The Internet is already old. Which sounds peculiar coming from me. I’m in that cohort that kept dimes in the ashtray on road trips so you could make calls from pay phones to let the folks back home (or at your intended destination) know where you were. And if you got lost, you consulted a fold-up map from the glove box to navigate your way back to the correct route. So calling “old” something that came into existence, struggled through its own awkward adolescence and reached maturity in my life time seems oddly self-incriminating.
But dust accumulates much faster these days, or so it seems, and age has more to do with your attitude than your vintage. At any rate, I’m a new guy in an old place and that always requires some introduction. You can get the basics on the About Me page. I was a preacher for 28 years and experienced some of the greatest joys and the deepest sorrows of my life in that role. Mostly, I lived in between.
I know how hard it is to keep faith and how rewarding it is when you do.
From personal experience, I know how easy it is to fail and how painful are the consequences.
I believe it is possible to be faithful, though not perfect, and that failure can be redemptive. Either way, life is untidy and tangled and hardly ever do we end up where we expected.
Thank you for visiting. I’ll try to make this a place you’d like to visit often.
I am so excited to go on a journey with you through your blog. You have led me for much of my life through your amazing sermons. I still open my Bible and see notes from you in so many places. God bless you my friend and thank you for blogging!!!
All of us live in between, whether we know it or not. Welcome back. You were missed.
From one of my favorite bloggers, Glennon Doyle of Momastery: Life is equal parts beautiful and brutal which makes life Brutiful. True that! So excited you’ve created this blog! Love you, friend.
Jody, So looking forward to your posts. You have a wealth of knowledge and great insight and I am so thankful you are willing to share some of that with the people that love you.
I have always liked to read your “blogs”.
Especially the ones written on the dinning room wall with a crayon.
However they had illustrations.
love you
I’m glad to see you emerging back into public life as the new and improved JV. God is good.
Would it be nepotistic to make my students read some of your posts? I don’t think so. I’m excited for this, and I look forward to visiting the blog, especially when I’m homesick and can’t come home.
Well, hello old friend! 🙂
I agree with all the above although I didn’t find much to not like about the “old and unimproved JV.” Looking forward to reading.
Hearing your voice here delights my heart and fills my soul! Embracing each word, loving continuance of a 30+ year life influence in all that inspires me – My God and you my brother are so holy to me!!! Thank you!
Jody,
You have always been one of my favorite writers and people! So glad to be part of this new road in your life! Love you, brother!
God has given you a great gift at painting a word picture that exposes His Spirit at work in and through ‘ordinary’ people. Thank you for being a great blessing to our family. Looking forward to reading your blog!
Oh how my heart is smiling! Can’t wait to hear all you have to share. Thank you!!
You are my favorite wordsmith. I’m so excited you are sharing your heart again. You are missed!
Love you brother, so happy you are sharing your amazing gifts with us again. The biggest thing I have learned is that when we have stopped loving ourselves is really the beginning of understanding the depth of the love God has for us. When we are thoroughly soaked in that mercy and grace people can see the redemptive powers of true forgiveness. Your greatest blessing is in front of you my friend!
Great message here.
If one can forgive an unclean, for something as grievous as putting their hand in your bag of chips and taking a chip, by accepting them as a long remembered friend, brother and room mate creating a bond that can and never will be broken? Well – I wonder how Christ would forgive and accept one knowing how much we love, respect, and honor him. Sorry, I took your chip – hmp! never apologized for that but you love me all the same. Had that never happened I wonder if we would have really got to know each other. Sometimes I think we teach and preach so much about the Grace and Love of God we fail to really experience it and when we do we learn to live it and not just talk about it using examples of others.
My daddy used say “This is going to hurt me … ” he was wrong it hurt me more just knowing that I disappointed and hurt him. But he loved me all the same and I love him for it.
I share better in person.
ἀγάπη
I’m so glad I found this! I love that you write exactly how you write and speak. I have always enjoyed hearing you preach and teach and I learn something new. Looking forward to reading more!