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Bob Jones

Happily married to Jocelyn for 44 years. We have two adult sons, Cory and his wife Lynsey and their son Vincent and daughter Jayda; Jean Marc and his wife Angie and their three daughters, Quinn, Lena and Annora. I love inspiring people through communicating, blogging, and coaching. I enjoy writing, running, and reading. I'm a fan of the Double E, Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox and Pats. Follow me on Twitter @bobjones49ers

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A LOVING GOD IN MANCHESTER

Saffie Rose was only eight. Its easy to imagine the overflowing exuberance as she and her mum exited with the thronging crowd at 10:30pm Manchester time. You've probably seen her photo and noted her smiling innocence - a selfie taken just before the Ariana Grande concert - Saffie's first and last concert. Youngest Victim They didn't hear the explosion - just its devastating effects. As Saffie lay dying, cradled in the arms of a first-aider, she called out for her mum. She was the youngest of the twenty two victims of a terrorist's bomb. Bolts. Nuts. Nails. Embedded into the bodies of the injured. Where was God at Manchester? Sandy Hook The town of Newtown, Connecticut was reeling from the…
Bob Jones
May 26, 2017
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REV. PHYLLIS RYAN FISHER: WOMAN OF HOPE

Sixty nine years ago, Phyllis Ryan Fisher was born in Toronto to a loving and resourceful mother who in post war years either cared directly for Phyllis or made sure she was nurtured in wonderful homes surrounded by people who “adopted” her into their families. Small Town Girl Although Phyllis was an only child she collected moms and dads and sisters along the way that enriched her life and helped mold her into the lady she grew to be. This small-town girl loved the water and the Kawartha Lake country where she grew up and never forgot the friends who all loved her as a local girl who was going to make her mark in life. Rev. Bruce and Phyllis…
Bob Jones
May 24, 2017
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KIDS HELPING KIDS: ROOT56 & JAMQUEST

Changing the world can be simple. Just. Decide. To care. (If you've gotten past the first ten words of this post it means your heart is free of cynicism. The curious can't be cynical.) Nick Schoff Nick Scoff did just that when he was in eighth grade. A TV documentary on child poverty in Africa "got this thirteen year old butt off the couch." Nick loved basketball. So he started a three-on-three fundraiser tournament to help kids in Kenya. He called the tournament, Jamquest. $2700 was raised the first year. He saw he could do something.  The rest is history. Jamquest Jamquest, Schoff's brainchild, strives to bring faith, hope, and love to kids in need. Kids helping kids. "Imagine if…
Bob Jones
May 17, 2017
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PERSONAL GROWTH: THE POWER OF THE OTHER

Dr. Henry Cloud begins his new book The Power of the Other with a compelling account that immediately drew me in. A recruit, training to become a Navy SEAL is on his last test - a grueling endurance swim in the ocean - and his strength fails him. He has nothing left. About to signal he's giving up. All his years of training. The sacrifice. His dream of being a SEAL. Disappearing. A Friend On Shore Suddenly he sees his friend standing on the shore ahead. He has completed the swim and is officially a Navy SEAL. The man on the shore yells and pumps his fist to let the man in the water know "he could do it". The…
Bob Jones
April 29, 2017
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HERE COMES HOPE

Three things will last forever - faith, hope and love and the greatest of these is Hope - as in Hope Thomas. Hope is the newest addition to the Pastoral staff at North Pointe - and we couldn't be happier. She's been a devoted volunteer in NP's Youth Ministry during her four years of study at Vanguard College. Two years ago Hope was given responsibility for "Anthem 56" - our mid-week ministry for Grades 5 and 6 students. On November 14, 2017 she accepted the full time role of Youth Pastor. Who Is Hope? You'll hear Hope's laughter long before you see her smile. And how about that smile? Hope or Hopiee as her besties know her, spent her formative…
Bob Jones
April 21, 2017
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THE CROSS IN THE CLOTHESPIN: ANN VOSKAMP

She's Ann Voskamp, a plain Ann without even the fanciful “e”, wife to The Farmer, mama to six, and in her own words, "a bit of a mess." Ann was named by Christianity Today as one of the leading fifty women who are shaping culture and the Church today. She's a New York Times best-selling author many times over, communicator, story teller and advocate for those without a voice. "The only words that really matter are the ones I live. This convicts me. I keep writing it out here everyday, the words I am seeking to live — about this wondrously messy, everyday-holy life…. about finding the beauty and quiet, about slowing to see the sacred in the chaos, and…
Bob Jones
April 16, 2017
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WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF OFF COURSE

There are certain messages that serve to get me back on track when I find myself off course. Verses. Vision boards. Inspirational quotes. A personal mission statement. A Manifesto Lately its been a manifesto - a philosophical declaration. Over the past six weeks I've been on a same page initiative with hundreds of other people at North Pointe. All ages and stages. Together. Studying. Praying. Digging deep. Seeking God. All your chips in the middle. All In Mark Batterson gave us a context for study in his book All In. Took him thirteen years to write it. Impressive. Sacred. He reduces his life takeaways from seeking God, to twenty-two declarations. Thanks, Mark. Which one speaks to you? 22 Declarative Ways…
Bob Jones
April 5, 2017
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THE ROLE OF PRAYER IN THE FREEDOM OF KEVIN AND JULIA GARRATT

Who better to ask than Kevin and Julia Garratt about the power of prayer. For 775 days people prayed for their release from Chinese imprisonment. Nothing changed. The world watched as Kevin faced isolation, failing health, death threats, and despair. Where was God? Kevin and Julia share their answer. "Prayer is and was our lifeline."  During those 775 long days we turned to God multiple times a day. He heard our cries and answered every time we called. At times it was a verse, a song, or an overwhelming sense of peace that truly surpassed all understanding. You Prayed, God Answered It wasn't the answer we were hoping for - prison doors to open and to walk free - but God…
Bob Jones
April 2, 2017
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ARRIVAL: IF YOU KNEW YOUR FUTURE

If you knew your future – all of its pain and happiness - would you choose to live it? I watched the movie Arrival on a near empty flight from YYZ to YEG. It's a sci-fi flick but its much more than that. The plot looked intriguing so I spent two hours of my life for the experience. No regrets. I’m a soft touch for tear-jerkers that make you think and this one didn’t disappoint. A Love Story Arrival is about aliens (Heptapods), an international crisis, fear generated by the unknown and destiny. The action and dialogue are on the shallow side but the storyline will take you deep. All in all, Arrival is a love story about a single…
Bob Jones
March 26, 2017
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THE FINAL ESCAPE

He's known as "Hitch" and "The Master of Suspense." Alfred Hitchcock's story, “Final Escape” is the purest example of the way he blends the phobias inspired by Edgar Allan Poe and the narrative twists of O. Henry. Can you guess the surprise twist before you get to the end of this post? (Don't cheat yourself. Read the story.) A Life Sentence In the October 28th, 1985 TV episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Lena Trent (played by Season Hubley) is convicted of murdering her husband. She’s sentenced to spend the rest of her life in prison. The episode starts turning the audience against Lena from its opening frames, showing Lena in court wearing pretentious sunglasses, an indication of her lack of…
Bob Jones
March 24, 2017