So here's the deal...

Walt Disney once famously said about the company that bears his name "never forget that it all started with a mouse." The life/ministry story that you will share through this blog, that of Carl Jones, might be summed up by saying it all ended with a mouse- and a keyboard. But life, and faith, are not about the destination. They are all about the journey. And the journey can be very messy. There are roadblocks and detours, and bridges that wash out along the way. Everyone has struggles and failures. The late Dan Fogelberg wrote:

"Along the road your steps may stumble

Your thoughts may start to stray

But through it all a heart held humble

Levels and lights your way..."

For those of us seeking to be disciples of Jesus, the Christ, this is particularly clear when we look at the lives of the disciples. They often stumbled. They seldom knew what Jesus was talking about. And they sinned, despite walking daily with the Son of God. But they persevered, and in the end they changed the world in the name of Jesus. And thus it has been for me. My life had been filled with enormous successes and happiness as well as miserable failure. But through it all, the light of Christ has illuminated the path.

For 28 years I told students in my youth ministries that there are only 3 things in the Bible that we couldn't argue about. First was "in the beginning God..." We could discuss the method God used, or when the dinosaurs came, but "in the beginning God" was not open for debate. Neither was John 3:16.  Jesus, God's only Son, came and died and was resurrected for us. And finally, we can argue the Revelation of John until the end of time and we still will not understand what it all means until we see Jesus face to face! But we cannot, we must not, miss the revelation found in the Bible's last book- GOD WINS!  And so do the followers of Jesus Christ!

So I begin this story be telling you that I am secure in my destination. I know that I know that I know that through grace I have been saved. This blog will be about the journey. It's about finding joy in the journey, and understanding how God works among us. And most importantly, it's about how the overwhelming, ridiculous grace of Jesus Christ is available to even the chief of sinners like me. The stories I will share here are true.  I hope they will make you think and make you smile, for many of them are funny.  After all, no matter how you look at it, life is funny.  I mean I'd laugh- but all this happened to me!

Because of Jesus,