I am pretty encouraged today after last nights student ministry meeting. A good conversation and some help from another leader in our student ministry has that student from yesterday plugged back in and seeing the bigger picture. Its so easy to lose focus on the big picture when we are distracted by the little things all around us. I am glad at least for now, his steps are moving forward again.
Last night we got a great vision for our student ministry at church, though it may be different right now than what was, it is steps in the right direction and I am grateful for the opportunities ahead to serve Christ and live out this passion in my heart for the students placed in my life to know more about Christ. Honored to be serving them and their families in their walk discovering Christ in their lives.
As I got the prompt from Pastor Jimmy last night to close out the meeting with a few announcements and a few moments to share my heart with the students, something occured to me that really has me thinking. It has been a month or so since being out in the front of people in this type of situation and most of my life it has been one I have done my best to completely avoid - but since answering the call that God placed on my heart, I can't shy away from it..... It was revealed to me that those first few moments, that long 1 minute standing in front of a crowd of people are simply the most quiet experience you alone might ever face. As they look at you and you prepare to open your mouth and hopefully words come out clear and not in some raspy bird like call - the first few moments you have the crowds attention. In those first 2 minutes of speaking, you are either going to lose them or you are going to keep them. You will probably lose a few because of distractions and todays kids being ADD because they live their entire lives with a remote control in their hands and if something doesn't grab them right out of the gate - they turn the channel. They will do that to you as well if you don't grab them right out.
So, that is something I am going to focus on in the coming weeks.... attention to keep their attention and then gaining retention - why speak in front of people if they are not going to remember any of it right?
I shared last Sunday with a handful of my close kids that if they don't write things down, in 72 hours....in 3 short days - 97% of what you just heard you will never remember. Those are pretty poor odds of remembering anything and if your goal is to learn and apply. You better have a pen and paper to reflect back on.
Today I am in John 4:43-54
After the 2 days He (Jesus) left for Galilee. When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, for they also had been there. Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders." Jesus told him, "you will never believe." The royal official said. "Sir, come down before my child dies." Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live." The man took Jesus at his word and departed. While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "The fever left him yesterday at the 7th hour". Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his house hold believed. This was the 2nd miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee.

As a dad, I can so relate to this royal official in his panic with his son near death. Not that my son or any of my close kids have been near death before but because as a dad, you know you would do anything, give up anything for the life of your children. I have walked pretty close to parents who have sons and daughters who have had surgeries and emergencies and I know the panic and heart felt pain that comes with those moments. As this man and his servants rode for days on horseback, one can imagine that this man had wealth. Not many folks had horses and servants so I can imagine this was a wealthy man but still a desperate man. The ride must have been long, hard, tiring as they rode their horses hard to get to Jesus. Imagine the faith that it took as to beg Jesus to come and make his son well and Jesus tells him, You may go, your son will live. Imagine that thought process right then as to the man believing Jesus on his word and immediately left to head right back home, another days travel by horse.
Now knowing me and probably knowing you, I don't think I would have had the faith of Christ word right there. I can just picture myself begging Jesus to come, to possibly grabbing Jesus and pulling him to come and to hurry! I can just see the panic measures taking place. But this father, takes the words to Jesus, trusts them and believes him.
What incredible faith as a father to do something like that. He didn't have time to think it through, to weigh in on the pro's and con's of waiting a while, leaving right then, making Jesus come with him or just take his word at heart - knowing his sons life is on the line.

I can't even imagine the feeling this dad had and the thoughts going through his mind as he raced a days travel by horse back home, only to be met by his servants meeting him part of the way and telling him -His son will live. Figuring the time that the fever left was the exact moment that Jesus said his powerful healing words and promise - Your son will live.

What an amazing story that shows what power we have in our lives when we believe and trust in Gods word.
As you seek your life and heart today - What are you not trusting God with that you need to trust him for? What is that struggle that you just cant seem to shake that God can take and free you from? What is that big decision that you keep going back and forth on that you need to trust God and take Him for his words that you already know but afraid to do?

As a parent and father - I am trusting God for my son and mykids. I trust that his plans a far better than my plans for them. I am taking his word on that.

Lonnie~