Posted: Apr 20, 2009 in Uncategorized |
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Hey everyone! This newsletter is to update you on Jessica’s and my future. For the past nine years we have been a part of First Assembly ministries here in Fort Myers, Florida. We both came here right out of high school to attend Fort Myers Master’s Commission. It’s so hard to believe it has been nine years! Time flies! We both attended the program for two years. I decided to do a third year internship and she decided to attend North Central University in Minneapolis, MN. My third year was priceless! I had the amazing opportunity to be trained by one of my heroes, Reggie Dabbs. Reggie showed me the ins and outs of what he does and how he does it. I would not be where I’m today without that internship and his help.
After my third year I was hired on at Master’s Commission to do a number of things–promotion, stateside travel, drama, media, and start a school assembly program (Elevate Industries). Jessica was hired on to run the academics and start a worship program which became Interface. For the next three years we both had some amazing opportunities! We got to travel stateside and abroad ministering to literally thousands of people. I spoke in International schools in Amsterdam and Brussels, led teams of 25 people across America, and in one 2-month stretch put 14,000 miles on a rental car promoting FMMC. I’ve tried all the energy drinks out there to help keep me awake while driving (Green Monster is my favorite!) I’ve had the opportunity to put together productions and dramas, using full-scale video and lighting. Needless to say I’ve had some amazing experiences and opportunities!
Almost three years ago I branched out from FMMC and pursued speaking full time. The first year out with Elevate God enabled me to speak in 46 churches, four schools, and two summer camps with a total of 10,740 people being reached! The next year that number doubled. I’m so humbled that God would choose to use me in this way. I remember when God called me to step away from FMMC. I was scared of the unknown; I didn’t know if I was going to succeed or fail, but when God calls you, he will equip you. I remember as I wrestled with the decision I asked God to please help me! I heard him say, “Jason if you stay in FMMC I will bless it; but one day when you stand before me I will show you what you could have done if you would have had more faith.” That was all I needed to hear. I have no doubt that I will make it to heaven, but I do not want to miss out on the great things God has for me because of my lack of faith! It has not been easy these past three years, but it has been so rewarding. As I stay in God’s will, he has been so faithful in opening up the doors!
While at FMMC my wife–I introduce her as my Beauty who makes me, the Beast look good–started a ministry called Interface. Jessica has been more than just a worship leader but has become a pastor to the guys that were in Interface with her. Interface has recorded four professional albums, two of which are available on iTunes. They’ve traveled the world leading countless of people into the presence of God. Last year they played in front of 7,000 screaming students at the A/G Minnesota and Wisconsin youth conventions. They also traveled to Honduras playing for a women’s retreat. For the past five years she has led worship for all ages, races, and denominations as well as being very involved singing for our home church in Fort Myers. She is very grateful for all the experiences and opportunities she has been given.
Since stepping out of Master’s it’s been a challenge to make my schedule and Jessica’s line up. We set up a limit of no more than two weeks that we could be apart and by the grace of God we have been able to keep that commitment. I promised myself that when I left FMMC I would never influence Jessica to do the same, knowing she could hear from God just as well as I could.
Over the past year I have noticed Jessica going through some of the same things I went through before leaving FMMC. God has been giving her dreams beyond herself and in receiving those dreams we have been forced to ask the question: “God are we where you want us?” I could see that our times of separation were becoming harder on the both of us. Knowing the dreams we both had, we realized we needed to seek God for direction, so we, along with our families, began to pray in earnest. One valuable thing I’ve learned these past few years is that no one is going to guard my marriage; I have to be the one who protects it. Other people are thinking about their marriages and God has called them to a different plan and path than he has called us to. It is never fair to think that what works for one couple should work for everyone else as well. Jess and I began to find out what would work for us. We began to dream big! We have always had a desire to do ministry together and when we have had the opportunity to minister as a team it’s like a missing puzzle piece being found. It makes everything complete! Her musical talents complement the message God gives me.
Now the news everyone has waited so patiently to hear. In our prayers we feel God leading us out west to Glendale, Arizona! I grew up in Arizona as a kid and her grandparents and dad live out there. We have never seen ourselves settling down here in Florida and the times we have tried to make things more permanent doors would close. Every year we vacation out in Arizona and have talked about moving out there and have decided this is as good a time as any! This will be Jessica’s last year in Interface and FMMC. Although this is hard for her to leave Interface, after many months of prayer we both know this is what God wants for us.
The best way I can illustrate it, is through a book I read a while back. It’s called “Who Moved My Cheese?” It’s a leadership book that focuses on two little mice that have been lost in a maze for a long time. Finally as they’re about to starve they turn a corner and find a pile of cheese. They rejoice and begin to eat! The cheese lasts them for many months, but finally it begins to run out. One of the mice begins to freak out saying, “what will we do, we’re gonna starve!” The other mouse decides to put on his running shoes and go in search of more cheese. The mouse that’s discouraged decides to stay and wait for the cheese to come to him. The mouse that stayed tragically ended up starving, while the mouse that went and looked for more cheese ended up finding the city of cheese, and he never had to look for cheese again. The point being we both feel like our cheese has moved, and now we’re on a quest to find the city of cheese!
You may think that’s a funny or odd story, but it’s the best way I can convey what we’re both going through. It’s by our nature as people to think that something is wrong or something has happened to force this move, but I assure you nothing bad has happened. We are just following the voice of the Lord and come May 29th we will be heading for Arizona.
A lot of people ask me if I will continue speaking and keep going with Elevate, the answer is YES, YES, YES! I have no desire to do anything else and I will continue doing evangelism as long as the Lord wills! My wife wants to finish her schooling and get her degree in accounting. With her being the treasurer for Elevate that degree will help tremendously! She will continue with her singing (I told her that’s a given) and eventually release a solo album. As I said earlier we love doing ministry together and now she will be available to do just that! If any of you need a worship leader for these events just let me know! We will be based out of an A/G church in Glendale, AZ called Destiny church (www.destinychurchaz.com) it started seven years ago as a church plant. The pastor, Arvle Knight, was my senior pastor when I was living in Owasso, Oklahoma. We are so excited to be a part of this and look forward to being able to serve them in any way we can!
I apologize for the length of this newsletter, but wanted to be clear on everything. This past week Jess and I went out to Glendale, to locate an apartment and get a PO Box for Elevate. I will be updating my website (www.elevateindustries.com) with all the new contact information. We will be keeping our same cell numbers and Jessica’s new email address will be Jessica@elevateindustries.com. The new mailing address for Elevate is below. Please don’t send mail to the Glendale address until June 5th. Please pray for us in this move! Pray for safety, finances, and that God would continue to open up many doors for ministry! We both have an excitement for this! We feel like we’re kids again and it’s the night before Christmas or something! Thank you all for your support in this! Please let me know if you have any questions!! Much love!!
Elevate Industries
PMB #237
7942 W Bell Rd, C5
Glendale, AZ 85308
Good friends vs. true friends
Posted: Apr 6, 2009 in Uncategorized |
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A couple weeks ago my wife and I were able to spend some quality time with some friends at a lake house in central Florida. We had a great time! I thank God for close friends, true friends. To me a true friend is irreplaceable. I heard someone say their closest friend was their dog, because a dog doesn’t care how much money you make or how popular you are and he’s always there for you at the end of the day. A true friend sticks by you through thick and thin. A true friend could care less about your social stature; they don’t always look to personally benefit from your relationship. A true friend cries when you cry, laughs when you laugh, sympathizes when you’re hurting and rejoices when you succeed. A true friend will tell you the truth no matter how bad it hurts, but will always do it in love. With all that said, true friends are really hard to find and if you have someone that meets the above criteria hold on to them; treat them well and tell them how much their friendship means to you.
Growing up I didn’t realize how blessed I was with the friends God gave me. When I was 13 my parents split up and my mom packed my brother and me up and we moved to Oklahoma. It was a long trip and all three of us were carrying our share of baggage, (and no I’m not talking about the bags in the U-haul trailer). I was a broken, hurting, boy who had little security and what fragile security I did have was found in my one true friend and I had to leave him behind. Transferring schools mid-stream is never good. The new kids from the beginning of that year have already made their friends and you are the odd ball that gets thrown into the mix with everyone staring at you. As if I didn’t stick out enough I didn’t help myself with what I wore to school the first day. I don’t know what I was thinking–I don’t know what my mom was thinking to let me leave the house this way! I wore a pair of green sweatpants with my doc marten boots and I believe a black t-shirt. The shirt isn’t as clear as the green sweatpants and boots. I’m positive I wore the green sweatpants and boots because I remember as I walked into school some kid said, “Oh my God! Look at this dufus with his green sweatpants and boots!” If he had commented on my shirt I would have remembered that, too. You know the phrase, “I was so embarrassed I wanted to crawl in a hole and die”? Well that phrase doesn’t even come close to what I felt! See if I had crawled in a hole and died that would leave everyone standing around the top of the hole, laughing over the corpse of the new kid–lying dead in a hole wearing green sweatpants and boots! What I wanted was for everyone else to fall in a hole and die! That way I could have laughed at them and said, “Who’s the dufus now, huh? Bet you wish you would have wore your sweatpants and boots!” That one event pretty much summed up my year; needless to say seventh grade was awful. I still get chills up my spine when I walk into a junior high cafeteria and smell tater-tots! Eighth grade didn’t look like it was gonna be any better. I was still the new kid and the cafeteria still smelled like tater-tots. Do schools have tater-tot scented air-fresheners or something?!
But then one day a girl named Jenny Rutherford invited me to her Wednesday night church youth group. I literally looked over my shoulder thinking she was talking to someone else! As that Wednesday rolled around I began to feel kind of nervous wondering if the kids in this “youth group” would accept me. My family rarely went to church, but when we did my mom dressed us to the nines! So naturally, I figured I’d better dress up…Yeah you know where I’m going with this. I wore my khaki slacks, a dress shirt and a brand new vest my mom had got me. I remember walking in and seeing everyone else wearing jeans and t-shirts! I’m pretty sure one guy didn’t even have a shirt on! Once again I felt out of place. I stood cringing; waiting for the “dufus” remarks to start when I was greeted by this college guy who gave me a huge hug and said “we’re so glad you’re here!” It brought tears to my eyes, because for the first time in a long time I felt accepted, needed, and loved. That one hug changed my life. I ended up going back to that youth group again and again and ended up making the greatest friends anyone could ever have. They were all older than me and it was crazy how we met. We were all hanging out at a house and they thought I was funny so they kept inviting me to hang out with them. Over the years we developed a deep bond. We hung out 24/7. Every weekend we were sleeping over at one of our houses, wrestling to the flashes of a strobe light, toilet papering houses and laughing until we thought we would throw up!
I have never laughed as hard as I did than when I was with those guys! I always wondered what put us together, I know now it was God. God used those guys to keep me alive. There were several times I thought about ending my life, but my friends gave me hope. I have to be honest, at first I didn’t go to church because of God, I went because I felt accepted and I knew I would see my friends. One thing we all had in common was we came from broken homes. We each had our pain, and there were many nights we would all cry our eyes out not afraid of showing our weaknesses to each other. On several occasions I remember making a pact with them that we would be better fathers to our kids than our fathers had been to us. They stood up in my wedding and I stood up in theirs. If I was ever in a war they, along with my brother, would be the ones I would want to get my back. Never have these guys thought less of me, tried to use me, or betrayed my trust. They aren’t perfect, but they are honest and true. I remember getting together with them and praying for hours. I remember the time I thought I had bit my tongue off playing slaughter ball in the pool and they helped me look for it. There have been times when I’ve been afraid, but I knew I could call one of them, no matter what time of day or night it was; knowing I wasn’t an inconvenience; knowing they had my back. Today we’re scattered across the United States. Even if years go by when we don’t see one another, when we reunite it’s as if we’ve never been apart. They are men of Character, men of faith. My friends.
Proverbs 18:24 says ”there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” It may sound weird, but as my faith in my friends grew my faith in my God grew. I thank God for his true friendship and for placing these friends in my life at such a needed time. It was through their love that I began to see His love. God knows what we need and when we need it. If you have a true friend, take some time today to tell them how much their friendship means to you. Life’s to short not to tell the ones we love how much they mean to us. I hear a lot of people say they have good friends and when I hear that I always say to myself ”but not as good as my friends.” While many people have good friends only a few have true friends. Be thankful for them!
PS: To my true friends, I love you guys! Thank you for always being there for me! SF forever!