I spent 26 years building a name for myself that amounted to nothing. I began dancing at the age of 2. By the time I was in the 4th grade, I was performing full length ballets. I was training pre-professionally in New York City at the age of 16 and I eventually wound up on a billboard, commercials, a short film, and posters around town. In 2009, I signed a contract with Nevada Ballet Theatre, where I danced full time as a ballerina in Las Vegas. Ballet was my life. It was my identity, my fame, and unfortunately, my biggest idol.

After becoming a Christian in 2009, I tried redirecting this talent for Christ. With each failed attempt at forcing dance to fit into my life, I grew more and more discouraged and displaced. I wasn't chasing dance because I felt called, but rather because I didn't know how to function outside of dance and I was paralyzed with the fear of having no other talent.

I read this one morning,

"In order to use us to change the world, He often alters our assignments. Gideon: from farmer to general; Mary: from peasant girl to mother of Christ; Paul: from local rabbi to world evangelist. He changed David from a shepherd to a king. Peter wanted to fish the Sea of Galilee. God called him to lead the first church. God makes reassignments." -Os Hillman

Once I let go of this idol, I became a utensil for God in a way I had never fully surrendered to... an instrument He can use in whatever way He so chooses, for His glory and HIS fame -not my own. Today, dance has no real role in my life and I am okay with that. Christ is doing something in me that I'm not sure anyone saw coming (including myself). God has given me a new assignment: I am now preparing to go full time into the mission field, alongside a ministry in the Philippines. It's funny how fulfilled I feel now, as I chase after God instead of my name. I only had emptiness in the pursuit of my name. 

(Now days, you can find Jessica with an apron and spatula, baking and decorating with her family at The Cake Shop Bakery in town. She also enjoys serving on Sunday mornings with First Impressions.)