Fisher of (Wo)men
“One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come follow me, and I will show you how to be fishers of men.” And they left their nets at once and followed him.”—Matthew 4:18-20
North Fork Reservoir, Salida, Colorado
June 16th, 2025
📍Salida, Colorado, USA 🇺🇸
Greetings from the wilderness!
I had the fortunate opportunity to host the virtual Infinitum prayer day guided spiritual practice on Wednesday, leading guests through a somatic meditation titled 'Deeper Into Joy'. Especially if you are struggling under the weight of current events, I hope you will take a moment to watch the recording and that it brings you unshakeable joy and blessing.
It feels like the world is shaking all around me, and my heart is breaking for all of the people affected. I’ve been practicing choosing joy over despair, not because I have my head in the sand, but because I know that my joy is not dependent on my circumstances. I’ve been focusing my eyes on Jesus and seeking His face amid the chaos. What started with my road trip through the American Southwest, these last 10 days have been life-changing, leading up to my 44th birthday on Saturday, June 14th.
To celebrate, I invited my friend Shontelle to join me in Salida, Colorado, to fish our brains out (she is the woman who taught me everything I know about bait fishing). With an initial stop at the prayer waterfall to bless our weekend, accompanied by our new friend Eno, we drove the beast up the 4WD road to the top of the mountain to bait and fly fish at North Fork Reservoir, an alpine lake located at an elevation of 11,000 feet.
In my prayer, I had asked the Lord to show us His glory by giving us an abundance of fish, so many that we couldn’t miss His hand in it. We caught 50 trout (Cutthroat, Cutbow, Rainbow, and Brown trout) the first day—all catch-and-release. Not only did we catch an incredible number of fish, but we also had the lake mostly to ourselves and enjoyed excellent weather. What a blessing!
O’Haver Lake, Salida, Colorado
Day two, Shontelle and I made our way towards Poncha Pass to O’Haver Lake. Fishing at 9,200 feet of elevation, enjoying the warmth of the sun, we caught another 30 trout between us, more than anyone else on the lake that day. It was wild to see God’s handiwork when we were the only ones pulling fish out at that rate. We were the talk of the lake! People even came over to ask what we were using for bait because they weren’t catching nearly as many as we were. We stopped fishing only because the lake became very busy with paddleboarders.
Local’s secret: The fish in O’Haver love garlic nightcrawlers (worms) and cocktail shrimp.
Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort, Buena Vista, Colorado
After a long day of fishing, we made our way over to Buena Vista, Colorado, to Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort to soak our bodies. The crowds over FIBARK weekend reminded me how grateful I am to currently live in a place where people travel from all over the world to visit, and that five generations of my family have lived in this area. We returned to the cabin, my family’s land*, to celebrate my birthday with a home-cooked meal and my favorite cake, yellow with milk chocolate frosting.
On the Arkansas River, Salida, Colorado
The last day of this long weekend found us floating down the Arkansas River on my brother-in-law’s raft, fishing with my nieces. This fueled my love of adventure and provided an excellent opportunity to enjoy the view of Salida from the river, which draws thousands of white-water enthusiasts each summer. While we didn’t catch any fish, it was a pleasure to experience Shontelle’s first white water rafting experience with her.
I am so grateful that she was willing to share her passion for fishing with me many years ago, and that I can share this mountain life with her. What a treat it is to experience the Holy Spirit doing something you love alongside friends.
This is what the Acts 2:42 church was all about—fellowship with other believers, sharing our lives, homes, and passions; walking each other home to Jesus. I want the Lord to continue blessing me abundantly as I follow Him, like He did this weekend.
“One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come follow me, and I will show you how to be fishers of men.” And they left their nets at once and followed him.”—Matthew 4:18-20
As a fisher of (wo)men, I know I have only begun to scratch the surface of what God has in store for me. Jesus’ offer to follow Him into the great unknown was an invitation I couldn’t refuse. I know what I was doing before was good (a business woman), but He demonstrated to me this weekend that by continuing to follow Him, He will continue to reveal His greatness to me (as a fisher of women).
Which begs the question for my life as well as yours, ‘Am I content catching fish (staying in the status quo), or do I want to change lives?’
I’m especially grateful today for friends. Thank you to everyone who reached out to wish me a happy birthday. I am so blessed to be loved by so many.
With Love,
Jennifer
*I respectfully acknowledge the unceded and ancestral territories of the Ute and Cheyenne Nations and the traditional keepers of their land. I would like to express my gratitude for allowing me to live, work, and play on your lands.
P.S.—I’d love to hear from YOU! Rather than emailing me or dropping me a DM, please post a comment below 👇
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