Kentucky native Greg Jones has been walking his way across the country since November of 2019 and last week he made a stop in Enterprise.
Jones said that one night he heard God speak to him to serve his purpose in life.
“I was sitting home and praying the night before I left. I asked God what the best way for me to get out and help this country was,” Jones remembered. “In a loud and clear, booming voice He said, ‘I want you to drop everything and go.’ I got up the next morning and quit my job at Kroeger and paid off my roommates every dime I had and left with nothing but the clothes on my back.”
Jones set off on Nov. 22, 2019 from Lexington, Ky., with the purpose of walking east and then heading west all the way to California and spreading his faith to anyone he meets. Jones said he had no idea how he was going to provide for himself on his mission but credits God the entire way.
“I was heading out of Lexington, Ky. and stopped and prayed on the side of the road,” Jones recalled. “I said, ‘Lord I’m getting hungry and I don’t know what’s going to happen.’ As I looked down in the ditch there was a $20 bill sitting there and I moved 10 feet more and picked up about $120 scattered in the ditch. I knew he had my back then.”
Jones has traveled through the mountains of Tennessee, stopped at an Indian Reservation in North Carolina, went through the mountains of South Carolina and traveled all over Georgia before finally making it to Alabama, all on foot.
During that time Jones said that he has protested gun violence, spoke at hundreds of churches and helped bring individuals to God.
“People are pulling God out of everyday life and my purpose out here is to restore that back,” Jones said. “I have brought 25 people to the Lord and have spoken at 300 different churches, so far. I even got a chance in Headland to preach for the first time and it was pretty awesome.”
Jones said he just wants to share his story and passion for God with people, which could help bring them to God.
“My purpose is whether I’m talking to the homeless or just anyone else, no matter what, I share my story and that can open the flood gates for me to plant that seed,” Jones said. “There was a couple of people here in (Enterprise) that I touched.
“A guy walked up to me at a car detailing place as I was walking by and he saw the cross on my walking stick. He asked if I was a missionary and then I shared my story with him and he broke down in tears and told me he had some struggles and was going through hard times and hearing my story was inspirational.”
Jones said that he’s also been struck by the generosity of people during his mission. He’s worked odd jobs – like painting houses in Dothan – to earn money for himself but he’s also been donated hundreds of dollars from people along the way. Others have fed him and allowed him to sleep in their homes.
“I haven’t slept outside or gone hungry one time since I’ve been on this journey,” Jones emphasized. “Being out here has been so amazing. When you have pastors from churches tell you that you have relit the fire in their church it makes it all worth it.” Jones said that he was saved on Easter in 2007 and he has made it his mission to help bring others to God ever since.
“I go out in the communities and try to find people in need and help them,” Jones said. “Anything I can to do to glorify His name, I’m on it.”
Jones said he has no timeframe for when he wants to complete his journey to California because God is the one planning it.
“The Lord keeps laying out paths in front of me and it’s amazing,” Jones said. “Some days I may have $100 in my pocket and some days I may have none but I thank Him because I’m alive.”
Jones said that the message he wants to spread is about simply putting God in your life.
“Put your focus on (God) and don’t be distracted by all the garbage,” he said. “One of the first messages I relayed once I got to preach was to stay connected to the River of Life.
“There was a city in Mississippi with a river than ran through it. All the people there got distracted with all their daily lives and they weren’t paying attention to all the garbage backing up in the river. Then it rerouted the river away from the city and it turned into a ghost town. We have to stay connected to that River of Life.”
Anyone that wishes to donate to Jones’ journey and wants to speak to him about it can reach him at (864) 324-4253.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.