Wow, I can't believe that its been almost a week since my last post. Its been busy and days are jammed packed but living life large - why live it anyway else?
Its the first day of classes here at the university and thousands of people are on campus. Its exciting and I love this part of my job. Its probably the nurturing and helping side of me that shines out. This past Saturday I got the chance to finally take Morgan to Carowinds for her birthday along with her friends Jessica, Kyle and Zach. We had a great time and spent almost the entire day there on the rides and in the water park. It was Morgans first time on a roller coaster and riding the Intimidator for the first time was an experience for sure. The long slow line took some time and waiting can be a hard thing when you are anxious about something. Like the slow ride straight up the tracks, sitting next to her with her poor face as white as a ghost and fear in her eyes, we crossed over the top and then down 74 degrees to reach 80 mph and then 3:33 seconds later, the train comes to a stop. I look over and Morgan has this big smile on her face and she says - "Lets do that again!" - we rode it 3 times Saturday and almost every coaster in the park as well. The fear was gone and the wait was worth it.
See often times our waiting has purpose. Its not about us just begging God and making him more like us - God on our schedule. He has his own schedule and his timing is perfect. Our God is big and in Psalm 8:3-4 tells us this.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
Our God is a big God, maker of heaven and earth but He is also small enough to come into your heart and in a blink give you salvation and eternity in heaven. He is small enough to hear your cries and pleads and small enough to love you personally. He is bigger than your struggles and bigger than your problems. He is bigger than your schedule and your timing. We so often want things in life right now. We have drive through fast food, popcorn at the movies already waiting on us, and carpool lanes to get us to our destinations faster. We are a generation short on time and we often think of God this way. He doesn't have a drive through prayer answer line even though we ask Him as if we are in the drive through line ordering a frappe. Our waiting is often times on purpose. God has a plan in our waiting and in doing so we discover that we often times don't need what we are asking for, are not ready for what we are asking for or it will do us harm if we got what we ask for. Our faith is not on the fast track drive through line. It takes a lifetime of learning, things to be patient over and trials to test us. I look around and see folks just complacent in their walk. Yes they have their salvation but they are just going through the motions in safety cruise control. They come to church when they can fit it into their schedule or feel like coming in if they don't sleep in. Faith is just taken for granted and doesn't have a punch in life. They have been to church for years, often times growing up in church knowing all the "church" things to say and do - They have the fire insurance and they are content with that. They know the church answers to the questions but yet are not living out their faith calling and really alive in their faith.
Much like the roller coaster on Saturday - there is the wait, the anticipation of something incredible, the excitement as the coaster makes the top, the plunge downward at full speed, the rise up on the other side and then another drop, the turn, the next turn, the fast ride back and a picture to capture the moment. Following Christ will have its thrills and seasons of excitement but it won't keep you from experiencing the wait and the scared moment in life, like when waiting on the doctors to give you the news. We don't send in a message to the OR room for them to hurry up do we? We want the doctors to take their time and get it right the first time. Its worth the wait even though we hate the wait.
It took courage to get on that coaster Saturday. It took faith knowing that it was all going to be ok. It took a friend to walk with her every step of the way. It took someone who had gone before and could share the experience. Following Christ comes in Gods perfect timing. He is bigger than your struggles today but he is also small enough to be personal. My walk with Christ over the years makes me want more out of life and to inspire people to want more out of life - especially more out of their faith. Pursue more of His purpose and plans and to dream a BIG GOD size dream.
I bet there is someone in your life willing to walk you through that ride on the coaster. Faith journey ahead ... Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so does one friend sharpen another.

Follow Christ but always leading others in everything you do.
Lonnie~