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LOVING GOD, LOVING PEOPLE: SYRIAN REFUGEES Uncategorized

LOVING GOD, LOVING PEOPLE: SYRIAN REFUGEES

R and M are Christian Syrian refugees who lived in Jordan from 2012 to 2016. One day they will read this post. We want them to know then that we embraced them even before we met them. We've called them "R and M" to protect their privacy and security. Faces of Damascus R and his wife M grew up in Damascus. Five years ago they left everything to flee the bombings. They made their way to Jordan where they were interned in a refugee camp. Even in these "safe havens," the lives of Christians are precarious. Because of their Christian faith they had to leave the refugee camp. They were taken in by Jordanian Christians while they awaited the opportunity…
Bob Jones
April 17, 2016
OUT OF THE WOODS Uncategorized

OUT OF THE WOODS

Anomaly Youth knocked it out of the park with "Out of the Woods" today at North Pointe. A modern day parable using video, drama, humor and music, "Out of the Woods" communicates complex spiritual truths in a clear, understandable way. Five teenagers get lost in the woods on a camping trip searching for "Bright Rock." After wandering around they set up camp, not able to find their intended destination. Through some hilarious escapades they manage to get the help of a savvy Park Ranger and discover what trust is all about. Do You Know People Like These Guys? Brock who longs to prove himself and fit in just to be accepted. Andy who follows the book to a "T," trying…
Bob Jones
April 10, 2016
THE NORMAL THAT NEVER CAME Uncategorized

THE NORMAL THAT NEVER CAME

The “first” first, was a hockey game in September 2014 and it wasn’t by any means welcomed. My daughter Shyla wore her dad’s jersey for warm up and I didn’t make it through the second period. The inaugural normal was even before the funeral and was followed by many unsought more. Recitals, hockey games, birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and even a high school graduation all came and went without him. Alisha writes with a gentle vulnerability. If you allow her to, she'll bring you along on a journey through the hardest time of her life. She helps me be a better pastor. I see life and faith through her eyes. Alisha became a single mom on September 18/2014 very suddenly. With…
Bob Jones
April 6, 2016
THE EASTER PLAY Uncategorized

THE EASTER PLAY

It was a rehearsal for the Easter play. The youth group had been practicing for months. My son had been to all of the practices. As a dutiful mom, I had dropped him off at the church and picked him up again at the end of each practice. As a typical mom, I usually waited out in the car for practice to end and my son to emerge. As a curious mom, however, this last practice was different. Sneaking In To The Last Practice Instead of waiting alone I ventured into the church to see if I could catch a sneak peak of what the upcoming play was about (my son had offered very few clues in the weeks prior).…
Bob Jones
March 30, 2016
15 UNFORGETTABLE PICS FROM THE HOLY LAND Uncategorized

15 UNFORGETTABLE PICS FROM THE HOLY LAND

Imagine going back in time to a place that has been unchanged for over 2,000 years. That's what's in store in Petra, Jordan and underground in the city of Jerusalem. Take a tour through fifteen photos that capture a myriad of memories. Camel selfies! O, the friends you'll make. Unforgettable travel arrangements. Take a second look in Bethlehem. No need to look for camel fare. The ride is included. A 2,300 year old gender neutral washroom. The sign says it all. At the Top of the World near Petra, Jordan. Scrumptious and calorie free. Some frankincense with your Pepsi? For Canadians, there's no escaping the snow...even in Jordan. The good shepherd and his flock. The view from Masada where 960…
Bob Jones
March 27, 2016
ANSWERING JIHAD: A BETTER WAY Uncategorized

ANSWERING JIHAD: A BETTER WAY

The world outside Canada is a disturbing place right now.  Extremism is taking the high ground on political and religious fronts. There are fears that what is outside is incipiently making its way inside - in particular, the tremors caused by radicalized Muslims from Western countries joining international jihad. How will Canada be affected? Answering Jihad I eagerly anticipated the release in March 2016 of “Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward” because of Nabeel Qureshi’s Muslim heritage and his intellectual firepower. If anyone could take a highly controversial and complex subject and break it down to its essentials, Quershi was the guy. He doesn’t disappoint, writing with insightful clarity and courage. Qureshi’s frank treatment of Islam, the Quran and the…
Bob Jones
March 23, 2016
HOW A SEVERE ANXIETY DISORDER LED ME TO A WORLD RACE Uncategorized

HOW A SEVERE ANXIETY DISORDER LED ME TO A WORLD RACE

When I got the call that told me that I had been accepted to participate in the World Race, I was completely shocked. While I had spent the past couple of weeks trusting that God had planned what was best for my future, I had a nagging feeling from the day that I submitted my application that I would not get in. The reason? I didn't think that a girl with a severe anxiety disorder would be looked at as a viable option for spending nine months living out of a backpack and traveling the world. Simply put, I believed that I was way too messed up.  When you meet Maya Kuipers, the first thing you notice is her confident…
Bob Jones
March 20, 2016
26 CHOICE BOOKS FOR YOU Uncategorized

26 CHOICE BOOKS FOR YOU

You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read. What are you reading today? I chose the following books as my Top 26 for two reasons: 1. I could recall the title and the author's name. I have hundreds of books in my library and though I've read them all I cannot recall them all. These I can. I've met some of the authors in person and own autographed copies of their book. They left a deep impression on me. 2. The content of the books have formed my personal perspective, principles, and practices. They address theology, personality, healing, prayer, relationships, marriage, parenting and leadership.…
Bob Jones
March 12, 2016
I ONCE WAS LOST… Uncategorized

I ONCE WAS LOST…

I once was lost in the woods, like literally….lost in the woods. It was the first winter camping expedition for army cadets, and I was the civilian officer in charge of 30 grunts. I was arriving late into camp with my fellow officer, it was dark, and we were convinced it was the right drop off point to the camp when we asked our driver to drop us off. It wasn’t. Sarah Ball writes with a courageous vulnerability. She is a gifted blogger, speaker, author and a mom of five. Sarah will tell you candidly that sixteen years ago she was living on welfare, abandoned with two children, broken, and lost. Four years ago she couldn’t get out of bed,…
Bob Jones
March 6, 2016
7 WOMEN AND THE SECRET OF THEIR GREATNESS Uncategorized

7 WOMEN AND THE SECRET OF THEIR GREATNESS

“7 Women And The Secret Of Their Greatness” is the latest Eric Metaxas page turner. He highlights the stories of Joan of Arc, Suzanna Wesley, Hannah More, Maria Skobtsova, Corrie ten Boom, Mother Teresa, and Rosa Parks. Metaxas is a master writer of biographies. I can readily enjoy a pleasant weekend wrapped up in stories well told. My personal library is stocked with biographies of accomplished athletes, Civil War generals, politicians, missionaries, innovators and entrepreneurs. Metaxas says “biographies enable us to slip the strictures of time and provide a bracing corrective to our tendency to see everything in the dark glass of our own era, with all its blind spots, mores, beams and distortions.” Biographies I’d never heard of Hannah…
Bob Jones
March 5, 2016