Post 11.0

Praise the Lord! God is Good! The Global Boot Camp 5K Run for Missions went really well, about 30 runners and/or volunteers showed up to the race and we harvested about $1,000! These past 4 months have been very busy as we have been volunteering with ministries such as Against the Grain, Second Harvest Food Bank, and New Song Christian Academy. We are getting closer and closer to leaving, I am so excited, we have less than 8 weeks until we leave! I would like to bring to your attention the huge financial need for the trip that still remains. As a team we are needing to harvest $6,000 accumulatively. We don’t know which country we are going to because of the lack of finances to purchase plane tickets. Our options are either Dominican Republic or Mexico, and we will be living with our strategic partners associated with New Song Christian Fellowship, for 3 months. Prayer support is still greatly needed for our team to be able to go on this trip. We have been told by our directors that either as a team we all go or we all stay. I know for me personally God told me and my parents that I was to take a year off and give it to the Lord by participating in Global Boot Camp. God has promised me that I will go. I don’t doubt it, I know He is my provider because he has already provided $2,500 for Global Boot Camp. There is no plan B, we are going, as my faith rises I hope that you will prayerfully consider and seek the Lord on an amount to sow into our team. You can email me at jonathan.lesher@gmail.com if you are interested in giving. Thank You so much for your continued support. God bless you! Merry Christmas!

Post 10.0

GBC is going really well. We have been kept very busy gathering donations for Against the Grain’s annual Christmas Shoppe which lets lower income families children pick out gifts for their parents who normally wouldn’t normally be able to afford gifts for themselves. It’s a lot of fun driving around to different stores and receiving the donations and setting up collection boxes. As of right now we have 120 small gifts and our goal is to harvest 500 total. It has been really interesting living by faith, not knowing where these 500 gifts are coming from or even where we are going on our 3 month missions trip or even knowing who our leader will be. Something the Lord has been teaching me is this: “(God speaking) Do you really trust me and love me enough to not worry about where you will be going for 3 months?” I am expectant, I know God holds it all together and has my best in store, He knows exactly where we are going, who our leader is and where the money is coming from to pay for the trip. In and of myself I can’t make this happen, but God is faithful and always comes through. God is The Provider. Global Boot Camp is hosting a 5K Run for Missions, the primary reason we are doing this is because we are in need of about $8,000 total for our cost needed for everyone to go on the 3 month trip. If you would like to sponsor us to run it would be greatly appreciated. God is good and I am blessed to be part of this amazing process God is teaching me. Thank You all so much for your continued support!

Post 9.0

I was reading in my Perspectives book the other day and the passage of scripture the article focused on was Matthew 25, and more specifically the 6 physical forms of need. The article was entitled The State of World Need the majority of the article was focused on presenting statistics of hunger, water and preventable diseases throughout the world. I was floored by the numbers I read: for 2/3 of people worldwide hunger is a lifestyle, over 1,000,000,000 people lack access to clean water, there are 32.9 million refugees scattered across the globe, millions die every year from preventable diseases. The conclusion of this article was focused specifically on us to not be lulled into inactivity because of the enormous size of the task, but that collectively we can meet the needs of the world as a big team rather than one or two of us by ourselves. The statistics also showed that Americans spend 30-50 million dollars on diets and other low calorie food expenses, but yet hundreds die of cardiovascular diseases and obesity: Americans eat themselves to death. After I read this article I was reminded of a passage in scripture from Philippians 4:12 “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.” verse 11 “…I have learned to be content with whatever I have…” I have thought about this passage a lot lately. I have always known how blessed we are in America, (I know it’s cliché, Thanksgiving is right around the corner) but if I step back and examine American culture and society as a whole, even though we have everything we need or could want, selfishness is rampant. Being content. “I have learned to be content with whatever I have.” Kids who want to give their food on their plate to kids in Africa get chuckles from adults, but really… for under 25$ one can give a gift of rabbits, chickens, bed nets, or clean water funding for people in 3rd world countries. I can’t believe even how selfish and self centered I am, I live in America and I know how to live with everything, a full stomach, and with plenty; but like Paul I want to learn the secret of living in every situation. Even in preparation for the 3 month missions trip to either Dominican Republic or Mexico, I want to prepare myself to be able to live with little or with almost nothing. America is a cruise ship, I want to get off and really see what the daily life is actually like in the rest of the world. You may be reading this and be thinking, “Wow, that’s good for him, but I don’t know how to take action to help.” Let me tell you right up front that prayer is the greatest weapon next to the word of God. We must be praying for the nations and interceding for the gospel to be spread wide across the globe. Secondly find and research missions organizations to financially support on a regular basis. I am in preparation to be going on a 3 month missions trip in January and needing to harvest $2,000 for the trip. If you would prayerfully consider financially supporting me that would be greatly appreciated. As of right now the directors of Global Boot Camp have not yet decided if our team will go to the Dominican Republic or Mexico. I am really excited how God will provide for this trip, I am so thankful for you who have faithfully prayed and sown into me during this season of Global Boot Camp. Blessings.

Post 8.0

One of the ministries we volunteer with is Against the Grain, a ministry dedicated to assisting single moms and their kids. Specifically for Global Boot Camp our involvement with AtG is with their Study Buddy program at Liberty Elementary. My involvement is one-on-one tutoring with a kindergarten boy whose parents are in jail. My role is primarily to tutor him in math and reading as well as to be a positive male role model or big brother to him. I go with the other girls in the program twice a week to tutor these kids. The more and more I am around kids the more I long to be a Dad. I am loving the experience of Global Boot Camp, especially with the ministries we are volunteering with.

Post 7.0

Right now I am in need of $1,855. I know God has called me to be part of Global Boot Camp but it seems that there is still such a long way to go financially. This morning I prayed for the support letters I sent a few weeks ago as well as the Facebook message reminders. I don't know exactly how the Lord is going to provide but it really doesn't matter, I just know He always comes through. I was reading in Hebrews today and was encouraged when I read: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23 I have a settled confidence in a secure future that the Lord will provide because He is faithful and gracious to provide for His children. Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Right now this dollar amount seems to be an overwhelming giant of a mountain but I know that my faith in Christ will grow as I believe and stand firm in knowing Christ as the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end, and as Jehovah Jirah, our provider. I know I’m within Christ’s will because I am learning so much throughout the process, I have a confidence that however the Lord provides for me that He will still be given all the glory and honor. It would be greatly appreciated if you could financially or prayerfully support me during this season of my life. Today marks the 11th week of my enrollment in the program. I am still so excited for where God has yet to send us! Thank you so much for you who are praying for me, it is a blessing to know that I am being covered in prayer. 

Post 6.0

Praise the Lord! God is good and is always faithful! I am so blessed to be part of Global Boot Camp. The Lord has provided me a place to stay during the week instead of driving to and from Mufreesboro 45 minutes everyday. I am so thankful for the family I am staying with, they were very gracious to open up their home to me. God is doing great things in my life as I do all the necessary reading for this program. I learn so much every day that I can hardly retain all of the information from the reading. In my Perspectives class one of my favorite articles is written by Hudson Taylor and I love how selfless he was to seek after Gods will. The most fascinating thing for me was that he looked in his library and wardrobe and cut out all unnecessary books and clothes so he could sell them for money to get him to China. God is always faithful! Hudson Taylor is now one of my favorite missionaries. I have had several opportunities to share the gospel with people we serve from Second Harvest Food Bank and the after-school program at the Coleman Center in the Nolensville/Woodbine area. You can pray for me that God would give me strategies in which to engage people in the gospel. I also am in need of turning in $400 for a October monthly payment for my missions trip which is in January. You all can also be praying that God will reveal to the program coordinators where we are to go for the 3 month trip; the options are Dominican Republic or Mexico. Thank You so much again for your continued support during this season of my life!

Post 5.0

So far in GBC I am really enjoying the homework material and the people. I love coming into class each day and getting my mind blown away by the lessons I learn that are a paradigm or perspective shift. I am beginning to see more and more of how America is selfish, even in my own life. America is on a cruise ship, anything we might need, food, medical care is less than a 10 minute drive away down the road. God has a greater purpose than for me to just stay sitting comfortably, I must get beyond my flesh and step off of the cruise ship. There is a world that needs to hear the gospel, I need to get beyond my selfishness to spread it. Through these many classes the Lord is opening my eyes and giving me understanding of His Kingdom Plan. Instead of seeking the Lord for my purpose in life, it is more about what is God’s purpose and how can I accomplish His purpose. I am purposed to bring glory to God, bless the nations, and to advance the Kingdom by being a witness to the gospel in words and actions. Thank You so much for your prayers. I’m still believing for $2,000 and if you could give that would be a blessing. I have $500 that is due on October 1st so if you want to help out financially that is my greatest need right now. Thanks again for your continued support.

Post 4.0

Today is the end of my first week in GBC. So far it has been an orientation week with tons of forms and waivers. It has been really fun hanging out and interacting with the other GBCers. If you didn’t know already I am the only boy in the program. There are three other girls also in the program with me. I have started a Perspectives class and did an International Bible School lesson but besides that this week has been really light, almost a smooth entry or transition into the program. On a volunteer basis we will be involved with after school tutoring with Against the Grain ministries (focused on helping single mothers), Second Harvest food bank, and helping with the New Song Christian Academy. Today we had an opportunity to help at Second Harvest in the Woodbine/ Nolensville area. If you know anything about Woodbine then you know about all the different ethnic groups that are represented there. I was able to help distribute food to people speaking Spanish, Arabic, and English. Even though there was a language barrier I am so glad I can be a blessing to them. I am blessed to be a blessing! Thanks for your prayers! 

Post 3.0

I had my first Perspectives class just recently and throughout the teaching and the homework the Lord has really opened my eyes to see how narrow my worldview is. God is the God of purpose, and as his creation our ultimate purpose is to glorify God. The next purpose is for all the nations of the earth to be blessed. God is a missional God who desires to see the nations blessed. Throughout the reading for the class the text has looked primarily at the Old Testament to see how Abraham was first given God’s purpose and promise. I am loving this Perspectives class, even though the reading is challenging the Lord is highlighting specific principles to my mind as I read and process the material. GBC has started with this first class, but my first full day will be on this Tuesday! I am so excited and expectant for all the Lord will do. You could pray for me specifically that someone would open their home to me to stay in either as a roommate or host home, as well as the remaining $2,000 for the trip fee. Thank You for your prayers!

Post 2.0

Praise the Lord! He is forever faithful and good! This last week was camp and God did amazing things in and through me, just a snapshot of the week: the Lord gave me opportunities to lead 2 people to Christ, lead a small group of 4 guys, and baptize 2 of them. Without the Holy Spirit I could not have said the right words. My boldness is rising as I am truly living the word of God and being led by the Holy Spirit. When I returned home there were two things on my desk: an acceptance letter from MTSU and a check for $1000 for GBC from my Grandma! Praise God! To even add to that I am going to work all of August for Mr. Rick Tiereny who has graciously given me a job. The Lord has also provided more work during GBC with Mr. Wayne Detweiler. My faith is rising in the Lord, He is The Provider. I am even more expectant for what the Lord will do in me and through me in GBC.

Post 1.0

I am so excited for Global Boot Camp! Yesterday I had an interview with the two leaders over the program. It was mainly for them to see where I am concerning the program, how I plan on paying for it, what I see myself doing afterwards, and logistical things like day to day living. As of right now I am looking for a host home or someone who will let me room with them for the duration of the 5 months leading up to the 3 month missions trip. Speaking of the missions trip, I had lots of questions that were answered in the interview, one being the location of the missions trip. I assumed it would be the Dominican Republic but another possibility is Mexico. I have been to both locations on Missions trips with New Song so either one would be awesome. Right now leading up into the launch of this new season I have been working off and on odd jobs for family and friends. I am expectant to learn and am ready for the Lord to use me and do great works through me.