So, after being advised by someone very wise to start a blog, I've decided to do just that. This is not an attempt to promote myself. Rather, it's and attempt to promote the work that God has done in my life. My hope is, through sharing the things that the Lord teaches me, that people will be encouraged and/or understand the need to completely surrender their lives to God.
I cannot begin to explain how and why my life has changed in the last few months without first explaining how God changed my entire life.
For me it started when I was 18. After many years of wrestling with God, and running from His call, He finally got my attention through a series of circumstances. I decided to get serious, and surrender my life to Jesus. Before this, I would have told you that I was indeed a Christian, but my life did not reflect that. I was half-hearted and lukewarm. I used the name of God to make myself look good. I was not being used by God, I was trying to use Him.
From that point on God has been showing me what it means to surrender to His will, to truly pick up my cross and follow Him. He has completely rearranged my life. Things I once held dear, don't really seem to matter. God has given me an eternal perspective, and I try to run every situation through the filter of, "does this matter in eternity?".
The biggest area in which He has really switched around my priorities (mainly do to the fact that this was the area where my priorities were the most out of line) is the area of career/schooling choice. To make a long story short I began college with the idea that I would study Criminal Justice, go to law school, then make lots of money and have everything I ever wanted. Over the last several years I have struggled through school as God has completely transformed my desires. I knew very shortly after giving my life to Christ that my calling was to ministry, but I continued pursuing my degree, thinking that I would just go to seminary after school. But as each semester passed it seemed as though I made less and less progress. The only reason I was still pursuing this, is because it was what was expected. Finally, in May, God laid a heavy burden on my heart to stop pursuing something I didn't really care about, at all. That is when God really began opening up doors for me.
I have spent my last two summers serving at Camp Patmos, easily the best place in the world! Prior to this summer, I dropped everything at home in preparation to be able to do anything when the summer was over, because I honestly had no clue what was next. This summer when I first arrived to camp, I was introduced with the opportunity to work at a church in Illinois, helping them start a youth group as soon as camp was done. When first presented with the opportunity I was elated and I was sure that this was what God had been preparing me for. But as the summer went along God just did not give me a peace about Illinois. Not only that, but God really began giving me a burden for the camp and I kept seeing things that could be enhanced, and that I could help with if I just had the time! As the summer began coming to a close, I prayed long and hard about it, and asked the Director of the camp, Tim, if I could stick around through retreat season and help out. So, here I am still at Camp Patmos.
One of the biggest things God has been laying on my heart is discipleship. The great commission calls us to go into the world and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey His commands. Teaching is active, not just giving someone all the right answers but showing them how faith is lived out. For the first time in my life, I have someone intentionally doing just that. He has been talking to me about life as we do ministry together, and showing me what it means to follow hard after Jesus, not just telling me.Don't get me wrong, there have been several men in my life that I have seen living out there faith, but what I am talking about is an intentional thing(Ideally we would intentionally and unintentionally make disciples). It is my desire to do the same thing with young people! Here at camp, I have already gotten several opportunities to do so. I look to have more opportunities as I plan to help start a Camp Patmos discipleship program, Lord willing.
Something, that goes right along with discipleship, that has also been on my heart is the need for Christian men to step up and take charge. There are way too many of us sitting on the sidelines, cheering the team on while very few are actually playing the game! While fans are nice to have and they help create a nice atmosphere, the only people who really decide the outcome of the game are those playing. God has challenged me to step up, to stop just rooting for team Jesus. To count the cost. To get in the game, and teach young men what it means to be sold out for Christ. To wage war against the things that hold us in bondage, and teach others about their identity in Christ. God has given me the opportunity to share this message with several groups of guys, and it is my intent to share this message until the day I die. Living for Christ is not easy, and was not meant to be done alone as we see in the example that Jesus gives with His disciples.
I won't even pretend to have all the answers, but I do know that following Christ is the most rewarding thing one could do. But, with great reward comes great cost. I have completely dropped everything to be able to serve where I know that the Lord has called me. I dropped school, I dropped an awesome opportunity in Illinois, and the security that comes with having an income. Some would say that this is radical. I would offer this: Jesus is radical. Some might say, "John, you're crazy!". To them I would say, "crazy in love!". Jesus paid it all, why not give all to Him in return.
What's next? I have no clue! I have until the end of October to figure it out. I am pretty sure that the Lord wants me to stick around and still do work for the camp. But with the camp being on an island, and shutting down during the winter, I'm going to have to find a place to stay and probably a job somewhere close to Marblehead. I know that the Lord will continue to guide my path as I continue to seek Him and walk in His light daily.
Bottom Line: As Jesus calls us to do, I have put myself in a situation where I will be in big trouble if God doesn't show up and do something. I'm not a gambling man but if I were I'd be all in!!
How can you help?
Pray for me! Prayer is a very powerful weapon, God has given us the ability to talk to Him whenever we want. Would you please talk to Him about me? I would love it!
Prayer Requests: I've got no clue what I am doing after October, and don't know exactly how the Lord is going to provide, but I know He will. Pray for clarity as I seek to continue following Him wherever He calls!
Send some encouragement my way! Ministry can sometimes be very challenging and discouraging. I welcome your thoughts, comments questions, and concerns. There are many ways to contact me: you can call, you can email (craez4thelord@aol.com), facebook me, you could leave a comment here, or even send me a letter(I love letters!) here at Camp Patmos.
Last but not least, I want to pray for you! Please let me know what is going on in your life! Like I said before there are many ways to contact me! I would also love to be an encouragement to you! Let's talk about life, it's what I do!
I leave you with this: Colossians 1:16 says "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him."
Are you living out what you were created for?
God Bless You and Thanks For Reading
JC
