By Victoria Ostrosky

Remember that scene in The Hobbit where Bilbo Baggins, confused and upset with twelve dwarves who showed up on his doorstep, ate his food, messed up his house and invited him to be their ‘burglar’ on a quest to take back their homeland and treasure?  And Gandalf telling Bilbo that something new would do him good?  Bilbo ends up running out his door the next morning in pursuit of the dwarves and Gandalf who had left without him, shouting joyfully – “I’m going on an adventure!”  When Jon Lyons talks about his relationship with Jesus, he has the same joyful expression.  He says that God is always calling us to another adventure.  “God invites us every day to show up with opportunities to say ‘yes’.”

Jon grew up in a Christian home and attended church in a small town.  As a teenager, he drifted away from his Christian roots, began partying and having inappropriate relationships.  For years, he was torn about how he was living.  When he was about 21, he found himself sitting in the back row of a church.  The preacher opened the Bible and began talking about Jesus and Jon’s heart came alive.  “God was gently calling me back.  He didn’t leave me or forsake me.”

Jon’s journey back to Jesus took some time.  One night, God asked him to step into a deeper relationship.  Sobbing like a baby, Jon felt the beginnings of a changed life.

On one of Jon’s adventures, he found himself on a mission trip to Nicaragua.  That country grabbed his heart and hasn’t let it go.  He and his wife Fantasia have gotten involved with youth organizations and churches.  They now meet with about a dozen youth pastors each month supplying resources and information such as Bibles, podcasts, and more. One time, a precious six-year-old girl named Wendy took hold of this finger and won his heart over.  “God used her to change my life.”  A home was built, then clean water supplied. Jon began helping the Nicaraguans realize their God-sized dreams come to life.

Today, Jon is the broker/owner of Live 30A Real Estate, a ‘purpose driven’ real estate company that donates 25% of the company’s profits to Give 30A a 501(c)3 where they identify gospel-centered organizations in Nicaragua and “scheme to help bring their dreams to fruition.”  You can visit their website at: give30A.org.

God showed Jon how to use his current skills in real estate to fund the non-profit.  “God wants us to use our skills for good; to use our gifts for other people.”

Dallas Jenkins, creator of The Chosen TV series, tells the story of a text he received in the middle of the night when he was at his lowest, that changed how he saw his part in God’s calling.  The text said that God didn’t expect us to feed the five thousand, He just wants us to bring our loaves and fishes so that He can do the multiplying.  As Dallas’s wife Amanda says, “God does impossible math.”  When we are faithful to give what we have, God multiplies it as He sees fit.  That’s all He’s asking of us.  Our trust and faithfulness.

Almost every person, at some point in their lives, desires to make a difference in the world.  Some of us God calls to do big things, but most of us are called to do small things with the loaves and fishes we have in our basket.

What adventure will God call you to next?  Be ready with your loaves and fishes and a ‘yes’ on your lips, then watch Him do His impossible math.

You can hear Jon’s entire story and listen to many other incredible interviews on the weekly Road to Redemption radio show and podcast at www.rtrdestiny.com.

The post Road to Redemption: Jon Lyons – Adventures with Jesus appeared first on South Walton Life | 30A News, Events and Community Information.