Nona Jones
6 min read ⭑
“I try to live with the intentional focus of inviting God into my daily life, not just when I pray or study the Bible but also when I’m logging into a meeting, eating dinner with my family, reading a book, or working out. I’m always thinking about the fact that God is with me, and therefore, all I have to do to experience him is awaken myself to the fact that he is present.”
QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT
There’s much more to food than palate and preference. How does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind the web bio?
When it comes to food, I’m a bit of a culinary nomad. I enjoy food of all types and, because of this, it’s difficult to nail a favorite hometown dish beyond describing a few of my favorite spots and meals.
First up, Thai. I have a particular affinity for Asian flavors because of their depth and intensity. My favorite dish at my favorite Thai restaurant in Gainesville, Florida, is the spicy cream shrimp. I consider it a special treat because it is a very rich dish where the shrimp are fried and tossed in a spicy Mayo sauce. It’s truly impeccable.
I typically eat vegan or vegetarian, but I enjoy meat occasionally, and when I do—other than the spicy cream shrimp—I enjoy the blue-cheese-crusted filet mignon at a place called Prime & Pearl.
If I want a dish that screams southern comfort, I will enjoy a pimento grilled cheese sandwich at Mildred’s Big City Food. They have the best freshly prepared soups, my favorites being the cauliflower bisque and mushroom bisque.
Jonatan David; Unsplash
QUESTION #2: REVEAL
We’ve all got quirky proclivities and out-of-the-way interests. So what are yours? What so-called “nonspiritual” activities do you love and help you find spiritual renewal?
About 10 years ago I was 100 pounds heavier than I am today. I’ve spent the majority of my life being morbidly obese after adopting unhealthy eating habits as a child to cope with trauma. By the time I was 30, I was almost 300 pounds and felt exhausted most days.
I remember watching people running along the side of the road as I would drive by. I envied how fit they looked. I couldn’t imagine ever becoming a runner, but one day, I signed up for the Disney Princess Half-Marathon and decided to run it. It was eight months later, so I downloaded the Couch to 5K app and trained. Once I completed that, I downloaded the 5K to 10K app and kept running.
By the time the race day arrived, I was 60 pounds lighter and convinced it would be my first and last race. But when I crossed the finish line, I was so overwhelmed by the emotion of my achievement that I immediately signed up for another race when I returned to my hotel room.
Since then, I have run 15 half-marathons, and I run three days a week. Not only does it makes me feel alive, but it also reminds me that I can do hard things.
QUESTION #3: CONFESS
Every superhero has a weakness. Every human, too. We’re just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite and how do you hide it?
My kryptonite is and has always been a desire to be liked by people. It grew out of childhood trauma that included being rejected by my mother and abused by her boyfriend. As a result, I became hyper-sensitive to rejection and abandonment.
I became a people pleaser and perfectionist because I believed people would only accept me if I did what they wanted. Although I have grown beyond that place, I have to remind myself every day that I am more than people’s opinions of me.
QUESTION #4: FIRE UP
Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your obsession? And why should it be ours?
Given the last question, my passion is and for many years has been helping people identify, confront and get set free from the lies that make them believe they aren’t good enough.
It’s these lies that kept me paralyzed for so many years. I believed I wasn’t good enough and that I would never measure up unless I did what other people wanted me to do.
In my new book, Killing Comparison, I’ve compiled the lessons I have learned throughout my life to get free from insecurity and the toxic comparison that fuels it.
It’s an invitation to anyone who has ever wondered why they were left out, overlooked, not invited, not chosen, and not wanted to do the work required to secure their identity to the only sure foundation that doesn’t shift with the currents of people’s approval or opinions.
QUESTION #5: BOOST
Cashiers, CEOs, contractors, or customer service reps, we all need grace flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it’s God when it happens?
I believe we can experience God’s presence in every moment of our day because God is omnipresent and, therefore, always in our midst. The cares of life often get in the way of recognizing his presence, creating artificial distance and feelings of separation.
I try to live with the intentional focus of inviting God into my daily life, not just when I pray or study the Bible but also when I’m logging into a meeting, eating dinner with my family, reading a book, or working out. I’m always thinking about the fact that God is with me, and therefore, all I have to do to experience him is awaken myself to the fact that he is present.
QUESTION #6: inspire
Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied actions that open our hearts to the presence of God. So spill it, which spiritual practice is workin’ best for you right now?
I believe it’s important that, just as we have a morning routine, evening routine, and workout routine, we should have a spiritual routine, too. For me, it begins first thing in the morning with a run or workout where I lead my heart and mind to reflect on God’s goodness in my life.
Afterward, I shower and grab my Bible and iPad, then spend some time in prayer. I use that time to express more gratitude, repent for sins in my life, and extend forgiveness to offenders. Then I turn my attention to the Scriptures for study.
QUESTION #7: FOCUS
Our email subscribers get free ebooks featuring our favorite resources—lots of things that have truly impacted our faith lives. But you know about some really great stuff, too. What are three resources that have impacted you?
Three resources that have changed my life are:
1. The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. The way he writes about God and the many layers of who he is to us is poetic and prophetic.
2. The How I Built This podcast offers interviews with people who have founded and built successful companies. I’m always struck by how important the role of hard work is in success.
We live in a society where virality is given more weight than hard work, but you can’t control virality. You can, however, control how hard you work.
3. The Villas of Amelia Island. Amelia Island is where I go by myself once a quarter to think and pray. Taking that time to get alone and focus has proven to be invaluable.
We all have things we cling to to survive (or thrive) in tough times. Name one resource you’ve found indispensable in this current season—and tell us what it’s done for you.
Right now, the most indispensable thing for me has been my Hatch. It’s a tool that lets you program sleep routines and wake routines. That way, you can have the deepest sleep possible and wake up rested. It has been a game-changer for me.
QUESTION #8: dream
God is continually stirring new things in each of us. So give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?
As I look to the future, the thing I’m most excited about may seem counterintuitive. I’m excited about the unknown.
I’m fully trusting God with my future, so I don’t have a big plan for what’s next. Instead, I’m asking God to open the doors that will get me closer to his will for my life and close the doors that will be a distraction. I am living fully in faith.
Often at Rapt, when we ask people what resources have impacted them most, they share incredible books, podcasts, apps, and communities. So we were intrigued when Nona Jones listed a quarterly getaway as one of her favorite resources in this interview.
Turns out Nona is on to something. A study by the Society for Human Resources Management found that taking time off actually improves productivity! More specifically, 77% of workplace leaders reported that the employees on their team who went on vacations were more productive. And 78% said that the employees who took all their vacation time were happier at their jobs.
Maybe you can’t do a quarterly getaway to the beach, but it’s worth thinking and praying about how you can take time off and recharge. Your health and your work—including for the Lord—may benefit as a result.
Nona Jones is an author, preacher, business executive, and entrepreneur. She and her husband pastor Open Door Church in Gainesville, Florida, and she is the proud mom of Timothy Jr. and Isaac. Her latest book, Killing Comparison, is equipping readers to reject the lie that you aren’t good enough so you can live confident in who God created you to be.
