September 11 | Day 3

Had another great day. We started out by attending a Catholic Church and spoke afterward with Father Haddad, the priest. It was an interesting conversation about the Middle East and peace and how Muslims and Christians can coexist together with a mutual respect for one another. However, nothing was really said about religious freedom except that Christians can be a practice what they believe through good works, but not share or convert others an and do good deeds. Then we went to the parliament building and spoke with the President of parliament, another Senator and the General of the Royal Jordanian army. It was also a very interesting conversation about religious freedom in the country and the Middle East. Jordan is much more tolerant of other religions outside of Islam, such as Christianity or Judiasm, but has a ways to go in allowing other religions to proclaim their faith freely to others. Less than 4% of the 6 million plus people in Jordan are Christians and many of them have left Jordan to countries that allow religious tolerance. 

We met with the President of the Jordanian Parliament

Where the Parliament meets when in session.

President of Parliament, another Senator, and General of the Royal Jordanian Army and our journalistic tour group!

We also toured the Citadel, which was the place where King David had Uriah killed in the Old Testiment. It was a fascinating place with many ancient artifacts and ruins from Old Testiment and Roman time periods and it had amazing views to the rest of the city. We finished the day off eating at a very nice dinner overlooking the city of Amman...breathe taking views.

The Citadel near downtown Amman - Place where King David had Uriah killed

From the Citadel overlooking Amman

Dinner at a great restaurant overlooking the Citadel and downtown Amman

Please pray for the Believers in Jordan. There are many challenges that face them daily while living in a predominant Muslim culture. Like I said, less then 4% of the population are Christians and only about 2,500 people claim to be Evangelical.

Another adventure awaits us tomorrow.

September 10th | Day 2 in Jordan

I woke up very early this morning with little sleep the night before due to jetlag. None the less, I felt energized due to the amount of excitement running through my bones! We ate an amazing breakfast at the hotel, Jordanian style and then headed to the North of Jordan. We spent a good amount of time at the ancient ruins of Gadara taking pictures and learning about the Decapolis city of Gadara – a Greco-Roman remains. This was the place where Jesus cast out the demons out of two demon-possessed men and let them go into a herd of pigs (Matthew 8:28-34).

This site was so amazing. There were many ancient roman columns and a the remains of a church.

Also, there was an amphitheater that was spectacular. I felt so honored to stand in it and once where there were great orators and actors and actresses performing for the people of the day.

Also, there was a lookout where you could see the Sea of Galilee (modern day Lake Tiberias), Israel and the top of a mountain peak where Jesus’ transfiguration took place.

We continued to explore many ruins at this site. I love the rich history of this part of the world!

Next, we ate at a Lebanese restaurant, which had delicious food in the city of Jerash or ancient Gerasa. This was thought to be the place where Jesus turned water into wine. It had the most spectacular ruins…a huge colonnade, amphitheater, the temple of Zeus and Artimetes, a horse track and many other fountain ruins and beautiful scenery.

We went back to the hotel to change and head to a church service. I met some amazing Christians and saw their hearts ablaze for Jesus Christ! God is so amazing. He raises up people that will carry His heart to the ends of the earth!

September 9th | Day 1 in Jordan

Our journalistic team arrived in Jordan on a Royal Jordanian Airplane on Friday evening at 5:45pm. It was a very relaxing 12 hour flight. We each had our own TV monitor and could watch an array of movies, play games, or listen to music at our own leisure. We were provided a dinner and an early morning breakfast, even though it was really like 3:00 in the afternoon in the Middle East. When we arrived at the airport, I noticed they were building a brand new state of the art airport connecting the older one. It was incredible and very modern looking! Upon arrival, we were greeted by out tourism guides and they showed us through customs and even paid for our visas into the country.

Flying over Israel and Jordan was a site to see. It was a lot more modern than I had anticipated and the roads were very much like the States. Although there was an immense desert landscape that just seemed to never end. Once we left the airport on our bus, we headed toward the beautiful city of Amman. We drove around a very nice section of the city and the American Embassy, which was a magnificent building. We were advised not to take pictures of the building for untold reasons. At a first glance, the modern architecture of the city, the roadway systems and the restaurants within Amman reminds me of any advanced culture, way more so than the nation of Haiti that I was just in.

We ate at amazing restaurant tonight called the Blue Fig. It was a very modern looking and the food was exceptional. Everyone enjoyed the candle lit dinner out on the patio. Once we were done eating dinner, we ventured over to the Intercontinental Hotel near downtown Amman. It is luxury at its finest.

Unable to sleep, I am up writing my first blog entry of our adventure at 4am and while contemplating what to journal, I hear some type of music playing all over the city. I assume it has something to do with the Muslim culture we are in, however, I am not sure.

Breakfast comes quite early, followed by a full day in the North of Jordan.

More to write soon

Today I am Embarking On A Journalistic Tour of the Holy Lands in Jordan

Well, the day is finally here. I am embarking for the nation of Jordan to experience a journalistic tour of the Holy Landsfor 10 days with about 8 other journalists and publishers from around the country. I am excited to see what adventures God takes us down. I will try and post a blog everday so all of you can stay up to date on what is happening to us in Jordan. I will be visiting many biblical historical sites, including: where John the Baptist baptized Jesus, where John the Baptist was beheaded, where Elijah was caught up into Heaven on the Chariot of Fire, where Moses overlooked the Promise Land and one area where they passed through to get to the promise land. I will also be seeing the world renown Petra which was featured in Raiders of the Lost Ark - an Indiana Jones movie, swim in the Dead Sea and the Red Sea, and will visit the Jordan River. Plus, there will be many other historical sites and I will be attending a couple of church services! This truly will be a once in a life time experience and I look forward to sharing it with you.

You Have Talents And Abilities

This past July I led a team of 25 people to Haiti to continue with phase two construction of a church building project and began the partnership groundwork with a local hospital in the city of Les Cayes. During the months leading up to our trip, I had a friend introduce me to Lynne Doctor, the founder of Generosity Projects. Lynne was looking for a way to serve the Lord with her gifts and talents. She had always loved sewing and quilting, but never knew she could use her skills for the Lord in that capacity. Over time, God began to stir her heart to start Generosity Projects, which is a ministry using sewing and quilting to meet the needs of others worldwide. Lynne leads and guides a team of volunteer quilters and seamstresses to make various items ranging from blankets for children, protective vests for military dogs for the U.S. military and much more. One branch of Generosity Projects is Griffin’s Gift. The focus of Griffin's Gift is to provide quilts and blankets to orphanages, children in extreme poverty and/or those who have been affected by some catastrophe. These blankets of love give hope and comfort to children and their parents who need the tangible love of God in desperate situations in various places around the world.
Lynne told me she could make blankets for the small children in the Haitian community we were ministering to. So we took 50 blankets from Generosity Projects | Griffin’s Gift and handed them out after church service on a Sunday night. The children and mothers went crazy and were so thankful to receive blankets for their children. One single mother received two blankets for her newborn twin baby boys who were less than a year old. The expressions on each of their faces were of joy and hope because of an act of love from Griffin’s Gift.

Just like Lynne, there are many people in the body of Christ that are wondering how they can be used by the Lord to make a difference in their world. The key is to be who God created you to be. He has given you natural gifts and talents to be stewards over. Don’t try to be something you’re not. In other words, you don’t need to go become a preacher, worship leader, or missionary if that is not the path God has for you or gifted you with. Lots of young Christians jump into something they perceive to be cool, but are they really gifted or called by God in that area. When they get frustrated because it is not working out the way they thought, then they get discouraged and end up on the sidelines of life. Lynne discovered that her calling was centered around the gifts and talents God gave her. As she stepped onto the path that was for her, amazing doors opened up and the fruit of her life grew exponentially. If you are really good at sewing or quilting and you have a burning desire to help others in this capacity then pursue it with all your might. If you are gifted in engineering and your mind thinks in a very structured way, then become the best engineer you can possibly be and do it unto the Lord. If you have a burning desire to teach and are good at it, then become a teacher. The Body of Christ is multifaceted and has many parts. Not all have the same role or abilities. If they did, the body would not function properly. Ask God to help you understand what your gifts and talents are and to lead you down the plan and purpose He has destined you for. True meaning in life is discovering an amazing personal relationship with the Creator and fulfilling the purpose He has for you. Will you focus on what you are good at and not compare yourself to others?
If you are interested in getting involved with Generosity Projects or you would like more information on this ministry, you can contact Lynne Doctor at docsology101@frontier.com. Generosity Projects always needs volunteers. If you would like to take blankets on your next missions trip or have a need for them in some other capacity mentioned, please contact Generosity Projects for project guidelines. All blankets/quilts are delivered by individuals traveling for international adoptions or by mission teams so they have no shipping costs involved and their donations are put directly into the hands of those in need. SOS Project supports deployed military personnel and their families. You can Follow Generosity Projects on Facebook too.

You Can Overcome Discouragement & Depression

There are millions of people who face depression or find themselves trapped in prolonged seasons of discouragement at various times in their lives. Depression and discouragement keep people from experiencing all the good things God has in store for them by strangling the life out of all who encounter their deadly grips. Cory is no stranger to depression. He experienced a very difficult season of his life where he lost all hope and almost committed suicide. Listen to Cory Nickols faith filled message: You Can Over Come Discouragement & Depression and learn how God delivered him from the powerful jaws of depression and how Jesus Christ can do the same for you.

You Can Overcome Discouragement & Depression

6 Principles To Help You Make Wise Decisions

Everyday people are faced with decisons. Some of them are not so important, while others can change the course of a person's life dramatically. Yet, people make them without giving careful thought to the consequences of their choices and many times regret the ones they made. Are you getting ready to make an important decision or one that doesn't seem so important today? Later on you might discover it was very important? You see, every choice builds a foundation that is taking you somewhere? Listen to Cory Nickols inspiring message: 6 Principles To Help You Make Wise Decisions and let God lead you down a journey of no regrets.

Listen To Cory's Message Click Here: