In my first blog since getting divorced (and first blog in a really long time), I wanted to ponder the thought of time travel. I used to dream of the possibility of finding that Delorean and the flux capacitor sending me back to "undo" some injustice or a wrong. Simple answer, can't do it!
The real question though is would you if you could? FO SHO, there are many things I would love to go back and have a "redo" on. Some of them are good, but most are mistakes that I wich that I could undo and start over. The reality is we have the knowledge of the past to either gain wisdom for the future, or a launching pad for a repeat performance.
I ( and I believe we) have to value our experiences, good and bad alike, and move forward. Good, bad, or ugly Romans 8:28 reminds us that, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." KJV
I may not be able to go back in time, but I am full speed ahead into the future!
God Bless
Monday, September 24, 2012
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Jonathan Green is looking for a job!
Jonathan Green
10407 US Highway 31 Apt 926, Spanish Fort, AL 36527
green_jonathan@ymail.com
251-753-4463
Objective: An innovative, multi- tasking, energetic individual seeking a position where my successful experiences in all phases of Strategic Planning, Operations, Administrative, Counseling, and Leadership can be utilized to the benefit of an organization’s mission.
Accomplishments:
• Designed and implemented Community Education events at local Long Term Care Facilities
• Key member of the Hospice start up team for Amedisys Hospice of Foley.
• Streamlined several operational tasks adding to efficiency and saving time and money.
• Consistently scored high on all audits.
Education:
2000 – 2003 University of South Alabama Mobile, Alabama
Graduate Studies in Community Counseling
1996 – 1999 Southeastern University Lakeland, Florida
Bachelor of Arts/Pastoral Counseling/Practical Ministries
Work Experience:
• Directing all aspects of the Spiritual Services and Grief Counseling Departments within Amedisys Hospice of Foley, AL.
• Assisted with daily operational tasks to maintain compliance with State and Federal regulations.
• Assisted with internal audits and QA and PI.
• Acted as a liaison between staff, patients, physicians, and community leaders.
• Provided leadership in planning in-services, presentations, community news releases.
• Consulted with community groups for educational presentations, fundraising and volunteer recruitment.
• Oversaw the marketing to major accounts for six months, during the absence of a marketer.
• Successfully coordinated services for patients and their families.
Employers:
• Amedisys Hospice, Chaplain/Bereavement Coordinator, 05/27/2008-11/18/2010 (due to office closure)
• Wiregrass Hospice, Chaplain/Bereavement Coordinator,12/20/2004-5/23/2008
• First Assembly of God Eufaula, AL, Director of Youth and Children’s Departments, 7/15/2003-10/16/2004
• SouthTrust Bank, Bank Operations, 5/21/2001-7/10/2003
References: Upon Request
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Fasting and Praying
This is one of the most disputed topics among Christians. I have a more laid back approach to the subject of Fasting and Praying than some do. For myself and how I practice fasting I am more of a traditionalist, giving up food for a period of time and praying whenever I can devote blocks of time.
Throughout the Bible there are times of fasting that are called upon the whole of a nation or people, and some private fasts that involve only the single person. God is ultimately the one that empowers a time of fasting. There is no magical or mystical phenomenon to fasting. It is simply a time of sacrifice and prayer. But why is it important?
We find in the Bible that God looks at our heart, not so much our actions, but our heart. This is very significant, because we can say things and do things that get taken the wrong way by others, yet God sees our heart in each matter. So, by voluntarily giving up food, or t.v., or texting (like Catholics choose something to give up for Lent), we are giving God priority in our life. He sees our motives, and knows why we are seeking Him. Our requests are seen in their pure form and not muddled by our wants. (Don't ask for a red Porsche.)
There are times in life when we fully understand that only God can "fix" what is going wrong, and so we can use that moment to fast and pray to see God's hand begin to move on our behalf. Make no mistake you cannot strong arm God into doing something like Santa or a Genie, but he will hear your prayer and know your heart. At that He will answer according to His will.
I am fasting for a precious little girl who needs a touch from heaven. Emme just turned 1 a few weeks ago and is now at Women's and Children's Hospital in Mobile, AL, in the PICU. Her mom and dad need answers, peace, and a healed little baby.
I am also fasting for the doors to open for God to bring a new job for me, as mine will phase out in a few weeks. I will give up food and pray tomorrow for God to answer these requests. I know that He will, but I want Him to see that there are people who are full of faith that He can and will!
Please pray with me Wednesday October 6, 2010.
Much Love
Jonathan
Throughout the Bible there are times of fasting that are called upon the whole of a nation or people, and some private fasts that involve only the single person. God is ultimately the one that empowers a time of fasting. There is no magical or mystical phenomenon to fasting. It is simply a time of sacrifice and prayer. But why is it important?
We find in the Bible that God looks at our heart, not so much our actions, but our heart. This is very significant, because we can say things and do things that get taken the wrong way by others, yet God sees our heart in each matter. So, by voluntarily giving up food, or t.v., or texting (like Catholics choose something to give up for Lent), we are giving God priority in our life. He sees our motives, and knows why we are seeking Him. Our requests are seen in their pure form and not muddled by our wants. (Don't ask for a red Porsche.)
There are times in life when we fully understand that only God can "fix" what is going wrong, and so we can use that moment to fast and pray to see God's hand begin to move on our behalf. Make no mistake you cannot strong arm God into doing something like Santa or a Genie, but he will hear your prayer and know your heart. At that He will answer according to His will.
I am fasting for a precious little girl who needs a touch from heaven. Emme just turned 1 a few weeks ago and is now at Women's and Children's Hospital in Mobile, AL, in the PICU. Her mom and dad need answers, peace, and a healed little baby.
I am also fasting for the doors to open for God to bring a new job for me, as mine will phase out in a few weeks. I will give up food and pray tomorrow for God to answer these requests. I know that He will, but I want Him to see that there are people who are full of faith that He can and will!
Please pray with me Wednesday October 6, 2010.
Much Love
Jonathan
Friday, August 20, 2010
Taming the Tongue......
James Chapter 3 verses 1-18:
1Dear brothers and sisters,a not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.
2Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
3We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth.
4And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.
5In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.
6And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
7People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.
9Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.
10And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
11Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.
True Wisdom Comes from God
13If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
17But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
Truth is a fixed and unmoveable entity, not fluid or self serving. It is often harsh and painful if not tempered by love. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4: 14,15:
14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
Life brings us choices, we often choose sides in a situation based on emotion and one sided stories. Casting judgements with only partial information is a downfall of mankind. Thank God he does not judge us until he has all the facts.
Much Love,
Jonathan
1Dear brothers and sisters,a not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.
2Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
3We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth.
4And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.
5In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.
6And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
7People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.
9Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.
10And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
11Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.
True Wisdom Comes from God
13If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
17But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
Truth is a fixed and unmoveable entity, not fluid or self serving. It is often harsh and painful if not tempered by love. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4: 14,15:
14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
Life brings us choices, we often choose sides in a situation based on emotion and one sided stories. Casting judgements with only partial information is a downfall of mankind. Thank God he does not judge us until he has all the facts.
Much Love,
Jonathan
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Dreams, and other rantings
The other day I was thinking about life and some of the things that our family has been through as of late. For me I know that all too often I, like most people, set goals just outside of arms length, wish for things that will NEVER happen, and dream things that just seem to discourage me. Not any more!
I will find ways to start making our dreams come true. Hard work can see dreams fulfilled. I am willing to do what it takes to see my family succeed. Recent events in my personal relationship with my parents have helped me to decide to push for me and mine. By mine I am talking about the green beans (my wife and children).
I will never be able to share the full details of the events that have brought such stress and discouragement. I would like to thank everyone who has prayed and are still praying., There are things to come in another area that God is still working out. It is so difficult to have life being stiffled by others. The good in all of this is that Elizabeth and I are stronger and closer, and more determined to see our dreams come true.
Never let anyone touch your dreams in a negative way! Keep reaching upward. Surround yourself with those who will challenge your ideas and thinking, but will always support you even if it is to clean up when you crash and burn.
More rantings to come,
Jonathan
I will find ways to start making our dreams come true. Hard work can see dreams fulfilled. I am willing to do what it takes to see my family succeed. Recent events in my personal relationship with my parents have helped me to decide to push for me and mine. By mine I am talking about the green beans (my wife and children).
I will never be able to share the full details of the events that have brought such stress and discouragement. I would like to thank everyone who has prayed and are still praying., There are things to come in another area that God is still working out. It is so difficult to have life being stiffled by others. The good in all of this is that Elizabeth and I are stronger and closer, and more determined to see our dreams come true.
Never let anyone touch your dreams in a negative way! Keep reaching upward. Surround yourself with those who will challenge your ideas and thinking, but will always support you even if it is to clean up when you crash and burn.
More rantings to come,
Jonathan
Sunday, June 27, 2010
It's A New Day!!!!
I love new days! Yesterday I was able to spend time with my family at the beach in Panama City. After a week of "dealings" this was the closest thing to a vacation I have had in a while. The water was salty, the waves slightly rough, but, oh so relaxing! On a raft out in the midst of the water I was able to look back and see, my not-so-little, Ethan making a sand castle, Abbie running in and out of the water, Jacob "rafting" his way to me, and Elizabeth, as beautiful as ever, taking it all in and recording the memories on camera.
I enjoyed myself so much. I got a little sun in places I haven't determined had enough sunscreen. I got sand in places only God and my wife should ever see or know about, but it was great! It was late when we got home, thoroughly exhausted, but full of memories.
I say all of that to say this, God is there when we invite him with us. Nothing mystical or strange, he is the friend you "bump into" because he is everywhere. In that sweet moment on the raft looking at my family I had a moment with God. Then Jacob couldn't paddle back to shore on his raft, he started to panic. He reminded me of the T-Rex on "Meet the Robinsons," "Big head, little arms." So I hauled Jacob back in to shore, but I didn't tell the near 10 year old that I still like feeling needed by him.
Much Love
Jonathan
PS- God still likes to feel needed too...Give him a holla!
I enjoyed myself so much. I got a little sun in places I haven't determined had enough sunscreen. I got sand in places only God and my wife should ever see or know about, but it was great! It was late when we got home, thoroughly exhausted, but full of memories.
I say all of that to say this, God is there when we invite him with us. Nothing mystical or strange, he is the friend you "bump into" because he is everywhere. In that sweet moment on the raft looking at my family I had a moment with God. Then Jacob couldn't paddle back to shore on his raft, he started to panic. He reminded me of the T-Rex on "Meet the Robinsons," "Big head, little arms." So I hauled Jacob back in to shore, but I didn't tell the near 10 year old that I still like feeling needed by him.
Much Love
Jonathan
PS- God still likes to feel needed too...Give him a holla!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Conviction or Condemnation???
This is my first post in nearly a month. Thank you for your patience, now on to business. Over the last several weeks I have been contemplating this topic. I feel that I have been a student of both conviction and condemnation. You see conviction comes from God and leads to the repentance of sin. Condemnation, however, is man made and serves as nothing more than a means to force people to live a certain way.
Conviction is merely a nudge toward the proper way of living. For example, someone grows as a christian and feels that they should stop smoking, or another habit. We would consider those changes to be the work of God. Not so for condemnation.
Condemnation allows the one "setting the rules" to have power over the condemned one. Guilt is a very powerful tool. It can be used to manipulate large groups of people. I have heard preachers manipulate congregations ocer nothing more than their own need to feel powerful. Well meaning people raise their children under a mixture of fearing God because of what he might do, only because they were afraid of freedom of thought.
Philippians 2
Imitating Christ's Humility
1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness.8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. 14Do everything without complaining or arguing,
Focusing on verse 12. we are to work out our salvation. As for verse one we are to not lose sight of our interests. God made us to be who we are. The singer on the stage, the dancer, the artist, the farmer, the whatever, we are given abilities and talents from birth that we are to fine tune. We may not always use them for the right purposes, but that is part of the "Work-Out." We are to encourage others in their own pursuits as those around us should encourage us.
Romans 8:1,"There is therefore now no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus." I will no longer allow people to condemn me. In the words of Aerosmith I will "walk this way..."
Much Love
Jonathan
PS: Coming soon, The Gospel Disney Style
Conviction is merely a nudge toward the proper way of living. For example, someone grows as a christian and feels that they should stop smoking, or another habit. We would consider those changes to be the work of God. Not so for condemnation.
Condemnation allows the one "setting the rules" to have power over the condemned one. Guilt is a very powerful tool. It can be used to manipulate large groups of people. I have heard preachers manipulate congregations ocer nothing more than their own need to feel powerful. Well meaning people raise their children under a mixture of fearing God because of what he might do, only because they were afraid of freedom of thought.
Philippians 2
Imitating Christ's Humility
1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness.8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. 14Do everything without complaining or arguing,
Focusing on verse 12. we are to work out our salvation. As for verse one we are to not lose sight of our interests. God made us to be who we are. The singer on the stage, the dancer, the artist, the farmer, the whatever, we are given abilities and talents from birth that we are to fine tune. We may not always use them for the right purposes, but that is part of the "Work-Out." We are to encourage others in their own pursuits as those around us should encourage us.
Romans 8:1,"There is therefore now no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus." I will no longer allow people to condemn me. In the words of Aerosmith I will "walk this way..."
Much Love
Jonathan
PS: Coming soon, The Gospel Disney Style
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