Continued....

Just take a few moments and read the post below from Joshua and then come back here.

Ready? With me? Ok........... This is a little different isn't it? I must say that I am still feeling Joshua from last week and from last night at rock group. I honestly believe that so many of us, me included, are on the doorsteps of something great. A breakthrough in your life and in your spiritual journey. So many of us find ourselves today - really wanting to trust God in a big decision or really praying for that miracle to come to pass. I believe that time is right in front of you. I am asking God to reveal the next steps.... shine that light 1-2 steps ahead and to have the faith to move forward. I know its scary not being able to see how it ends up or where you may go... but you have to get started! See Joshua rose from the ranks after Moses had died. A land he never get to fully live in as the land of milk and honey. See God provided this land for him and for His people but Moses and that generation complained and were not thankful for anything. They saw with their eyes a hard life- compared to slavery - at least there they had shelter, food and water. God provided for them but they were thankless. God let that generation come to pass before the next would step up and take it. See Joshua - like you today - inherited life. SO many of us have let life pass us by. We have not pressed forward and got in the game. We have debt up to our eyeballs, kids running wild, jobs we hate and so much more. Like Joshua - he needed to step up and do something different. I think about my own personal walk with leading the kids that God has put under my care. There have been some parents in the past that just don't get what I do. I am ok with that because not everyone is going to understand us when we are serving the Lord. Its different. Its not the normal. But in order to reach out and be the hands and feet of Christ - we have to be in the game, mud on our faces, in the trenches being one with who we are reaching out to.
This past Saturday - I got a handful of leaders and a good handful of kids and headed out to serve a local family. We cut their grass, did all the edging, installed a screen door on the gazebo, pulled weeds, chopped 8 ft weeds and battled snakes, rats, spiders and bug bites and nobody complained. Excitement by Friday was awesome!!! The kids made brownies and cookies to be shared with the family and in return was a mom who could barely speak when we left, had tears in her eyes and was just so thankful for helping her. See life has her in some tough places. Her life has her in a set back - but by doing what God has called each of us to do - we were able to give her a step up. Blessings flow in those step up moments.
The church is called to when there is a need - fill the need. We each have a personal ministry and I am so proud of our students and leaders who went. It shows and teaches compassion in many different ways. Something Jesus just perfected and left as our example. Imagine with me a teenager who is in middle school who gets to experience such a thing. They are changed from that moment on. They look at people and life differently. Once most teenagers hit high school if they have not experienced things like this ... it usually becomes all about them. Time flies and before you know they are in their 20's ... 30's.... and still in the same selfish ways.
I am going to work hard to arrange these types of experiences for our students because I want them to really experience the life and love that Jesus wants us to have. Some are going to get it and some are not.... but its the ones that do that really get on fire for the things of God. Not a step back but a huge step up in their lives.
Like I said, MANY are on the doorsteps of something great. 5 As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 "Be strong and courageous - one more time.....Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
Can you feel it? Can you see it? Its there.......... Its there. Yes Lord, Yes. My first real steps into our student ministry yesterday was welcomed with 60 folks. Awesome........
More to come for sure...........~
Lonnie