family

Here we GO!!!

Posted on by Jason Nicholas

I wanted to let everyone know whats going on with the Nicholas Family!!

Well here it is…

At the end of May we will be moving to NY!

I have recently taken a job at First Baptist Church Brewster in Brewster, NY. I have actually been flying back and forth since January but we will be moving up as a family at the end of May. I was hired as the Worship Arts Pastor but have recently been made the Associate Pastor. I am still over the Worship Arts Department but I also oversee Education (small groups, youth, kids ministry)!

The Village of Brewster / The Town of Southeast

The Village of Brewster is 58 miles outside of Times Square in the town of Southeast. It is in the New York City Metro area. The Pastor of First Brewster is actually a southerner too! Rick Julian is his name and he is from Greenville, SC and he spent some summers in Canton, NC which is pretty close to Franklin. Small world…. I am very blessed to work with someone like Rick. He is truly a Pastor and he is unlike anyone I have ever met. His wife’s name is Rachel and they have two kids, Abby and Brooks.

We are very excited about this humongous and scary faith step but we know were headed in the right direction. NY is nothing like NC when it comes to church’s. In case you didn’t know there is not one on every corner in the North. Actually a bible believing, bible teaching church is few and far between. A lot of them are avenues for the Pastor to share their political views or discuss what is going on in the news. The opportunities to reach people here are unbelievable. This area could truly be considered a mission field… Forget that, it is a mission field. 

Did you know that there is around 800 languages spoken in NY?

And,

1 out of every 16 people in the United States lives within a 75 mile radius of Times Square!!

Dang… Thats a lot of people.

One of the things that we loved about the church was that it actually had a variety of people. It really is a church for everyone. From Homeless to the top of the Corporate ladder and everything in between you name it and First Brewster has it. It is a regional church which means some people drive up to 1.5hrs just to come to church!

We are very excited about the ministry possibilities here. They are pretty much endless and I feel God has some really amazing things in store for my family and I. We know God is going to use us to make a difference in the North East!

One thing I would ask of you is this:

PRAY FOR US!!

We would love to have you praying for us! Prayer works and we need it!

A few immediate ones are,

  • Easy Transition for the family
  • Find a house
  • Find the right school for the kids
  • Make good connections

Would you commit to pray for us once a week?

If that’s something you are interested in would you email me at jnicholasfamily@gmail.com and let me know! We will send you more updates and keep you posted with whats going on. I have some really awesome stories I look forward to sharing with you!

Excited about the adventure,

Jason, Brandi, Jonah and Jada

Here is a few video links:

Here is Pastor Rick

Hear is our Easter Egg Hunt from last week!

And Heres one we made for Easter Sunday

Brewsterchurch.com

Grandad

Posted on by Jason Nicholas

When I was younger my Grandad took me all over to different army bases. He was an Army Captain in WW2 so he had lots of stories and back then he had clearance to do some crazy things. I got to drive tanks, shoot some crazy guns and go and hang out in some “off limit” areas. As a kid I though that it was the greatest thing that could ever happen. My Grandad and I were close and I spent a lot of time with him.

Last night I watched a movie about a war veteran that was telling his young grandson all about it. He was talking about different things that happened, friends he lost, battles he won. It totally made me think of HIm. Made me think about how much I miss. Grandad passed away a little over 2 years ago. 

He is a man that changed my life. He taught me how to be a man, how to treat my wife and kids. Most importantly he set a Godly example for me. One that never swayed. He is someone that I hope to be like.

Grandad didn’t always have lots to say, but when he spoke…People listened. He had wisdom that I hope one day I can have. 

 

We’re Not Alone

Posted on by Jason Nicholas

Sometimes encouragement can come from places you never expect. Today it came for me from a song from Phillip Philips. Yes he was the guy that won American Idol last year but I have to say I like this guys music.

Traveling back and forth from “home” can be tough. Today was one of those days. Now I don’t get discouraged easily but I really just missed my family and felt anxious at the moment. I turned on my radio and his song “Home” came on. Here is the chorus….

Settle down, it’ll all be clear
Don’t pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you’re not alone
Cause I’m gonna make this place your home

For me this was good! It was I needed to hear at that very moment. I thanked God right then for the encouragement knowing that God has sent us, He is in control, and I am not alone!

God can speak to you through all sorts of ways. Are we listening? Are we paying attention? Do you realize that you are not alone?

Make it a point this week to be more attentive to hearing from God. We don’t have to be the ones doing all the talking!

J

 

Time To See The Beauty

Posted on by Jason Nicholas

Last week my family and I were in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee for a night.

Pigeon Forge is a place most people have visited for one reason or another. To me, it’s kind of like Myrtle Beach without the beach. It has stores, shops,outlet malls and everything in between.

That morning I decided to go for a run through the town. When I was running I noticed how easily distracted I was by all the things around:lights, flashing signs, cars, and people everywhere.  If you have a short attention span it could drive you crazy. Running through the town I seemed to get lost in everything around me that was wanting my attention.

Pigeon Forge is in the Smoky Mountains and the mountains are truly beautiful, especially this time of year. If you looked beyond the city you could see the mountains. The problem with seeing the beauty is all the junk that was distracting me. 

I like to talk to God when I run and I felt him speaking to me that morning.

I knew God was telling me that it’s time to look beyond what is around me. Its time to stop being distracted by the pointless things that are wanting my attention but aren’t of Him and look beyond to what was greater.

I knew He was saying “It’s time to see the beauty”.

  • How many of us let things drag us down or take us away from the beauty?
  • How many times have I (I’m sure I’m not the only one) chosen Facebook or Twitter over quiet time with God?
  • How often do we easily loose our focus because of a good thing not a God thing?

Don’t allow little things that can wait to take you away from the beauty.

(No I’m not talking about your children or spouse)

Be strong and look past the distractions.

Look beyond and see the beauty.

Even if you don’t think you can see it… Its there!

J

Put To Shame

Posted on by Jason Nicholas

Last night my kids embarrassed me. Actually they put me to shame. I guess really they put most of you to shame.

We took our kids to a Braves game for Jonah’s Birthday and after the game we were heading to our van and we came across a homeless gentleman.

Now I don’t have a problem giving money to someone on the street so I reached into my pocket and gave him what change I had.

Jonah (who’s 10) asked me for his money and was going through it.

He passed his ones, then his ten and went straight to the twenty-dollar bill. Thats right, he gave the dude TWENTY DOLLARS!! Talk about putting me to shame.

At that same moment I became overwhelmed with how awesome my son is and at the same moment I realized how lame I am.

But It continues…

I took a wrong turn heading out and went into downtown ATL. People were sleeping everywhere. Really, if you haven’t  been out of your small town you have no idea what im talking about.

Next up to the plate….JADA

She looked and looked and asked questions and then just kept saying she couldn’t stop thinking about them.

Here heart was moved with compassion and she just couldn’t understand. She was really worried about them. Brandi’s parents were with us so Pam prayed with Jada and talked to her about it some.

How many of us see those situations and walk by or drive by and judge them or even question what they are going to do with the money we give them?

Jesus said “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” Luke 18:17

THE POINT

Forget all your adult mumbo jumbo junk and have a child like heart.

We have complicated almost everything. Really…We have!

Jesus knew that…thats why he told us to have a childlike heart!!

FINALLY  –   Stop analyzing everything and just love.

J

Dont Be A HERMIT.

Posted on by Jason Nicholas

I am a lousy Bachelor….

Brandi and the kids went out-of-town to go visit her sister for a total of probably 32 hours this weekend and I found out how boring I really am. Really…

I really spent more time thinking about what to do than actually doing anything.

So where am I headed with this?

We were created for fellowship….Thats right, we are supposed to be with people. Some of you may beg to differ here at this point and say you are a good loner but stop trying to fool yourself. Your NOT a hermit!

In Genises 2:18 God said “It is not good for the man to be alone; I’ll make him a helper, a companion.” I know that my wife could say that I can’t be alone because I wouldn’t be able to find anything and this is partially true but not where im going with this!!

We are meant to be in community. We are meant to be in people’s lives and for people to be in ours. How can we grow and learn if were never around people? How can we celebrate the joys, learn about conflict, learn to love, be stretched and to help out in times of need if were never with people?

Brandi and I are blessed to be a part of an amazing Life Group that is more than just a group. They are people who know a lot about us and we know a lot about them!

We eat together, hang out, go places, help each other, pray for each other and just do life together.

Heres my point:

#1 Your not a HERMIT!

#2 You were created for fellowship!

If you’re a part of Life Church or any church join a life group or small group or whatever your church calls them. If your church doesn’t have one start one. DON’T go through life alone!

J

You can go to lifechurchfranklin.com to find a list of times and places.

Whats going on with you?

Posted on by Jason Nicholas

We have been having a nightly devotional with the kids each night and a couple of nights ago it had to do with butterflies.

Now we all know that the caterpillar spins itself into a cocoon(Pupa) and comes out a beautiful butterfly but usually we don’t ever think about the process of its transformation.

Did you know that some species are in their cocoon for several months and some transform in just a few days? How crazy is that?

How about you? Are there some things in your life that may take a few days to work a transformation or will it take months?

2 Corinthians  5:17 says that “If anyone belongs to Christ, then he is made new. The old things have gone; everything is made new!”  There will be things in our lives that seem hard and difficult and we can’t understand or explain them but don’t worry and allow God to transform you! The transformation process may (most likely will) be hard but the outcome will be so much greater.

Just think of the caterpillar. He was crawling on the ground looking up but after the transformation that guy can fly!!

God is taking the “regular you”  and transforming you in tho the “new creation you”!

DON’T FORGET!

What you achieve by reaching your destination is not nearly as important as what you become getting there! (Wickwire)

Allow the  process, as good or as bad as you think it is, to let God transform you!

PS: Never judge your future by your past. Every butterfly was born a worm.

J

Are you loaded?

Posted on by Jason Nicholas

We were leaving Brandi’s parents house the other day and Jonah really wanted to shoot a rabbit with his air soft pistol. So as we were leaving I saw a rabbit in the middle of the driveway.

I stopped, Jonah quietly got out and shut the door.

Now Jonah loves to hunt so he had no problem sneaking very close without scaring off the rabbit.

Brandi, Jada and I sat in anticipation in the 4runner waiting for the kill. He took aim, held the pistol tightly, pulled the trigger and ……nothing.

Jonah was so excited about what was going to happen that he forgot to load the gun.

We laughed at the situation, Jonah on the other hand was devastated.

I was thinking this morning about how often do we go into battle with our guns blazing but we dont have any ammo. As a follower of Christ we have to be prepared. Our preparation(ammo) is spending time reading the bible and seeking God. Thats how we are going to know His heart and what he wants for us. Pastor Craig Groeschel said this Sunday that “Boldness comes from knowing Christ”. How can we pray BOLD prayers if we dont even know what God wants for us?

If were planning on going to battle we better have some ammo.

Relationships grow in time. 1.5hrs a Sunday isn’t really enough time to grow that relationship. You’ll have some ammo, but not for long.

Go after God. Make time to pray and read. Turn off the tv or get up 15 minutes earlier. If its imprortant to you you’ll make time for it.

Lets do our best to be prepared and be fully loaded! Be BOLD!

J