On the field in Death Valley

Well I got to do something really really cool on Saturday night. I was on the field at the Clemson/Boston College game for the pre-game and Halftime. It was an incredible experience. To stand on the the field and to look up and see 85 thousand plus people above me was a awe inspiring moment. I got to see the players come on the field, practice and I got to talk to some of the redshirts before the game. I even stood at the bottom of the hill in the endzone for what they call the "most exciting 25 seconds in college football". I stood behind the endzone for the opening kickoff, that was coming at us, It was quite a sight. The whole thing was crazy, loud and very thought provoking.

There I stood on the field, something probably not very many people get to experience in their life and thoughts of God began to creep in. I looked up and saw 85 thousand people. That is a ton of people and I began to wonder and think about how many people knew Jesus and how many people didn't. And I began to think, what if all these people did love Jesus and were this excited what they could do. The possibilities would be endless. I assessed myself and began to see that I have some displaced passion. I'm excited about God and serving him, but I'm not screaming 85 thousand people loud excited...and I really should be. God of the universe verse everything else in my life. I really should be far more excited about what is going on with me and my Creator rather than with me and the rest of Creation.

It is so easy to miss things and to not even know it. I think I've missed a lot of things. I think we miss God moments and opportunities because we got caught up in our lives and the world around us. I believe God knows this and thats why we can sense and feel him even when we aren't looking or paying attention and then He shows up and talks to us when we are least expecting it.

Last night God sat me down for a little talk at a football game. Awesome isn't it.

My microcosm

First I do want to address the issue of my posting infrequence. I really do have a lot of things to say, and I write a ton. I just usually end up highlighting and deleting it from the blog only to save it in Word format on my computer. I have a lot of thoughts and ideas and things to say. Most times I end up writing something that is super personal without even realizing it. I will however try to post a little more about my general life stuff and when something strikes me..........I'll write about it.

This is something that struck me. I am my own worst enemy. I can be so critical and hard on myself that it can lead me to inaction. I basically cripple myself. I don't really think I'm a good minister of the Gospel. But I know I am and can even be a great one. I like my job and the people I'm around. Right now it is probably the place I minister the most. Most of my co-workers are Christians but some aren't. I like it because I can have discussions and can be questioned. My favorite thing is blowing someones paradigm about Christianity away. I like it when someone realizes........hey, it isn't all that stifling.

I feel like it is an area of strength for me. To teach in a non teaching way. To show and do rather than talk about and talk down to someone. I'm by far no where close to being great at it, but I think I can be. I enjoy it though.

To talk about God and truth and be real. Yes, I may at times offend, but the ability to do it in a way that shows people........I respect them and their opinions and thoughts as well.

Well thats the though from the day...enjoy

Post-trip

Well hello everybody.

I'm posting like I promised :). I really didn't get a chance to post during my trip because we were so busy and gone most of the time. It was great fun, I got to spend some time with Heath and his family. We went to Geno's the home of the original cheesesteak. It was pretty cool. Just really getting to hang out was fun. We didn't have a good chance to go into the city like I had hoped. We primarily spent time at his house and at the church.

So no pictures because.......we really didn't go anywhere lol. It was a good trip though.

Good news! On the way up I stopped at home and picked up a support statement from GP. It was my October support statement and I had a list of people on it who I had no idea had got on board with me. It was great news and a number of people here at work have gotten on board with me as well. In the last week I have raised about 1,800 dollars. CRAZY!!!

Things are going well........Boston plays tonight and I'm praying that they can pull it out.

New Website

Hi everyone! I hope you are all well. Life is going well, hectic, but well. I have been working on a new website and and really hope to have it published soon. I get paid on Wednesday and I hope to purchase a domain shortly there after. Working at Jittery Joe's consumes a lot of my time. More than I thought it would. I'm am starting to get the hang of the whole time management thing.

Support raising is going steady, but slow. I get new commitments weekly which is always great. Ironically enough support comes when I start to get down in the dumps about not having supporters. God is funny that way I guess.

I'm traveling up to Delaware and Philly on Friday with my good buddy Abram. We are going up to see our old youth pastor and my mentor. I'm looking forward to getting to see Heath and Karen and spending some time catching up. I'm going to take lots of pictures. I will for sure post those on here.

Thanks for all those who encourage me, support me and keep me going. You guys are seriously the best.

I will definitely make an update while traveling, because well.........I don't do that many things that are interesting.......but a road trip for sure is.

Much love

life without training wheels

Lately I have felt somewhat....overwhelmed. In the last year, life has absolutely overwhelmed me. I graduated, I moved out of my house and for the most part am now on my own. Plus, I now have this incredible opportunity to serve God in front of me and I'm a little afraid of it. Somedays I just want someone to tell me "everything is going to be ok, its all going to work out." I need someone to pat me on the head and tell me I'm ok. But that wouldn't do me any good and God knows it. On top of that I'm realizing many things about myself. I think they call this introspection or "self awareness" or some other psycho-babel like that. However, long sleepless nights for the most part do not make for good mornings. Most days are a little war with myself over what God wants for me and what I want for myself and it gets draining. God is teaching me things and showing me things, but I am still stubborn and I want things my way. Part of my struggles lately are I just don't feel like I have someone to lead me. I'm a person who does what I'm told to do. In my life right now I have no real mentor. I feel this has caused me to fumble and flounder and figure things out on my own for once. It is a good thing, but it is something I'm absolutely not used to. For the last 7 or 8 years I have had someone who guided me. Now I don't. I think God is teaching me a lot of things through this, a lot of things I wouldn't have been receptive to if I had someone else in my life to tell me what to do and not to do. It is like God has taken away all those people in my life and said "listen to me, I'm going to teach you, guide you and show you what you need to see". It is like God has slowly taking the training wheels off my bike and is showing me how to ride. In the process I'm falling down, skinning my knees and getting cut up and bruised. I am learning, I am growing. Somedays are better than others. But I'm starting to get it.......I think. A lot of days people ask me how everything is going for Australia. It is going well, a lot more difficult than I ever imagined in the area of raising support. I know this is where God is leading me. In the meantime I feel that God is using this time, to shape me, to make me ready for it. I prayed and asked him before any of this really took off that I wanted to be his man on the scene. That I wanted him to change my heart so that I would be effective there. I think He is doing it.

And I am thankful...

The first one

G'day all,

This is my first post on my new blog. YAY! For all the news and info on how I'm doing down under.......this is your spot.

Tomorrow morning I will be speaking to Common Ground community church in Seneca, SC. My good friend Ken helped me work out a time with his senior pastor Neil to come and speak about what God was doing in my life and what my plans where as a missionary.

Last Sunday I spoke to the Smith Chapel congregation. It was my first time speaking at a church outside of one I was attending. I was a little nervous, but it went extremely well. I'm thankful for all the support pastor Scott Usleman, Jeff Scranton and the congregation showed me.

The last Sunday of the month I will be speaking at Providence Wesleyan in Chesnee, SC. A good friend of mine Doug Windsor is the new senior pastor their and has graciously given some time to talk to his congregation.

This month has been great. Support keeps coming in and God continues to surprise me with how he opens hearts up to what I'm am doing.

Two things I am having to learn is;
1. To have more patience and let God work.
2. To let him have control and realize that He has set this before and He is going to see that it works out...in His time.

Its really hard considering I have no patience and I'm a control freak.

Well I am going to go. I hope you enjoy the new blog and I'll keep it update probably bi-weekly.

Love and blessings,

Jason

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