Jon Ellis

“As I think back on the past year, I can genuinely say I conquered a fear and answered the calling God has placed on my life. The photo above symbolizes a man that is not perfect but is progressing to be the best version of himself through the power of God's alignment and protection. I moved to Portland OR in 2015 after graduating with my B.S in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology from Montana State University. Before entering the workforce, I had a passion for joining the criminal justice field to become a probation officer. I was extremely eager to accomplish this career goal I wanted to achieve. (If you notice I said this was something that I wanted to do.) Crazy how God works!

I pursued the career that I thought was best for me, but God chose to bless me with a job as an Educational Assistant in a middle school and a high school football coach. This gift was the most insightful and deliberate experience a young man fresh out of college could have the responsibility to oversee. It was not easy, but I learned many life lessons through the process and fell in love with being in a school environment. I remember sitting in my car, eating lunch in 2016, and asking, Lord, what is it that you want me to do with my life? God, you blessed me with the opportunity to play colligate football at a high level, so what is next? As a believer, I learned that God tends to answers each of his children's prayers in a way that you know is him! Now to give you all some advice, be careful about what you pray for if you're not ready to hear the answer, haha. God answered my prayer, using co-workers, mentors, and students to confirm what he wanted me to pursue. It would require me to go back to school to obtain my Master's in Special Education to become a teacher. I never had a deep desire to sit in a lecture hall and listen to someone talk about a subject I had no interest in, but It was engraved in me to earn the grade I needed to play football. God answered my prayer, but I did not respond to it right away; I choose to react in fear. I made excuses for why I did not have the time or money to go back to school. In my free will, I chose to continue to pursue the Probation Officer route. God knew I would make my own decision because I needed to grow in trusting him. He allowed me to bump my head more then a few times to help me comprehend if you choose your plan over the will of what God has for you, you have to sustain that yourself, while if you answer the calling that God has for you, he will always make away for you to have the victory.

"Whatever God calls you to, he will bring you through it." God does not give believers the spirit of fear, but he gives us the fruits of patience, sound mind, peace, kindness, and love. Being a believer in God is not easy, and it does not mean your life will be free from trials and tribulations that life throws at you, but God does promise you do not have to go through it alone. God is our anchor, and he has already won the battle for us. This year I finished my license program in Special Education. I received a job offer to teach at Reynolds Middle School. I will graduate in the Fall of 2020 with a Master's in Special Education from Portland State University. God is great! I hope this message encourages you all to answer the calling God has on your life. Even if it does not look glamorous, know that life on earth is temporary, but living your life aligned under God's will is endless in the number of blessings you can endure.”