ECA and Bogotá Update
I have had several cool opportunities in this past month. I got to lead staff devotions a few weeks ago as well as be one of the speakers at high school retreat. The lunch-time tournaments are almost all over this week. The high school guys’ soccer tournament still has a few more weeks to go, and the staff is currently tied for first place. The volleyball team that I coach hopes to have its first match next week. The 3rd quarter is quickly coming to a close, and it’s hard to believe I will be visiting the States in only three months. I am enjoying my new small group that meets every other week. I will also be accompanying the senior class on their senior trip in May.
The high school retreat two weeks ago was a great time for both students and staff, and it was awesome to see the growth in so many students and see their hearts for God. It was an honor for me to be one of the session speakers during the retreat. I got to speak on the Holy Spirit, which has been a really exciting topic for me recently. I shared who the Holy Spirit is, how He works, my experiences, hearing from Him, and stepping out and trusting Him. The students responded well, and I know God planted and grew seeds. That retreat will be my last one in my time at ECA.
One thing I have really enjoyed is organizing ultimate frisbee/picnic events each month. It is a great time of bringing people together to play and make connections. I will be starting back up with Coloreando Alas, a ministry that works in a poor part of the city up on a mountain, this week. I will be helping to coach the soccer kids. I am also a part of a group of teachers from my school who meet to pray and practice some of the spiritual gifts.
Future
I will be visiting a soccer ministry in Medellín from March 21-25 to see and confirm if that’s where God wants me after ECA. I will be meeting with the director and staff and will do some ministry things. I hope to have greater clarity through this trip. I was also asked to consider moving to Barranquilla on the coast to work with a Fellowship of Christian Athletes church plant and do sports ministry alongside that. I still feel drawn to Medellín at this point. I know that wherever I choose God will open up doors and will grow me through it. I want to be in a place where I can be immersed in Spanish, grow and be trained in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, be focused on relationships, and work with youth doing sports ministry. I would also love to be able to visit different schools and prisons to do things.
Holy Spirit
I have been learning so much about the Holy Spirit recently. I am asking God what is preventing me from experiencing more of Him and how to walk in boldness, power, and authority of Christ through His Spirit. God has given me more of a desire for Him and a desire to go deeper in the spiritual things. This is an exciting time in my life because I know God wants to gift me and empower me for present and future ministry. I believe God has given me the desire and gift to do things differently and out-of-the-box. In general, I feel the Church is missing the Holy Spirit and needs to take time to really listen to and hear from the Lord. I want to be someone who heals, speaks words to others, preaches the gospel, and brings new life. Sometimes I feel alone in this as it seems no one else around me really wants this, but God is faithful and has a plan to fulfill this desire.
“Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing others in songs, hymns, and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” – Colossians 3:16
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” – Matthew 6:10
En Cristo,
Jonathan
I have had several cool opportunities in this past month. I got to lead staff devotions a few weeks ago as well as be one of the speakers at high school retreat. The lunch-time tournaments are almost all over this week. The high school guys’ soccer tournament still has a few more weeks to go, and the staff is currently tied for first place. The volleyball team that I coach hopes to have its first match next week. The 3rd quarter is quickly coming to a close, and it’s hard to believe I will be visiting the States in only three months. I am enjoying my new small group that meets every other week. I will also be accompanying the senior class on their senior trip in May.
The high school retreat two weeks ago was a great time for both students and staff, and it was awesome to see the growth in so many students and see their hearts for God. It was an honor for me to be one of the session speakers during the retreat. I got to speak on the Holy Spirit, which has been a really exciting topic for me recently. I shared who the Holy Spirit is, how He works, my experiences, hearing from Him, and stepping out and trusting Him. The students responded well, and I know God planted and grew seeds. That retreat will be my last one in my time at ECA.
One thing I have really enjoyed is organizing ultimate frisbee/picnic events each month. It is a great time of bringing people together to play and make connections. I will be starting back up with Coloreando Alas, a ministry that works in a poor part of the city up on a mountain, this week. I will be helping to coach the soccer kids. I am also a part of a group of teachers from my school who meet to pray and practice some of the spiritual gifts.
Future
I will be visiting a soccer ministry in Medellín from March 21-25 to see and confirm if that’s where God wants me after ECA. I will be meeting with the director and staff and will do some ministry things. I hope to have greater clarity through this trip. I was also asked to consider moving to Barranquilla on the coast to work with a Fellowship of Christian Athletes church plant and do sports ministry alongside that. I still feel drawn to Medellín at this point. I know that wherever I choose God will open up doors and will grow me through it. I want to be in a place where I can be immersed in Spanish, grow and be trained in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, be focused on relationships, and work with youth doing sports ministry. I would also love to be able to visit different schools and prisons to do things.
Holy Spirit
I have been learning so much about the Holy Spirit recently. I am asking God what is preventing me from experiencing more of Him and how to walk in boldness, power, and authority of Christ through His Spirit. God has given me more of a desire for Him and a desire to go deeper in the spiritual things. This is an exciting time in my life because I know God wants to gift me and empower me for present and future ministry. I believe God has given me the desire and gift to do things differently and out-of-the-box. In general, I feel the Church is missing the Holy Spirit and needs to take time to really listen to and hear from the Lord. I want to be someone who heals, speaks words to others, preaches the gospel, and brings new life. Sometimes I feel alone in this as it seems no one else around me really wants this, but God is faithful and has a plan to fulfill this desire.
“Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing others in songs, hymns, and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” – Colossians 3:16
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” – Matthew 6:10
En Cristo,
Jonathan