WELCOME!
Hello and welcome to Balancing the Blackstone’s! My name is Jennifer Blackstone. I am married to a wonderful man Dave, who is the lead pastor of a church we planted in 2021. We have planted and helped plant several churches and ministries in Upstate New York since 2006. Together we have two children, Allison and Nash, and one Daisee Doodle Doggy. We lost our little Shorkie, Reily in February of 2019 and I just couldn’t bring myself to leave him out of this so there it is, hahaha. Our lives are filled with every wonderful and crazy thing that comes with having children and, we love every second of it.
A Little History
I am a middle child of two sisters. I come from humble beginnings with a single mom and a painful childhood.
Sometimes left to fend for myself while mom tried to pull the pieces of our family together, I got to learn a lot of tough life lessons the hard way.
With a baby sister and and a traumatized older sister, I often played the role of a parent instead of being a kid. My love and bond for my sisters grew us to be inseparable. My mom eventually stabilized our family, graduated the school of hard knocks and brought our family closer together than ever.
School was never my thing, I was an outsider who ran with a tough crowd, worked fast food minimum wage jobs to pitch in, and eventually got out on my own.
My identity in the family for many years was “Aunt Jennie” because both my sisters got pregnant within a year from each other and I was not interested in starting a family of my own. In fact, when I met my now husband Dave at the age of 25, I had already given up the dream of ever having kids or living a normal happy life.
In 2006 I put my life in the hands of Jesus and everything changed. I married Dave, God changed my desires, healed my wounds, and gave me purpose.
It was at church that I first realized God was going to use the pain of my past to help other women like me. Little did I know, there was one more big trial I had to endure. The biggest challenge of all. While still newlyweds, the doctors told me that I might never have children. The news devastated my family, but God had a plan to see me through to the other side.
Life Now
When I am not serving alongside my husband in ministry, I am working and helping to raise our miracle children.
I am passionate about second chances, never giving up and, holding onto the promises we’ve been given. I have lived a life full of heartache and down right depressing situations but, I am an overcomer and I have grown a deep desire to encourage, empower and, uplift anyone who can benefit from the life experiences I have had.
I love to laugh (mainly at me) and tend to take the lemons life hands me and hurl them at the closest person in the room. Just kidding…we make lemonade or something?