Branded With Love

From funny guys to desperate husbands, and everything in between- my sister Natalie is living out her dream. I couldn’t be more proud of my sis. She’s a journalist for a newspaper right outside of DC. Her latest run in was at the White House Correspondents Dinner. Seriously?!?

She was rubbing elbows and sharing personal space with the likes of Jim Cramer (Mad Money, MSNBC), Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Gov. Mark Warner, Bradley Cooper, Megan McCain (yawn), Owen Wilson (who’s a lot skinnier in person), Chace Crawford (who is a lot shorter in person), Keith Olbermann, and even Kyle MacLachlan who plays Orson Hodge on Desperate Housewives.

So, after reading her post on this, I wanted to ask a question-
“Who is the most famous person you’ve ever met and how did you meet?”

Got an email from Dan Pollard this evening. Sounds like the team is doing great. Here is his update from the team:

“We arrived at the school on Monday with 24 teachers ready for the conference. The construction workers were there working on the fence. We immediately went to work. After a short introduction Dan and Monica worked with the construction crew and Becky, Crystall, and Michelle started the conference. Initially as expected the teachers were a little quiet and reluctant but by the first session after lunch they were participating fully and enjoying the methods they were being taught. The transformation was awesome. By the end of the day we were laughing, singing, and enjoying each other. The fence is moving along well and Dan has already built a cool rapport with the workers. We even had some Mien helping us move bricks. Very cool. The team is doing great. Nobody is sick and except for a little insomnia with one of the team, all is great. A very cool change in the schedule is that we will be eating lunch with the teachers for the rest of the week at the school.

My wife and I love the show, LOST. It’s a pretty strange show, but I love how JJ Abrams weaves mystery into everything he does. Well, I have to wait until 2010 to see how the story concludes in the final season.

Until then, I’ve outfitted my laptop with a super nerdy LOST wallpaper & icons. Those of you who don’t watch the show and could care less… you should really drink the Kool Aid. This show is amazing.

Jason *over and out*

The May Team for Vietnam has completed their first day working with the people there. Thanks for the update Dan Nichols (via Facebook). We look forward to hearing more as you guys continue the work there.

Jason *over and out*

Just an update to let everyone know that our Vietnam Team arrived on the ground safely and they are doing great (update via Dan Pollard’s Facebook). We’re waiting on some more updates and I will keep you posted as they come in.

I’m so excited to be heading to Vietnam in July. I’m a little more than half way to my financial goal for the trip. If you guys can keep praying for that, I’d greatly appreciate it. Much love people!

Jason *over and out*

I love this photo. I was clearing off my computer of some unnecessary junk and found this image I snapped on December 7, 2008 at 4:15 p.m. This photo is a keeper. The guy in the photo is Tom.

Tom is a simple man who loves his family and loves God. My mother-in-law was having trouble getting to down the steps to her van without falling. Tom volunteered to come build a solid ramp for her. I wanted to pay him. He declined, because Tom is a nice guy. I insisted he take it anyway.

I walk that ramp every day, even though I can get up and down the steps fine. It was meant for my mother-in-law Sharon. She died 7 days later. She only used it once. But, the ramp is still there… and, I don’t think it was built for her.

I think it was built for her family.

Everyday it reminds me of a man that loves Jesus.
Everyday it reminds our family that life is short and we need to cling to the ones we love.
Everyday it tells me that there are people who want to serve God in the little ways. Not because of recognition, but because they care.
Everyday it reminds our family that life is not about us, but about others.

And, everyday I walk down that ramp to go out into the world and it’s a physical reminder. A reminder that God’s plan is to use me to build bridges between people and Jesus.

Thanks Tom. God uses you more than you ever probably realized. I pray that we all can find the courage to do the little things in love…

those little things end up being the big things we remember.

Jason *over and out*

Every morning I pray. It’s my lifeline to God to receive strength to make it through another day and live fully devoted to Him. Lately, I’ve had a strong and immense tug at my soul and being to feel a lot like this guy.

I grew up in the area where Forefront started. I heard all kinds of interesting things about how nuts, crazy, and intense the church was. I was serving at another local church, but couldn’t stop hearing about the work going on at Forefront. 8+ years later God moved my family and I to be a part of the body here. We loved everyone immediately. The vibe was exactly as the body promoted: Love God, Love People, Turn the World Upside Down.

Two years later, I’m in the hot seat. Making the final decisions, answering people’s pressing emails, helping to save marriages, leading a great staff, and looking to the future on how we can reach people who are far from God- because THAT is the goal.

But, when you accept God’s call to be a leader, it’s not all rainbows and sunny days. You get to see the deep-dark, underbelly of ministry. Everyone has an idea of what things should look like, sound like, feel like, etc. And in our culture (and we all can admit this) it’s all about me (or you… or you over there, and so on).

This can cause a leader to be discouraged, want to fly, run, jump, or leap to anything but the call. In the 10+ years of ministry- I’ve felt it a few times. I can see the signs, look back at the symptoms, and and feel the burden of needing to buckle down, listen to God, and follow His leading.

This morning I woke up and felt that burden. More so than I have in quite awhile. I know I’m not perfect, and since God’s church is moved my imperfect people- Forefront isn’t perfect. But, that’s what I love about God’s grace. His loving gift that we don’t deserve.

Forefront is meeting people. People far from God. People who are now moving closer to Him in the process. THAT is our goal. Those of us who call ourselves followers of Jesus; we were once in the gutter too.

So, it leads me to look inside myself and ask a couple things (maybe you need to ask yourself these things too): “Jason, have you forgotten the gutter I found you in…?” and “Have your ears been adjusted so closely to the voices of those around you- that you forgot to listen to me and my call for your life? Listen close Jason, it’s about other people. Unchurched people. It’s time to make sure I am the reason you live and I am the one you are telling them about. Nothing more. Nothing less.“

Jason *over and out*

James Davis, our student ministry pastor preached at the Beach campus today while I fronted the Chesapeake Band for the “Business Time” opening song. I tried to record a video of it, but it sounds like doodie recording the sound off my laptop microphone. Oh well.

Now off to do a wedding for a couple who are part of Forefront. It’s like a tattoo convention at this thing and I love it.

J-del *over and out*

Carrie,

I know becoming parents was a difficult process for us. Having Chloe has been such an amazing thing to happen in our lives. You have done a fantastic job with her and it completely shows that you were born to be a mom. The way you hold her, meet her needs, and teach her… she is going to grow up to be a Jesus-loving, people loving, precious young lady.

And it’s all because of you. Happy Mothers Day. I’m honored to be married to such a beautiful wife and mom.

Love, me.