Hey everyone! A lot of flying these days! God is up to some amazing things and I want to take a moment to share a few things that He is doing. Students are winding down their school year with fun, pool parties and yes exams. I have had the chance to reassure, encourage and pray with many of my students. What a privilege and honor that is to do that and speak encouragement into their lives and give them a little boost of YES I CAN do this to finish out their school year. This past Wed night at our student ministry the Flood on Wed - I have had the chance to reassure an amazing handful of students who have found their lives not where they want it to. They reached out to me and have prayed with them, encouraged them and showed them Jesus in their situations and places they are at in life. They are at a crossroad now in their lives, a change of school next year, moving up to high school or something awful has happened and they are struggling to get past these things and to know God is there with them in the solution, in the much needed comfort and direction. What an honor to do this for them and be a small part in their faith journey. Last night I was invited to a championship softball game to see one of my 6th grade students. A double in the first at bat with a run scored and a great put out at third to first was really cool to see. I couldnt stay the entire game but enjoyed supporting her and her family. There is nothing like a smile a student gets when someone important to them shows up to support them. I think I relate so much to this and it is contagious for me to see these kids smile when I walk in to support their games, cheer, or matches or even in their awards at school. Gosh, that never gets old.
So often all these folks need is someone to really believe in them - to cheer them on no matter what - to invest a little time in them - to be there to listen to a 15 min talk when in 5 words was all you really needed ...because lets face it... we all are our worst critics.
Tomorrow night we have a guest speaker leading in our student ministry - gosh this is going to be an amazing night! I cant wait for God to speak through Angela and rock some hearts - I am really excited too for our opening video announcements that Morgan and I made at Carowinds Sunday. Didnt knot it was illegal so this is one time showing :)

Its 13 days till Jamaica. I am especially getting pumped and scared at the same time. Satan is attacking with folks on the team in tough places the last few days, end of school nerves, tension at home is high trying to finish up projects and our kids that sometimes seem to have lost their hearing and the process to think through the simplest of instructions.
As I try and put a message together for the message I want to preach at LightHouse church in Westmoreland Jamaica - I cant help but to keep something open for God to speak. I know that after almost a week there, my message and the things God has put on my heart and through those experiences, the message will clearly be one from God. It will be so different than something that is on my heart today. So for a big chunk of it - Its open ...and as it should be. Each message preached and taught should be from the word of God and not so much from the person who is delivering it. That is just my thoughts and understanding on things and maybe thats right maybe not..... all I know is I am praying hard for my team. For them to have an experience that God really moves in their lives. Maybe even a change of direction and a different purpose and outlook in their lives.
For some who are going, I can really honestly say their experiences with God have not been all that great. Losing a parents, struggling with tough things, influences in friends and school and social media keep them from really digging into the truth and letting those influences shape their minds and thoughts. Some have shaped their walk with Christ only through experiences and without that big rush, without that big experience - their faith loses out. It shimmers to a dark spot and again they continue down that path losing not only the vision in life God has for them but also the hope that comes with it. Self-centerness comes back into play and life takes the shape that revolved all around "ME". Feeling lead their lives, feeling decide their lives and truth is lost.
Psalms if full of cries, groans, struggles, pleading, begging - if they would just take a moment and dig in they would know that what they are feeling is normal. God does care where they are at and what they are struggling with.
We are raising a generation of young people who really dont have a foundation of Christ but just experiences of Christ. They experience, they stick around a little longer, they dont - they walk away. Its really just that simple. Sad.......
We have scripture to share with us the true character of God. We need to know His character so that we can experience His character. I fully believe with a strong conviction that if we aren't being exposed to knowing the character of God without experiencing God, we are not doing good.
They both go together. So as far as the folks on this mission trip to Jamaica - I fully believe the 2 will come together. They will get to know the character of God through serving, through praying over sick children and the sick people in the hospitals and serving the love of Christ through delivering life saving water and sharing Jesus in all we do we will experience God. There is powerful influence right there when we meet the two together.
We will get to know Gods character by experiencing Gods character.

At the end of the day you will we be able to look in the mirror and smile at the person looking at you because of these experiences? I think so.... I think you will focus on the dirt on your face, the fact that you are tired, exhausted in many ways, convicted in some, the overwhelming feeling of being blessed and privileged for what we do have and a vision to never take anything for granted. Joy will fill that mirror because of the experience of character.
Its a perfect match for God to shape ours.

Taste, touch, smell and feel life are some of the ingredients to growing our faith. Its the gospel first hand and what if we came back and started to live it out?

13 days and counting,
Lonnie~