Fourth of July- United States Marine, John Jennings

Howdy, my name is Lance Corporal John Jennings, I’m a former intern here at Church Eleven32 and I’m currently an 0311 in the United States Marine Corp. As you see this video I’m deployed overseas, but I really wish I could be there with y’all.

I joined the Marine Corp back in December of 2014. I was actually going to do a second year of The Internship, but that summer I went to Scotland and during the mission trip to Scotland, I felt God call to the Marine Corp.

To me what makes America great isn’t our leaders or our public figureheads, it’s the people. It’s us following and uniting as one. In the Marine Corp we do everything as a unit. There’s a lot of different, small moving parts and we all have our specific roles— including me. There’s a specific role that I play that helps someone else in their role, that they play.

If we would just come together as a country, we could come together and make America what it really needs to be. A prime example is the new building a Church Eleven32. Y’all raised so much money. Every single person at the church pitched in. It was the sacrifices of many. It was banning together to achieve one goal. And that is just a perfect example— if we could do that as a country, there’s no telling what we could accomplish as America.

But I honestly, from the bottom of my heart, miss Church Eleven32. From the greetings when I walk through the door, to the friends that I’ve had for a long time, making new friends, seeing new facings, seeing new people just get wrecked by the power of God. And then, also having really powerful leaders that practice wha they preach. I never really realized how much I loved that, until I didn’t have any of it.

I can honestly say that Church Eleven32 is my favorite place to be. One thing I look forward to when I come home is not sleeping in my own bed, even though that’s great, or working out at my own gym, which I love doing. It’s honestly, walking through those doors at this church. i never feel more at home than when I walk through those doors. I know I have my brothers; Ryan, Cole, and Bryson— who I see every time I come home, they’re always waiting for me. Or Pastor Ben, my mentor, or even Pastor Dustin, who’s obviously had a huge impact on my life and I know everyone’s life. I can just remember just time and time and time again, Pastor Chris Moore pushing all of us interns, including myself, when we didn’t exactly feel like getting pushed, or thought we were emotionally, physically and spiritually drained. But that prepared me for the Marine Corp, when I’m truly without sleep, I’m truly without food and when I don’t have anything else left to give. I just picture the time that Chris was pushing me and I use that to push myself as well.

This I know is my home. This is what I look forward to when I come home. It’s this— right here.

I’m proud to be an American, I’m proud to be a United States Marine, but I am proud to have served and be a part of Church Eleven32. And I hope to see y’all soon, and I hope you have a happy Fourth of July.