Origins Conference

So I am back from the great state of California and probably one of the greatest conferences I have ever been to. I drove a sweet ride (1990 Hundai - sweet) and I got to hang with some amazing people... Mr. Ashdown who I miss already and one of my new best friends Corrie Paxton... So great to dream with you guys...

Erwin McManus was speaking this week at the conference and he said a few things that I hope will stick with me for a while... One is this...

"We have to get away from Christian Discipleship as the removal of sins... If we only strive to remove sins then the best we can achieve is "Zero"... The human soul is not meant to live at zero... We need to unlock the dreams and creativity God has placed inside of each of his children, empower them to live them out with passion, and we will see they have no time left over for sin..."

I understand we humans can have some pretty crazy dreams... but I believe this combined with humility and character could bring us close to something big... that sounds like something that could change a life... it sounds like something that could change the world...

I have this burning desire to point people to the heart of God... to help them find what they were created to be... I have no desire to help people become nicer or to not steal... I don't think those are bad things obviously... I just don't lay awake at night thinking about them... I ask God for direction in how to do such a thing... I ask for Him to continue to awaken my soul for what I was created to be...

Hope you all have a great Weekend...

Blessings,

-J

ps
please go to jeff's blog and post as he is down a little because he hasn't gotten many comments lately...

From California...

Arrived in LA yesterday and so far everything has been awesome. Jon Ellis’ mom and step dad picked me up from the airport and are letting me use their Hyundai (more on this later as it is about the coolest car ever - everyone looks at me while I’m driving), I am getting to stay with Corrie and Danielle Paxton (who is Traci Rowe’s brother and sister-in-law and super cool), and getting to hang out with one of my best buds, Jasen… If only Jeff were here (see, I don’t hate you)… I'm still upset Marlow didn't show up too...

So far the The Origins Conference has been amazing. It is nothing less than inspiring and packed with reminders of what God is calling his followers to be about.

So far either Erwin or Alex McManus has taught each main session. It seems they are taking the Core Values of Mosaic (their church here) and sharing each one in some detail. M , vb nioooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo nun njn . – (Pardon the typing as Hannah – who is Corrie and Danielle’s daughter is sitting in my lap and trying to type – an unbiased male , maybe her father, says she is the sweetest little10 month old ever)

I am hearing/learning tons of fresh insight on leadership, life, vision, passion, and mission. Hoping I will be able to grab hold of some of this and mesh it with our life and community back home.

-J

Off to California...

Wow... 4:30am is early... About to leave for the airport to head to California... I will be spending the next few days at The Origins Project..

Some more good news... I am gonna get to hang with Ashdown and crash with the Paxton's...

-J

Back in the US...

Well... after getting up at 2:30am on Monday May 15th, flying out of Kyrgyzstan at 6:30am, traveling for over 27 hours straight, we arrived home at 10:45pm on.... - Monday May 15th... SO wierd what this does to your perception of time and what day it is...

All the same we are back here in the US.

I originally entitled this post "back home" but I had to change it... it's funny how a place on the other side of the world can seem as much like home as where you grew up. I fully believe this world as it is right now is not our home... I believe we were created to experience life in a different way... A life where God's Kingdom reigns from one edge of the sky to the other... I believe one day we will experience life in a different way... in that way... Where truth, love, justice, and peace fill the air...

I am not sure how it will all happen but I believe in a new heaven and a new earth... maybe that is why certain places can just feel "right"... maybe it has nothing to do with location, demographic, or weather... maybe feeling like "home" has to do with how you are opening yourslef to God's Kingdom... experiencing things/life as it was intended by our creator... maybe "home" is more of a state of being/living" than a location... maybe this team that I was living life with in Kyrgyzstan for 2 weeks is closer to living out God's Kingdom in a place where unemployment is the norm and injustice is regular than I am here in Raleigh...

Either way I have come back to the US, I believe, a different person... I think some of my values have been tweaked a little and I am more passionate than ever at seeing God's Kingdom come... May it start in my own life... I pray it for me, my wife, my family, our community, Kyrgyzstan, and the world...

Love and Peace,

-J

Thursaday Evening (morning post as well - just below)

The coolest part about about our Show last night (Osh) was that it was a benefit show for the Orphanage/Family Home that we visited and I spoke of on my Monday May 8th post... The show itslef raised over 14,000 com (their currency here ~$350 US dollars - alot more money here than at home) by the end of night... We were very moved by the heart of this lady so it is great to work alongside here while we are here...



Coupled with the money raised, it was a great show... It's so crazy we get to have this much fun!!! Here are some pics from the night...

Brian just after a little bass solo... what a rock star!!! - Had to put him up front cause I missed him last time...

Get it boys...


Me and my boy Jon tearing it up...


Garold... Rock it out one time...


Mark and I having a little fun...


Tonight we have a show at a local University... that will be our last "rock show" while we are here... Tomorrow we have a unity worship night which we are leading. Any churches around have been invited and everyone from all of our concerts have been invited as well to come if they choose. I am looking forward to this night as much as any... For me it will be a time to really thank God for all he is doing here in Kyrgyzstan as well as in my own life... I am praying that many would come and hear of the goodness and greatness of our loving God...

Only three more days... i will be a little sad to leave but I have so much to look forward to when I get home... I miss you babe...


Our prayers our with our family and friends back home. We all are looking forward to getting home on a few days.

Mom, Rick, Pop, Brandon, Julie, Grandama, Johnny boy (all my familiy) - Can't wait to see you guys...

Love and Peace,

-J

Thursaday Morning...

Today I had the chance to go with a girl named Betsy to her English club. It was awesome... I basically sat in a room with 15-20 Kyrgyz, Russian, and Uzbec college students and talk about life in the US and life in Kyrgyzstan... It was so awesome just to share stories of life together... I think they were more interested in hearing my stories than telling me theirs but I was intrigued by their lifestyles, family values, and ambition for hope... This was seriously one of the coolest things I have done here...

It was kinda funny because they kept asking what it was like to be famous in the US... They already had this mindset that we are famous rockstars but I realized Betsy also told them that I was a champion wrestler back home as well (wrestling is huge here)... It was akward saying "Really, I am not a famous rockstar at all back home... and the wrestling thing... I was, for all practical purposes, pretty good, but people make fun of guys rolling around in tights in the US..."

Even after that though I realized that anything I had done to them just seemed so impressive... They then asked what was the most exciting thing I have ever done... I have to tell you, I almost got teary eyed when I had the opportunity to say... of all the things I have done - "None of them have brought as much joy, excitement, and passion as following Jesus... It is that journey that has lead me to music, has lead me to my wife and taught me how to treat her (still working on this), has lead me to have something worth competing for, and in many ways it is what brought me to their country" - The fact that I could say that, and mean it... I mean, really mean it... God has changed my life... I have hope... I experience a rescuing from a world that otherwise seems to have no end to the struggle... I am blessed beyond measure and it has everything to do with my decision (which is really more of me being drawn) to follow Jesus...

May we all realize the beauty of His call...

Much Love,

-J

Concert in Jahlal-Abad (yesterday)

Our show in Jahlal-Abad was amazing… Sold-out and standing room only… The audience was way into the show… More fun than you could imagine…

Here are some pics from the show…

A little three part guitar harmony...

The boys are back in town...

Garold doing his thing... Look at those guns...

Karl laying it down real nice... Me and Jon rockin in the background...

Crowding the stage... You can see... so much fun...

I tried to load a picturre of Brian (bass player) but it was taking way long... maybe tomorrow when I am not on dial-up...

It is getting a little harder to update as we have a show everyday from now until we leave. We played Jahlal-Abad yesterday, we just finished Osh tonight (tonight’s show was awesome as well), the University tomorrow, and another on Saturday… I will put up more pics when I can, but they take longer to upload… It took about 45 minutes just for these 5...

Thanks for all of the prayers, comments, and emails… It is more encouragement than I could explain… It seems as though you are here with us…

Happy late b-day to Becca (I heard you guys had fun at dinner – hope you liked your flowers)…

Miss you guys and I look forward to seeing you soon…

Much Love,

-J

Diana, I miss you girl…

More Pics (more below - previous post)

These are just some shots I took while out on a walk... these were fun for me...















The next ones down have more to do with specifics here...

-J

Some Pics for Some Folks...

Us without Garold (our fearless drummer)... Somebody had to take the shot...


outside of the community center...


Brian and Jon in the cafe... this coffee shop/resturant is part of the community center... it is now the hot spot for lunch around town...


The Picnic after their sunday worship gathering...


Karl, Mark, and Garold by a fire the other night...


Jared... It's my dinner... Look!!! It's Chacken!!! Chacken Jared...


Brian and Renaut after the cookout...


Another meal... the food here is incredible... no perservatives... everything is all natural... so much flavor...


Everybody wants a little peace...


The owners of the new bike shop next to the community center... The center here helped them start it about a year ago... It is now fully self-supported and the most popular in town... Last year when we were here we held a small business seminar and one of the guys that started this was at our seminar... It is great to see the results a year later...

Thanks to all of you following... your comments are more appreciated than you know...

more to come...

Love you guys...

-Jason

What a couple of days...

Our Sunday worship service here consisted of us playing for about 45 minutes and then we all went to this gorgeous valley by a river for a picnic. We played football, frisbee, badminton... talked about life, love, God... Now that was church!!! We went there last year and it seemed even more beautiful this time. What a great community here...

This morning I woke up at 4:30am from the muslim call to prayer (call comes over the loudspeaker every morning all throughout the city). I found myself praying for my community back home which happen to be in the middle of our weekly worship gathering (it was 6:30pm back home on Sunday night). I miss you all and look forward to seeing you when I get home.

I ended up going for a jog this morning about 5:45... I got to see a great sunrise and the weather was awesome... a slight chill and no humidity...

After breakfast we climbed this mountain near where we are staying... Mt. Sulimon... I will post some pics of it. This place is so beautiful. Once you get to the top you can see over the entire city in one direction. On another you can oversee neighboring Uzbekestan. In another direction it overlooks a valley and another mountainside covered with rolling hills, green grass, and goats... It is seriously something from a postcard... only better...



Every once in a while in life I think people have what I have heard refered to as "holy moments"... A time where something so "deep" is occurring that you can't avoid thinking there is more to life than just what we can see or explain. I feel as though I have had a few of these since I've been in Kyrgyzstan. Two occured today... one was while we were on the mountain this morning. I walked off by myself and really was just being quiet. I found myself offering my worries, hopes, fears, and dreams to a God that seemed somehow closer than He had been in a while. I fealt an overwhelming peace... I told Jon, it was if God were saying... "I know you are confused... I know things don't always make sense... rest in me.... I am God".

Another moment came this afternoon while we were visiting an orphanage here. There is a lady in this city who has started an orphanage and has 10 children there. She has already adopted 4 of them and in the process of adopting the others. The moment came from an overwhelming sense that what this lady was doing was simply "right". She sensed a wrong in this world and was compassionate and compelled to fix it. In her home, there was love in the air. It was almost as if you could breathe it... I am moved to bring her mission to our community back home and look for ways for us to help her. Thank you God for allowing us to see your goodness... thank you for moving in this world...


I needed these 2 moments today. Especially the first one as I found out later today that my dog has died since I've been away from home. I know dogs are not people but if you know me... I love this dog... she was my close friend for 11 years... I know my mom is upset too so I am praying for her... I hear she was with her at the vet when she died. Perhaps that was just as overwhelming a moment for her as I have had. I think those holy moments prolly come not just in "good" times but in anytime where we just feel "alive". I am not sure what happens when animals die... I knw the Bible talks of a new heaven and a new earth... Maybe they'll be around... I am sure when I get home there will be a tribute to "Honeybear" as she was as good a dog as there has ever been..



We also found out that Jon's brother-in-law passed away last night. I have heard his last few moments here were relatively peaceful... for that we are thankful... He told me that he had a very similar "moment" on the mountain today... I am thankful that our God is compassionate and knows of every need that we have... meeting them in ways I am sure we don't even completely understand... It brings great peace resting in "God being God..."

Tomorrow I am going to not ramble and just post some pictures... I know there are some people checking this to get a look at what their family is doing... so if that is you I am sorry to slow you down with my ramblings... things are going great... We have all been overwhelmed by our time here. I will try and get some shots up of everyone...

As far as these "moments" are concerned, I am convinced we don't spend enough time just "being" in our culture back home... I know there is work to be done but life is meant to be lived... I don't think we can live if we don't even know where we are. I pray each of us finds time to reflect and figure out where we are... it might after all, aide us in where we are going...

Love and peace,

-Jason

Another Day...

Today we got to spend some time with the local team and see the community center/church that we are trying to raise awareness for by being here. It was awesome getting to hear all about what they are currently doing and what they are looking to do in the future.

There cafe/coffee shop is amazing, the internet cafe is totally different than last year (they have highspeed now and wifi - Davo, I love the interenets!!!), the fitness center is up and running and people are in there working out all the time, and they have a bike shop they helped get started and now it's the best one in town.

The team here seems to be doing an amazing job at engaging the community. They have a very small emphasis on their Sunday morning gathering and place all the energy towards building community through jobs, hobbies, and house churches (small groups). It is really beautiful to hear them dream of where they want to lead in the future as well. I am so encouraged to know God is moving here the way that He is. Their team here is very special. I feel extremely blessed to see their hearts for this part of the world...

It does make me miss our community back home... I am a little sad I will not get to see all the hungry folk tomorrow night. I feel like we have something special there too... thanks for all of you who make it what it is.... my life wouldn't be the same without it...

I will get some pics up tomorrow...

Our God is so amazing... I am seeing it all over the place and I long to know Him better... thank you for your prayers...

Love and Peace,

-Jason

First Show and More...

So our first show was today... It was an outdoor show, the weather was beautiful, and It was a blast!!!

I am not adjusting to the time change as quickly as I would like so that is definitely taking a toll on me (and the other guys). I woke up last night at 1:00am, 2:15am, 4:30am (Islam call to prayer - very loud), and again at 5:15am. The last time I gave up and got out of bed... I had a great time of reading, praying, and thinking about how it was still my wife's birthday there in the State's (it was 9:15pm there)...

I really feel as though God wants to speak to me about some things while I am here. I feel as though Diana and I could be in for some crazy things in the near future. I think that is good as we are both feeling way restless as of late.

This morning I found myself thanking God for all He has given to us... I found myself begging Him to allow us to share it with other people... not for selfish reasons but because we are compelled to do so... We are honestly falling in love with the way Jesus talks about living and want to share it with other people... Then, for some reason I painfully realized I was doubting that God would move in the ways that I was asking... asking why would God even answer that prayer? - Let me be the first to say that is prolly a dumb thing to ask and I'm sure I have some kind of trust issues that go deeper that I care to talk about here... through resting in that moment, however, I ended in a place of God saying to me... "You are my child..." I found myself looking to him as a Father and trusting that his desires for me were in fact good... not safe, explainable, understandable, but still good... While I am here in Kyrgyzstan I pray God will continue to speak to me about where and how he is leading diana and I...

I just realized I started out talking about our concert today... I guess I'll have to change the title of this post... if you read through that last paragraph, it may not make much sense... sorry... - I will say this... there is something about getting away from the patterns of life and God speaking to you in a way like no other (I highly recommend it)... I am ok with it not making sense... I know plenty of stories where people following the living God did not make sense... I just hope you don't think I sound crazy (crazier than normal).

Love you guys very much... Please continue praying for our time here...

Here are some pics for you...



The mountains we fly over to get to the city here... This was an "exciting" plane ride to say the least...










some local fans with Jon after the show

















can you say album cover














guiness and eggs... breakfast of champions (in london airport - see previous post)










Jeff, this picture is in response to your previous restroom crisis post... any ideas here?














our rythym section holding it down as always...
















a little sound check before the show






Catch ya tomorrow...

Love and Peace,

-J

Happy Birthday Princess!!!

Today is the birthday of my best friend...

Diana, you are a gift from God to so many. I am truly blessed to have you as my wife. I see God's grace everyday in how you love me. You encourage me to be a better man. I love you with all that I am.

Missin' you...

-J

We are here!!!

Pictures to come... I got some good ones already... updates will come tonight... thanks for the prayers so far... our first concert is tomorrow... It's an outdoor show... we're really praying for good weather...

Shannon, yes I kept my shades on the whole time... Jeff, I took a sip for you...

-J

We made it to London...

We are in London... waiting to fly out to Kyrgyzstan. For the most part, everything has gone smoothly (we did have a surprise on luggage cost once we checked in in London).

The time change stuff is already starting to get wierd... I feel like I should be sleeping but it is light outside and it is 8am here. On a lighter note, I just had an omlette and a Guiness for breakfast - superb.

There is no wifi here in this airport and this is expensive in this cafe so I'm gonna peace out... I will try and give an update when we touchdown in K-Stan but if our next flight is rushed it maybe a day until I get another chance to update...

I am excited about what God is going to do through this trip... Shannon's last comment from Bono rings very clear... We are looking to help change the world and have a blast doing it... Thank you for your prayers for us...

Love you guys,

-Jason

Diana, I love you...

Kyrgyzstan Bound...

Tonight we get on a plane headed to London and then 7 hours after that we head out to the "Stan" for 2 weeks... I am going to attempt to update my blog as much as possible so please don't hesitate to check in on us... I would love to catch some love while I am gone so feel free to leave some...

I ask for your prayers in our travel, for my dear wife who is holding things down for us here at home (I'm gonna miss you baby), all the tech stuff that goes into what we're doing, and most importantly for God to bring himself glory through our trip over to Kyrgyzstan.

I am looking forward to this return trip to such a beautiful place full of beautiful people. I beg for God to spread His Kingdom...

Love and Peace,

-Jason