Josh Jacobs's Page

I wrote this blog a few weeks ago but just had the nerve to post it today....

I have worked at Johnson County (KS) Juvenile Detention Center since March 2007. I started out on the evening shift, but ended up on the night shift—where I’ve been for about a year and a half. I do shift work, so I don’t have much interaction with staff from other shifts except the exchange of pertinent information about our residents.

Last November, I stayed over to work overtime on the day shift. I was already acq… Continue

Christian missions is a subject very close to my heart. Trisha and I intended to serve God overseas, but He had other plans for us. So now I help in the area of missions at our church. One of the ideas that I have discussed with leadership is the difference between missions and evangelism.

One of our church's missionaries recently spoke on the difference. It is basically this: Our outreach--our sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ--in the community is evangelism. There's already a church estab… Continue

I have been a Christian for nearly 26 years, and I've heard it all. But I heard someone say yesterday at church something I've never heard before. It is a saying that's sounds cheeky, but is somewhat profound. Here it is:

"The stone wasn't rolled away to let Jesus out, but to let the disciples in."

My mind immediately drifted off to John 20:19: "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood amon… Continue

My wife read "The Shadow of Light" and gave me a puzzled look. She slowly responded to the poem, "I have no idea what it means." So I told her what I meant, and I told myself that I would write down what I meant. Here is that explanation:

Aiming for a paradox, I placed shadow and light together to lead the reader to ponder how they fit together. I wrote this poem to illustrate a certain truth: you must see your sin before you see the need for a Savior.

The shadow represents the darkness of sin… Continue

"The Shadow of Light"

The shadow of light mocks me.
For I cannot discern its face.
Is it taunting me
Or does it smile?

The shadow of light mocks me.
For I cannot escape this gaze.
It’s destroying me
And yet I stare.

The shadow of light mocks me.
For I cannot outline its form.
Is it truly there?
Does it exist?

The shadow of light mocks me.
For I cannot deny it’s there.
I suppose it’s real—
At least to me.

The shadow of light mocks me.
For I have yet to understand
how in its darkness
i… Continue