Made to Shine with Jaclyn

09/27/2026

I started the work weeping, I finished it rejoicing.
-Ancient Babylonian quote

I moved out of my house exactly two years ago hoping to reconcile. I didn’t think it was forever.
This season is more than just the journey towards divorce. If you’ve been following me for a bit, you already know there’s been conflict, loss, and trauma in several areas to overcome.
I have felt for years, ever since I left the music classroom in 2021, that I was being prepared for something new. Something that required lots of courage to cross a bridge to the other side, though I still don’t know what’s over there. I’ve wanted to stop crossing and turn back because it’s lead to some pretty painful stuff. But where would I go? There’s nothing to go back to and the present me no longer belongs in that old life. More than anything, I want to know what’s on the other side… this journey isn’t in vain, right? Do I have what it takes to keep moving forward?

The tears still come often, but the laughter does too. The loneliness hits hard a lot, but so do my loving and super supportive community of family and friends. The work (personal, emotional, & academic) is hard, but worth it.

The end of this awful season (towards divorce) is drawing closer to its end. I’m still on the bridge. And it sucks. Each step is still filled with sorrow. But also, with hope. The joy is coming.

“Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭126‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.126.5-6.NIV

09/16/2026

Three weeks. That’s all it took for me to sense the doubt creep in. I signed off of my seminary class last night and the question escaped my lips. “God, did I make a mistake here?” I had confidently switched my major to theological studies just a month ago, and suddenly felt very uncertain…

I enjoyed re-watching the Legally Blonde movies and Elle, the new Amazon series, over the summer. As silly as it may sound I saw parallels between my life and hers. We both love pink and fashion AND we’re both entering into worlds that do not stereotypically look like us.

“You don’t fit here. You don’t belong.”

But then I remember that God made me to be ME. I can have a quirky sense of humor, and be a theologian. I can be a fashionista, and be a theologian. (Thank you, lisadharper and bianca_olthoff for showing that it can be done!)

So I dismiss that negative voice and imposter syndrome. I do belong here because God said so.

Knowledge of that doesn’t make this easy… In fact, I have been challenged in big ways already but all I need to focus on is the next step in front of me.

I may be the very first pink-loving, bible preacher you’ve ever seen. Regardless, my message will be mighty because of the One who lives in me.

08/23/2026

It’s time. I’m going back to school… again!

I took a year off of seminary work to heal and rest. I realized I could not continue to push myself when my entire being was begging for a break.

During this time off I have had the opportunity to reflect, dream, and take steps toward a life that I long for. After all, I kinda have a clean slate before me. What do I want to do for the rest of the time He has given me? If I only have a year left on this Earth, what would it look like to live with no regrets?

So, I made an adjustment. I want to teach and preach and I’m ready to declare that. I changed my degree to a M.A. in Theological Studies with Spiritual Formation/Direction as an area of emphasis. Excitement and energy are returning! This feels like me. This is what I’m passionate about. THIS is what I am here for.

Lord, have your way in me!

(Despite the photos, I am still an online student… for now.😁)

07/19/2026

“Comebacks don't seem likely when your back is up against the wall and your hope is depleted. But if you will stay the course, you will discover God's power to reverse the irreversible in your life.” -Tony Evans

🌟Two Years🌟
Today I had the honor to join the City Alliance Church worship team after two years of intentional pew-healing. No one told me I couldn’t sing, I just knew I wasn’t ready. Until now.
At first, the pain was too great and the burnout too heavy to have that kind of responsibility. I was actually relieved that few in my new church knew of my gifting and a worship ministry of two decades under my belt. I felt no pressure to step up or hurry up and for that I am grateful. 🥹 I was ministered to by the music and preaching every Sunday, giving me the chance to find restoration and freely lament with tears as much as needed.
I referred to myself as the girl of sorrows… there was no bouncing back from that level of hurt. I needed time, grace, and consistency.

Comebacks will look different for each person or circumstance, but it will happen, when the time is right, after faithfully staying the course. The Waymaker doesn’t disappoint.

So, I’m back in my happy place. A comeback, albeit small, but significant in my recovery, all thanks to Him. Thank you, Jesus! ✝️

06/20/2026

“In the first creation He gave me myself; but in His new creation He gave me Himself, and by that gift restored to me the self that I had lost.” ~Bernard of Clairvoux

In a “blogette” a couple of months ago, I expressed the desire to reinvent myself now that I face a new life with circumstances that I never expected (go back and read my post from March 17, 2026).

“What do I want to do when I grow up?” Isn’t a joke I make anymore. It’s honest and real. And every day the urgency of that question brings me to my journal, to my friends and mentors, and to God. Peter Scazzero teaches that we must go back in order to move forward. So, I’ve been remembering who ‘she’ is. Who was that girl in 1998 that considered the world her oyster? She LOVED Garth Brooks and musical theater (see evidence in photo!) She wanted to own a pickup truck and blast ‘Wide Open Spaces’ by the Dixie Chicks until she reached that future! She had stars in her eyes, adventure in her veins, and life in her lungs. She definitely didn’t spend any time fretting about the details or the what-ifs (like I do now).

What did she want out of this life? What did she dream about? What can I learn from her 28 years later?

For now, I’m rediscovering instead of a reinventing. I found that dreamer still inside me… she’s slowly and courageously coming out to remind me where this all started. I’m building resilience more everyday and looking to God to restore the parts of me that were lost.

I still don’t have all the answers, but I don’t think that’s the point. I don’t have to have it all figured out before I start the next chapter. The finish line isn’t the story. The path getting there… now that is where the adventure happens and makes the finish line so worth the effort.

If you are reading my posts, I want to say thank you. I do this to document this season of my life… to reflect on the challenges, blessings, and my growth. But also, I know our stories help others. If my raw honesty, lessons learned, sufferings, and joys bring you any encouragement, then this journey is not in vain.
To God be the Glory.

05/31/2026

05/29/2026

Facing the unknown requires a different mindset. For me, it's time to dive into what God isn't revealing yet.

It was the first spring after my friends moved into their new house. They uncovered their in-ground pool early to find something that resembled more of a pond than a

05/28/2026

This ain’t no picnic. Divorce is experienced in many parts: financial, emotional, physical, relational, and a disruption of what was familiar.
This liminal space is hard. I’m absolutely exhausted. Emptying one home of a lifetime of personal belongings that no longer serve me has been a long and difficult process. I can’t tell you how many trips I’ve taken back and forth, my car stuffed to the gills. It’s caused absolute chaos. Filling the basement of my apartment, sorting, selling, and saving is TAXING. Decision-fatigue is real.

With that said, I’m having a HUGE SALE. Call it a divorce-sale, a moving-sale, or a becoming-a-minimalist sale… all of it must go.
Please come to my house May 29-31 to support me in this transition.
515 Cypress St, Montoursville, PA
Furniture, Christmas, housewares, home goods/decor, Pfaltzgraff, jewelry, books, collectibles, etc. I have little of everything and a lot of some stuff 😄

I am so incredibly grateful to the friends and family who have helped me with this task. I couldn’t have done this without you!

04/29/2026

Saying yes to His invitation to live for more… and chai tea.

04/16/2026

My Peacemaking Testimony: printed in the Alliance Peacemaking Newsletter, Spring 2026
After eight weeks of classes and mediating a mock marriage conflict, I am officially an Alliance Peacemaking Mediator! This was an unexpected but God-ordained journey that began in 2022.
I didn’t see it coming. I was doing my best to honor God in all areas of my life, yet a train barreled toward me at full steam. Its cars were loaded with conflict and suffering, seemingly determined to take me out of the race.
My introduction to peacemaking came after the first car made impact. I found myself in the middle of a church-related conflict that required assistance from Alliance Peacemaking. My track record in handling conflict hadn’t won me any trophies, and this situation was no exception. I sat in judgment, expecting the other party to budge. However, it didn’t take long to identify my "flavor" of conflict: peacebreaker.
The peacemaking team redirected my attention to Christ in an entirely new way. The "heart work" sessions that followed caused a surprising pivot in my life. Through the power of the Holy Spirit—and a willingness to humble myself—my heart was transformed. Because I now carry Christ’s ministry of reconciliation, I view every conflict as an opportunity to glorify God.
Sadly, after many months of meetings and mediation, that church conflict did not end in reconciliation. I resigned from my position and left the church I had attended for over twenty years. It was heartbreaking to experience that level of brokenness, but I knew I had done all I could. Sometimes peacemaking looks like walking away. Several months later, the next few train cars hit my marriage. Once again, the Peacemaker became my lifeline.
In these circumstances, God continues to teach me to follow His ways in the face of trouble. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NIV). This world is thirsty for peace and healing—true restoration that can only come from the fountain of Living Water. Biblical peacemaking brings hope to what seems hopeless and this is why I desire to share it with others. Even when outward reconciliation is not the end result, something fruitful still rises from the ashes of the pain.
Through these personal trials, I have experienced a growth in resilience and character, forging a hope truly worth holding onto. As Paul tells us, “...we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4 NIV).
Conflict and brokenness do not mean the story is over. In fact, God is just rolling up His sleeves. I hear Him say, “Watch me, daughter. You and me—we’re just getting started.”