Monday, September 18, 2006

The Start.

If you're anything like me, even if things are going great, you may have a tendancy to always feel like the better thing is coming. Let me explain. In elementary school, things were great for me...but I couldn't wait till I was a teenager. When I was a teenager, things were pretty good, but things would be GREAT when I turned 16 with the licence... Then we wait for college, then we wait for graduating college, then we wait for marriage, then we wait for that one job that is going to be "THE JOB".

I have had these conversations with people, saying..."man I can't wait until the next thing". And, I have been constantly reminded by friends of the fact that God has given me today. They will say that I don't have to worry about tomorrow. And that really, all that matters right now... is right now.

But, even in the midst of this beauty of "now". I still feel like there will always be a sense of incompleteness with us. A desire for the greatness to come. And the bottom line is that I believe that this is o.k. God has given us a hunger for greatness, a hunger to be closer to Him, a hunger to experience His adventures...and we will always want more, and this is good.

Bottom line is this. Today is great. I can even be patient for tomorrow. But in the midst of this, I know with everything that is inside of me It will get even better. Great things are in store!

So, it is my hope that this blog can be a source of encouragement for you...it is my goal to give you pieces of my "now" whether they are going great or going not so great. I have notified you about this blog because you are important to me...so I will also put things on here that you can pray for me and Lindsey about. (Be sure to read the next post, that is below, regarding things you can already be praying about!)

Know that you are loved.

Jonathan

Update

Well, I really have no clue when the last time we talked, but I know that most of you we have been in touch at least around the time that Lindsey and I were married.


This past Winter and Summer, I was serving as an interim student pastor at Sandy Plains Baptist Church in Marietta, GA! This was an AWESOME experience, and I was able to see God work in incredible ways with these students. Here is a picture of us at MFUGE, this summer!



Now, we are in the lovely Baton Rouge where Lindsey is taking a year off from school while I finish my degree. (Just for your info sake, Lindsey is working on a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy
)I am hoping to finish with school in May, but we will most likely be here for another two years until Lindsey can finish her work.

As many of you know, I have sensed the Lord's leading me to establish a Christian Arts Academy...and as an update, this vision is still alive. God has continued to expand and refine His vision, and I will have to update you on this more at some point. In the meantime, I have been spending time doing continual research, absorbing information, preparing for the day when God officially opens the door for Lindsey and I to go full force with the Arts Academy.

We have also are planning to be a part of a church known as The Ring Community Church. This church is about one year old, and has had an incredible impact on LSU college students. Now the church is expanding to more ages, and we are very excited to be a part of this community for the season that we are here.

Here are some concrete things you can be praying for.

  • 1. Pray that God will continue to make this period that I am in seminary a time where I am continually growing and being refined.
  • 2. Pray for opportunities for Lindsey and I to build relationships with people in the community whether it is in our apartment complex or at Lindsey's work or whatever.
  • 3. Pray that God will continually motivate us to be content in the present, as we serve here in Baton Rouge

We definitely appreciate your prayers!
Hopefully we will hear from some of you soon!

Great things are in store!

-jonathan