So I have been feeling quite convicted about writing this blog. I think the
conviction stems from my continuous battle with full and complete
submission to God. Therefore I am still going to write this blog with the
same title I picked for how I wanted to write it but instead I will write
it how I believe God wants me to write about this subject.
I have been shown incredible favour by our Father. God has blessed me with
good health, sound mind, great family and a beautiful church community to
support me in all areas of life. Above all those things, God has blessed me
with incredible opportunity and experience all the way back since my early
childhood. I have experience unconditional love from my family. I have
experienced what it means to have want for nothing. I have experience what
it means to have to work. I have experience what it is like to give
yourself entirely to another person. I have experienced what it is like to
live in complete sin. More recently I have experience what it is like to
hear the voice of our Father (refer to blog "Zephenath-Paneah"). I have
experience what it means to be forgiven, redeemed and restored. Now I am
getting the chance to see those experiences in real time as I live them
out. Most would agree it is easy to look back at situations and see the
lessons in them or as some would say, see the "God" in a situation. But yet
again God has blessed me and I am here on the mission field experiencing
God in real time; as things happen, as He works.
There is a book titled "Praise Habit" written by musician David Crowder. No
I have not read it, just in case those of you who know me thought that was
coming next. I haven't changed that much. But I have read certain passages
from it and been a part of a Bible study incorporating the book aka me
eavesdropping on a Bible study. The really awesome thing about the book is
when it talks about how God is everywhere, in everything, always. The book
goes on to talk about how we should retrain ourselves to recognize this is
real time and praise Him in all situations, every moment of everyday; which
is something I have tried to implement in my life since the homeless day in
my truck four years ago when God spoke to me. I only learned about this
book a couple of months ago while on the world race, and found it amazing
how the very thing God has been trying to do in my life is something
someone has written a whole book about. I thought I was doing this radical
thing based on what I thought I heard a voice speak to me once when I was
in a bad situation. *But no, this lifestyle I have been striving for is not
only pleasing to God, but is biblical and can be backed by so many
scriptures.* This is also briefly described in paragraph 5 of the blog
titled "What "Jungle" Means."
Right, so here is the part where I should say something like, "See how
amazing it has been for me these past four months? Please, please, please
support me and don't let me go home early." Then I would throw a bunch of
numbers at you and tell you how many Starbucks coffees it would take for me
to be fully funded or find some other way to turn this on my readers to
convict/blame them for me not being fully funded. But you see, this is the
very reason I am not writing this blog the way I want to, because it
doesn't glorify God in any way. So instead, there will be no numbers or
Starbucks coffee counts or anything of such nature. Unfortunately, those of
you at my church back home most likely have a current balance posted
somewhere by the water fountain meaning this is more or less irrelevant to
you. Nonetheless, I have been challenged yet again by God to stop putting
my faith in the American dollar, the power of my words, or the graciousness
of fellow believers and to trust in Him alone. I truly believe I still have
funds to raise because I haven't had enough faith in Gods ability to
deliver on His promise to provide for me and not because people don't want
to donate.
God has called me to this 11+ month intimate journey with Him for no other
reason than to have a more intimate relationship with me by the time it is
finished. So no, I am not yet fully funded. But I believe whether by
character or conviction or simply the wanting of a nice tax deduction
(there is nothing wrong with that, God blesses those who bless others),
some of you will find it possible to donate and I will be fully funded with
the final amount needed donated by January 1, 2013.
3 John 5-11 is why I wanted to write this blog however God has been telling
me the only reason to write this blog is to try to convey yet another way
our God has blessed me graciously. If I didn't get another penny and had to
leave the mission field early, I would not be able to say it was because of
my supports. Because I sincerely believe everyone has sought after Gods
guidance in how and when to donate to me and have loved me the best way
they could. If I were to come home early it would be because of my
disobedience and lack of faith in our Father. Action/consequence – I don't
believe, I don't get to continue travelling the world. This is something I
have come to terms with and accept. My supporters have gone above and
beyond in their prayer and financial support and I have been greatly
blessed by so many people. Our God is great and is unfailing, He will
provide. Our God is the same God today as He was yesterday and will be
forevermore. Praise God!
As He leads me,
Jason
* Scriptural References – Psalm 149, Ephesians 1:6-12, Hebrews 12:28, a few
scriptures as examples for why we should praise God in all situations.
Refer to blog "Inside Man" for my reasons to praise God.
