Dream Session – April 2010

When was the last time you daydreamed? Have you dreamed about life goals, ambitions and the full life?
Let’s dream dreams that are destined to fail without divine intervention.
Some of us have dreams that we never talk about or pursue. Some of us share the same dream and would go for it, if only there was somebody to go with us.

The Guidance/Input

Guiding Deck: Dream Session 2010-04-24
Book Highlights: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller
Men for Marriage (for men only)
Living a Good Story, an Alternative to New Years Resolutions
Let Story Guide You [MP3 Excerpt (2MB)]
Facing the Giants [YouTube, MP4 (13MB)]
The Best Motivation Video [YouTube, MP4 (3MB)]
Lecrae – Go Hard [YouTube, MP4 (9MB)]
Disney Pixar Up! – Married Life, Carl & Ellie [YouTube, MP4 (66MB)]
Randy Pausch – Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams [YouTube, FLV (229MB)]

In Action

Results

We each leave the time with a list of goals, dreams, ambitions and new friends. We realize that wanting to have lived a good life requires intention throughout. We have looked at each other’s goals and have figured out ways to take the next step for each other. We are connecting our friends with other friends and colleagues; we are affirming dreams; we are coming alongside our new friends to pursue the same dreams – together!

Next next step is accountability. We’ll need to make sure that we all take the time to move on the next step:

Develop the plan
Call the friend, relative or connection
Do the research and move in the direction we know to be right

There seems to be some demand for another one of these sessions from some friends who weren’t able to attend. We’ll see what happens – who wants to spearhead the next one? Follow your dreams and make simple things like this happen!

Thinking and praying bigger – do I dare?

What if our death and subsequent resurrection in our new bodies is actually the reuniting (the marriage) of Christ with His bride (us). Right now, we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit. So, What if it’s even bigger!? What if it is this amazing reunion of God with Himself – Jesus with the Holy Spirit? Is this why the earth groans for the Lord’s return? Is this the Holy Spirit’s heart aches resonating through us?

How often do I (we) pray, “God strip me of everything that keeps me from you?” What if that means he will put you into financial ruin? What if that means he will take away your job/intellect/school? What if that means he will leave you physically disfigured? What if that means you would lose your family/friends? What if that was (whatever else you think you can’t live without or have change in your life)? Would you still pray?

Birthday Toasting and Quarter-Life Crisis

My birthday was this week. As I embark on my quarter-life crisis, I realize again that I am profoundly blessed with amazing friends. I also realize that I do not express my esteem, love or respect to my friends as I should. So, I’m eating dinner this week with some of my closest friends and, as expected, Phil stands to initiation the awkward toasting (where friends voluntarily express why one is great or has impacted their lives). But, although it is always tough for me to receive compliments or have others say that some of the things I have done are great, I was very encouraged that my lifestyle has been (to some degree) what I have desired – to be one of Integrity, Intention, and Impact.

So, with these encouragements and a renewed energy and passion for life, I am excited to take the quarter-life crisis head-on. I will be traveling to Ethiopia to diagnose and treat as many people as I can (for free) (I also get to learn and practice basic nursing techniques). I will then head over to Thailand for a couple weeks with a friend to experience part of the continent that I’ve tried to get to for 5 years. I may have an opportunity to work in Korea (long-shot) for 6-12 months as well. I have starting taking public transportation so that I can reduce daily stress, but also focus myself on bigger, more fun, dangerous, and noble things. I realize that the constant daily activity is keeping me from writing a thrilling story with my life.

With that, I conclude with something like the roasting that was given to me by a great friend on my birthday.

Continue reading Birthday Toasting and Quarter-Life Crisis

God glorified since college

I was asked to write briefly about how God is glorifying himself through my life and obedience since I have graduated from The University of Virginia. This write comes on the heels of my UVa campus pastor asking me to share for a few minutes in front of Chi Alpha (XA) at UVa several weeks ago. I’m always excited to push forward God’s kingdom and spur on others to take action for the name of Christ.
Continue reading God glorified since college

Ugandan Endeavor – Did you know…

Ugandan Endeavor

Ugandan Children - Boys Did you know that currently, 77% of Uganda’s overall population are youth and of that, 30% are orphans?

On August 3rd I am going to Uganda to start a project that will enrich local communities, rescue child soldiers from bondage, provide orphans with an education and basic healthcare, and give the orphans hope for a future free from poverty.

To achieve these goals, local Ugandans will run an internet cafe to generate a sustainable revenue stream allowing the profits to be used to support the orphanages. My role on the project is to start the internet café, train the employees, and provide business and technical consultation to stabilize the business.

I share this vision with you because I realize that success cannot be achieved without the support from my friends. I would like you to participate in this endeavor through some of the following areas:

Prayer: If you have a relationship with Jesus, I’d love to have you pray with me.
Advice: If you have insights, wisdom, concerns, or questions, please contact me. If you have ideas for business in developing nations, regional contacts, or economic models for sustaining this type of work, let’s brainstorm.
Financial Support: My financial goal is $2,500 for my trip with any additional funds going toward the $13,000 start-up cost of the internet café. If you would like to help fund the trip, business, and orphanage, please send your tax-deductible donations.

I will share my experience at http://jason1365.com and keep it updated with new insights and issues as I continue on this journey. Thank you for considering to partner with me to change the lives of Ugandan orphans through business development.

Continue reading Ugandan Endeavor – Did you know…

Love in Action

I had an opportunity to speak at a bible study at Mt. Pisgah United Methedost Church in Richmond, Va today. My friend Phil, his girlfriend, Christine, and I were asked to share stories of how we have been involved in God loving others. I share a couple brief interactions I have had with some people in need. My goal was to call those in attendance to action; it was to encourage tangible results. I left the church frustrated because many people came to me and told me how much they enjoy my story or me sharing. One woman told me about how she could relate to my faith story because she went through the same thing.

Yet, what is the purpose of good stories? What is the purpose of attending a church? What is the purpose of studying the Bible, etc? If this time does not bring about action and change, what good is it? I don’t know.

I haven’t had many interactions with the older generation (60+), but from my little interaction, I have found complacency and a desire to hear good things and blessings. Maybe a mentality sets in that after so many years one has sacrificed and served enough. I hope that mindset never comes into my life. Why live when life is about comfort, ease, blessing, fond memories, etc? How meaningless, meaning (at least thus far for me) comes from giving of myself (out of God’s abundant blessing on me) to/for others. I hope my whole life embodies this if I live so long.

Continue reading Love in Action

The Greatest Love

Excerpt from “When God Weeps” by Joni Eareckson Tada, p. 52-54. Also found in “Booy Meets Girl” by Joshua Harris. Understanding intellectually is completely different from feeling with the heart. So frequently, I understand and don’t feel. I proceed without passion and conviction. I wish this reality was real in my life each day.
Continue reading The Greatest Love

Frustrations, Change, Radical

So, I just finished reading a chapter in “Velvet Elvis” by Rob Bell. And, well, I got excited, inspired, angry, upset, frustrated, confused, concerned, hurt, and thrilled. So, in case you don’t know, I’m not invincible, some super-person, or any sort of person that is really good at anything. I make mistakes; I try to do right; sometimes I don’t think about what is right. I fail with some things repeatedly because I am weak. I don’t have a clue what the future holds. I don’t care too much about what is in the future actually. I care about who I am now. As you may know, I’m not good at being who I say I am or who I want to be. I hate it. So, I take some “drastic” actions at times. Drastic change is what is needed in my life, right? I mean, I don’t want to keep going on as things are. It’s frustrating, pointless, painful, tiresome, and unfulfilling. I am looking for something more in life, something worth living, something with meaning and purpose – something that excites me to get up each day to live, not something to endure. I’m sick of working, and trying, and pushing, and learning, and everything. It’s time to exist, to be, to live.
Continue reading Frustrations, Change, Radical

Passion only in Obedience

So, the past month has definitely been a time of learning and frustration – mostly frustration, but I am assuming there must have been some learning in there as well. I have been realizing (again) the simple fact that I simply do not really control my life. What I’m getting at here is desire/passion/vision/excitement. What are we without interests? passions? ambitions? Without exciting aspirations, life seems really pointless. Continue reading Passion only in Obedience