Falling in Love with Jesus: Love Birds

Welcome Chanel Nance to the blog! She's an actress, author and a teacher! 

A woman of many talents, indeed! She's here today to share her story about how she first fell in love with Jesus Christ. Here's a clue: blue jays played a main role in capturing Chanel's heart and directing her adoration to God.

Enjoy the life lessons and words of encouragement that Chanel has to share with you today! 

~*~
Love Birds
A Falling in Love with Jesus story written by Chanel Nance

My "Falling in love with Jesus" moment took place while I was in college. Every morning, I would have my personal devotional time with Jesus. During my daily devotionals, I would pray, study my Bible, then reflect on the devotional thought. The most important part of my devotional time is the reflection time. It gives me the opportunity to hear what Jesus has to tell me. After I completed my "Jesus time" that day, it dawned on me that it had been a long time since I had seen a blue jay. I don't know what it was about blue jays, maybe it's their color, but I have been fascinated with them for years. I knew that it was such a minor request, but I asked Jesus to show me a blue jay that day. 

As I walked to my first class, I kept looking up, but I didn't see my bird. I would walk from class to class looking high and low, but I still didn't see my blue jay. I even glanced outside during my classes, and still was unable to see even a hint of blue flash across the sky.

When it was time for lunch, I went to the cafeteria, got my lunch and sat down to eat. I don't remember what I ate, but it was very filling. As I finished my meal, I looked outside at a tree, and then I did a double take. Not only did I see a blue jay, I saw four blue jays! At a quick glance, the sight looked like a beautiful blue flower arrangement stuck in a tree. It was an amazing sight! I just sat there in amazement for five minutes and thought, "God always loves to show off, and I love Him for it." As I came off of "Cloud Nine", I stopped and offered a prayer of thanks to Jesus for answering the small request that I had made.

From that afternoon until today, I still reflect on that experience and it makes me smile just as hard as it did on the day that it happened. A verse that came to my mind that day was Matthew 7:7 (NASB), "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." God has so many things that He wants to give us. Sometimes, all we need to do is ask. If it is in His will, you will get it. Sometimes, He may have something better for you and will give you that. Nevertheless, try Jesus today!

If Jesus can answer my small request, I know that He can and will do anything. He is my First Love!

~*~
Author bio: 

Chanel (Sales) Nance is an author, educator and actress. She was born and raised in Cincinnati, OH, where she studied the art of writing and poetry. She has published one book, Shower Talk. 

She has been published in Insight Magazine, Joy Notes (A publication by Oakwood University's Literary Guild, American Christian Writers, Chapter 27), Mosaic (A publication of Columbia Union College which is now Washington Adventist Univeristy), and on Poetry.com. 

Chanel has a passion for Jesus Christ and shares the many lessons that He has taught her through the poems and devotional thoughts in her book, Shower Talk.  

Currently, she teaches at a public charter school in Washington, D.C.