Heading Back to Haiti!

My girlfriend, Nikki Sylvain, and I are planning a one week mission trip/visit to Nehemiah Vision Ministries in Chambrun, Haiti, sometime around the first or second week of July!! As many of you know, I served at NVM for six months last year...and needless to say...my internship there was absolutely life-changing. I am EXTREMELY thankful that God blessed me with the opportunity to live and serve alongside some of the most encouraging men and women of God that I've ever met...all for the glory of His Kingdom!!

Nikki has listened to me talk about Haiti-how much I loved it and couldn't wait to get back- about a million-and-a-half times.  I told her that it would be an amazing experience for her and I to be able to visit all of the astounding people that I met during my six months there last year.  Not only that....but contrary to popular belief and scrutiny, Haiti really is an absolutely beautiful nation.

1st Annual NVM Summer English Camp. Photo by Jason King.

The main focus during this one week trip for Nikki and I, will be helping out with the the 2nd Annual NVM Summer English Camp, where we will be helping children learn or improve their knowledge of the English language, while incorporating the message of the Gospel! Lot's of fun activities, learning a new language, and hearing/learning the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

1st Annual NVM Summer English Camp. Photo by Jason King.

This camp was one of my personal favorite endeavors during my six month stay there last year! In order for her and I to make it down there in July, we will need to raise support. Our goal, for the BOTH of us, is to raise $2000. That cost will cover our flights, food, shuttle, room-and-board, malaria medication, everything! July will be here before we know it...but Nikki and I trust that God can provide us with the necessary funds and support to embark on our first mission trip together!

1st Annual NVM Summer English Camp. Photo by Jason King.

Nikki and I thank each and every one of you for your generous contribution towards our mission trip.  Our prayer is that God will use both of us in an abundance of ways with the sole mission  to spread the truth and love of the Gospel to the Haitian children and people...bringing glory to His Kingdom in all that we do!! If you are unable to contribute due to financial issues...then PLEASE keep Nikki and I in your prayers as we embark on this journey together!

The easiest, fastest, and most secure way to donate is via this "button":

The Youth of Today

As many of you know, one of my greatest passions is ministering and reaching out to youth and students, of all ages.  Throughout the past several years, God has truly stirred inside my heart the urge to help youth with the many mountains that they face in our world and culture today.  Unfortunately, I have not spoken to a congregation of youth since around September 2012; Pastor Jim Shelton invited me to speak with around 50-60 high school students at the Crossroads Fellowship Millbrook Campus, and around 40 or so high school students at the CRF Wake Forest Campus the following weekend.

Due to my class schedule at Liberty last semester in combination with my backslidden ways, my passion to reach out to the youth and students was slowly snuffed out--thanks, Satan!  However, let me mention that Dr. Brown's Youth Ministry 201 course was by far my favorite college course that I have taken, to date! Doc. Brown...you are the man...and your TA's are pretty sweet, too!  Well, family and friends, God has re-ignited the spark and flame inside my heart and soul to, at the best of my God-given ability, reach out to the youth of today.....The Lord knows something has to change with this upcoming generation.  My prayer is that He will be able to use my testimony, downfalls, triumphs, trials and temptations, etc. to bring glory to His kingdom and to make a genuine impact in the lives of the youth and students in our world.

"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.  But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." Matthew 18: 5-6

You might be wondering, "What changed all of a sudden? How has this spark been re-ignited? What do you plan to do?"  Let me explain...  My girlfriend, Nikki, turned 21 on April 12th.  I purchased a Busch Gardens Fun Card for her and I, which includes unlimited entry to the amusement park until mid-September.  Nikki and I decided to take advantage of a sunny and moderately warm Saturday last weekend, by trekking to Williamsburg, VA to get tossed, turned, and flipped by rollercoasters.  The majority of the park attendees were middle school and high school aged youth.  I was a Freshman in high school the last time that I had visitied Busch Gardens.  The thoughts of "Was I REALLY like that when I was their age? Was my mouth THAT filthy? Was I THAT loud, rude, and obnoxious?" came to my mind numerous times throughout the day.  My reality check had been served.  The sad and somewhat frustrating realization that I did in fact behave very similarly to many of these teens, truly shook me on that fun-filled Saturday afternoon.  I do not have children of my own...but whenever God does bless me with a little Jordan or two, I want him/her to be a role-model to their God-forsaken, MTV and Jersey-shore influenced peers.  I continuously thought of my nearly three-year-old nephew Eli and six-month-old niece, Liljana...."I don't want them to end up like these kids."

As briefly mentioned in the final sentence of the previous paragraph, I truly believe that the music, television shows, magazines, and media in general, have an unsurpassed influence on today's youth.  I can recall a couple of television shows that I watched as a pre-teen and teenager; MTV's Spring Break, Laguna Beach, The Real World and Road Rules, music videos, etc.  What are common denominators amongst each of them?  Sex, alcohol and drug abuse, materialism, cliques, arrogance, adultery, lust, the list goes on....These characteristics are constantly being poured into the lives of countless children and youth via the "Digital Age" in which we currently inhabit.  What does that mean, exactly? Easier access to an abundance of media sources that these students, children, sons, and daughters simply do NOT need uncontrolled and unfiltered access to.  Stop and think: Do you REALLY want your child to be influenced by "role models" that our culture depicts via countless media sources? 

"Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to than man through whom they come!" Matthew 18:7

Sunday afternoon, Nikki and I watched a Netflix documentary, based on children whom have had incredibly horrid experiences with bullying, name-calling, etc.  That documentary nearly brought tears to my eyes....for several reasons.  One of those being that the documentary interviewed several parents that had lost a child to suicide, as a result of constant bullying at school.  The other reason being personal conviction for the fact that I can recall being one of those bullies in elementary school.  Constantly "picking" on the smaller children, or those that looked more "nerdy".  "Wow", I thought to myself, "How did my bullying and name-calling affect my peers?"

I am not sure exactly how God plans on using me to reach out and positively influence our youth of today, whom have an overwhelming need for guidance and direction.  I am only a unmarried twenty-one-year-old guy with no kids....but I have faith that God can use me as a tool to positively influence and perhaps spark genuine change and conviction amongst this generation.  One thing that I DO know is the fact something has got to change.  Our youth has been strayed away from a path and pursuit of righteousness and morality.  These children are the future of our nation. 

Stay tuned as I seek God's will and provision for my life.  For now, I ask each and every read of this blog post to pray for me; for guidance, wisdom, and direction....and to maybe even share this post via the abundance of social networking outlets that we utilize today.

Jordan Piper

Welcome Back!

It has been several months since I have posted on this blog!  I was unaware that my domain subscription had expired, therefore resulting in the blog being "shut down".  I am in the process of renewing my domain, but in the meantime, this free ".blogspot.com" address will do!

A lot has happened in my life, our nation, and the world since my last post dating back to September 3, 2012.  I completed my first semester at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.  I enjoyed my time as a residential student at LU!  I was able to room with my two best friends as well as meet a ton of interesting Christ-followers.  However, I decided that the Fall 2012 semester would be my first, and last, semester in Lynchburg.  Although I did enjoy my time there, I did not feel as though that was where God wanted me to be.  I learned a lot about the Holy Word of God....and a lot about myself, as well.  Read on...

As one can imagine, my transition from living in Haiti for six months to moving back to the States, living in Raleigh for three weeks, then moving in to Liberty University, was quite a rollercoaster ride--emotionally, spiritually, physically, and mentally.  I'll explain a little.  Imagine: living in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere for six months (Feeling the presence of Christ unlike I have ever felt before.  Not as many "distractions" that we deal with here in America.  Knowing undoubtedly that God had led me to this nation to serve His kingdom.  Seeking Christ on my own time, at my own pace, in my own way.  Having to leave many new friends that I had gotten to know so well); Flying back to Raleigh, where I would be staying for a short, 3 or 4 week time period until I move in at Liberty (The full-time job that I quit to move to Haiti called me back two days after I arrived, asking if I could fill in until I moved to Liberty.  I agreed.  After all, I had no source of income for 6+ months and was about to embrace the journey of a poor college student.  Smart move financially...but it took a toll on me.  I didn't get to spend nearly as much time with my family as I'd hoped to...nor did I truly relax and reflect on the life-changing six months that I'd just completed.); Moving in to Liberty University (Constantly engaged in some form of spiritual activity.  Mandatory convocation on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  Campus church on Tuesdays or Thursdays (can't remember).  Hall meetings and prayer groups.  Two Sunday church services.  Did I mention a lot of mandatory activities and meetings?  And on top of all of that...a lot of events, both positive and negative, taking place within my family back in Raleigh.

It all caught up with me.  Fast.  I was a student in one of the largest Christian universities in the world, yet would often catch myself feeling lost and not really fitting in (and no, not because I was one of the most heavily tattooed people at the entire university).  I greatly missed my family and living in Raleigh...after all, my transition back "home" went so quickly that I didn't even get to see all of my family before I moved to Liberty.  I started to backslide from my faith....in one of the most spiritual and Christ-seeking universities on the planet.  Although my knowledge of the Word of God had increased....my personal relationship and walk with Him had taken a hit.

So, with all that being said, I moved back to Raleigh.  I'm not going to clue you in on ALL of the details, because some of it is personal to my family and I don't feel as though it is necessary, or right, for me to share deep personal details of specific family members.  To put it simply....my plans started to fall through, quick.  Why? Because I was NOT seeking Christ; was NOT reading the Word; and did NOT care to hear any advice or discernment from fellow brothers-and-sisters in Christ.  But little did I know (and see) then....that God's mighty hand was at work the entire time.

The man upstairs truly does work in powerful, mysterious ways.

I ended up moving to Jacksonville, NC, to live in a decent-sized, furnished, pool-house behind my girlfriend's house.  Her Mother had intentions of installing an in-ground pool, but never did.  It truly has been such a blessing.  For those of you wondering, and potentially even gossiping, no....Nikki and I do not live together.  We're doing things the right way. 

About a month or so after I moved to Jacksonville, Nikki's sister Stephanie and her husband Daryl invited us to a revival at their church.  Nikki was once very involved with this church as well....but had backslidden and strayed away from her faith for a year or so.  Nikki and I decided that we would accept their invitation and went to the second night of their revival.  That is a night that Nikki and I will never forget.  That was the night that her and I both felt the Holy Spirit moving inside of us.  Her and I re-dedicated our lives to Christ on that night.

As I stated before....The man upstairs truly does work in powerful, mysterious ways.

I am sure that you are tired of reading by this point....So I'll wrap things up.  Nikki and I are praying about going down to Haiti for a week in July to visit my friends at Nehemiah Vision Ministries! I'll post more details about that in a separate blog post sometime soon.  Please keep Nikki and I in your prayers as we strive to walk steadfast in the Lord and to fearlessly proclaim His Word to all the ends of the Earth!!

 "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Matthew 5: 14-16