Hi friends and brothers and sisters and all the other nuts out there who we absolutely love:

Come one, Come All!!!!

We are singing tonight at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa -

Starts @ 7:00pm

Free - Please come and Worship the Lord with us!!

Jen

For any and all of you who have been on the road for any length of time I am sure that you will concur with my extreme delight in being able to be home for  a few days!!! Yeah!!!!! And - can i say - as high school as this sounds, I love being able to sleep in too:0) The last few days have felt like heaven in the sleep department! Go to bed late - get up late - and the funny thing is, i don't feel a bit lazy. I do my work and get things done during the day. It is nice not to be pressed for time. 

The air is turning chilly here and out beloved heater is beginning its yearly "Clunking". We turn it on and when the pilot light ignites it makes that terrifying sound that every housewife knows well.... Its the "Holy Cow, this is going to burn my eyelashes and arm hair off" sound. Yes, you snicker! Its true! Our stove does the same.  We live in a midget apartment - meant for only one person - but there are five of us crammed in there. We have a tiny stove in our tiny kitchen too. That one does burn your eyebrows off if you're not careful! It clicks and doesn't light so you light a match and the momentary fireball engulfs whatever part of you is closest to the stove. Fun times:0)

So, I bought this "No Sugar Added" Hot Chocolate for Amy a couple of months ago. She was on a sugar fast and I thought it would be nice to get her something she could drink along with us.  Well, my friends, have you ever tasted coco straight from the can? You know those old cans of Coco that Grandma used to have? Yeah, those. Well this hot chocolate packet tasted like that - sour and chalky - GIRLS - chocolate is NOT supposed to taste like that!  One sip into the cup and I was done!

What else? Ummmm...it is Fall! Yeah! I'm loving it.  The air outside is crisp enough that I put on my JFm sweatshirt and my wool socks that the Currans gave me. Its the kind of air that you just want to breathe in. Inhale deeply. Kinda mossy and fresh like the redwood forests. Something about the cold air makes me want to go camping. I think I will go tonight in fact.:0) I'm not so adventurous that I would goalone - but I live on 12 acres - I am sure I can find a semi secluded spot to just enjoy God's creation.

Something else before I stop rambling. Have you ever gone somewhere by yourself to sing to the Lord?  Honestly? I'm not talking about the church kind of singing where you do your best to impress the person in front of you. "Oh yes, its natural - I always sing like that(blush)". REALLY?! I'm talking about the kind of singing that is done for God and for God only. I don't know how YOU sing before the Lord - but I do know that when I do it - just me and God - I am humbled and I get blessed.  I think the same thing goes for praying aloud - Not the "Quick lets get this over with" prayer, or the "Lets impress everyone with my Christianese" prayer - the heartfelt and humble prayer that comes from a heart that truly wants to know God's will. That's where I'm at folks. Life is crazy - but God is good - and His answers are teh ones that I am wanting right now.

Well, I could go on with more random and dissfunctional sentences - but I will spare you for now:0)  God bless you !

Jen

Well, my dear friends, this has been an interesting season in life for all of us eh!? Most of you know either from reading my blogs or talking to me at our concerts etc - that I was planning on gettting married.  I am sad to let you know that I am no longer engaged:0( Yup, its true. Don't know what God's got planned - but I know that He hasn't let me down yet:0)

I love you guys and will keep you informed.  Living a semi-public life is crazy at times. I have found that the best way to let everyone know the news (and not have to tell it a million times) is  to blog it:0) So, I ask for your prayers as this crazy-busy year comes to a close. December 21st is our last day on the road - then - I have no clue what we're going to do! All i know is that it is going to be an adventure!

Jen

  Sometimes I need to listen to the words of my own songs all over again.

"You're on the ride of your life, only God knows where you're headed,

Sit down hold tight you'll go places you never imagined,

Through the ups and downs, twists and turns, trust me it will be quite a ride!"

  And friends - life is truly a rollercoaster. What an amazing God I serve! He puts words and music into my heart and speaks through my pen - and encourages my heart before I even know I have need of those words. I write songs from my own experiences and for the needs of others...well friends, I need the songs right now.  I need the encouragement that only God can give. And He is the greatest encourager there is.

I am in Lakeville, Minnesota right now with my family. We are singing tomorrow night at teh Celebration Church's Bluegrass Event. Are we bluegrass... a little.  Do I love it? You bet! I had the priveledge of hearing Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver at the National Quartet Convention in Louiville, Kentucky a couple of weeks ago and I was blown away - not only by the musicianship but the lyrics touched my heart. Infinitely simple they don't speak in  rhymes and riddles they speak simple truths to the hearts of the listeners. Of course, we bought their latest CD!! And listened to it for hours as we drove through Texas and Missouri.

Wow, I am rambling.:0) All these things to say: God is good and I am so thankful that He encourages my heart through music. I hope you allow Him to touch your heart as well:0)

Jen

Well, yes, we are in Kentucky for the National Quartet Convention.  This is our third year attending.  Our only performance was on the Songwriters Showcase with Phil Cross.  That was an experience in itself!  They were taping the show (3 Hours) and everyone on stage was being taped. I enjoyed it...a bunch of the songs made me want to cry but I was able to hold back major tears till I sat down off stage.  I think the Songwriters showcase is my favorite part of the Convention - why?  Because you get a more intimate and personal look into the lives of the artists and the people who write for them.  Every song has a story.  Every writer has a story of Gdos grace or forgiveness or something to offer to the public.  The Songwiters showcase is where you get the see the Jesus side of people - not so much for show or to please the crowd - you get the heart behind the songs. It is a blessing to see into the hearts of the songwriters, see a new level of who they are as a child of God. A true blessing.

So, yesterday was the last day of the convention. We are heading out to Trenton, OH tonight for a concert.  I walked outside this morning  and was nearly knocked over by the insane wind!  It was alot of fun to watch the leaves and debris blowing all over the place....until it slammed the van door into my shin - then it wasnt that fun anymore:0) We are getting the high winds and possibly some rain from Hurricane Ike.  Driving to Trenton should be an interesting ride today:0)

When you think of us - please pray for us. As my dad says -when you sign on to serve the Lord - you strap on a big bulls eye for satan to shoot at you.  Please pray for Gods protection and blessing as our ministry comes to a close.  December 21st is our last day singing together full time.  I'll be flying out on December 22nd to Oregon - to stay with my fiance's family and make wedding preparations.  Honestly, i wondered if I was ever going to get married.  God is soooo good to me.  To all of us.  I wish and pray that I was more of a "good finder" instead of a whiner!  Lord teach us, grow us and help us to find the good things all around us that you have given us!

Tata for now my friends - please comments back - we love mail!

Jen

How long HAS it been? Please frgive my lack of presence on the internet in the past couple of months! Lets see.... update.

I Jennifer Johnson am only four months away from getting married! can i hear a huge amen and hurray from the audience! thank you (takes a bow).  Holy moly! i cant tpe anymore! My fiancee bought me a cell phone and I have been texting on it for so long that i have forgotten how to type on a real key board! Aach! So, if i mess up you'll understand!

Now that that is taken care of  ...ill tell you about whats been up with JFM - and the family.

We have been on the road for nearly three months straight! Went home for a two day strech about 5 weeks ago, we have been busy! We've been to the east coast and back. Seen Washington DC and New York City. So much has happened! Ummmm. So we were in DC when a thunderstorm hit. It was raining cats and dogs and I hadnt had a shower in  - eh hem...i wont admit how long! So, Amy and I stepped out of the van into the pouring rain and ran down the streets barefooted and laughing in front of the Capitol Building in the rain! We got soaked -took our much needed shower - fully clothed and made a memory that will last forever! I cant imaging what the police officer at the end of the blck thought of the two crazy women running around barefoot in DC! He just watched us - probably laughing!  In New York Erika put the cabis to shame with her mad driving skills. She navigated us through the city with the enthusiasm and grit of a seasoned taxi driver.  Did you know that New York City has signs posted on the street corners "No Honking - $350 fine"!!! Im totally serious! Erika had the cabis honking at her. Fun times.  SOOOOOO much has happened in the past few months.  Ummmm.   We toured through Alberta and British Colmbia. Had a fun time with the colorful money and way expensive gasoline sold by the liter instead of the gallon.  We met some wonderful people sang at a bunch of beautiful places. We drove through the Banff National Forest in Canada. Signing out.....Jason Just CALLED!!!!! Ill write more later!

Jen

Holy cow!! It has been a long time since I posted a blog! Please forgive me!!??  So much has been happening in our world in the last few months its been crazy!  So, lets see, where did I leave off?

Oh yes, engaged...i am...and loving it...kinda...:0^ I say kinda because (heres where i bemoan the distance between us) well, we are a state away WHEN I am home - which is RARE!  So, for those of you who have been in long distance relationships - you can totally track with me here.  The long phone calls, not wanting to hang up. Saying stupid stuff to keep him laughing - yeah, you've been there too.:0)  This "love" business is something else I tell you.  Your needs as a human being totally change...i mean TOTALLY.  Before man, all i needed was food, bed, clothing, God, and not much else. NOW i need a phone call every couple of hours or at least a text message from my man - reminding me that he is alive and that he loves me. NOW, i am a needy wreck! Every time my phone says "Message Received" in that annoying operator voice - i get excited. everytime his specially recorded ringtone goes off - I grin from ear to ear and try to find a place away from the noise so I can drink in every word.  NOW i have more than one family to worry or care about. I have a whole new set of Aunts and Uncles, Grandpas and Grandmas, Cousins and friends to impress and enjoy.  I have a million new quirks to learn and an endless supply of inside jokes and movie quotes to brush up .. I am officially "in" the inside circle of this family.  NOW i will celebrate Christmas. This year will be my first Christmas - imagine that (Yes...poor child.;) I will have to learn holiday cooking tips, where to buy a tree, how to bake those special fudge squares that the family "just adores"....etc....:0)

You get the picture - life is changing and FAST!!!!  Until the end of the year though, I am your devoted singing friend, spending more time than any human being alive should spend inside a moving car. We have 160 dates left on the calendar before the end of the year and I plan to be at every one!  Our singing adventures take us across the country three more times before the end of the year into more states than I remember.  This is quite an advenure. And I am excited to see how it turns out. Please pray for us when you remember us. Pray for sanity during the 53 hour drives across the country, pray for patience in an estrogen engulfed vehicle, pray for love for each and every person that we meet along the way, pray that the Lord uses these rusty tools and brings about a harvest for the King!  God bless you. I bid you adios until next time1

Jennifer Johnson

The weird one!

Hello, it is I, Jennifer Johnson, your trusty informant with some wonderful news....um.....(shuffling feet), scratching head, nose....ummmm.  OK FINE!!!  Here it is...I - JENNIFER JOHNSON - AM ENGAGED!!!!!!!!  Yes, applause is in order here. He is wonderful.  JASON DEHART asked me to marry him last night and I said yes.

So, here are the stats:

Jason DeHart:

Age: 22

Height: Taller than me

Smile: Amazing

Ambitions:  To love and serve the Lord and his family.

Job:  Paramedic

Home: In Medford, OR

Do I love him?.....ummmmm....YES!

So, my dear constituants, this is the latest from Lake Woebegone, I wanted to inform you first....well, second...noooo. There was Grandpa and Grandma, His Parents, Friends, Family, blah blah blah:0) Anyway, now you have the news. I’ll let you know when  the date is:0)

Your Very Happy Friend,

Jennifer Johnson

Guess who.....:0) Yup, you guessed right. It is I (think sesame street count dracula voice here) - the infamous Jennifer Johnson - here to entertain, bless and encourage you....and get some things off my chest...:0) It is amazing the emotions and attitudes that you can convey through your useage of words. I sure think it is fun.

Ok, so down to the news: This past week was just amazing. God blessed me in so many ways. We stayed in the home of the Marsoleis Family in Vista, CA and had a great time fellwoshipping and goofing off with them. for those of you who think that Christians don’t goof off....we do! And it is great;0) Having just had a wedding in their family they offered to help coordinate Erin’s wedding in October. Thank you guys!

We sang twice at the Verzon Wireless Amphitheatre, once at Calvary Chapel Vista and four times at Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa over the weekend. Yes, it was a long and eventful weekend.  Some observations about the weekend:  first, having grown up in Calvary Chapel for most of my life, I had alot of pre-conceived ideas about what the "mother church" would be like (Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa).  I was suprised and blessed to observe the inner workings for a few days.  I saw servant’s hearts. I saw people who volunteer their time in service of the church and the body of Christ. Never have I seen so many volunteers in a church.  Reminds me of what the church started out to be in the book of acts - everyone giving as needs arose - and everyone being blessed by the giving. Yes, there were paid staff as well, but I noticed something interesting - no superiority complexes - just humble, approachable servants who are very actively serving the church all day long.  With all the activities of the Easter weekend one would have expected to see bad attitudes, and short fuses amongst the people behind the scenes at these huge events...but i saw none. I saw a willingness to serve and to go above and beyond what was required of them to make the event special for the audience.  Another thing I was blessed by was the variety of music over the course of the weekend. I was expecting to hear contemporary praise and worship music alone but was blessed to see a wide variety. From Hymns to Contemporary Praise and worship, to Ballads - the music was a refreshing variety that appealed to a very diverse audience.  It not only appealed - it spoke.  Keep in mind, folks, I am just sharing my thoughts here - the things I observed and was blessed by.  All that to say, it was a great weekend with the churches, pastors, and worship teams.

From there we headed to the Dortignac’s house. Let me tell you about this family and try not to gasp with suprise - ok?:0)  The Dortignac Family is an incredible God-honoring family of 16.   Yes, you read that right - 16. There are 14 kids - no adoptions and no twins. One of the most joyful families I have met, they all live in one house and pastor the church next door.  We showed up at their house in the afternoon on Easter Sunday and there were kids everywhere, dinner waiting to be served and a bunch of smiling faces.  I had wanted to get to know this family for a couple years, so I had my eyes open and was ready to learn anything I could about them. Here are some of the things I learned from the Dortignac family over the course of our time with them. 1.  God WILL provide for your needs. 2.  The older children were kind and loving to their younger siblings. 3.  It is a blessing to work with and serve your family.  4. A smile is the best make-up you can ever wear.  5. God is worthy of our trust.  6.  You CAN all live in one house and get along!  7. Large families make for very exciting and interesting dinner conversation (imagine 6 people all talking at the same time - telling you the same thing in a different way!) 8.  Children are a blessing from the Lord. ( it was so neat to look at all the different combinations of mom and dad that I saw running around - all precious and all unique.)

We left the Dortignac’s house with a joyfull spirit and a deep desire to spend more time with this special family. With 14 kids in the family can you imagine how many names you would have to go through before you get the right one?! In our house when we were growing up it went something like this: Mom was calling one of us to do something - Jennif -And-Erin-Erik-AMY! By the time she got to the name she wanted she had gotten all of our attention! Imagine that times 14 and I am sure it has them laughing by the end:0)

Until the next time I feel like writing...;0)

Jen

Hello Friends:

This is your trusty informant Jennifer Johnson. Trusty...is that even a word?  It sounds kinda "Dudly Doright-ish" huh?:0) Oh well, trusty comes to mind - so that is what I will use here. Anyways...

I am sitting in the livingroom of The Marsoleis family in Vista, California. It is a little after 7 am and I am one of three people out of bed at this moment.  Why did I get up so "early"?  Because we are singing at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre  today with Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa.  We showed up yesterday to do a sound check and I, in my innocence of large venues, had NO idea what to expect.  The place was huge!  The stage itself was massive.  The first thing I had to ask myself was, Lord are you sure we have the right place?  You know...we are just the Johnson Family....we don’t belong here. 

When I was five years old I remember asking the Lord to let me sing for Him. I didn’t ask to be famous or do big things, I just asked Him if I could sing for him. He said yes, and I am so thankful.  Seriously friends, when I walked into the amphitheatre I was humbled. Only God could open doors like this for our family. Our passion to share Christ has taken us many places over the past five years. We have been to most of the 50 United States, we have had the privelege of singing at the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, KY 2x now. We have sung for Baptist, Mennonite, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Church of God, 7th Day Adventist, and...just about every other denomination out there. We have sung in backwoods churches with no sound system and 10 people in attendance, and we have sung for crowds of thousands. 

Kinda like dad says:  when you sign on with Christ, and give you life to Him, you have no IDEA the things He can and will do with your life if you are willing.  This road called the Christian life is full of ups and downs, heartache, trial, and triumph, and with Christ in the center of the mix it is quite an amazing ride.  With days like today, all I can do is sit back and thank God for being at the controls of my life and my family’s life. Only He could think of something so great and get us invited to it.

For those of you who read this today, please pray for the service today. It starts at 12:00pm. We will be remembering the death of our Savior - Jesus Christ. Please pray for the men, women and children in attendance who do not know Jesus as their Lord. Pray that today will be the day that God captures their attention and hearts.  God bless you friends, and I will keep you posted.

The next edition of Jen’s ramblings will be out shortly - so stay tuned.

Jen