JAY OAKES
turning ideas into words.
Running out of love.11/11/2016 The other day I went for a run. As I was running, I was thinking about my desire to push myself, move forward and dream about the future. I was thinking about where I want my fitness to be, what I want my family to look like and what our goals are individually and collectively.
Over the course of my life I've had many things, people and moments that have inspired me to keep moving forward, push myself and dream. One of the people that has done so is my wife. She encourages me on a daily basis, is very uplifting and I'm constantly wanting to prove myself to her, not because I think I need to, but because I just want her to be proud that I'm her husband. Another person, is my unborn baby. My wife and I have been married just under 6.5 years and have been talking about kids since we were dating. We knew that we wanted to live life with just the 2 of us for a little while before adding another person into the family. As of today, we have a little baby girl that is due in 10 days and we're so excited to meet her. She's not even born yet and she has made an impact so many people's lives and is so incredibly loved. A motivating factor for me the other day, was just after the month of October was over. Pastor Appreciation Month has never been a focus, but this year, our church decided to put a lot of effort into it. As I walked away from the month of October with cards, gifts and thank you's, I was inspired. I realized that although my position as a Pastor can be discouraging at times, there are people that have been impacted by me, as a leader, without always realizing it. I was motivated, in this moment, by the appreciation I received and I realized that I need to keep setting goals in front of myself and continue pushing forward. I need to be an example for people to follow, I need to keep my health in a spot where I can actively lead people, I need to hold myself to the same standard that Jesus holds me to, I need to strive to reach my goals and I need to dream in a way that pushes me to rely on my trust in God’s promises. I found myself truly running, out of love, for my wife, my baby on the way, and the people that I have the privilege to serve. What motivates you to keep going? What motivates you to try? What motivates you to dream?
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A Letter to Citipoint Church.11/2/2016 Just over 6 years ago, I had the opportunity of meeting a man who was stepping into the role of Lead Pastor at the church I was attending and serving in. At the time, I didn’t know what to expect of him. My wife knew him from her teenage years, as she had attended his youth ministry, and highly respected him as a leader. She knew who he was, some of his values and that he desired to serve Jesus above anything else in the world. I was told by her, that Mike had a heart for teenagers. She was so excited about that, because she knew what his role in youth ministry had been, and she knew his heart was to see the Church grow starting with kids. It was exciting to think that our Lead Pastor would have a heart that was sold out for the youth and the kids of the Church. It was absolutely true.
Beyond his support of kids and youth ministry, he is incredibly supportive of his staff. Just over 4 years ago, I was honored by the invitation to step onto his team in a vocational role as the Youth and Media Pastor of Citipoint Church. Over the course of time, I have been challenged, encouraged, loved, cared for, accepted, allowed to fail, and, because of that, have been able to succeed in areas I never thought would be possible. I have been taught and guided in many areas of my life. As Pastor Appreciation Month of 2016 came to a close 2 days ago, I have nothing short of full appreciation, on a daily basis, for the man that I call my Pastor, my boss and my friend. To my family within Citipoint Church, you have a Lead Pastor who loves you. There is nothing but genuine care and thankfulness that Mike has for the people he leads. He prays for you, he fights for you, he tries for you, he makes sacrifices for you, he cries for you, he celebrates with you and he believes in you. Your pastor cares for you and he cares about me. He’s an example of what it means to be on Mission for THE CHURCH, not just the church he leads. I serve a God who is loving, caring and full of grace. I serve a Pastor that strives to exemplify those same positive character traits that are embraced by our Creator. I am so thankful for the man that God has given me as a mentor, in my life and in ministry. I don’t take it lightly that I have been able to sit next to him for countless conversations, car rides, meetings and events. Mike, thank you for your time, your prayers and your investment into me. -Jay Oakes Archives
February 2018
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