The Joy of Jennifer Jacobs
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. ”
God has been so kind in giving us Jen Jacobs as our sister in Christ. He lavished upon us amazing grace in the example of her hope, secured through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, her Lord and ours.. “Being a Christian,” Elizabeth Elliot says, “means to accept God’s will in place of my own. The Kingdom of God instead of the kingdom of this world.” In countless ways, while living, while suffering, and while dying, God gave Jen the strength to exemplify what this means. We have much to learn from her still.
Jen’s Faith in Action
I have witnessed Jen’s sincere faith in Christ, having been friends with her for nine years, starting with a small group at Bethlehem to then being part of a new church plant forming in 2014, called Cities Church. She was and still is a rich blessing to me as well as to so many others. Her faith in Christ was evident to all, on display through her steadfast character and countless good deeds. I think about the ways her smile would light up a room. It was truly contagious, warm, and inviting, a reflection of the God she loved. She was a trustworthy friend and encourager, one who would build you up even on your worst day. Jen was a servant of Christ. She would earnestly look for ways to come alongside others whether or not their needs were obvious.. And she was intentional about how she loved each person. She was hospitable and honored every single person who entered her home. And she created such a lovely home for her family!
Jen was immovable in her calling as a wife to Josh, and mother to Earnest, Elsie, Otto, and Abner. I can think back on the many times our conversations were abbreviated so that she could tend to the needs of her children. She was a glad helper, and a proud mother. She had a keen eye for beauty. Her creativity was expressed through photography, knitting, baking, and hosting. She had a gift for teaching, discipling, mothering, and homemaking. It was such a privilege to see my sister in Christ use all these things to point to the glory of God and to serve his people. She was an exemplary woman of God.
What I Learned From Jen
One particular memory I have of Jen was when I was thanking her after she hosted a baby shower for me in her home back in 2016. Her response to me thanking her was (with a huge smile of delight on her face), “It was my joy!” I was astonished by her humble reply given all the time and effort she put into blessing me and my family. But it was for her joy, and she meant it. It was for her joy because her joy was in Jesus. This was the joy that was so radiant in her life. She walked in the joy of the Lord.
When Pastor Jonathan asked to write this little tribute to Jen, I replied, “It would be my joy to honor her.” It struck me, after looking back on my friend's precious and wonderful life, that I wouldn’t have known how to say that if it weren’t for Jen. By watching my friend, I learned how to have joy in Christ whether serving or suffering, whether living or dying, because of the faith she modeled for us. She persevered with remarkable joy in seasons of sweetness and in sorrow, following the example of her Savior(Hebrews 12:2).
The Joy of Her Master
I think, if Jen were able to, she would with a joyful heart, remind us of the rock-solid hope we have in Christ. She’d remind us that to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). She might also help us to remember that our citizenship is in heaven, and “from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”(Philippians 3:20).
Jen, by her faith in Jesus Christ, has entered into the fullness of joy. Her faith is now sight. While we grieve her loss, and the heartache of her family, we know that she now sees the face of Jesus, and in this, church, we can rejoice.
My dear sister, rest in the joy of your Master! One day we will see Jesus with you.