It has been a busy week to say the least. A lot going on as we entered this incredible week between Palm Sunday and Easter. Its always a week I reflect a lot on not only personally but also outwardly. I reflect a lot on the ministry serving that I am doing and pray through those outreach things I am carrying. Are they making a difference in the lives of others? Am I effectively sharing the good news of Christ? Is there something I should stop doing and start doing something else? Is there someone I am investing in that isn't responding that I need to just give the space to? Is there someone else that I need to pour into? This is a great week to do those things because its all in the grace of Christ that we have this week in the first place.
Last night while serving at a local church in their student ministry, I spoke through Luke 19 and had a video after my message and I really felt like the spirit was working in them. I could see it in their eyes as they hung on every word spoken. I am truly blessed to be asked to have a lead in this student ministry, as one student messaged me last night and shared: Mr Lonnie you have such passion when you speak about Jesus. I love coming here because you make it fun to learn about Christ. Thank you!

I know I shouldn't put a huge amount of value in the affirmation of others but sometimes its what we need to keep moving forward, that you are in track, that what you are pouring into is making a difference in someones life. When a student asks you about baptism and what it means and then asks the Pastor when is the next baptism - thats crossing over right there. Thats something to get excited about! Gosh I cant type this fast enough while thinking about these conversations :)

I have been learning some things about "Joy" and "Happiness" lately. I have been really pressing myself to dig a little deeper in these 2 important things in life. I do believe there are some people that totally have about zero % of these things in their life for whatever reason. They are just made that way or they have learned it over the years. Maybe they dont know what its like at all to be full of joy or being happy. Maybe they rely totally on the actions and words of others to fulfill these qualities and I can imagine that it doesnt always work nor does it last very long.
As the wise men in the Bible came to see baby Jesus after the angel of the Lord spoke to them and shared - "Don't be afraid, I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people." That IS the gospel. JOY. Its central and its imperative. Its the Good News of Jesus. The announcement doesn't say to "some people" it says to "all people". Great joy! If you are a follower of Christ, there is no reason to walk around with your head down or a frown all the time on your face. One of the things I have been learning as I continue "MyWalk" with Christ is to talk less, listen more, and pray with others. I don't have to have all the answers, God has them, I just want to walk with you and pray with you.
People take themselves way to seriously and when that happens its like walking around with a grudge all the time. They fuss over their hair, their clothes, homes, friendships, spouses, school work jobs to just name a few. We have to be serious in life at times but not at the cost of taking the joy and happiness out of it. Happiness is always temporary and is usually a result of something or someone. Joy comes from the Lord. Its in our hearts and when God is fully behind out hearts, thats when the joy comes out.
We don't have to walk around with long faces and listing out all the things we are struggling with. Maybe today should be a day that we not pray for God to remove or be in our situations or difficulties but thank God for them. Ask God to change us instead of our problems so that we can rise over our problems. Our problems and our past do not define us, God does. Our paths ahead define us because God is in our definition as a person. We belong to Him. Nehemiah 8:10 "Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is our strength". That's the Good News!
You don't need a new mattress. You don't need to try harder. You don't need to exercise more or win the lottery or get that girl you have been chasing - Joy and strength come from the Lord.
Believe me, it has taken me a lifetime of learning, reflecting and praying to finally begin to understand this. I spend a lot of time with teenagers, you have really happy easy to get along with young people and then there are some that are as difficult as dealing with Shrek with hemorrhoids.
Happiness is an emotion and one that we can have complete control over because its a decision. Its easier for some than it is for others. I get that. But its still a choice. Accept the situation and make the most of it. Lean in and find out what God is trying to teach you through it.

As a parent, as many of us are, we can never base our happiness on our teenagers. Even stretching as far as the young people in your life if you are like me that has a host of young people surrounding you. If we base our happiness on them, we are doomed for failure. I admit its hard when others are struggling. We want to help. We want to talk things through. We want to be there for them. When they walk away or need some space, those are really some hurting times. We have all been there as teens begin pulling away from parents. Our teens are no different. They pull away from most adults as they learn to be an adult. Yes sometimes it doesn't make any sense nor is it easy to watch them wander in the wilderness making some bad choices, get caught off guard in some things that this life throws and just being naive enough not to know better. Some are more trusting than others, some more focused than others and some just a disaster waiting to happen. But thankfully God gives us and our young people the opportunity to struggle through life so that we might grow and mature. If we based our own happiness on how great things are with our teens - we would all wind up being some miserable people. Romans 12:12 "Base your happiness on your hope in Christ. When trials come endure them patiently; steadfastly maintain the habit of prayer".

I hope that this season of time, especially during this special week in the Christian faith, that you take some time to reflect and refocus and then renew. My family is especially excited for our church services to start tomorrow at 7pm. First of many worship experiences over the weekend at all our locations. We are then headed to the beach for a few days as Kyle is on spring break starting tomorrow going through all next week. Its time to focus as a family in what is ahead and also to have a little down time and some fun. I am excited for all the people who will come to church, some for the first time, some for the first time in a long time, and some regulars that need a fresh word from God. He is what truly matters in this life. In closing prayer last night, as I circled the students together for the first time in holding hands in a circle, I prayed over them and then spoke over them - that we were created by the dust of the earth as the Bible tells us in Genesis. We were not yet alive even though we had bodies. We were not alive until God breathed into us. His breath gives us life. I had all the students to take a deep breath. Think about the breath you just took, God gave you that. Without it you are dead. With it you are alive. Now go, breathing in the life that God gave you. Walk a life of worship in all you do. You have Gods breath giving you life.
I pray that for you today as well.
Have a great Easter holiday everyone. Remembering the Lord, Our God and all he has done for us. When we show God our faith, He will show us his faithfulness.
Lonnie~

Things have been busy the last few weeks with lots of family stuff going on, church and serving in various places and last Saturday Carol and I and a handful of amazing you people served at JoyProm. This is a prom for those with special needs. Last year we got to serve for the first time and was overwhelmed at what we got to see first hand. This past weekend was no different, except being much bigger. Carol and I got to serve alongside some amazing young people who fully enjoyed themselves, serving, hugging, sharing smiles, helping out of limos, greeting, dancing, serving all night long. Our friends Sherry and Donnie lead the way in leadership, vision and passion for serving those in our community with special needs. We had one family come all the way from Indiana to be a part of this. So very honored to have the opportunity to serve. It really has such a huge impact on your life when you step far out of yourself to serve the needs of others.

We have a couple amazing things happening lately - Kyle for one cleared medically after his dislocated knee. He is clear to begin working out and running again. Carol and I are very thankful for this especially after not having to have surgery. There is a new church coming to our small hometown of Harrisburg and we are excited to have High Rock Church and Pastor Robbie and his core team opening this Easter. They are going to make a huge impact into our community for Jesus. Carol and I have met with Pastor Robbie over dinner to speak student ministry, outreach, tour of the building and we are very excited to have them in our community. I remember that building 17 years ago sitting there mostly empty the last 10 years and saying, God, that location would be a perfect location for a church. I have prayed many times over that idea and to see it actually happen now is very cool. We plan to visit them often and to partner with them in doing outreach in our community. Churches should partner together - its for the Kingdom and not for the safety of our congregations. I have always had an issue with how churches build walls and then protect their people from visiting another church or throwing them under the bus when they leave for whatever reasons. We have been given grace by God and we should extend that Grace to others. This leads me to my post today - Grace.

What is it? - Why do we have it? Why does God give it to us?
Grace is unearned favor. We didnt do anything to receive it or earn it. God extends his Grace to us and was obsessed with showing mercy to those who least deserved it. He was committed to showing grace to the worst of sinners and last time I checked and if totally being honest, that includes me. Sin is sin and only in our minds do we label which ones are worse than the others. We are all sinners and do wrong - we make unwise choices, we manage to screw things up, we repeat offenses time and time again - all the while promising to do better. Sometimes even begging God to help us do better. But then we dont. If my sins are not as bad as the other person - it separates us and in doing that it makes us feel better about ourselves because our sins are not as bad as their sins. Because comparing to them - we are doing pretty well. I think a lot of that mindset comes when we look at the homeless for example. Through the Opportunity House and serving a meal, message and worship to the homeless in our community now for the past year or so - I dont look at these folks differently anymore. I at times can see myself sitting at the table and being served a meal. Most of us are 1 or 2 decisions away from there anyways. God loves them just as much as he loves me and you. They are people. They have times of good and bad just like we do. They are less fortunate and their situations are difficult just like ours is. It just looks different and I can honestly say, that most of these folks are really amazing people. There are hugs, laughs and a love of Jesus in them that I dont get to see in others often times and even in myself at times. Problem with separating ourselves from sinners just puts a wall up to say - I dont have to deal with their pain. Jesus was not like that and neither should we. Jesus came for them. He came for the hopeless, the oppressed, the hurting, the struggling, the sinners! He pointed at the Pharisees because they have the rules of looking spiritual but they were dead on the inside. Our hearts should bleed with compassion and not be looking to justify our actions or how we treat others.
I have a long way to go to be able to relate to people like Jesus did. I admit that in my early walk with Christ I was learning so much, not that I am not now, it was just a little different then. I think today, my journey is less about telling people - especially the young people in my life, what to do and more about listening, sharing a hug and praying together.
We should never lose sight of the person (sinner) because of the sin. Jesus knew the sin of the people he ministered to because the person was more important.
Pharisees had the rules down pat. Man made rules keep us looking good on the outside but does nothing for the inside. As I think about my niece and the place and condition we got her in years ago - I have learned that rules only modify the outside, our behavior, but doesnt do anything on the inside.
Grace changes the heart. It helps us make better choices because its working on the inside.
There is a passage from Matthew that I will close with today. Its a perfect picture of Gods grace extended to us.
Matthew 6:6

“Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.

 

I am still learning, thankfully. A work in progress but today, as I learn more and more about this abundant Grace from our heavenly father - the more I want to share it with others. I have to have it in order to give it. I am thankful today that God touched my heart. Grace is the fuel of our faith. 

Grace IS Jesus.

 

Lonnie~

It is spring break week here at the university and most of the students are gone as well as the skeleton of folks who stay and keep things running. Its a nice pause in the semester even though when you think of "Spring Break" you would think warm temps and time to get outside with some fresh air. Not the case this year with highs here only in the 40's most of the week.
The cold nights reminds me of the critters that come to our front porch almost every evening. Carol is a big time animal lover and she often feeds our leftovers to the animals that live outside our home, down in the woods, along the creek and in the trees. We have had "Opey" the possum that was as white as snow, the racoons that would come and bring the entire family (the babies were do cute) and the occasional putty. Carol would set out warm milk for the cat - who visited us for years each and every day looking for something to warm her belly. Carol often said she wanted to bring her in and and really make her a part of the family. I always said no as I dont like cats all that much and having an outdoor cat was just fine with me. Over the years though we all grew fond of our little underweight visitor. We often would sit on the front porch and rub her back and head and she seemed to enjoy it but that tooks months to get to that place. Not knowing if she was abandoned or abused, she was always skittish of us and would quickly run off when we walked out, or hid in the bushes until the coast was clear. See no matter how much we wanted her to feel comfortable or how badly we wanted to bring her into our home and make her a part of the family, she just couldn't do it. Maybe she had made huge steps into allowing us to pet her after years of of being afraid and maybe in a few more years of running, hiding and full of fear she may have accepted us as her family. Our walk with Christ is about the same way. We run from God in so many areas of our lives, we are often, hurt, beat up by life itself, carrying baggage by our life choices, afraid, unable to trust others due to some hurt along the way - we hide when there are others in our lives fully accepting us into their lives. God is not different.
Thankfully, God accepts you the way you are. With all the hurt, baggage and scars. He loves you and wants to take you in and give you a home. Much like the little putty we had visiting for years, we kept accepting, kept feeding, kept looking after, kept trying and kept loving no matter what condition, level of fear, or appearance she came to us in. God accepts you the way you are and is constantly after you because he has his sights on you. He knows your life would be so much differently, probably much better than the armpit of life we often find ourselves in, that he continues to reach out to you.

Deuteronomy 33:27 - "The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you."

No matter how much you tank in life, however many bad choices you have made or how far you have run from God - He is still there. He is not giving up on you and he will use every chance he gets to remind you - how valuable you are to him.

Carol, Kyle and I loved our little visitor each night. We accepted her the way she was, tiny, dirty, afraid and untrusting but we loved her anyways. We kept after her, loved her and made her a part of the family. It was up to her to slowly put the fears down and raise the bars to trust. What fears are keeping you from God today? What is holding you back from fully trusting him?

Why not let God love on you today, feed you when you are hungry, clothe you when you are cold and hold you when you are hurting? God will do those things and so much more. A little more trust and a little less fear goes a long way. Get the journey started today....

Lonnie~