On Monday I was processing a minor knee injury. I love to run and was training for a race but had to face my mortality when I couldn’t make it lap around the track without intense pain. My soul was aching more than knee. There’s never been a day in my life that I can remember that I couldn’t run.

A couple hours later a tweet from the songwriter Lacrae hit me hard, “If your world crumbles without it, you probably worship it.” It helped me refocus on the “ONE THING” that really matters.

The greatest joy in life is not found in running around a track or any other temporary pursuit. It’s found in a growing love relationship with the most amazing Being in the universe!

“Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” – Psalm 37.4

I hope your day is filled with His whispers of hope!

your brother,
Jon

That’s the question John Ortberg asks in his book, “the me I want to be”.

McDonalds has the golden arches that help communicate their brand…pleasure.

Nike has the “swoosh” that helps communicate its brand…success.

Apple has the apple that helps communicate its brand…smart.

One day Jesus gave His followers a logo in the form of a cross.

Peter must have been thinking, “Horrible brand to launch an organization!”

But sacrificial love is the way of the Kingdom of God!

And sacrificial love is what He calls us too!

And as for a logo’s it’s doing o.k. for itself.

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9.23

Have a great day loving big!

Jon

He has been bringing a couple of verses to mind that I thought I would share:

Prov. 19:21 Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
Prov.  16:9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.
1 Tim 6:6 Godliness with contentment is great gain.

I love the fact that God is patient with me. I don’t what you are going through, but can I encourage you to continue to trust on God?  His plans are perfect because He is perfect.

The very next day a wily, unpredictable, red-headed Jamerican arrived on the island. Stephen Crawford (Ben Crawford is already here) arrived in the country on Monday the 14^th and traveled up on Tuesday to stay at the Bible College for the remainder of the week.  In short, we had a lot of fun climbing mountains, getting lost in the Jamaican bush, and spending time catching up.  Thankfully, we are still in one piece and things are still happening as usual on the island of Jamaica.  In between adventures, I was able to be a part of some special, mid-week services at Mt. Stewart Baptist.  We met on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and each of the services revolved around the theme of “staying connected.”  How important it is to stay connected to our source of infinite power through the reading of the Word and prayer!  As Pastor Llewellyn always says, if we aren’t spiritually “filling ourselves up”, how will we have anything to pour into others?  I can’t neglect to read my Bible and cry out to God and expect to be of any spiritual use.  And if I am “of no use” spiritually, the body of believers is affected because we are “one body.”  There are a number of amazing passages of Scripture that speak on this topic and I would encourage you to read them (Ephesians 4 and I Corinthians 12 are two).

A few days ago, I met with the believers at Mt. Stewart Baptist Church for my last Sunday among them.  It was amazing time of fellowship and praising our God and, before our time was done, I came to realize just how close I have become with these people.  They have been so welcoming and encouraging to me.  I now have a more “complete picture” of the worldwide body of Christ and, even beyond that, a clearer view of the great need in the world.  How dare I spend my life thinking only of me!  Something about only having a week left has made me more relationally aware and more “conscious” of opportunities to build relationships.  I have met so many new people and been able to talk with many even within these last few weeks.  I would appreciate your prayers as I close out my time here.  Pray for the people of Mt. Stewart and, specifically, for the believers at Mt. Stewart Baptist Church.  Pray for the ministry partnership that is developing between our churches and pray also for the individual people (even if you don’t know their names yet).  I have greatly appreciated your prayers these three months and knowing that you are praying for and thinking of me has been an amazing encouragement!  I will continue to pray for all of you this week and I look forward to seeing you in just a few days!

LIFE can get heavy like an old pair of running shoes. But I love the “uplift” that comes with remembering again that our HOPE LIVES! Peter reminds us of this truth in 1 Peter 1.3, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a LIVING HOPE through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…”

Our HOPE is found in Jesus who lives to help us run our race as we follow Him by faith!

How good is it to be able to wake up each new day and know that the future is looking beautiful because God has promised to help us run this race of life!

This weekend we are going to be celebrating the HOPE we have through Jesus Christ! Team Crevier will be with us to share their basketball skills but also give us a window into their faith journey!

I sure hope you can make it!

Have a great day enjoying “uplift” of the HOPE we have in Christ!
Jon