Jonathan

for stacy

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 01:38:23 -0800

138838226_d8410726c8

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 03:22:30 -0800

174489021_120f6c4ae8

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 03:21:35 -0800

sandbags

Sat, 24 Feb 2007 09:54:29 -0800

Autistic Basketball Player

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 23:04:56 -0800

Who do you need to let in the game?

Why not ask?

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:29:47 -0800

Ben Arment of Catalyst brought up a great point about making the "ask." It could take a couple asks but we have to be willing to pursue something we are dedicated to. Persistence pays and it can make all the difference in the world.

What audience are you making an ask of and should you ask again?

The Girl Effect

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:14:45 -0800

File this under effective media. I love the message and the presentation is great. How can we empower girls to end malaria..?

New Challenges

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:40:07 -0800

Tomorrow I begin my new role as Communications Director for the Malaria No More Policy Center. I am very excited for the opportunity and the chance to make a difference. Expect a Global Health heavy blog to come!

Finally Finished!

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 05:40:38 -0800

Back in September I started reading Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead" in my free time. I read it at the beach, on long flights to Asia, in bed and anywhere I had an extra minute. I guess I needed a lot of extra minutes!

Today I finished the book and enjoyed the ride. I can't say that I am picking up another Rand epic but I am looking forward to what the shelf holds...

Greater Things 2009

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:09:40 -0800

During National Community Church's annual leadership retreat I caught up with five other guys to ask what "greater things" they were expecting in 2009.

It was an exciting retreat and my prayer is that the energy stirred up over 24 hours in West Virginia would carry small groups, and our church, through an amazing year of relying on God and witnessing the greater things He has in store.

Greater Things 2009 from Jonathan on Vimeo.

Sorely out of shape...

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:07:14 -0800

I had a great time playing football on the National Mall with a bunch of people from church yesterday, but I am feeling it today!

I don't think it has anything to do with being 31, it is more related to it being winter and my refusal to have a gym membership. Looks like I will be putting on the layers and get into training shape... that shape is still round however!

Pablo talks to Bill Gates at Davos

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:07:13 -0800

Bill Gates talking about the importance of governments to continue aid and development funding, even in the current economic climate. Hopefully this translates into non-governmental groups and individuals...

Communications is Relationships

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:44:41 -0800

There is nothing new in the idea that at the core of communications is relationships. I talked about this in an interview earlier in the week and have been thinking about it.

Everyone we communicate with has some relationship with us. Granted they could be as shallow as a relationship like the one of an individual who randomly reads a blog and comments. That relationship though is more robust than the one I have with the reporter I listen to or watch on tv every night, but a relationship remains.

As a communicator it is important to focus on the relationships more and spend a lot of energy building them with my audience. Whether the relationships are those that allow members of the media to trust you or members of your wider audience to take action they are important, no vital, to communication.

What relationships do you need to establish, renew or build to communicate better?

Creating Community... What we look for

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:18:25 -0800

Our lives are all about the relationships we forge and the people and attitudes we surround ourselves with. This weekend I have the honor of taking part in the National Community Church leadership retreat where 170 leaders will build relationships by learning and worshiping together. And as I gear up to help others learn as much as they can and enjoy the experience, I am thinking about groups in general and how we find them, build them and sustain them.

When it comes to church small groups I can't say that I have spent a lot of time choosing them. Thinking about how I pick a small group, it has to do mostly with need. Some of us are in need of friend relationships, so we seek out a place to make friends. Others need to grow their faith through intellectual means, turning to an intensive study. Then some of us need some good old fashioned disciple, so we find a group pouring out accountability.

What is your need and how can building community help you meet it?

Sunday Survey... from Jonathan on Vimeo.

50 Degree days and the future...

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:43:05 -0800

Today in DC it could be as warm as 50 degrees. It will be nice to breathe some warmer air for once and stretch the legs out a little with Jones on a walk.

This morning I have been meeting with some leaders of NCC to discuss the upcoming small group leaders retreat. The retreat is about "Greater Things" and I think it will be a full 24 hours of seeking the greater things that God has in store for our church and our leaders. Of course I get to be the quasi-funny but always smart emcee of the weekend so let's pray for humor!

Concerning my future employment, I have a few potential gigs and one I really want. We are praying that I would land in the right spot, at the right time and that I can make a difference wherever that is.

One day at a time!

Rick Warren Prayer At Inauguration

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 07:29:38 -0800

Let us live this prayer...

That's all she wrote...

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:21:40 -0800

While I still have the title and the duties for a couple more days; today is my last day in the office as Press Secretary for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In the coming days I will post more reflections but over the last year I have learned so much and gained some amazing friends.

I was given great freedom to be agressive and passionate about representing the agency and it's decisions and that freedom is a testament to the leaders I found myself among. And beyond the leadership, there are people I have met that will become the next generation of leaders in America. We laughed, we sweat and we lived life together.

To everyone at the U.S. EPA and especially it's outgoing political team, thank you and God bless.

Imitating Christ's Humility...

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 19:01:45 -0800

For those of you that don't know; I go to church in a movie theater. Every week a bunch of people come together to pull off real community in a rented space, learning, laughing and reaching out as a gorup. We are part of National Community Church, but our Georgetown campus has its own culture and its own casual.

This week we were geared up to hear a message on Philippians 2 and humility. Most weeks we rely on a video message recorded the night before at our Ebenezers coffeehouse location, and this week we had the video but no audio. Our computer decided to take a break so absent our usual campus pastor our team had to play it by ear if you will.

Our worship pastor led the congregation in a great time of worship and we took communion together. We missed the message on Philippians 2, but I think we lived it today.

Paul starts out the chapter urging us as Christians to go one step further and come together in unity and the humility that Christ exemplified.

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Paul goes on to highlight how Jesus lived a nature of servanthood so that God could be exalted, not himself.

Today we had the opportunity to set the normal aside and sing and pray with each other in unity and humility (no one seemed to complain that 'they' came for a message and didn't get one). There is so much to learn from Philippians 2 but today we lived something interesting.

I have so far to go in meeting the example set by Jesus, but moment by moment God is mixing things up so that we learn to be humble and fight for unity. There are probably more profound events in life, but each has an impact if we recognize it. Here is to unity and humility.

Jones' New Toy

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:57:33 -0800

Jones' New Toy from Jonathan on Vimeo.

Jones got a new toy from Wendy and Kurt - it took maybe 10 hours before the thing was dead...

Two Weeks Left

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:58:02 -0800

I have two more weeks in my job and I am starting to pack things up and gear up for the departure. I have learned a lot over the last four years and I especially found my voice over the last year (something I will blog about more soon.)

As most people are setting resolutions and finding new causes I am reflecting, briefly, on experiences as a member of the Bush administration. Pushing renewable energy, living in the Green Zone in Iraq and defending environmetal policy; all challenging and rewarding.

Now to find another job!