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Bob Jones

Happily married to Jocelyn for 45 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

HACKSAW RIDGE: LIVE LIKE DOSS Uncategorized

HACKSAW RIDGE: LIVE LIKE DOSS

The story behind the movie Hacksaw Ridge, recent winner of two Oscars, involves a young U.S. Army medic during World War II, Desmond T. Doss, whose religious conscience forbid him from killing another human being. More Than A Movie Ironically, director Mel Gibson’s movie projects are not shy about accentuating violence but this one is more than that. It is a story of deep religious conviction of a hero who risked his life to save life. Doss served with the Medical Detachment, 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division. It was Doss’s bravery in saving the lives of his fellow soldiers that became legendary. Believe It Or Not If you did not know better, reading the Army’s citation of the events -…
Bob Jones
March 15, 2017
WHAT FLOWRIDER TAUGHT ME ABOUT FAILURE Uncategorized

WHAT FLOWRIDER TAUGHT ME ABOUT FAILURE

My heart told me, “You should try that.” My mind told me, “You'll make a fool of yourself. Plus you could do major damage to your body.” My heart won out. Failure's Meaning Looking foolish in front of people is a fail for me. For most of us, failure comes with baggage – a lot of baggage. From an early age I got the message that: Failure is bad. Failure means you didn’t study or prepare well enough. Failure means you aren’t smart enough. Failure is something to be ashamed of. Failure hurts so avoid it all costs. Flowriders and Failure New experiences that look enjoyable but come with a high risk of failure are to be avoided. Case in…
Bob Jones
March 8, 2017
17 UNFORGETTABLE IMAGES FROM ISRAEL Uncategorized

17 UNFORGETTABLE IMAGES FROM ISRAEL

1. The Valley of Megiddo. Here all the armies of the world will gather for the Battle of Armageddon. Most every major site in Israel's history - David's defeat of Goliath to ongoing warfare with the Philistines to Jesus' birth in Nazareth - can be seen from this vantage point on Mount Carmel. 2. The Jesus Boat. Discovered in 1986 on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, this fishing boat dates back to 40BC. It was estimated to have had a century of use. Boats like this were used by fisherman in Jesus' time. Brothers, Moshe and Yuval Lufan, themselves fisherman, discovered the boat when drought caused the Sea of Galilee to recede. The boat was carefully extracted…
Bob Jones
March 3, 2017
JESUS AND KELLY AT THE GATES OF HADES Uncategorized

JESUS AND KELLY AT THE GATES OF HADES

In the "region of Caesarea Philippi" Jesus asked his Jewish disciples "Who do men say that I am?" What happened next turned their world upside down. Why Here? Why Now? North Pointe's Israel team visited Caesarea Philippi in February 2017. The ancient city stood in a once lush area near the foot of Mount Hermon. Now, its a unexceptional locale visited primarily by tourists. Caesarea Philippi was like a red-light district in the Jewish world and the devout would have avoided any contact with the despicable acts committed there. It was a city of people eagerly knocking on the doors of hell. Our Jewish guide questioned, "Why would Jesus - a good Jew - bring his Jewish disciples to the…
Bob Jones
March 1, 2017
ITS A SIGN Uncategorized

ITS A SIGN

I like watching for signs when I travel. Not the directional or apocalyptic kind - the ironic kind. The beauties above adorned a hillside in Galilee, Israel. Keeping The Door Closed At All Times Some signs are a fuzzy kind of funny. I saw the one below at Pearson International in Toronto. A manager wanted to insure that shoes or anything else did not collect on their watch. The open door where this sign was posted revealed shoes all over the floor. This one was on the side of a boat we sailed in on the Sea of Galilee. Savvy store owners capitalizing on the value of humor in marketing. Are you a reflection of what you eat? Some signs…
Bob Jones
February 26, 2017
ISRAEL TODAY: A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL Uncategorized

ISRAEL TODAY: A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL

Eleven days in Israel and Jordan are more than enough to rock your perceptions of the Middle East. Thirty-two of us traveled halfway around the globe to be reminded that it's a small world after all. On February 8th our team bid a fond farewell to -30C Canadian weather. Sixteen hours and eleven thousand km's later we were embraced by the 17C shalom of Tel Aviv, Israel. (Scroll to the bottom to see updated photos of the trip.) Milk, Honey and Rocks The landscape was the first to rock our perceptions. Literally. Israel is in a desert. Rocks and sand are everywhere. Even the green pastures surrounding the Sea of Galilee are littered with stones and rocks. Sheep and goats…
Bob Jones
February 20, 2017
LIFE LESSONS FROM CLIMBING A WATERFALL Uncategorized

LIFE LESSONS FROM CLIMBING A WATERFALL

There I was, staring up at 900 feet of cascading water and holding hands with a stranger from Maine. Jamaica's most famous landmark was about to become a checkmark on a bucket list. Dunn's River Falls The eighteen people in our excursion group - twelve friends and four strangers - read the disclaimer sign at the base of the Falls: "WARNING: *Back problems * Neck problems * High Blood Pressure * Diabetes * Heart Problems * Climb at your own risk." Our Jamaican guide, a twenty-year veteran of Dunn's River Falls, asked if we were ready. We gave him our best, "Ya man." He estimated the climb would take about forty-five minutes and assured that all of us would make…
Bob Jones
February 5, 2017
OLGA BRINDZA: AN INEXHAUSTIBLE TREASURY Uncategorized

OLGA BRINDZA: AN INEXHAUSTIBLE TREASURY

Olga Brindza was one of those all too rare kind of people who served way past the age of retirement. Even in her 70's she was happily involved in serving God by loving children and just about anyone else around her. Into Eternity On the last Thursday morning of January 2017 she was sitting in her favorite livingroom chair enjoying a devotional reading. The first words of the first paragraph she was reading were, “Relax my child, I’m in control. Remember that you are my beloved.” Those may have been the last words she saw before she peacefully closed her eyes and slipped into eternity and the presence of Jesus. Her passing was sudden and unexpected. Three days earlier, Olga…
Bob Jones
February 1, 2017
CASTING VISION Uncategorized

CASTING VISION

Just like a golfer who feels the purity of the perfect golf swing, or a baseball player hearing the sublime crack of the bat on the ball, so the fisherman likens the perfect cast to a thing of beauty. Although the type of rod and the line are essential to casting, the momentum and timing are key as well. Any fishermen can tell you about the importance of casting when catching a fish. Most believe the length of the cast is one factor that can influence the size of the fish. Casting a vision is similar to casting a fishing line. It requires proper tools and strategy. Adena Lowry is a junior high teacher at Strathcona Christian Academy and a…
Bob Jones
January 29, 2017
100 YEARS AND GOING STRONGER Uncategorized

100 YEARS AND GOING STRONGER

There was an unmistakable eagerness about Edgar Taylor. He was keen to open his home and more importantly, his spirit. He shared a compulsion with his wife and some of their friends to seek God with all their hearts. The year was 1917. Edmonton Coming Of Age Edmonton was a rapidly growing prairie city of 54,000 citizens. The High Level Bridge and the Hotel MacDonald were recently opened and the dismantling of Fort Edmonton was just completed. The Great War was still raging in Europe. Many young Edmontonians had lost their lives far away in Passchendaele and Vimy Ridge. Perhaps it was the urgency of the hour that drew Edgar Taylor and his wife along with five other couples to…
Bob Jones
January 6, 2017