Its another wrestling day today! Pretty excited to be on the home mat tonight and having some extra screams from the crowd cheering and supporting a team of young men striving forward in something they a pushing themselves so much for. Kyle has really amazed me the last few weeks in his ownership of this experience. He has stepped it up not one notch but a few. I got him up this morning and he headed out for his morning run. It reminds me of my younger days and doing all this stuff before school. Every moment passing throughout the day never escaping the arms of battle. I am so proud of him and his leadership on the team. It really reflects to the others who are "in process" and learning those first baby steps.
I have been reminded of this a few times in the last week or so but I want to share a little story about "The Popeye Moment". Seems the last few days, I have experienced someone standing up and saying enough when a person was talking all morning dropping the F bomb - finally couldnt take it anymore and said something. This morning walking to the building next door a guy went out of his way to point out to a handful of students where the smoking section on campus was and that they had to move. People smoke there all the time but nobody ever says anything. The Fbomb is dropped all the time but nobody ever says anything. I bet there is something else going to happen to prove yet again - someone has a "Popeye Moment" and stands up to do something or say something.
Last night at the gym I had my ipod on and Pastor Stevens message was playing over again on his last series he finished up last week on Found Favor. You can view his amazing message from this link http://www.elevationchurch.org/sermons/foundfavor/part1
I got through my cardio workout and I can tell Pastor Steven was drawing me in, he was pulling me closer as the message played on. I finally wiped the machine down and sat down at the arm extension machine and then it hit me. Pastor mentioned how Jesus broke bread just as he breaks us to free us but all the while we continue to never leave his hands.... it happened. I broke down. I am not ashamed of it because its a good thing even though in public in the gym I really couldnt care less. Looking back over the last few months, I have and my family and close friends have been put through some crap. Speaking for myself, I have been broken after a long season of leading, of seeing students giving their lives to Jesus, having such a unbelievable impact of so many lives all to be taken away after a few "church" people started backstabbing and gossiping. NEVER stepping forward to really see or hear for themselves what was happening. Seeing the changes in so many starting to own their faith for the first time in their lives. Many times, as I stood teaching on something, I woudl look down into the first rows and see tears running down cheeks. I would see faces buried into their hands. I would see students leaning over on the person next to them hiding the pain that was coming out. I will never forget those moments. I will never forget the moments shared when a student emails you later that evening and unloads years of weight and pain that they have been carrying from something they did or something that had happened to them. God was working into their pain.
As I recall my last time speaking to them at the beach with about 50 students there and the impact God was having through my words. So much so that the message the following night was spoke about again in a little further detail and in a little more followup kind of way.
As I look back - I can see after hearing Pastor Stevens message God setting the stage. I want to highlight a few key notes I took from that incredible message. IN all the messages I have ever listened to and studied - this message loved ones, has to be the most impactful one ever to me. It speaks louder than any other message I have ever heard and its preached directly from Gods perspective and word and all tied together perfectly so even I can understand it. Thank you Pastor Steven for your gift to preach Gods word that he has given you and you pouring it out for those who need it and need to know who God is. Blessed to be where I am today as is my family and close friends.
A few points:
* To find favor with God means that nobody can stop what He has started, which means that nobody can stop when He wants to accomplish in your life. MY LIFE!
* "When you have the favor of God, you dont have to produce anything, you just position yourself to receive what God has already worked out for you. Favor is the result of the initiative of God, by His grace, but I position myself to receive it by my obedience, so that when He wants to favor my life, I AM READY!
* Sometimes God shows HIs favor through a door He openes, and sometimes He does it through a door He closes. Thank you for the favor, God, through my successes and my failures.

I still have this buring passion in my heart for students and those around me in my life to know Jesus. Its something I pray I always have because it was so life changing for me and taking what God has done in my life and how he has changed me - I want everyone to experience that. I want to go to the mission field, just as we did last year and continue to do that. My time to lead students right in this season may not be Gods timing but as Pastor Steven said abotu Gods favor, when that time comes it will be amazing. He I fully believe is positioning me and my family and those around me for something very cool. I am ready when God says it is time. I am very thankful for the door that closed. Though hard at times thinking about the hearts and smiles I dont get to talk to or see every single week or read the text messages that would blow up my phone at times... but I know that the open door now is a door of favor and through it comes successes and failures.

Carol last night was sharing with me how good she feels these past few weeks. Working out at the gym, cutting some calories, Kyle working out and doing great at school, Kate doing unbelievable well adjusting to being here in NC and doing good in school and looking for work and making friends and our relationship has just blossomed into such a loving relationship that I knew in Gods timing would happen. A few years ago when Kate was with us, I clung onto that hope. I went above what everyone else was telling me to send her home, you deserve better but my stance was - I will suffer now because SHE deserves better. I will ride the wave, take the pain and the hits so that at some point - God will have a say in all this. We are seeing that fruit today. I am blessed to know that and isnt that the best part loved ones when we can recognize and acknowledge that this is a good place? We are truly blessed! We are in a good season because of the seeds planted in the tough season!
Like I said to Carol this morning with a smile on my face, There is momentum in the Bateman home. I know things can change in a moments time.......
One thing continues to remind me of something - even as an email came in this morning and confirmed my thoughts and feelings on this. God has a way to do those things doesnt he? :)

"Hang in there."

Maybe you needed to hear that today. I sure did a few months ago. I did last week. I did yesterday. I know what its like to not being able to breathe. No time to come up for air. Working full time, raising a family, neice on the brink of destroying herself, marriage really hanging on by a thread, leading a student ministry with 40-60 students all needing an ear, all needing help, all needing God and feeling...God I cant do this. With no help, no support, nobody but my close peeps cheering me on with encouraging words, prayers and sending their teens to everything to support what was burning in me all the while knowing I was hanging on set up for failure. The season after required much focus, much healing, much determination to not do mean things back because of the mean things being done and keeping humbled, focused on Jesus and "Hanging in there". I needed someone to rescue me from the bottom of the pool.

My family, my church, my pastor, my friends and lifegroup, my close kids in my life who I love like my own, my God... has got us and got me through this.

Pastor Steven then shared with us this huge important fact. - You dont have to force Gods favor in your life. "Favor isnt a feeling; its a fact."

We have Gods favor loved ones. He is for you and wants what is best even if a door shuts on you and you have to walk away from something or someone. We can be no matter where we are at today or where we are walking, we can be a Favor Finder. In those special places and in those amazing moments, we pull the good out of what cannot be seen. We stick to what we know instead of what we feel. We lean on the RIGHT people in our lives and let the wrong ones walk on by.

Love shows itself. It shows through you, not through someone else. If you dont, then that shows too. People will do a lot for you if they know you love them.
You are not going to stay at the bottom of pool, there is someone to rescue you, his name is Jesus. Jesus will not let you drown.
"Hang in there"

Lonnie~