Hey y'all. My thoughts are still a little jumbled as I try and process this so here goes.

Some MAAAAJOR changes have come up.

So, I am no longer in Toronto. Le sigh. I have moved back to Orlando and, for the time being, am waiting to start school back up at Southeastern in the upcoming spring semester.

It's amazing what change a 2-sentence e-mail can bring about. A couple weeks ago, I was sleeping one night and something felt off. I had no clue why and figured it was just me getting adjusted to the food or water or something. But I couldn't shake the feeling so I woke up and checked my e-mail. And there it was. 2 sentences that changed the course of something I had been anticipating and planning for. When I read about the unfortunate (and severe) circumstance surrounding my financial aid status (and student status), I was freaking out pretty badly. I think one of the biggest things for me was the fact that if I ended up moving back home, I would have wasted a semester. Since university in Canada started in September, there was no way for me to last-minute enroll in classes at SEU. I was struggling pretty hard to come to grips with this.

Even though all I've been through wasn't a waste of time, I still hear that it is from time to time. I was actually thinking about this while eating dinner with some friends before I left TO. I'm 25, and in the last 7 or so years, I've attended 4 post-secondary institutions (UCF, Le Cordon Bleu, Southeastern, York) with a broad range of majors (psychology and military science, culinary arts, education, history), worked in the professional world, went on full-time missions for a year around the world. And yet, still living at home and pursuing a degree that I can "use". The world would look at my situation and say, "Hey. This guy had so many opportunities to use what he had and should have a steady job and be close to starting a family by now. What a waste."

But. Things are looking up. I think. Much like my previous post, I'm looking for the opportunities that God presents in the midst of this difficult time. And I think it's selfish of me to wave all my "dashed hopes and plans" at God and say, "what the junks?!" because God isn't this bully who sits back and has a good chuckle at our expense.

I have no idea why God brought me up to TO for the short time I was there. And I have no idea what God has planned for me here in Orlando for now.

But I know that it's gonna be life-changing and it's gonna be pretty awesome to see God do His thaaaaaaang through it all.

Hope this encourages all y'all, much like my friends encouraged me with reminders of these truths. thank you all y'all. you know who you are. =)

Much love.
Jon

wowweeeee. it's been a while since i've last updated eh? sorry y'all.

i am in TORONTO! yayyyyy. =)

i haven't had a lot of time to just sit down and reflect, process, and write down these last few months.

here goes.

so. this summer has been eventful, and yet, not. it's been a summer of opportunities.

i was honestly not looking forward to this summer. i had planned on going on another tour with CTI but due to the severe lack of funds, i had to defer. so, with this huge 1.5 month gap in my summer schedule, i was trying to get used to the fact that i would basically waste a significant portion of my time before the big move.

and yet.

God presented an incredible opportunity for me to do music ministry. far greater than i think my time with CTI this summer would have been.

since moving to orlando, i think one of the toughest things for me was to feel like i was a part of the church i was attending. don't get me wrong. i love my church family. it's just. when a group of people grow up together, they're gonna have a much easier time to relate to one another than with someone. let's say. who starts sharing life with them a good portion of time later (me). when i first started to attend church, i felt like i couldn't connect with many people. i was either too young (for the young adult crowd) or too old (for the high schoolers). i didn't know anyone. over the years, i have grown close to a lot of people. but. even with serving on the worship team and serving the youth, i felt like (probably because of my personality) i couldn't click with them. and being away for a year to serve with CTI was a year where i simply didn't have the ability to have face time with everyone.

and yet.

God had presented an opportunity for me to connect with the youth and a handful of university students through organizing and participating in raising up the next generation of worship leaders in our church.

i have to admit, i had my reservations and doubts. "what if the 'trainer/learner' relationship between the youth students makes it even harder to connect with youth?" "will my struggle with pursuing musical perfection to an obscene level cause the music trainers to get sick of me?" these were some things that ran through my mind.

but. as the training sessions went on, those fears were all for naught.

I've noticed more and more this theme of opportunities.

I think a lot of times, all I see are the obstacles or problems when I could be seeing all the opportunities that God has placed beyond those "obstacles".

Help me Lord.

Hope y'all are doing fantastic!