The Philippines

How is it that God can work His wonders all around the world? Does God ever dazzle you? (Dazzle is such a strange word.) I mean really, truly and completely floored by God? Or do you just not think about Him enough to count? I am pondering this in my mind as I try and open up my recent memories of all that God has done in my life in the past few weeks. But, truly God amazes me. It is a wonder how He is able to be so personal with everyone at the same time. He is able to know all the struggles and joys of everyone’s journey. My sphere and little corner of the world hardly even shows the glamour of God and I have seen him do many amazing things right here in my local lifestyle. Yet, my God moves all around the world. I saw Him work his miracles all over the Philippines as I traveled there with Dr. Stan Fleming and the team.

            Pastor Peter Mayam, an apostle over 20+ churches in the Philippines is my hero. I have never watched a man of God that carried himself with such peace. He trusts God, with everything, and despite the fact that he was orphaned as a child, despite that the fact that his brother is in critical condition in an American hospital, thousands of miles away, He still chooses to serve God. He still chooses to advance the kingdom and help other Pastor’s in their desperate need. After returning to the states I received an email that said this,

"Greetings and blessings to you and your family! In behalf of my family and the few pastors and churches of Lifeway Bible Church which the Lord has called me to oversee, please allow me to say THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND BRINGING THE TEAM FOR MINISTRY HERE IN OUR REGION AND TO THE PASTORS AND CHURCHES WE ARE MINISTERING TO.  I personally had a fresh encounter with God and am encouraged with the little things we are doing to help build and extend the kingdom of God in our area of calling and ministry. My cellphone is overloaded with text messages of pastors from La Union and Solano and La Trinidad, expressing their deep appreciation and thanking me for bringing you and the team for the seminars…”

I am so grateful that God used me and the team to help encourage many churches and Pastors overseas. It is such a blessing. I was blessed to even know that I am serving alongside such great Christians. 

While there I was also able to speak at a youth conference, “Encountering God” and I was so blessed to see many youth leaders touched and restored to the vision God had for them and their ministry.

But what did I learn over there?

Well one I am so grateful for my Pastors and Mentors. I had a small taste of their daily life. I am so amazed how they are able to keep themselves completely filed with the Spirit so they can lead others. Even after praying for few people I felt empty and tired. I am so grateful for Pastor Ken Wilde, Mark Francey, and Shane Grove. They do this on a daily basis and still must find time to fill themselves with the presence of Jesus. We should never doubt how hard these people work, and we should certainly be compelled to pray for them.

There is one thing that stuck out in my life that has forever changed my view of life. I know now that you can learn all you want, about anything, but until you go out and do it I think you don’t really believe it at all. In fact beliefs and ideas take action. If you have a vision you can’t just sit all day visualizing, no, you will never get there. All we do takes action. Jesus demands it. So many Christians sit around knowing that God will provide. And yes that is true. And yes we must have faith, but faith is useless if you are not stepping out of the boat, or casting your nets. We sometimes make the excuse of faith for our laziness, And that is just arrogance at its finest level. When you step out it puts a demand on the anointing. Really what it boils down to is a willing heart. When you are willing God is willing to pour out upon you. There are many willing people but there are few that ever step out and commit. And commitment is everything.

But I love how the demand for the anointing increases when we actually practice the word. I love it! I really do. And God is doing even greater things that go far beyond a trip overseas. If we could only see the spiritual world!

            I also learned that I love the simplicity of toilet paper, and that even one ply, sand paper is a blessing from the Lord. I love the open market over there too. It was the coolest place I have ever been to; So loud, so full, so crazy, yet so orderly. Everyone seemed like they knew exactly what they were doing, and it was like that all over Baugio. 

For more pictures & videos you can visit my facebook. Also feel free to check out www.gatebreakers.com for video and missions information. 

           

Fall Fest

Fall Fest this weekend at Capital Christian Center! Tons of Candy! Tons of Games! Tons of Kids! Tons of Fun! Starts at 5:00pm-8pm this Halloween!

http://capitalchristian.com/

 

 

Thanks!

Dear Friends,

            Words can not even describe how much it blessed me to get your donations. God has been faithful to me as I get closer and closer to my departure. I am so pleased to announce that I was able to pay off all fees regarding my travel. Thank you so much for sowing a seed into my life. I know that you will be blessed. I can only say good things about you knowing that part of the reason I was able to go on this trip was because of some of God’s amazing servants.

            I will be trying to blog while I am on the trip to keep anyone who wants to know what's happening, updated. Also you might be able to catch up on events through facebook and twitter. I would also ask that you keep the team in your prayers as we travel abroad and minister the gospel. I have been given the opportunity to preach at a Youth conference as well as share my testimony and possibly preach in a church on a Sunday morning. Please pray that I will be lead by the Holy Spirit and have discernment.

            Once again thank you so much for your help! I am so grateful!

Sincerely,

Mark Alexander Jones

Fundrasing!

Hello Friends,

As you know I am currently planning on going to the Philippines this November, 7th-18th, and I will be there doing some amazing things that I am so excited about. I know for a fact that God has some awesome things planned.
Just in case you wanted to know I currently have three different fundraisers currently helping me raise funds for the trip. Here are some ways you can help.

Date to Deploy: Want to spend some extra time with your spouse but need a babysitter? I would be more than glad to help out. I currently work with kids seven days a week through Boise Parks and Rec and gcKids at Capital Christian Center.

Relax to Run: Take a break form the sun and sweat and allow me to do that yard work that bugs you. I'm more than happy to mow lawns. It's practicality my nature.

NEW FUNDRAISER!
Shop For A Cause: Thanks to Macy's and their new campaign Gate Breakers is able to raise money to go towards the trip this November. The way it works is that cards are sold to people ($5 each) and allow them to go into Macy's on October 16, and shop with special discounts. 

The Sleep to Send Campaign has ended.

Some Exciting News!!!

By the grace and favor of God I write to you today.  The last year has been the best year of my life (so far) and I do not say that lightly. I have encountered God, personally. No longer is it a religion, or a thing my parents taught me, but it is a personal relationship that has changed my life. I feel like Moses. He was a Hebrew that found out he was Hebrew that was told about God, but it probably did not mean anything to Him until he encountered him on the mountain.

            In the last 10 months I have been heavily involved in Generation Church in Boise, Idaho as well as working with gcKids , the children’s ministry at Capital Christian Center. I also just finished my first year of interns where I learned basic doctrine, surveyed the Old and New Testament, and traveled. In May I went to Washington D.C. to the National Prayer Center, to pray with senators and congressman around the nation. God has been good to me!

            I have now been given the opportunity to travel to Baugio in the Philippines with Dr. Stan Fleming’s ministry Gate Breakers. I was absolutely thrilled when it presented itself, and after seeking the Lord I feel like it is a God given open door for me to walk through. I will be there in November for 10-12 days prior to thanksgiving on an outreach ministering to youth, pastors, and many others.

            With humility I ask for any donations to help with the cause. The trip costs around $2,500. I am currently in need of around $1,900. Yet, I am willing to do any work for you around the house and other odd jobs. I am handy with yard work and children. I would be grateful and honored to have you help.  

Stay informed: Be sure to check out my blog for more information. I will post everything about the trip after it is over. http://alexdefinenormal.blogspot.com/

Tweet! Tweet!: Follow me on twitter to get fast and easy updates on the trip and other things I am doing this year. Twitter Name: MarkAlexanderJ

Gate Breakers:  Please take the time to see the kind of work this ministry does around the world. They are affecting people everywhere! http://www.gatebreakers.com/index.php

 

THE SQUAT CLAP

http://www.facebook.com/pages/THE-SQUAT-CLAP/139375076087850?v=photos&ref=ts#!/pages/THE-SQUAT-CLAP/139375076087850?ref=ts

GC has Talent

 Check out how a GC'er and future intern is influencing her world!

http://www.idahopress.com/news/article_a22215ca-8801-11df-8efc-001cc4c03286.html

Mr. Jones Goes to Washington Part I

…With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. –Abe Lincoln (16th President of the United States, 2nd inaugural address Saturday March 4, 1865)

Part I- Who’s Leading, Who’s praying?

I don’t really want to ask the question that I find to be to cliché in a Christian culture fighting to put God back in America, but there is nothing really more truthful than this satisfying remark that could easily be labeled as a “right wing argument,” “What would Lincoln do if he saw the state America was in today?” I have no idea what he would say. But what I do know is (based on the above quote) he would not take a political stance. He would not get fired up and yell at a party for their ideals. No. He would simply pray to God. Lincoln understood that all people, regardless of religion, were praying to a god, and that during the civil war “Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God…” But could both sides win? No. Clearly the north won and slavery was abolished and the Union stayed in unity. “…The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes.” Astonishing. We may not be in a civil war, but we are in a political one. America has become the Union of Separation. People either identify themselves with a Right wing Republican or a liberal democrat, and as Lincoln said, read the same Bible and pray to the same God. We know full that our prayers can be answered. But too many Christians stand and scream at the top of their lungs that God would vote republican, when in reality God is not a politician, he is the Almighty creator, and according to him it is the “King that answers to him”
Proverbs 21:1- The Kings heart is in the hand if the LORD, Like the rivers of water: He turns it wherever he wishes.

More than anything I am tired of “Christians” hurling stupid remarks about our nation’s president as if God does not hear them. I am tired of men and women of God who slander our leaders, and don’t take the time of day to pray for them. So the question should really be, would Lincoln be ashamed of our nation’s leaders? Or would he be ashamed of America’s people? I say people. I say God’s people.
Recently on facebook there was a fan group that said, “God you took my favorite actress, Farah Fawcett, you took my favorite actor Patrick Swayze, you took my favorite singer Michael Jackson, by the way my favorite president in Barack Obama.” When I first saw this I swore. I really did. And I had to repent. How dare any of us join a filthy, dirty, ugly, betraying, horrible, slandering, God hating, country hating, hypocritical, group such as this! I was even more appalled to see people from my church joining this group. If you joined SHAME ON YOU! I was angry, furious, and embarrassed.
Furthermore it is time that Americans stop having to identify, as if by force, with a political party. Anytime some small remark is made, whether it be right or left, the whole world freaks out. Washington has become a political stand out. Even worse, the church has become a political war-zone. We care more about our identity in a elephant or donkey than we do the Almighty God! Republicans did not form this nation! Democrats had nothing to do with it! It was men of God, seeking God, and obeying God. The hand of God was our fashion not a political remark on some overdrawn issue.

While in D.C. I saw some of the most incredible things! I was moved to tears by almost everything. The magnitude of this nation is incredible. Our freedom is amazing. And I am grateful for every man and woman that serve as a voice in our Republic. The time and effort that they put in is astonishing and they all need our prayers. We need to be grateful for what we have. Furthermore seeing the monuments of war, and the sacrifices that men have made for this nation is a solemn thing. This nation is more than a “melting pot” it is a nation founded on God and on the backs of men who were willing to lay everything down.

Part II- The Supreme Court (Coming Soon)

Amazing Artist!

Be sure to check him out on myspace and iTunes. Very talented. Local. Has been to GCD! Amazing guy!

Mr. Jones Goes to Washington

Planning on blogging on my adventures real soon. Stay Tuned!

$35,000 Price Tags, Regret, and then some

Let me tell you that I am not qualified to even write a book like this. I would not dare in all my wildest dreams try to. But I am writing it anyway. Just like everyone in the world (any human) I feel the need to voice what my insides scream. Have you ever been at that strange point in time where you just wanted to talk? If you say that you have not, you are either a liar, or you are too scared to admit that you are living a normal life. Odd.

Yet, I must be honest with anyone who speaks with me or reads this book, I am a genius. I only say that because at one time or another I came to the conclusion that I did not have everything figured out and nor do I have to. Thinking this deeply puts a hard notch in the brain. Actually I think this book is more of a memoir, which I write a lot of. I need help.

If I were to tell anyone anything about me, it would be that I love God with all my heart. I do, I really do. I would go so far to say that He is all that matters in life. There is really nothing else that compares to him. Nothing is sufficient enough to fill the void in my life that I was born with. But by accepting, in the most humble way mind you, that God loves me and that he sent His son to die for me, has changed my perspectives on every hard situation.

How simple life is, and somehow we complicate it. It’s almost as if God is existing and we just get in his way of his plan for the globe. We set plans and agendas not knowing that God’s is so much bigger. So big that we dwell in it, all of us! And so many moments of my life have been focused on this. I remind myself as much as I can, that time is only my enemy. I appreciate it for my own gain, but it is not convenient when God is on the line.

I just want to smash something!!

Oh.

And in this large quantity of odd ended, flabbergasted, un-even jargon I must tell a story.

Attempting to focus blame when you are in the complete and utter wrong is suicidal. Here is the proof.

I recently, well on a regular basis, find my self in a spot of trouble because of a sticky situation. It’s not that I am a bad kid, it’s just that life happens and like anyone I am bound to do something ridiculous and not called for along the way.

I was at a friends house… (wait this just starts bad)… and we were swimming in his pool, which was fine because summer days pack unwanted heat!!! However, I still wish that is how the lovely story ended.  Sometimes, and since I can only say this with a smile, I am glad that my friends make mistakes, because as much as we all hate making them, we somehow, in God’s grand design learn a great deal from them. “You make all things work together for my good!”

Moving on…

Well we were swimming. It was hot out; A dire heat that strained every bit of energy from the unexplainable sources. Yuck!

But you know, as anyone does, that a group of five guys, and five guys only, can be on the slight side of destructive. Somehow in the midst of our fun, we decided that throwing, tossing, chucking, or a combination of all, metal objects into a vinyl pool. Yes! You heard it.

It started out as child’s play, a chair here an oversized fichus tree, a random assortment of books, things on fire, but… how can you top off all the destructiveness a man singly handedly holds in his pubescent mind? You see, it ended with the most unlikely object imaginable, a cymbal. Now a parent, or any normal person, and even I question the logic in my thinking. Why on earth would anyone throw a metal object with the word “LETHAL” written all over it into a precious $35,000 pool?

That unfortunately will never be answered. Only an idiot would accomplish this, and that is exactly what we did.

As the cymbal sank into the depth of a six foot price tag, little did we know that it would slice the tender bottom of the pool and cost us the frustration of dealing with a very angry mother, well three to be exact, plus the money, and the battle with the right way to repair it.

Regardless, never throw a cymbal in a pool. It is just a bad idea.

SMALL GROUP! BOWLING!

Meet at Meridian Lanes at 6pm with 10 dollars and your a game. Its gonna be sweet!

Eyes off the Prize

A few summers ago (not exactly sure since the humidity of the Missouri air erased my memory.) I spent the fourth of July on my deceased Great Grandmother’s farm, whom I respectfully called “Cow Grandma” from the youngest age I have been. It was an unforgettable trip. It was the first summer that I had my license. I had driven with my father asleep and my iPod on shuffle through Nebraska, Kansas and the lovely state of Iowa. But my story is not about that, no not at all. There is not much interesting about the open road. Unless we debate about why there are millions of construction sites, always unattended, and yet your forced to go another 40 miles under the speed limit for the safety of the these ghostly union workers. No it truly takes place on the farm, and the adventures that I shared with my brother.

My great Uncles, whom I love and adore with my heart, are rednecks. Without hesitation they relieved the doldrums of the day for me and my brother with two ATV’s that were covered in a camp like print with AK-47’s and 7 feet machetes strapped to the sides.  As we started them up we took them onto the empty country road that spanned the state and rode to the pasture that was nearby to test our masculine aura. Once on the pasture we road through the mud around the pond multiple times causing pits of dirty water to flood through the tender earth.

After some time, we began to find new paths that were more daring and expressible to my growing and engaged testosterone levels. As I sped up so did my brother and we taunted each other. I finally decided to take another path, hoping to cut him off. But I was pushing 60 with little room to go. As I came across my brother’s path I stared at him rather than in front of me where there was a pond and a log with the ability to knock me clean off the seat. Before I knew it I was flying through the air, screaming a profane word, and landing in the hot steamy pond with the ATV rolling behind me and eventually sinking in the mud. All this could have been prevented if I was just looking at the path ahead of me.

So many times we do this in our life’s. We get so caught up in a moment, or we look back on our past, or we get distracted by those around us that we forget to look forward and Focus on God. We set goals that can be achieved, but unless we have our eyes in the right place we will never reach them. We do all that we can, and struggle even, to do all we are called to do in our own strength when God is waiting for the moment we just rely on him. Somehow we have allowed the thought that we found God, and that we found salvation when in reality it was him who reviled himself to us, and that it’s his love that sustains the relationship. If was based on our faithfulness than we would be hopeless and the point of Christ would have been left pointless.

The lesson I have learned this year is to just trust him. He is able. He is after all God of the universe. Although I fall short, daily even, I know that God is faithful. Even when I am faithful I can never amount to who God is. I keep reminding myself to keep my eyes on Jesus, and not focus on anything else. If I focus on finding and searching things out for my own sake, I take my trust from God and end up putting it in something that is faithless and will end up disappointing me. Anyway, it’s just something to think about.

NERF GUN FIGHT

Small group guys don't forget we are meeting at 6pm at Settlers Park for a NERF GUN FIGHT.

What to bring:
1. Nerf Gun
2. A Friend
3. Your Favorite Snack

See you tonight!

82 Oscars! Academy Does it Right!

What can I say? The Oscars did not fail to surprise me, but pleased me once more. Although the stupidity of letting 10 films be nominated for Best Picture is erroneous, I have to say that I was still happy. To see Actress Sandra Bullock win an award is amazing. Her climb from B Movies is outstanding, and not to mention her unshaken performance and humility. I adore Merryl Streep. 16 nominations is a record that even the future generation of actresses will never accomplish. Jeff Bridges deserved the award. I was glad to see that the Academy did not get political and choose Freeman for his portrayal as Nelson Mandela.

Furthermore it was like a joyous praise to see James Cameron fail. Titanic was not that good, and nor was Avatar. To see Kathryn Biggalow win was a well deserved snub to his face and a beauty. I am pleasd. Thank you Academy for being sensible!

List of Loves

Disclaimer! The list that follows theses words or warning is by no means a matter of offense. If you are not on the list, it doesn't not show the reflection of your personality or my “like” or even dislike” for your persona. They are also in not particular order of importance in my life as well. Thank You!

List of Loves By Mark Alexander Jones

1. God (That’s a given) 2. The Bible (Not to sound typical.) 3. (Is not anything to do with Christian Culture) 4. Theatre 5. Correlation with 4, William Shakespeare. 6. Music 7. Film 8. Walt Disney 9. Pastor Shane Grove 10 . Pronto Pups 11. Titus Cornforth 12. Oreos 13. “Erroneous” 14. The Academy Awards 15. Mile marker 4… yeah 16. Cookies 17. Awkward Situations 18. Speaking my mind 19. Atticus Finch 20. Pens 21. Writing 22. Joel Foust 23. Pictures 24. Rain 25. Travel 26. Clichés
27. White People 28. Jake Lee (He’s white!) 28. Books 29. Reading Books 30. Laughing loudly 31. Laughing out loud when I remember something that happened a long time ago. 32. Family 33. Cornish College 34. Seattle 35. Neil Simon 36. Grandparents. 37. Friends 38. Twix 39. Bare-naked Ladies (The band!) 40. Laying down 41. Getting out of bed 42. Praying 43. Ranting 44. Morons 45. Kids 46. Staples 47. Apple Products 48. Complications 49. Sean Penn 50. Pastor Ken Wilde 51. My uncles 52. My father 53. Plays 54. Fantasy 55. Reality 56. Getting stabbed 57. Myself 58. Serving others 59. Merits Café 60. Sleep 61. This list 62. Markets 63. Savers 64. Thrift Stores
65. Old clothing 66. Leisure Suits 67. Water 68. Friends that I talk to about random stuff that somehow relates to their day, even though I should never tell them those things, I still and they still enjoy it. 69. Night Drives 70. Stormy Weather 71. Sunny days 72. Dramatic 73. Being goofy 74. Being loud 75. Drinking… the holy spirit. 76. Being serious (psh) 77. Talking 78. Listening 79. Walking 80. Tall Buildings 81. The Smell of books 82. My present 83. My future. 84. My past 85. People Watching 86-100. Not sure yet? The New # 1 is my MOTHER WHOM I LOVE AND ADORE.

Pete Petersen

http://www.beatbutch.com/

I met this man at Merrits Cafe one night and he gave me pure joy.

SMOOTHIE NIGHT

Elliot's House! Small Group Directions. We are going to have smoothies! It's going to be insane. Don't miss out.
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gc*B Theatrics

check out our facebook group and join today. you don't want to miss out on some exciting news!