Tuesday
Sep012009
Last Day Of Canada
09.1.2009
It's the last day of the Canadian Tour and all the guys are worn out to say the least. Of course anytime you take off on a bus for as long as we've been out and specifically in another country things will go wrong... but interestingly enough God had his way of putting things in perspective. For instance... 2 days ago the bus air system broke down right?? Which meant that Ryan, Jon, and I had to figure out how to fix it. We spent the entire night at a place called Buses R Us while they tried to fix the bus. Eventually they admitted that they weren't sure what was wrong so at 6am we headed to the hotel and tried to get some rest. At 7:30am we woke up and went back to the bus to make sure they weren't messing around... their hourly rate was insane so we couldn't let them mess around. We got there and they were working hard enough for us to feel good about the situation, so we headed to Tim Horton's and then back to the hotel to lay down again. I laid down for 2 minutes when the phone rang and they told us that it would be ready in 30 minutes. BTW we had a 4 hour drive to the show that day and we were on an extreme time crunch so.... we hopped up and drove back to the bus yard where they proceeded to tell us that it was not going to be the original hourly rate, but double the hourly rate because of 2 people working. The first agreed upon rate was double the rate of anyone in the US to start with so you can imagine my frustration when it was 4 times the normal rate to get the bus back on the road. I argued and found that it was going to be a dead end especially if my frustration caused us to miss the show that night so I eventually paid the bill and we left to go pick up the guys and fly... I mean FLY to the next show. So far you'd think this day isn't going well, but then it got worse.... ticket sales at this particular show were not amazing by any stretch.... the building was small and a sell out would've been pretty small too, but we loaded in as fast as possible, got set and then literally 20 minutes before doors we finally were done. NOW here's the kicker. World Vision expects on average 3% of the people in a room to sponsor a child..... that night 26.4% of the people sponsored a child which was the highest number I have ever seen or even heard of in my career!!!! How amazing is that??? To God be the glory for the great things he has done..... which brings me to the real point of this blog.
Check out Acts 23-28:26
Great reading I highly recommend it... I've had a ton of fun reading lately in Act about this guy named Paul. Alright honestly who hasn't heard about Paul before but this part of Paul's life is extremely trying and I say that because it is the WORST thing that could possibly happen to someone. To be put in prison and have the key thrown away all the while never being guilty of anything. I mean this guy is in a cell for years waiting on justice. He goes before the Sanhedrin on trial and they don't know what to do with him as He proclaims Jesus the son of God. Then he's put on trial before Felix and He proclaims Jesus the son of God. Felix wants to please all people so he puts Paul in a cell and leaves him there for 2 years and finally is replaced by Festus. Festus wants to hear from the prisoner so Paul is tried again and proclaims Jesus the son of God. Festus has a friend named KING Agrippa who would like to hear the case and Paul proclaims Jesus the son of God yet again. Finally Paul gets sent to Rome and his ship gets shipwrecked on Malta. The chief official of the island comes to know that Jesus is the son of God. Finally Paul makes it to ROME where he preaches yet again. wheeew that was a mouth full.
Here's the point. Sometimes the worst thing that could possibly happen to you is merely a tool that God will use to bring about the most amazing results you could imagine. Paul is taken up the ladder to the peak city of civilization all because he's on TRIAL. WHICH would normally in our eyes leave us frustrated with God and with these "plans he has for us" All the time Satan tries to ruin the day, especially when you are actually on task and doing what God wants you to do.... but in every circumstance God gets the last laugh. So wherever you are whatever you're going through remember these words. "If you're crying out for mercy, if there's no hope left at all If you've given everything you've got and you're still about to fall HOLD ON!!! Because Our savior never fails!!"
Blessings,
Jason
Check out Acts 23-28:26
Great reading I highly recommend it... I've had a ton of fun reading lately in Act about this guy named Paul. Alright honestly who hasn't heard about Paul before but this part of Paul's life is extremely trying and I say that because it is the WORST thing that could possibly happen to someone. To be put in prison and have the key thrown away all the while never being guilty of anything. I mean this guy is in a cell for years waiting on justice. He goes before the Sanhedrin on trial and they don't know what to do with him as He proclaims Jesus the son of God. Then he's put on trial before Felix and He proclaims Jesus the son of God. Felix wants to please all people so he puts Paul in a cell and leaves him there for 2 years and finally is replaced by Festus. Festus wants to hear from the prisoner so Paul is tried again and proclaims Jesus the son of God. Festus has a friend named KING Agrippa who would like to hear the case and Paul proclaims Jesus the son of God yet again. Finally Paul gets sent to Rome and his ship gets shipwrecked on Malta. The chief official of the island comes to know that Jesus is the son of God. Finally Paul makes it to ROME where he preaches yet again. wheeew that was a mouth full.
Here's the point. Sometimes the worst thing that could possibly happen to you is merely a tool that God will use to bring about the most amazing results you could imagine. Paul is taken up the ladder to the peak city of civilization all because he's on TRIAL. WHICH would normally in our eyes leave us frustrated with God and with these "plans he has for us" All the time Satan tries to ruin the day, especially when you are actually on task and doing what God wants you to do.... but in every circumstance God gets the last laugh. So wherever you are whatever you're going through remember these words. "If you're crying out for mercy, if there's no hope left at all If you've given everything you've got and you're still about to fall HOLD ON!!! Because Our savior never fails!!"
Blessings,
Jason
Reader Comments (5)
Hey Jason!
You gentleman inspire me...encourage me.....and feed His fire within me....I just left a message for you with Tina at Thomas Vasquez. We met last time you were in Chicagoland touring with Addison Road and After Edmund.
I am the writer for the Chicago Sun-Times Newsgroup....you gave me your e-mail and I have misplaced it.
Now, how rediculous is that?
Please contact me!
Thanks!
Jules Bax
Amen, Brother :-)
Building 429
Great show guys, I know Vernon was small, I know there was not may people. But Jason so encouraging about the amount of World Vision Sponsors!! My Wife and I put our hand up that night and we got a beautiful little girl. So Excited to be able to share with our 3 boys the great work that Jesus can do through us. God bless u guys, Great Show, Keep it up!!
Cory from Vernon.
Dear Jason,
Thank you for sharing from your heart. I am glad that everything worked out for you in the end. I hope that you have a safe journey home to your families. Thank you for sharing those verses from Acts. I will never forget your concert here in Edmonton. I am glad to here that people sponsored children. Your story definetly has inspired people to sponsor children. It inspired me to sponsor a little boy in El Salvador. Thank you for being real and honest. I hope that you will return to Edmonton some day. Your ministry has helped me through a very tough time in my life. God bless you and your families. Take care and God bless you all. Love Marjan VandenBrink
Jason:
It was pleasure talking with you on our flight from Spokane to Denver. Hope you made the connection home. I know you missed your family!
P.S. Love the music.
Your brother in Christ!