We had an amazing night last night as Carol and I took a van full of folks down to Indian Trail NC to see the production walkthrough - Judgement House. Last year Pastor Travis and I took 3 van fulls of students, parents and leaders and all of us where impacted in some way. Some holding on to my arms crying, scared and then full of joy as we walked through the rooms being played out right in front of us. Last night was no exception but just on a smaller scale. After we had got back and Carol and I were sitting watching game 6 of the World Series which was by far the best baseball game I have ever seen :) - I got a call from a mom telling me and thanking me for being a person that truly cares for her family, is always extending myself to include their family in all we do and pointing so much of what we do to Jesus. As this student came in the house and began to unfold what took place last night, tears rolled down her face, emotions overcome her and daughter and mom spoke for "real" for the first time in months. Gosh, I almost have tears thinking about that as I type this. It really has such amazing impact on us when we see others who lives are changed, decisions being made that are good and bad and the reflection of those choices. So for this mom and daughter, though not a bad relationship by far but as teens get into their teenage years, space is a tough place to be. That once close relationship has its moments where it seems so much seperates them and for a an hour last night... it was made close again. Praise God for that.
Its sometimes hard pulling people together to do something. Some dont want to go, some make excuses, some want to be personally asked or they wont FEEL invited or that you want them to go. Some dont get along with this person or that so they want to be asked but you know wont go. It takes a lot of energy at times and I often wonder why am I putting myself through all this. 50 text messages and picking up students and arranging driving and its all time consuming. I will have to say that nights like last night knowing that this family sat down and shared for the first time in awhile, make it all worth it. Sad for the folks who chose to sit at home in front of the tube or playing on facebook caught up in the fake drama world.
I choose to plug in and experience what God puts in front of me and the opportunities ahead.

I started off this morning running late after staying up late for the ballgame. No text prayer this morning, didnt make YCI, had to wait for Kyle this morning with his hair and drop him at school, work was well tense when I got in - so the day just hasnt started on the right foot. I decided to just pick up a book and look through it that I have read about 10 months ago and at the end of many of the chapters, I wrote prayers, seeking Gods wisdom and heart inbetween the pages and Im thinking, gosh - this is a treasure to find today. If you are inbetween reads take a moment and pick up "Do Something" by Miles McPherson. I am sure it will challenge you in many ways with its short stories.

I want to share that I have really been seeking hard the Lord heart in terms of Compassion. I think I have a good amount of compassion for people, the hurting, the lost, the sick, the ones with sad faces, the hurting students for so many reasons.... I do have a heart for people but I want it to be deeper and through the heart of Christ. Jesus was so compassionate for people. Often stopping in his preaching tours through the countryside to break bread and give fish. He sat with tax collectors, touched the unclean, healed the hurting - He crossed society lines, cast lines of people - he didnt care much for the typical but he pressed on to do whatever it took to touch the hurting. He had such great compassion for people - relationships was at the heart of Christ. It should be ours as well. There has to be a time in our lives where the normal, over looked, walk away from things that should be the things that make us mad, get up out of our seats to do something. We all should have those moments where we just have to get up, get out of our comfort zone and DO SOMETHING - it might be something that is breaking your heart and keeps you up at night. It might be that child that needs a fatherly figure or a motherly figure in their life. It may be that your heart breaks for the homeless, the hurting, the sick or old folks who are shut in. It may be the children in a 3rd world country who dont have enough to eat day to day or $5 medicine to give them health. It might be your friends who are about to toss everything away in their marriage and family and someone needs to speak into their lives over the choices they are making. It might be a friends son or daughter who is making very poor choices. It might even be cats at the shelter or the 49 of them at the barn who are all under weight. Whatever that is that breaks your heart - I pray that this season in time for you that it breaks your heart so much you do something about it.

In my book on page 100 there is a paragraph that just really speaks to me today. Its says:
Loving the "Least of these" - people who cannot pay you back, or increase your social status - is not an annual charity event. It is not something to do to feel good. It is not how you get into heave, but it is evedent in the lives of those who are going there.

That just really hits me. The reason why so many people chose to look the other way or to not get up and do something in their lives - is pride. Just my 2 cents of thought on that. Pride often keeps us focused on ourselves, worrying about the big guy and all our needs and wants and desires to keep us happy. This is what I wrote 2-20-11 on the page 101 in the little space right under the prayer that is written in the book to end this chapter.

Pride - it gets in the way of so many hearts. To move past pride @ times is so hard. Its often hard to see. Pride is personal and one that cant be lived through in someone elses life. It lives directly on our own shoulders. Pride keeps us from opening hearts to what God wants us to do because we only see ourselves and our points of view. As I sit on the porch @the cabin this morning, 2 cardinal birds are feeding @the bird feeder. The big bird checking on the lady bird fully aware where she is. No pride in serving her at all. Its in that bird that God created. We need to serve people that way. Serve them, love them, encourage them because like the cardinal, its already in us. God remove the pride so that I may help the "least of these". Center of hope later :) serving with a smile and a tender heart. Amen - Lonnie

So I will end this Friday post on "thewalk" with a question. What are you not doing because your pride is in the way? Who could you be serving, what could you be doing if your pride was not in the way?

Lord Please open our eyes of our hearts so that we may see who you want us to minister to. Please protect us from our pride so that we may receive a lesson from those who appear to be less fortunate. Amen.

Happy Friday loved ones,
Lonnie~