^

Matt's beloved prize ^^

Press play to watch my VLOG (and subscribe to my YouTube channel!) >>

[more from the photo diaries]

Much love xo

Jess

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Disney Day: VLOG + Photo Diaries

Disney day trip during our Siesta Key getaway, because, why not? Nonstop smiling from EAR to EAR...

Press play to watch our VLOG>>

Photo overhaul in 3, 2, 1...

^^Beaches and Cream is my favorite restaurant on Disney property and their grilled cheese happens to be my favorite grilled cheese in the whole wide world. If you're a grilled cheese lover like me, add it to your Disney eats. :)

Yes, matching bombers (obviously)...

Disney treats are ZERO calories...must be part of the Disney magic :)

Much love xo

Jess

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020316 x Sunny Side Up

Sunny side up life in Siesta Key. Enjoy our photo diaries!

Much love xo

Jess

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013116 x Siesta Key

Press play to watch our VLOG>>

[Taking a little pause on life. Here's a look at our day!]

Much love xo

Jess

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Big Sur Dream x The Photo Diaries

 

Big Sur, California: check. A bucket list dream come true (not once, but twice in 2015). It seems only the human eye can capture how special this place really is...pictures don't do it justice. It's absolutely enchanting.

August 2015: my bestie and I visited the San Fran / Carmel / Pebble Beach / Big Sur area in lieu of my 25th birthday -- staying in a treehouse, a cottage in the valley, and a yurt -- yes, YURT. We decided we're not so much the "yurting type," if there even is such a thing. However, I would relive the treehouse part over and over again. I'll save the details for another post. :)

Now enter: Bixby Bridge #tourists

^^ Turning into a five-year-old because BIG SUR ^^

December 2015: Cali always seems like a good idea, but when Blaire graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology? It became a must. We caught a flight immediately following her ceremony, yes indeed.

Press play to watch our Big Sur VLOG! >>

It's true, Pfeiffer Beach has PURPLE GLITTER SAND. Another five-year-old moment. I took too many photos, while Blaire stuffed sand in her backpack (as seen in VLOG).

If you've experienced Big Sur in all its beauty, leave me a comment with your favorite must do, must see or must eat! :) If you haven't, add it to your travel wishlist and plan a trip. I can hardly wait to visit again!

Much love xo

Jess

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Foto Diaries #011316

a look[book] into my Wednesday

[Accidental hat twinning with Blaire; accidental denim twinning with Hannah]

Mid-week flow>>

Much love xo

Jess

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010916 x Mission Off-the-Grid

[Our first adventure of 2016: Mission Off-the-Grid]

The bestie and I took a little vision-retreat-sabbatical-off-the-grid hiatus to ask the Lord for fresh vision for 2016. 

"Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what's coming. It aches for the coming -- it can hardly wait! And it doesn't lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It's on the way. It will come right on time." [Habakkuk 2:2-3]

Growing up, I loved making prayer journals out of magazine clipping collages...whatever was inspiring me at the time was what filled my notebook cover (specifically puppies and Christian boy bands circa 2004). I recently happened upon the journals (when I was prepping for our NYE party of the century - read more here) and was so encouraged flipping through the pages...thanking God for the promises He's brought to pass, and continuing to pray for dreams in those journals.

The NYE girls seemed to love crafting their own journals, but Blaire and I didn't get around to making ours that night...so we took the goods to get it done while away!

Grateful for our off-the-grid moment. Grateful for renewed vision and stirred up dreams. Back at it and ready for 2016...it's gonna be a big one. :)

Much love xo

Jess

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behindthescenes @GatewayWorship: Christmas 2015

Press play: Behind the scenes with the Gateway Worship gang!

FOTODIARIES #122015

[a look into my weekend]

7 Christmas candlelight services at all 5 campuses in 2 days. That's 35 Gateway Church services total. Wow!

^^ Family photo attempt while our service countdown was at 2 minutes. Can't be late for service...HURRY!

Song featured in my VLOG is Angels/Joy by Gateway Generate! Listen here:

Much love and MERRY CHRISTMAS! xo

Jess

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