Gosh its been a busy day wrapping up things here before I hit vacation with my family and extended family. I am so looking forward to some down time and in many ways needing it pretty badly. We all had a great visit from Kate this past weekend. She is in such a great place now and I am so proud of her. Yesterday while at church during prayer, she grabbed my arm and held on to it and it was really hard not to let the tears fly. We have been through so much together and I am just so delighted she is in a good place and life is in front of her now instead of behind her. We had over 700 folks come to our Easter services yesterday. It was crazy and that alone makes me excited, pumped, overwhelmed and crazy all in the same breath.
I get excited thinking about the up coming opportunities we will have to reach so many new hearts and faces for Christ.
It will be hard not thinking about them this Sunday when I am not there and wondering who I am missing. But - I will come back refreshed and ready to step up a notch or two.
Tomorrow we are being interviewed by the local paper for our upcoming mission trip to Jamaica in June. Excited about that as well as the rest of my team. Its going to be a great experience - I am really excited to hear everyones heart as to why they are going and what they will be doing. Sometimes speaking from the heart is the best way to handle these kinds of things. No thought out answers!

Bahamas on Wed - headed out - stay tuned for pictures and updates from the trip. Love some family time .... it should be a few days of smiles and memories in the making.

I will sign off with a little encouragement. Colossians 1:28 - To be mature is to be basic. CHRIST! No more, no less. Thats what Im working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously give me.

Even while in the Bahamas and in all the travels the next few days - ministry will continue cause God has enabled my heart to share and to love those who cross my paths. Excited for those coming opportunities - Pray for them.... they will come. Thats an awesome God putting things together for those willing to do the work. Use what you have ...... right here right now.

Have a blessed week everyone!
God bless,
Lonnie

TGIF - Thank God its Friday. Its a Friday that changed the world.

Enjoyed my time this morning watching the student leaders act out their skit the empty tomb. They did such a great job and had a few laughs along the way. Though attendance was light this morning with spring break and many heading out of town early or just not going to school because of Good Friday. I was especially thankful to be there. I have been nominated for an award -Parent Eagle Award - through the YCI chapter here in Charlotte with a big party thing coming on May 13th. Last year with over 1000 in attendance to that with a special guest speaker. It just humbles me knowing that all the time taken - there are those who thank you in such special ways. There were a lot of smiles shared this morning, a special thank you for a phone call last night to a student who did not make the cheer team. These students have such an impact on the world around them. Many are leading their families and influencing those around them. Its just an honor to do what I do, have my heart in such a place that gosh, the only thing you can do at times is just smile, sit in AWE with all that God is doing.

I am called to this. It completes me and I know without a doubt that God is leading me on this journey and is putting students and families in my paths to encourage, to lead, to influence and to show them Gods love and grace along the way. They are that important that I lead my life to better do what I can do for Christ. It makes me who I am today.

I have enjoyed this song the last few days. While most wont bat an eye at the significance of this day. As a follower of Christ its a day that means so much. A friday that changed the world.

Not to Us - Chris Tomlin

The cross before me the world behind
no turning back
raise the banner high
its not for me
its all for YOU

Let the heavens shake and split the sky
let the people clap their hands and cry
its not for us
its all for YOU

Not to us
but to YOUR name be the glory
not to us
but to YOUR name be the glory

oru hearts unfold before YOUR throne
the only place for tose who know
its not for us
its all for YOU

send YOUR holy fire on this offering
let our worship burn for the world to see
its not for us
its all for YOU
for YOU

the earth is shaking
the mountaint shouting
its all for YOU
the waves are crashing
the sun is raging
its all for YOU

the universe is spinning and singing
its all for YOU
YOUR children dancing
dancing
dancing
ITS ALL FOR YOU!!!

Have a great Friday everyone and may this day be of such significance to you because what has been done for you, given to you and sacrificed for you all in the name of love.

Lonnie~

Its an LOL kind of evening

I am so excited for tonight! Our first LOL student ministry Bible study in our new digs. Even though as a student ministry we dont have much space we will be using the K5 area but its so much more than we have ever had in the past! Stage, sound equipment and video screen! LOL is going to be off the rocker tonight and I am preaching a series starting tonight with the movie Soul Surfer as the theme. Its going to be so cool and I am hoping for a packed house!
I had a lot of fun chilling with the High School students last night. 13 of them showed for coffee, hang time and a little bit of Gods word and I challenged them not to be comfortable. Gods word we are to treasure and enjoy and change our lives but far too often Gods word doesnt penetrate the hearts that are listening and its just words going in and words going out. Its a great core group of students and so thankful for the leaders that also came and be an example and extend a heart that says - Hey, You are IMPORTANT!

Today I am still in Psalm 119 -
Let your love, God, shape my life with salvation, exactly as you promised; Then Ill be able to stand up to mockery because I trusted your word. Dont ever deprive me of truth, not ever - your commandments are what I depend on. Oh, Ill guard with my life what you've revealed to me, guard it now, guard it ever; And Ill stride freely through wide open spaces as I look for your truth and your wisdom; Then I'll tell the world what I find, speak out boldly in public, unembarrassed. I cherish your commandments - oh, how I love them! Relishing every fragment of your counsel.

We know the influence others have on our lives ... if you have friends that like basketball and you spend a good amount of time with them, eventually you will also like basketball. Carol, my wife loves football and together we enjoy watching the games. You have friends that meet for coffee from time to time and eventually - you will probably like coffee at some point. If you have friends that cuss - chances are good that your vocabulary will include some extra words. Even Nascar has this affect of people :)
As I think about this influence that others have on our lives, I think about the influence Jesus had on his disciples. I mean they spent a good amount of time together, 3 years in ministry, listening and learning and watching Jesus, how could they not be influenced? They got the front row seat in those experiences that so many only get to read about. That even applies today - we can only read about them even if we do our best to hold to the teaching that Jesus gave us. Jesus was focused on the children, on the poor and the outcasts of society. James, Peter, John and the rest were focused on them - Jesus had influence on them and made it important enough to them to continue that.
This totally has me thinking as I think about my high school students from last night and then a step further in all the students at church in the student ministry. Gosh this overwhelms me today.
The students will resemble the heart of their teacher. I have influence with these students. Not as much as parents and I have to continue to keep that in check and remind myself of that very important factor. If you are a parent and reading this - yes, you too need to be reminded! You are the greatest influence of your children!
With that in check - like it not, as a youth leader or pastor - we are passing on some kind of spiritual influence to those that are following us. Those who come to LOL tonight - some are hungry and needing and wanting that important connection, that important friendship, that important guidance, that important message and that important example.

Gosh that really hits home for me today. Jesus was very specific what he passed on to his disciples and we can see that by how they carried the torch afterwards. Praying that my influence is a good thing for those who are following, who are coming to church and allowing me to speak into their life. I am praying that the love I have for Christ comes out and is contagious enough for them to catch. May my journey with Christ be an encouragement to them even when life is hard at times.

May my influence into the lives of those around me continue to honor God in all I do.

humbled and excited all in one today,
Lonnie~

I have been really digging the book of Psalms the last few weeks. Last night for life group I came across Psalm 119, which if you didnt know is the longest Psalm in the Bible. It really starts off in such a great place and I want to share that today because in many ways, it is where I am. Psalm 119 - You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You're blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. Thats right - you dont go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then I'd never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. Im going to do what you tell me to do; dont ever walk off and leave me. The last week and this week coming up will be a blur. Its been crazy busy and I am stretched in many ways but its all just so exciting! Our first time in our new classroom yesterday was awesome! It had some high energy and the students seemed to really dig their new place. Though small and room for about 30 students, having 27 to start it off with is just perfect! I am really excited about that and tomorrow night giving our high school students some time to hang out a local coffee shop should be very cool indeed. Wednesday I am just rocked out for with excitement. LOL should be an amazing time together in our new building, loud music, a drama and some preaching hopefully that will be good LOL - we are even having live music to open and close - so this is all new territory for all of us and God expects the standard to be set high so we are aiming high!! Plans for Jamaica are moving forward with us booking a local coffee shop for May 12th to hold a fun evening with auctions on baskets and fundraising with live music and a fun time. Everyone is invited to come - and to top the morning off - Carol got a call this morning from the local paper wanting to interview us for the paper!! - I am blown away by all of this and how its coming together. Blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. Blessed when you follow his directions and doing your best to find him. - These words just speak to me so much today. It for sure will continue to permeat in me as we continue moving forward with all that is on my heart for the things of God. As I closed last night life group with these words, I think its approriate to do so here as well. From John Piper - "We praise what we enjoy." Lord I enjoy your company, your guidance, the way you call my name, the things you are doing in me and through me, the things you are revealing to me in others and what you are doing in them as well, the faith that is alive in so many around me and even those who are clinging to a heartbeat of faith but in your perfect ways Lord, they will once again become alive and full of energy for the things of you. Lord I am smiling today and my heart is singing your praises. Help me be contagiuous and infect all those around me for the things of you, full of your word, your grace and your love. We praise your word Lord because we praise what we enjoy. Amen

I wanted to share just a couple pictures from yesterday. Our first service on our ministry campus. We all met at the school at 9:30. Shared some heart and Pastor JImmy shared a prayer for what God is doing, over the school and all the teachers there. We then drove down to our new ministry campus where many got to see the building for the first time. It was an amazing day!! We had lots of time to hang out, walk through the building, into the classrooms, listen to the music playing, grab a bottle of water and even flush the new toilets! Lots of smiling faces and for being our first service, there was little free space left - almost every single seat taken even after additional seats were brought in.

All I can say -after so many years of setting up and breaking down, wear and tear on equipment, loading and unloaded trucks and all that goes into being portable - I just didnt have many words. My heart was in such an amazing place and being around so many people, so many as family, so many excited just like I was, to see students standing with me and talking and laughing and just wanting to be there - it was amazing. Kayla and the band did a great first song in the building and even though she was nervous, about to throw up, I looked at her and said - Kayla, you are singing for one - an audience of one and we are just blessed to be able to hear it. She did an awesome job in "Amazing Grace" .. I had tears running during that song and Pastor Jimmy preached a great message from the book of John and how our church needs to be in the community to reach people who dont know Jesus, who have been turned off by other churches in their past due to the rules and the religious folks not making their church welcome enough for people to come in and really feel it. Its a home church for anyone but not for everyone. Church is a little different and I so want to be that little bit different in our student ministry.

Standing around so many students yesterday and thinking ahead to what this ministry will look like in our new building and new digs and where we will be able to meet, dream and reach into the community just has me so excited.

I have to say though, part of me is in that humbled place. I want to stop and be thankful for a moment, well maybe a day or 2 and just thank God for all he has proven over the years to the fact that he is faithful. Lets share in these moments together in being thankful for all he has done, all he has shown us, all that he has taught us, and the promises of all he is going to do!

Before I get going again .... pushing forward and putting my faith into action and leading out front of so many -

God I want to thank you for where you have us all. The things you have shown us over the years, the people you have brought in for seasons of time before they left is all good. It has purpose and in doing so have taught many many lessons. Lord your perfect timing and in your perfect place and its okay to be excited and to be in AWE as I was yesterday. I look around and see so many students who are sticking, though some have walked away, some have given up on their faith which is always sad but some Lord have this burning passion in them for the things of you and to make a difference in their worlds. Lord thank you for all who have taken part in this and had a hand or a voice or a wallet or a heart into putting a place in our community for others to come and to know you. Generations from now - it will be different in so many families because of Your Word Lord preached and shared in love, grace and mercy to all who venture in your paths. May we have the boldness and the courage to step forward in faith, to pray audaciously for them to know you and for us to reach the world one heart at a time.

I pray all these things in Christs name in Jesus who is above all other names.

Amen

Last night did not go as planned so much. Kyle put it perfectly- I pick up rocks, I put them down. Not exactly what I had envisioned to be our first real steps into our ministry campus. I had visions of doing some work, some cleaning, smiles and laughter and a quick message to charge up the students and other leaders in their faith and taking ownership in their PURPOSE in life through Christ. My thoughts came through Ephesians 1:3-14 and there in the scriptures, its clearly written that God has given us purpose and meaning in life. I cant tell you how many times I have been asked - I dont know what to do with my life. I dont know what to study in my college career. I just dont know what God wants me to do. What is my purpose? Let me tell you this as I said last night, Who God has called you to BE is MUCH more important than what He has called you to do. God is interested in who you are as apposed to what you can do for him. If you miss out and decide to go in another direction, ignore the calling on your heart from God, choose to go and do something else with your life - Gods will will happen no matter what. It will just be through someone else. Someone else will grow closer to him, someone else will live a life of favor, love and blessings through Him. Someone else will grow in their faith journey and live a life with a higher calling, a bigger purpose and a life full of meaning. Finding your purpose begins with your character and who God is shaping you to become. If you think about it, you are already shaping that person in your future. This doesn't just apply to the teens in my life or the young people in yours. I am talking to you and its personal and I am speaking - heart to heart. Heart to heart - think about where you are today. What friends you have. The close peeps in your life. Your 750 friends on facebook and myspace. No matter what or where you are, God has a plan and a purpose for you but here is the kicker.... It begins with you. You are as close to God as you choose to be. Its that simple. I see every week students showing up on Sunday and on Wed evening bible study and once again - they forget their Bible. Regret happens most of the time in life when we really think about it is when we do something other than what the Bible teaches us. It's purpose to show us how to live!! What to do!! and also what not to do. The people and things and situations in your life are shaping your character. The question is, who's character are you trying to be like? I told my Sr High school kids last night as this time of year they are trying to decide where to go to college. Family plans for the weekends going to visit, reference letters in the mail along with transcripts and hopes and prayers for that acceptance letter. For some, their futures ride on that letter. Long lines of family traditions ride on that letter. How you live in college is more important than where you go to college~ Its all about character loved ones. Who are you when nobody is looking. If you are not letting God shape who you are to become - then what are you doing? Somebody has the molding going on right now... You know who they are or what that is. Question is, will you let it continue or will you find your purpose and meaning in life by following Jesus and let him shape you into something that He created you to be. Its in you...... even if you dont know it yet. Lonnie~

Amazing things are happening! I am so excited to have our first LOL bible study tonight in the new building. Though not fully ready, but ready enough to be in the building! Our first look at almost clean and done ministry campus has me pretty excited about tonight. Excited to see the faces of so many students and the dreams that will come true through what God has blessed us with to reach so many in our community for him. I am excited to be serving along side some great students, if almost everyone shows, well over 75 of them - and hopefully their families and other volunteers. As we prepare by cleaning windows, cleaning up trash, mopping floors, putting furniture together and sharing in some laughs and smiles- I am also very excited to take 15 minutes of their time and share something with them. I am totally stoked to share what is on my heart for this evening and what is to come. God is on the move in so many things and through so many people. Its just gives me chicken skin as my mom used to call it instead of goose bumps - I dont like geese much so chicken skins sticks ... too bad. Yesterday to mention just a few things that have really openened my eyes and my heart to the things God is influencing and making Himself knows. We had a bad storm roll through the area on Tuesday morning early. With trees and power down, we have not seen storms like this here in this area in years. One of my close kids called and told me a tree branch fell across their driveway and blocked their car in so much so they had to drive through the front yard to get out and get to work and school. I figured no big deal, I will take care of it when I get home. After seeing the pictures - holy smokes - it was huge and covered the entire driveway - luckily not hitting anything or taking part of the house out. I stressed all morning over it knowing that this family is my family and when a need arises - well, you step up and just do what you have to do. I left at lunch, drove out to the cabin and picked up my chain saw. Headed back to the office, finished up work when the call came in. Fully prepared to hear they were waiting on me to get started but what I heard was, the tree is gone. Yes gone, like it was never there. Neighbors had come over and took care of the tree, its branches and hauled it off. Nothing left. I was relieved. What blessings God has put in our daily lives, from the people we are doing life with, to the situations that get taken care of - blessings come in all sizes, shapes and through amazing ways. Monday standing in the post office getting 2 of my girls passports for our upcoming mission trip - 2 folks came in without stamps and what was important for these 2 customers became a way for those couple spare stamps my girls mom had in her purse. What a smile but also what a blessing. Small things .... but how often do we overlook the chance to serve and share with someone the small things so that God can then bless us with the big things? Gosh - it just makes me sit in AWE at times loved ones. Last nigth getting home with no tree to cut - I found myself with one of my other close kids at my house. A few weeks ago she had went with her mom to get her ear pierced and last night - nobody but Mr B was looking at her ear. Gosh that just makes my heart right. SO Mr B went to work and tried to get her infected ear fixed up and ear ring out. With little to grab onto and the pain too much - we went to the urgent care and had to let the professional take care of it. A little numbing needle, a little use of the razor knife and a gentle pull on the back - proved to be the only way it was coming out. Infected ear but lesson learned and to think I got to be part of that experience and share in some tough moments. I wouldn't swap those moments for everything and thinking about them- Lord thank you for those moments and for "MyKids" wanting me to be a part of their lives. Even when it hurts, for me to be there means so much to me. Heart to heart - There is more beauty in us than we can ever see. I love it when the real person, the real beauty shines through - Its not meant to be hidden but lived out in the open <3. May this bring you encouragment today... and a chance to see in your own life - the things God is placing all around you for his greater purposes. Look at them today..... and may you have chicken skin like I do. Peace, Lonnie~

Monday and a full week ahead from what I can see. The scary part sometimes is the moments that you dont see. A day in ministry is like no other day - even with work and everything else that needs to be done. Ministry days are never the same and can change in a moments notice. Excited to be hanging out with one of my close kids this afternoon and tonight. Its been a dry month of March for us to hang out. Seems we have been going in opposite directions and life has been pulling us in different locations. Glad to have this time together, catch up, talk and just be heart to heart. Sometimes, a lot of times, faith works. Prayers produce. Praise God. There is nothing better! I have been thinking about this heart to heart thing a lot lately. As I stand more and more in front of these students, they get a small peak into my heart and what I stand for, what I believe in and get to really know me. I am not scared of that at all and in fact - I am totally cool with it because I can't be there like that, I can't expect them to be there also. Working on some exciting things coming up for the month of April. Along with the Bahamas cruise at the end of the month, our fundraising for Jamaica continues and small donations keep coming in. I am so blessed and grateful for those donations and partnering with us to share Gods grace and love to the people of Jamaica in June. I will say that my Life Group is praying and studying a great book by Pastor Steven Furtick "Sun Stand Still" and I am here to share my big audacious prayer that I am asking God for. The other day I was walking out for lunch here at work and 2 of my coworkers were asking me how the trip plans were coming along, how many young people we were taking and the costs assoiciated with it. I was explaining to them that things were moving forward, we are all excited to be going and we have a good bunch of awesome students going and I shared with them the cost of not so much the trip and all but the airfare. With say 11 people going and costs to fly down and back are around $800 - that is a big chunk of change. So I started last week putting some feelers out to some folks at Joe Gibbs Racing and using the word of mouth to flow around our racing community here who might be able to help us with a charter plane to take us and pick us up. I have been really praying this bold prayer now for about a week and what if - imagine with me - someone hears about what we are doing? What if, Joe Gibbs comes and shares with us that he has a plane, a 12 seat jet and was willing to let us use it to take us to Jamaica? What if God put those things into action, moved someone's heart to action and imagine with me - the look on my coworkers faces when God blesses us with this incredible answer of prayer?!?! Are you with me? Imagine the glory and praise and AWE God would get through this and how many people this story will actually touch! So today and until this trip Lord, I am asking and begging you to move hearts, touch a person Lord in the only way you can to move them to help us with our trip to Jamaica. Help us find a way to go and serve the good people of Jamaica for your word, your love and your heart to heart change. Lord I know we will come back changed and I know so that we will touch the hearts of the good Jamaican people while we are there but I so vision the change that we will have. A vision that is so much bigger than our own because its a vision of what could be if we would just take a stand for you and be the person you are calling each of us to be. Imagine the lunch rooms in school, changed because of 1 fired up changed student that came back different from this trip. Imagine that family who will be first hand witness to their daughter who comes back and changes everything wrong in her life and gives it fully over to you. Imagine our church Lord who will have a 12 person seed pod of life change ready to infect everyone around us with the experiences that we just had. Imagine the look on my coworkers faces when the big bold and audacious prayer of sending us a way to go, a plane to charter, a plane to send your word to a place so desperate to hear and know you - imagine the stories and the awe of your word being truth and the impossible is not out of reach because you made it possible. Lord I am asking big, letting it be known and asking you Lord to make it real - show off your glory Lord because its all about you. We praise you Lord, we love you Lord and we ask all of this in your sons mighty name in Jesus. Amen