Just got in from lunch with my 5th grade class. It is always such a blessing for me as I go and invest some time into these really incredible young people. Today I met them in the media room before lunch and had a chance to sit with my 2 mentor students along with a few others and I got to lean in and share a little about "Character". I love these precious moments because they are few and far between. Especially the older they get. So as I shared my heart about what makes a person "them" and what they "stand" for and "who" they really are, a few more students inched over to listen in on what I was sharing. The moments flow from one thing to the next and our conversation transitioned so smoothly into their class after lunch "Family" talk which is where they learn about sex. So you can image a room full of 5th graders all excited about it, embarrassed by it, questioning about and laughing about it. Hey laughter makes for good awkward medicine sometimes :) I wonder how its going about right now LOL

Its really hard to believe this year has flown by. A lunch next week with them on my birthday and its one of the students birthdays as well so we will celebrate together :) - I told her today that if she made me a card, I would make her a card and we high fived so its as good as done!

I think a lot of the connection that I have with the kids is always that place where I really want to hear what they have to say. Sometimes I dont fully follow or they are using some trendy new word I have to later go find out what it means but I do lean in and really listen. As a parent, I am probably guilty more than I want to admit that when I am home a lot of times I am distracted. Does Kyle have my full attention when he is talking to me or trying to get an answer to his important question? Does Carol?
I try really hard to keep my phone away when talking with someone. I honestly do. I want the person I am speaking with to really know I am all there. I have shared a few times that if you want to make an impression, speak to a crowd but if you want to make a difference, speak to a person. In order to do that we have to look at them. We have to focus. When I am talking to a student, either at school or at youth/church - If I want to really make my point hit home, I lean down, I put my hands on my knees or a drop a leg and get on a knee - so that I am on their level eye to eye. So often people speak down to people and when you are above like that, people honestly feel like what they say doesn't matter.
For me, I think this is my biggest connection. Its odd thinking about it like this because in my younger days we didnt have all these distractions. If you wanted to get permission to go to a friends house, you had to speak directly to mom or dad. If you wanted to use the phone you had to use the one in the kitchen, you know tied to the wall and with about 5 foot of cord! Yes no privacy. No texting. Talking!! Yes it worked sometimes!

I do know this from seeing it first hand. Kids listen better when they know they can talk to you and you are truly there and they have your attention. If you want them to listen to you, listen to them. I think all kids are good, some make poor choices but God has made us each good. They dont want to feel as though they are bothering you. I had a student text me yesterday and was asking for prayer and she opened the text, sorry to bother you Mr. Lonnie. I addressed that first, they are never bothering me. I want to hear about the prayer request and then I am going to pray about it. Right then. See how that moves forward with confidence? Trust. Value.

Listening leads to wisdom. We can all need more of that.
I will close today with scripture from my Bible reading plan as I am stepping through Proverbs. Proverbs 8:32-35
And so, my children listen to me, for all who follow my ways are joyful. Listen to my instruction and be wise. Dont ignore it. Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting fro me outside my home! For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.

May our ears never get tired of hearing the hearts of others, especially our heavenly Fathers.
Lonnie~

Wow - Tonight.... I am Gods Masterpiece!!

It was awesome leading tonight at WoW. I really had a lot of fun tonight speaking on family and how often times when our family is not working right, we often want the other members of our family to change. It was said last week in a discussion on prayers - "Our prayers sometimes dont change the person we are praying for or change the difficulty but they sure do change us". A few years ago I led a Bible study with some close friends on parenthood. It was one of my favorite bible studies and from that time, years ago, I captured some entries from Moms, Dads, Sons and daughters. I bet you will relate to a few of these posts. I know I do. Family is Gods idea and Jesus gives us a great example in serving others before ourselves. As I landed tonight message, I spoke from Ephesians 2: We are Gods masterpiece. I asked each person tonight - Who are you? Repeating "I am Gods masterpiece." Wow students, watch this video again, grab mom and dad and have a conversation. Family is Gods idea. Proud of you all and thank you for an amazing year leading you with Kathleen. It has been fun and it has been great growing closer to God with ya'll.

Just wanted to take a few moments and share something from a long time Pastor that has been in my life now for many years even though I have only seen him live 2 times. He has spoken volumes into me over the years. I have read, I think everything he has wrote - hey he even sent me a FaceBook message back to me once. So that means we are on talking level. LOL - no seriously, I truly respect and honor Pastor Craig Groeschel from LifeChurch.tv. I love the fact that my Pastor at Elevation Church, Pastor Steven Furtick is like a brother and is a pastor to him as well.

I am reading through his Altar Ego book which I am reading slow because I just cant grab it all at once. It has so much good stuff in there that I cant possibly soak it all in so this is slowing me down.
I wanted to share a part that I read this morning and continues to weigh on me. My heart is in his words on the page and gosh, it hit me like a ton of bricks this morning as I read over the words again and again. I just have to share them because it is so what my heart is dying to say, to share, to reach out and touch someone with.

Thank you Pastor Craig for sharing your heart through these amazing words.

When was the last time someone was amazed by your boldness? When was the last time you stopped someone in their tracks because they were undone by your bold speech and actions? Now, keep in mind, Im not talking about wacky, odd, cheesy, 33 bumper stickers on your SUV kind of Christian drive-by witness. I am not talking about being bold in a bad-Christian-television way to make people dislike you or ridicule you. I'm talking about being bold with integrity. The kind of boldness where you're living in a way that reflects Christ's compassion and selflessness, where others look at you and say, "There's something different about this person." The kind of boldness where you're so generous with your money and your heart and your time, where you've served your way into people's lives, and therefore you've earned the right to say, "I really do love you; may I tell you about my God?"

I read that honestly, its hard to hold back the tears. To me this is beautiful. This passage from his book is so in-line with the things I am learning, the last series on learning Gods will for our lives at church and really knowing Christ. I have been sharing some of those things with the students I lead on Wednesday nights and in this past year, you can really see some major growth taking place. Over the past few weeks, taking some of them to an amazing concert, taking 2 last night to the evening service at church - there is nothing more amazing than seeing these young people with hands raised, singing, praising and loving God. During the message taking notes and hanging on almost every word. God is growing them and in doing so, He is growing me. I am excited about that. I am excited to know God more today than I did yesterday. I am excited for opportunity to serve others in some small way because that means I am walking closer to God than before. I love where God has me today. It may not always be easy or convenient but pushing through with hands open means I am willing and God will work with a heart like that. Last night Pastor closed the service out after a Q&A session where people just asked questions and he sat on stage with his Bible open and spoke from the heart. I loved hearing his heart, his compassion for people and his love for Christ as he just opened up and shared. He said, "God will make giant leaps to those who are taking small steps toward him."

Seeing fruit in all the hard work, the struggles, the load that we carry is always special. A little fruit goes a long way on the long journey. For sure its more fun going with others, in the same direction, same intensity and the same heart full of love.

As my church closed out 5 weeks of learning Gods will is Whatever - I will close with our focus scripture that I am sure will continue to speak volumes into me for months to come, if not longer.

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Always in Him,
Lonnie~