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jjoyner04
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Name: Justin
Gender: Male
Interests: Music, Good conversation, time with friends and family, sports--frisbee, basketball, soccer... some reading, being neat and organized, just having fun, etc.
Expertise: I'm no expert, but I enjoy people and I enjoy learning.
Occupation: Youth Pastor
Industry: Ministry
Message: message me
AIM:  godsrunner02
Member Since:
6/16/2005
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| You ever have those times when you feel like crap because you don't do
enough for devotions and you haven't read the Bible in who knows how
long and you just have a hard time sitting still, be it due to A.D.D.
or simply a desire to move around? What am I supposed to do about that?
I just sat down to have a "quiet time" and I can't focus enough. I
played a little guitar and sang some which helped and got me thinking,
but my mind spaces out so fast. I begin thinking about all the stuff I
should be doing compared to all the stuff I waste time with during any
given day. I don't feel like I'm doing my "job" as a Christian, no
less a youth pastor! haha, no pressure...
Sure, writing this out
can be considered somewhat of a "quiet time" perhaps something that
should be in my journal and not on public space, such as this, but I
figure, if someone can help and/or learn from my life, why not? Why do
you think we all love reading blogs and away msgs and everything else
about everyone else? We like to be involved with one another, often
more than we should...
Anyways, I'm not writing as if I were
depressed or anything, just in a pensive (i.e. thoughtful) mood and
wish I could sit and spend hours just talking with the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit. I see all over the place how much He's involved in my
life and it makes me feel bad that I don't give Him the time of day!
ha...
So, if you're sitting there reading this and you ever want
to have good conversation, ever want to politely check in on my
God-times, ever want to learn this "life" stuff together... please
don't hesitate to get a hold of me! We learn so much better with
others. Remove drama from life and get down to the nitty-gritty of
issues and it's awesome.
Whoever reads this... know, as I do,
that God loves us no matter what we do. He can't love us any less than
He already does. As hard as that is to understand (trust me, I don't
have it down yet  ) it's true. Eventually, we'll get this whole Love God and Love others thing down  ! Keep fighting the fight... | | |
| Ramblings of a beggar
Sometimes
in life (probably more than we should) we listen to the voice of other
people... family, friends, co-workers, etc.... more than we listen to
the voice of God.
Question: Why?
Is it really that hard
to hear God? What are we listening to? I'm not saying that God won't
reveal Himself through other people, but we keep going to those people
first instead of God. I know I don't spend enough time with God. I'm
working on that. 
Ok, on to the less intense parts... ha
I'm doing well here in NY still. I love my life, though I often feel
like I'm accomplishing little to nothing! guh. Anyways, things are
going well. Youth Group is great. We're currently doing the NOOMA
series by Rob Bell and headed to a corn maze tomorrow. Good times.
Personally, things are challenging, but good and growing. I would say
my personal life should be just that, mine. However, I continually
find myself worrying about what others think. Now, if God and I are on
good terms (i.e. I can talk to Him and know He's involved with me) the
opinions of others don't matter. I'm not saying that I don't listen to
others, just that I put pressure on myself that needn't be there.
Current activities:
indoor soccer at Lakewood Y, church basketball at Bethesda Christian,
one more team time with Varsity football guys, watching Smallville
again :), reading Velvet Elvis, planning talks for a retreat for
Bundick next Friday, leading worship Sunday, etc.
<Good Times> | | |
| I sit here listening to Jars of Clay and quickly realize how God has been and continues to take apart the world I have become far too comfortable with. It's not a new realization, but a better understanding that I'm gaining concerning such facts...
See, God's not taking it apart and changing it randomly or for the worse, but for my best interest and as hard as that is to understand or even to trust, I have to be positive about it! What good can negativity do in such a situation? Like many people transitioning from college to life, things are simply different from everything I've known.
I'm in a new place, new house, new friends and family, new church... Sure I could freak out and say that this is just too much to handle for one period of life, but it's not. It's almost a necessity or an expected thing that I have desired, but I didn't know what I was getting when I prayed for more experiential learning! haha...
Here I am now, trying to learn outside of textbooks, learning to lean on the only book necessary in life, learning to lean on people I don't think I know well enough to trust, leaning on a God whom I've had trust issues with all my natural, fallen life. Openly, I ask for accountability from anyone that reads this, as a body of believers encourages one another, help me trust the Father... how? Remind me when I freak out or ask me randomly (even if I'm frustrated) how it's been lately.
Long entry to say that I'm learning and it's tough, but a good, daily, second-by-second challenge... thanks God for prayer 
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| So I'm on my own now... Tommy the old youth pastor just left yesterday and now I "run the show"! weird...
God's been blessing me with some great friends though, unfortunately a number of them have to go back to school eventually--that's why I abuse them while I can! I don't think I've been to bed before 2am for the past week! haha
The plan for this summer is to do a few events such as paintball and a frisbee golf outting while continuing regularly with Wednesday nights. We're using the youth band a little more each Wednesday or maybe every other, but it's great. The summer theme is What to Think About? Out of Phil. 4:6-9. It's a great, but really tough to study something that I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around. Learning simply to think on those things which are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable... it's hard, but it takes our minds off of worry (not only thinking on these things, but prayer as well).
My apartment is great! I'm recognizing (after I get over my complaining) that God has blessed me so much in coming here. I just hope I can return the favor somehow in this position. I appreciate prayers from anyone who actually reads this! haha... thanks so much!
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| So I'm in Jamestown, NY now working with Hillcrest Baptist Church as the new Youth Pastor...
who knew?
Life just sort of hit me hard so, I'm hanging in there, but learning a lot in ways I don't want to... ha. So I turn on "Rescue" and crank it up or grab my guitar. I just put money down on my own apartment that's a separate little house away from anything. It's going to be great after I put a little time into it.
I'm excited to see what God's going to do... direct my steps, Lord cuz i have no clue!
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