This is not as easy as I thought and I consider myself a writer. Perhaps because there is a form of anonymity when writing fiction, short stories, and screenplays. I am able to hide behind a pseudonym, a character, a story. However, this blog didn't come about because I want to be hidden, it came about because I've been hidden and hiding too long. Let me explain. The name behind the blog "Gone Fishin'" came about because I realized that although I may tweet about Jesus, although I may be a part of a certain fellowship, although one might find me at a church event twice or even three times a week, I realized that I wasn't really sharing all that God was and is doing in my life. I realized that I wasn't sharing my struggles, I wasn't sharing my blessings, I wasn't sharing how I was following Christ on a day to day basis even when that meant putting down my own desire and dream to be a successful working actor. I wasn't really sharing the good news as a Christ follower was commissioned to do. Now before you think, this Christian stuff is really boring and not for me, I pray you read this all the way through, you may find something for you but at the very least you might leave with a greater understanding of who God truly is.
The blog title came from the verse in Matthew 4:19, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." The next verse says, they immediately left their nets and followed him. These men were fishermen, it was their occupation, it was what they knew to do and to think that they didn't question but just followed is inspiring to me. That is the life I want to live. Now the implication in the text is that they were fishing for the wrong or different things, as was I. By making them fishers of men, that meant that they would fulfill a bigger purpose that wasn't self serving, that wasn't born out of a need to survive, make money or live the American Dream to put it in modern terms. Instead they'd serve Jesus and follow his every move. Now Jesus' ministry was about seeking that which was lost and lo and behold, he found me and I indeed was lost. Now we can define lost in many different ways but for the sake of argument, let's say I was living a life other than the one that I was created to live.
The word Christian has been given a bad rap and I understand why but it can't stay that way and won't stay that way forever. When I say that I am a Christian, I mean that I am following him as Simon (Peter) and Andrew did, no questions asked. Well, except I do ask questions, hey at least I got the first part right, working on the latter part. I ask, "Why me? When God? Is that you Lord? Are you sure you want me to talk to the stranger who looks like they want to be left alone?" I ask all of these questions but when I said I would follow, I meant it. Let's fast forward to when God through prayer and revelation (God does speak to His children but sometimes we are too distracted to hear what He is communicating to us) revealed to me that he wanted me to surrender my acting career to Him, I had to remind myself of what I said, that I'd follow. Let me let ya'll know, that I cried, I sobbed, I wept and I cried some more. And there it is, I am a crybaby. I didn't understand why He had given me this desire to then take it away. That was my thinking. I turned to my trusted friends and asked for advice, sought counsel but in the end the only way I was going to get through that moment and see the beauty of His work in me was by spending more time with Him who created me and so I did. I stayed in His loving arms until I understood what it was that He was doing, being in His presence brings you all of the comfort you need. Actually, I didn't understand but I had peace, I found comfort, I had Him. I surrendered it to Him because it is Him who can put death to a thing and it is also HIM who can raise it up in glorious power so my dream is in His hands.
Perhaps you're thinking God doesn't speak to me and I will argue that He does. There are many times we are telling our friends a story and we say, "Something told me it wasn't right." or "Something told me to call you, are you okay?" or "Something told me move to Los Angeles.", that something is GOD. He likes to be known and make Himself known, He'll reveal Himself through a sunset, a rainbow, the trees, on a mountaintop in a still small voice, through your pastor, through your mom, through your children, through the homeless man, through a film, a song, through this very blog. He uses whatever and whomever to communicate to you what it is you need to do as we journey through life. If you're confused about life, have questions, have lost hope, if you're angry at God -- wherever you may find yourself at this moment, I want to encourage you to take a moment and be still and talk to God. Some of us talk to ourselves but we can't talk to God because we think we'll look crazy?! Go ahead and try it. He wants a relationship with you, He wants reconciliation, if you've moved away from Him, He wants to let you know there is so much more to life than our daily worries. He wants to give you HOPE. He doesn't want religion.
Now, I didn't get here singing fa la la la la la all the way down the yellow brick road (weird connection there but let's run with it) it was a process and still is a process. I want to share that process with you all. I will share how my salvation happened in my upcoming posts. You might be wondering well if you're not acting, what does He want you to do? I'll answer that too. I mostly wanted to share that I am following Jesus and leaving it all behind as the disciples did. I am sharing this so that HE can be glorified in me and when something happens in my life (good and bad) -- let there be no confusion who is guiding me and leading the way.
So, I have gone fishin' -- for my brothers and sisters who are living a life of less than, who are living hopeless, who are living in pain, who are in living in fear, who are living according to a fallen world, who are living for themselves, who are living in silence, who are living but have been dead inside for years, who are living as I have lived. I will cast my net and pray. I will cast my net and share that what He has done for me, He will do for you. I will cast my net and God and God alone will be the one who draws you in, who brings you closer, who captures you.
I am JFer and I am a mutant. All glory to God.
Jonathan McReynolds knows what I'm talking about. Watch this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhAoIQ-jw7U
Jonathan McReynolds knows what I'm talking about. Watch this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhAoIQ-jw7U