Welcome!
I’m Jake, a 24 year old Christian who loves and lives to serve and follow Jesus. I’d say some of the things that really encourage me in the Church include: strengthening older men, encouraging/loving younger children, highlighting the importance and beauty of every part of the Church. Loving the brethren. Seeing creativity and arts and worship come to life. Loving God’s steadfast love.
I love anything that would involve massive amounts of faith, such as believing God for something great and persisting in prayer for that thing.
Remember when Jesus’s disciples were trying to cast out a demon, they couldn’t do it. Jesus revealed the truth that it was because they didn’t believe in that moment. “He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith as small as the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “move from here to there”, and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20). This is how I seek to live my life, by pursuing things that require faith. But we all know that faith without love is nothing, so I intend to use that to encourage and strengthen believers by pointing out things that I know have opportunity/potential with God. Sometimes it’s the most hopeless things that have the greatest potential with God (think of the walls of Jericho – you think were greatly equipped by much other than God’s power when facing those fortress walls?). Or David when standing in front of Goliath?. Daring to worship in the face of what seems like a prison can bring out the light that we are eagerly waiting for.
Do you hunger for something more? Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Something that sticks out to me is the Life there. We look for life in many things (as I read a mentor once say), but Jesus is who really invites true LIFE in. Have you tried to find it in things like .. finding the best movie, finding the best whatever? I love movies, and there are ones that are better than others (Captain Marvel and A Quiet Place), but we should recognize that I think it’s the meaning behind it which God produces that makes something truly worth it. “Apart from you, I have no good thing”. God knows what means most to us. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart”. Whether it’s in the form of a loving gift from someone, art/creativity, a song, the beauty of His Creation, or the Presence of God Himself, a skill/hobby, God knows the deeper, unseen, hidden, sometimes unspoken desires of our heart that only He can fulfill. What we’re ultimately looking for is not found in those things apart from Him. This is why I think I could go on the World Race or be a computer science professional and still have my heart’s desires fulfilled, but I believe they come in different flavors/forms. I prefer the tangible adventure of missional living and close community and being able to explore the world while bringing people closer to Christ. Also, how can I be most fruitful while on earth? I think it starts with believing and living out the following verse, and I’m hoping the World Race (+ what I do in the WR) is a result of this: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
I know practically, I love photography, worship music, technology, creativity, kayaking/hiking, health, social media, nature scenery, astronomy, and mountains and abstract things like purity, holiness, excellence, strength & courage, persistent faith, brotherly love, righteousness, and honor, but it’s Jesus whom my soul longs for.
Worship God, Pray Always, and seek His will, His Kingdom diligently above all things.
