Its Friday. Whew ......
Its been a tough and busy week - We are headed to the cabin tonight for some much needed get away time. Carol had actually booked the beach until mid week when Irene started making a scene on the coast. Praying for everyone along its path. Carols brother Bob was supposed to have knee surgery Monday but has had to cancel it due to the storm there in NJ. He is in charger of all the tree crews in PSE&G and with maximum damage to the area - they need all the help they can get there to keep the area with power. Sad we hadnt made it to the beach this year but hopefully later in Sept that can actually happen before the weather gets cool.

I have been really thinking the last few days about Jamaica, serving and missing that small group time with folks. Its been a long time since our small group was together and sharing together and just spending time in each others lives. After Labor day, I am really looking forward to getting back to doing that. I am really missing some worship time since finishing the Chris Tomlin book, I kind of have this new feeling on worship and what it actually means. Its not just the music we play and dance to its actually the song we live our lives to and our entire day as we live that out is actually set to worship our Heavenly Father. I love that new picture that has been drawn. I am also missing our Jamaica peeps, our team being together, our Michigan peeps and momma Penie and poppa Jim. I just sent them a friends request on facebook and hoping I can catch up with them through that social media avenue. As we get ready to launch Elevation University I am getting excited about serving again. Not that I have not been doing that but just in a bigger more impactful way. I like to get my hands dirty and my feet wet when it comes to serving others. I dont mind a little strain from time to time. Our Jamaica trip was all about that - serving and showing others Jesus. I think for most guys my age I have come to realize that they go through this stage where being 45 its close enough for the kids to be out of the house and then move to the next phase of the next thing. Im not all that ready for the next thing. I am not all that ready to buy a convertible and me and Carol drive away. I am not about to think or go through some mid-life crisis because my life is full and I am doing what I know I have been called to do. I am not missing out on anything. Thats what the midlife crisis is all about.
I want to look at it as a mid-life calling. 45 years old - pressing onward to make the name of Jesus famous. Made famous in the hearts and lives of teenagers, in our community and in the world. What better and more important plan could there be?
I dont have time for the mid life crisis - I love serving Christ and all those he points and puts in my way. Jamaica was so eye opening to the real joy and heartfelt Word of Christ. Some folks can go to church, sit in the same place maybe every 2 weeks or once a month or even week after week. Church attendance doesnt do anything for anyone except make the church look full. God pressed on me to reach the world and to experience something so much bigger than myself. Its hard to describe unless you have been really.
There is a new movie coming this fall - right on the side of Courageous - its called 58: If you want to view the trailer -
http://www.live58.org/thefilm/58/videos/#

It looks to be a powerful movie touching the world in all the parts that a follow of Christ should be touching on. I am so excited to be part of Elevation University. This is a church that gives, does and goes to the ends of the earth changing lives for Christ. They are serious about it and I am so excited about it. There is freedom in that serving. There is freedom under that vision. There is freedom to go and do but what is true freedom?
Romans 6:15-19 - So since we're out from under the old tyranny, does that mean we canlive any old way we want? Since we're free in the freedom of GOd, can we do anything that comes to mind? Hardly. You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and its your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you've let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you've started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom! Im using this freedom language because its easy to picture. You can readily recall, cant you, how at one time the more you did just what you felt like doing - not caring about others, not caring about God - the worse your life became and the less freedom you had? And how much different is it now as you live in God's freedom, your lives healed and expansive in holiness?

I am so excited about what is to come. I am so excited to have a small part in touching the lives of so many people in a few weeks in the Charlotte University area.
Thank you Elevation church and giving us this freedom to be part of this launchpad here in our community and in the world.
Dreams happen because faith is believed in. Its believing in advance. Faith is persisting when we dont feel like it. Faith is believing when we dont see it. Faith is giving when you dont have it to give. I got to see so much in Jamaica, the people we serve at the shelters serving a meal, providing clothes or a christmas present. Its serving in the tears, the smiles, the heartfull conversations, the prayers with so many students. Before any of that could take place -
YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE BEFORE YOU RECEIVE.

I have a picture on my desktop from one of my students who over the past few months has given her life to Christ and she made me a picture. She is holding a sign she made and she is smiling - on that sign is: I am Second <3
When you give and serve - your heart gets bigger. It touches those around you and in turn they touch someone else.

Mid life crisis? - Na, mid-life opportunity :)

Lonnie~