Monday and on a a few hours of sleep make for a long week and tough start. But honestly, its not that way at all. I am excited about this week ahead and excited about coming off such a great weekend. A weekend meeting new folks and hanging with old friends at the bonfire on the land Friday night. Got a call from one of my kids after working in the yard all day to just take a ride to Walmart with me. Its those kind of calls that really make my heart good because its not exciting, its not fun going to Walmart but she still wanted to hang with me and go along for the ride. Talk about a ministry opportunity! Try it sometimes when you have some errands to run - grab a friend, a close student and just take them along for the ride. God works in those unplanned, what seems to be nothing moments. Yesterday was spent at church, serving a meal at the Center of Hope in Charlotte with a handful of students and then a good stroll uptown for lunch and some exploring. Rock group was great last night and I fully enjoyed the light ministry message I had and had more time for food and talk time. I miss that sometimes, that hang out time because if the message is hard - it is hard on me to get the message across in a loving, caring and passionate way.
To continue on with this family core value that I have been praying and writing about - I want to talk a little about ~Passion.

Passion as by definition - Any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling;

On my list that my family gave me, passion was listed as the 8th family core value. For me its something that can be easily overlooked. Kyle is wrestling this year for his school team and last Friday he came home angry. He came home upset and I had to follow him into his room and sit him down and share with him that losing a match is not the end of the world. It may just be the beginning. Learn from it and never underestimate anything in your life. What might look easy may be the hardest thing you have ever done in your life. I would say -following Jesus has got to be the hardest thing I have ever done. My wrestling years are fond memories for the most part and though because of Judo - there were not many losses. But thats because I was prepared before hand because of Judo. Kyle has passion about his wrestling. He was angry because he had passion to succeed and to be a part of the team. His heart is in it..... that is where passion is born. If its not in your heart than you wont have any passion to do what ever it is that you are wanting to do.
I am passionate about showing Gods love, ministering to families around me, my family, "mykids" as well as just being Gods hands and feet to all those around me. Its tough and often times there are those feelings that rise up and say - Lon, your not making a difference. This is a waste of time. Why am I bothering with driving students from point A to point B.
I will tell you - I love what God has called me to do and that is to not turn my face when he is holding it in his hands. I have experienced my selfish life the way I wanted to do things and God in His great love and mercy for me, pulled me up from the bottom and has put me on a path that is far better than anything I could have ever planned by myself.
If you have passion for something it will move you to a place that the normal does not operate in. God has called ordinary people to do extraordinary things because He knows that they will have passion about this great work because their hearts are in it! 110%

I want to share Galations 5 today - its a long message but one worth reading. Hope it speaks to you so hang in there....
Galations 5 13-
It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you dont use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; thats how freedom grows. For everything we know about Gods word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. Thats an act of true freedom. If you bit and ravage each other, watch out - in no time at all you will be annihilating each other and where will your precious freedom be there? My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by Gods spirit. Then you wont feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness.You cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why dont you choose to be led by the spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions. What happens when we live Gods way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard-things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. Each of us is an original.

As we watched a few video clips from I AM SECOND last night - some great thought comments started to be shared as far as the folks sharing their life, their walk and how they all had it going on by themselves and then something in life put things back in the correct places. Their transformation from them being first and then putting God first and thus, them second really speaks volumes in how God turns lives around.
"Live to Worship" - meaning let everything you do be an act of worship to our heavenly Father. For some, it has been a really hard road to walk right now because maybe you have had a few tough seasons in life and you find your heart a little hard to the people around you. You may be feeling like everyone is heavenly sandpaper and the joy and passion for people is no where but a memory in the past because of that.

~Life may feel like a chore right now than a life of calling. Its difficult to get excited about things and just showing up might be about all you can do. You're doubting your opportunity to make an impact.
~You are being drained by people. When your passion shrinks your patience will soon follow.
~Maybe you are at a place where bitterness and resentment look more like the glazed over ham with layers and layers and the outside is a hard crust.
~You are not only tired but you are SPENT TIRED. Exhaustion is mixed with feelings of insignificance and that leads to disaster. There is that place where being that tired leads to thoughts of - Does what I do even matter?
~You are distracted more than usual. I am not talking about a conversation taking place and then suddenly you notice the butterfly and it grabs your attention. I am talking staying power to stick with the plan and to finish what you started out to do. Focus is on things other than what God wants you to focus on.
~Lacking passion leads to lack of fulfillment. This often brings those emotions and feeling of entitlement. I deserve that car, I deserve to be treated better, I deserve that new house or whatever. No matter what we are doing it just never seems to be enough. A few days after the excitement of something new we are moving onto something else, hoping that will be our fix.
~Burnout - when we have passion loved ones, we see past the disappointments. Without passion we care less and less. Quitting is soon to follow.

Loved ones, be committed to self discovery as you begin to get your passion back. Ask questions and listen well. As my time goes by in student ministry - that is key and something that is not really taught- listening .... I mean really listening. I want to share that relational relationship with Paul and Timothy - you too need a few Pauls in your life to really speak to your heart. Be careful in those people as they will have access to you in ways that very few people should. Those Timothys in your life are those that you pour into, you influence and who you provide a very important example. Listen to those Pauls in your life. Focus on being faithful as apposed to be successful. Rarely to we learn something the first time we hear something and 90% of what we hear we dont even remember 72 hours afterwards. So repeating is ok and often times necessary.
I also want to share that God knows everything about you. He knows the struggles and the flame temperatures your life is in right now. As Jesus sat and spoke with the Samaritan woman he already knew everything about her and he loved her anyway. He had compassion for her and his passion for the lost, the hurting, the people who needed hope.
Never lose sight of hope loved ones. Open your heart to those conversations with Christ and the Pauls in your life.
The corner is right around the corner ... don't give up.

Lonnie~