Jennifer Stavinoha

Jennifer contributes to the blogs: Beyond the Pew A blog to empower parents as primary catechists So, Jesus was a "nice guy"? Next Level Ministry A blog for ministers of the Church looking for resources and support The Crazy Disciple The Forge A Catholic blog for teens and youngs adults Easter, Shawshank Style View all of her posts from The Forge here.

Hometown: Pearland, TX

Education: 

• University of the Incarnate Word, B.A. in Religious Studies, 2011
• Franciscan University of Steubenville, M.A. in Theology & Christian Ministry, 2013

Ministries at ABLAZE:  

• Director of Campus Ministries at St. Joseph's Catholic School
• Coordinator for ENCOUNTER Prayer Ministry

Ministry Background: After an encounter with Jesus Christ in the Eucharist at a Steubenville youth conference in 2005, I realized that I wanted everyone in the world to know about Jesus and his great love. My ministry experience began in 2008 at the University of the Incarnate Word, where I worked as an intern for the University Mission & Ministry office. There, I was in charge of running a monthly praise and worship event called Revelation that served the university population. I served on the music team, recruited student speakers, and started a prayer ministry. During this time, I also helped to co-found a ministry on campus called Brazen Generation. This ministry was geared toward those students who had not yet had an encounter with Christ or heard the basic message of the Gospel. This ministry saw an average of 50 people a month come to Christ for the first time.

Upon arriving at Franciscan University, I was put in charge of leading a team of 20+ college students on a mission trip to Brooklyn in New York, where we ministered to a parish with nightly prayer workshops, door-to-door ministry, and nursing home ministry. At Franciscan, I also served and led weekly prayer teams, helped to plan and facilitate weekly praise and worship nights, and served on the Office of Evangelization Core Team. I served as a retreat team member, where I gave talks, prayed with students, and cultivated relationships with retreatants after the retreat was over.

The summer after earning my Masters degree, I was blessed to be able to travel to China for two weeks as a missionary. In China, we presented talks about the Church, and gave our personal testimonies to a group of Chinese missionaries. We served the Church through our presence with our persecuted Chinese brothers and sisters in Christ, and took their prayer intentions with us back to the United States.

Passions and interests: I love to read! I’ll read anything; theology, reflections, articles, fantasy adventures featuring three young wizards at a school of magic who continually find themselves in various life-threatening situations… I also have a passion for music. I love to love any worship bands that no one has ever heard of.

How did you become involved with ABLAZE/why are you involved?: I first heard about this ministry through my sister, who was a CCFM Ministry Leader. I knew a few of the ministry leaders through different church events, and always admired their vision. In the summer of 2013 the entire staff came up to Ohio, where I was living at the time, for a conference. During this conference, I was introduced to their missionary idea. Matt asked me to consider joining as a missionary, and after much prayer, I knew that this was where the Lord was calling me to serve. As an ABLAZE missionary, I am able to serve using the gifts God has given me to spread the love of God and the joy that comes with knowing His presence.

Favorite quotes/Bible verses:

Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them! -Numbers 11:29

When I say, 'My foot is slipping', your love, Lord, holds me up. When cares increase within me, your comfort brings me joy. -Psalm 94:18-19

He must become greater; I must become less. -John 3:30

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly. -John 10:10

Sam: It's like in the great stories Mr. Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn't want to know the end because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end it's only a passing thing, this shadow, even darkness must pass. A new day will come, and when the sun shines it'll shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something even if you were too small to understand why. But I think Mr. Frodo, I do understand, I know now folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going because they were holding on to something.
Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?
Sam: That there's some good in the world, Mr. Frodo, and it's worth fighting for. 
-J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers