Jenna and Justin Jensen: Growing in Faith Together

One warm July evening in 2010, a friend invited Justin Jensen to the monster truck show at the local county fair. Little did he know that  he would meet the woman he’d spend the rest of his life with that night.

Jenna was invited to the show by the same friend. When she met Justin, they instantly hit it off. Four years later, they got married in Jenna’s home church of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Brainard, Nebraska.

Building a Family in Faith

While Jenna grew up Catholic, Justin did not. However, after a few years of dating and learning about the Faith through Jenna, he joined the Catholic Church on Easter 2014, just a few months before their wedding.

Not long after, the couple moved to Justin’s home area in northeast Nebraska, first to Bloomfield and then to his hometown of Wausa, where they currently reside. Here, they found a great parish and community in which to raise their children.

“Our faith community has blessed us with life-long friendships and relationships with others who share the same beliefs, values, and way of life,” Jenna said. “We've enjoyed building those lasting relationships in both communities.”

It wasn’t just the community that proved fruitful. Throughout their marriage, God has been a central part of their lives. He blessed them with four children — Mason (9), Lane (6.5), Olivia (4) and Connor (2.5) — and continues to show his love and grace in any hardships they face.

Finding Comfort in God

On April 29, 2021, one of the hardest moments in their life came to pass. Jenna and Justin lost a child through miscarriage, and it changed their family’s life. It was during this time that they truly understood what it meant to lean on God during difficult times.

“Our faith is part of our daily life, getting us through the challenging times and reminding us of how God provides for us every day,” Jenna said. “We will always grieve that loss, but we find comfort in knowing he/she is wrapped in Jesus’ arms in Heaven and hope to be reunited one day.”

April 29 is the Feast Day of St. Catherine of Siena, who also happens to be the patron saint of miscarriages. The Jensen family turned to St. Catherine for prayers during this time, and they even decided to name their unborn child after her, despite not knowing the gender of the baby. They named him/her Haley Catherine.

“We found it fitting,” Jenna said.

One year later, the Jensens were blessed with their youngest son Connor.

In the years since, Jenna has turned often to St. Catherine for help and prayers, feeling close to the saint who watches over their unborn child.

Justin finds comfort in John 3:16, “For God so loved...not perish but have eternal life” (RSVCE).

“This verse has helped me get through some tough times in my life,” he said.

The Little Things

Today, the Jensen family remain active in the St. Andrew Parish, Jenna having taught CCD for seven years and is now on the Religious Formation Leadership Team for Our Catholic Family of Parishes. The couple also completed a CEC retreat at the beginning of the year, finding it to be a refreshing weekend of faith and fellowship.

Their children keep busy with sports, 4-H, school and helping dad on the farm, while Jenna provides in-home daycare. When Justin isn’t out in the field, he works at Helena Agri-Enterprises as the location seed manager. As their kids grow up and life moves forward, Justin and Jenna find joy in the simplest things.

“Being involved with our kids and their activities is important to both of us,” Jenna said. “We also love getting together with other families from church, whether to pray the Rosary or enjoy a simple meal and fellowship together.”

*This story was originally published in the November 2024 edition of "Our Catholic Family Magazine."