VINEMONT, Ala. – Vinemont junior cheerleader Jenny Price is so blessed to have God in her life. He changed her life in a big way at a time when she felt lost, and leans on several Bible verses to help her get through life.
“God means the whole world to me. Before Him, I was a girl who didn’t know what her purpose in life was and was living a life of the world. I cry just writing this, because of how much God’s unconditional love has changed the person I was and was made new by His blood. Isn’t it wonderful to think that God loves you that much to brutally die for your darkest, dirtiest sins, because He just wants an intimate relationship with you, so you don’t have to suffer for your own sins,” Price said. “God has turned my whole life around. He has changed everything for me, and He is still continuing to do that every day. The way I react to things changed. Instead of keeping things to myself and bottle them up, I would pray about it and just seek and sit in His presence. How I live my life has changed. I strive to live like Jesus and love like Him every single day and everywhere I go. Even through the tough times, I react with confidence with who God is instead of focusing on those times.”
Jenny added, “These are some verses that I memorize to remind myself who God is: 1 Peter 5:7: ‘Cast all your cares on Him, because He cares about you,’ Jeremiah 29:11: ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,’ and Psalm 9:10: ‘Those who know your name trust in you, because you have not abandoned those who seek you, Lord.’ Here are some more of my favorite Bible verses: ‘Psalm 23:3-4: ‘He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His namesakes. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me,’ Psalm 34:18: ‘The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He saves those who are crushed in spirit,’ and John 13:7: ‘What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward, you will understand.'”
“These verses have continued to remind me through all seasons in my life that God is an intentional and faithful Dad who does everything for a purpose. Even though it doesn’t ever make sense at that moment, but I know that God has a good plan for me. Not only does He care and listen to my cry, but He’s also walking with me through good or bad seasons. I’m always going to be imperfect and fall short of the glory of God, but because of His grace, I can get back up again and run back to Him, because He genuinely cares so much about us.” Price added.
Jenny listed some of her favorite Christian songs, and she talked about how much her move to Alabama and going to church completely changed her life.
“Some of my favorite songs are, Always on time, Jesus be the name, and Been So Good by Elevation Worship, Pure by Abbie Gamboa and UPPERROOM, Pure and Holy by Motion, Privilege by Abbie Gamboa, Oh Gratitude by Brandon Lake, Give Me Jesus by UPPERROOM, What a God by SEU Worship, and Center by Bethel Music and Abbie Gamboa. After moving to Alabama, I was in a place where I was so curious to know about Jesus and to have a relationship with Him, so I decided to go to church. Right when I stepped into the auditorium, I was immediately hit with God’s presence through the worship songs. My heart, all of a sudden, began to have this joy, warmness, and surrender. Listening to worship songs has helped me get so close to God on a daily basis, because when I listen to them, they just remind me of all the answered prayers that I’m living right now and feeling God’s presence and His peace. Worship is one of many sources of communication that the Lord has used to speak to me.” Price said.
Helping people of all ages have that same kind of relationship is so important to Jenny. She wants to also be that Godly role model for a lot of kids in and outside of cheer.
“It’s sincerely so important for me to plant a seed in everyone’s heart to be curious for who Jesus is and continue to pray that His love will win them over. As a student and a cheerleader, I’m able to go to school and have the opportunity to make a difference throughout our community and also outside of school by treating everyone with God’s love and kindness. I believe that planting a seed in someone’s heart don’t always have to be about Jesus to them, but it can also be just the tiny, kind gestures and genuine love that could make someone question where this kind of love can come from out of a person. At that time, it’s my chance to tell them about Jesus,” she said. “It’s so important for me to be a Godly person for so many kids by just truly carrying out His love in everything that I do in and outside of cheer, and I’m striving every day to pick up my daily cross and live a set apart life, not to show anything superior, but to stand strong on who I follow. I pray every day that the way I live right now will impact the kids to get closer to His kingdom.”
The Godly role models that she has in her life has impacted her life in more ways than one, and she has been a part of a couple of missions that has helped so many people and families find God.
“I look up to my cheer coach, who has always prayed over our team and shared God’s Word every opportunity she gets. The way she honors and puts Him in the center of her life is always something that I looked up to. I also look up to my youth pastors, Maison, who has just given me new opportunities to serve and always gently nudges us out of our comfort zone, and live bold in our faith, and Simon, whose joy for the Lord is something I always look up to. His faith for the Lord is so genuine, every single time you see Simon, he’s always hyper for Jesus. My community circle is something I look up to. I have friends who genuinely love Him with all of their hearts. My mom is someone I look up to and also someone who I pray every day for. I know that God is using her heart of serving to reach so many people throughout her business. God can really use anyone for His kingdom.” she said.
Jenny added, “This past summer, I signed up for our internship program at church, and one day, we get to go to a random store to ask someone if they need to be prayed for, and that really helped me step boldly in my faith and out of my comfort zone. I was honored to be picked as one of our peer helpers in our school, and that was God reminding me to continue living my life set apart. We went on a meeting to meet up with others, and it was just a God-given opportunity. Our church has Giving Hope for Christmas, and I signed up to serve. It was such a blessing to see how much someone’s life can change with our generosity and how it can lead families to Jesus.”
She gave advice to those people who are struggling when it comes to having a relationship with God, plus she wants to play a part in helping them find God. She shares her Godly rituals that she likes to do every day and after cheer practice and what she has learned overall about herself during her walk with God.
“I would encourage them to find a church and plug into a Godly community, because community makes such a big difference when you have Godly people pour into you. I want to consistently pray for them and continue to pour into them and check on them. I would start out with something small like encouraging them to just simply open up to God and pray. Talk to Him like He’s your best friend and tell Him everything. If they’re struggling, I want to always remind them that no one is perfect and that no matter how far they have run from God, God is not far away, and He’s waiting for you to come home to Him. God misses you so much, and He is always with them, even though it feels like He’s not.” she said.
Jenny added, “I strive to start my day with Jesus and end my day with Jesus. I always love going on a date with Jesus and do a Bible Study. At the end of every cheer practice, our coach prays for us. I’ve enjoyed the person that God has changed me into, and I know that He’s not done with me yet, but also the trials. It sucks and was not easy at all, but my faith has grown stronger every single time. Some things that I’ve learned the most during my journey is that in order to find peace in every situation, I got to seek Jesus, who is the Prince of peace. God is never too far away, and He’s not a conditional God. He doesn’t leave us when things get bad. Instead, He stays and walks with us through it, so trust and praise Him in every season. Live a set apart life. It’s hard but worth it. Give Jesus all of the glory. God doesn’t want perfection. He wants you and your whole heart.”
