I have been clinging to a little encouragement the last few days. Being that encouragement is one of my spiritual gifts, I too have to sometimes cling hard to it and remain focused. I too have to sometimes dig deep to find it and stay positive. I can't walk around with my head down because it affects everyone around me. So, even during those times I am discouraged, there is not time to stay there. As Jesus said, - Pick up your mat and walk. I too must pick up my mat, my hurt, my feelings and walk. How we carry ourselves affects everyone around you. Don't you just love being around folks who seem to always be happy? I mean they find the good in all things and still continue to smile even when things are gloomy.
I had something happen to me that does not happen all that often. I had a student txt me this morning before school and pray for me and the things that I would be facing today. I did not prompt this txt message nor did I pray for this student first and this was in reply. This came from God prompting her to pray for me. Yes I have been praying for her before school. Yes I pray for her walk with Christ to be closer and be at a place in her walk to "Not Look Back" but to press forward with courage and boldness to stand for Christ and who she is in Christ. But this txt message really put my heart in a good place this morning and it reminded me why I love and care so much - for people to know Jesus.
The parable of Jesus and the planting of faith seed is shared with is in Mark gospel in Chapter 4.
Mark 4:13-20 - The Jesus said to them, "Dont you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no ROOT, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop - thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times what was sown.

I am currently reading a book "Just Walk across the Room" by Bill Hybels and it has come at such a perfect time in my walk to be reading it. I read this morning something I just had to write down because it so spoke to me and tied it into Mark 4.
"Man, this is hard." You know what? It IS HARD. Maybe this is why Paul encourages doing the "work" of evangelism. It is work, and hard work at that. You put your heart out there. You offer grace and acceptance and love to people far from God. You sow seed. You make the phone calls. You extend the hand of friendship. You pick up the phone in the middle of the night. And at the end of the day, you just feel like you've been ripped to shreds. But somehow you hang in there, determined to keep sowing seed. SUre, you may be a fool, but you're a special kind of fool. You're the fool who still believes that a tiny green sprout will one day rise up from the dirt.

I fully believe in that sprout in each of us. It may be hard to invest time and energy into a student and have a great time sharing and talking and then come Sunday morning the look on their face tells a thousand stories and them leaving you wondering - is it really worth it? What about that family that you have poured into for years and they continue to fall over the same stumbling blocks in life with partying, wanting to sleep in on Sunday mornings and only need God when they need him - never fully following Christ. I could continue all day with stories like this but the truth is - its hard no doubt about it. Pouring into the student ministry and into the lives of these teens who mean so much and them hearing Gods word, knowing right from wrong, wanting to do what Gods is calling them to do and then - blam - they do what they want anyways. Its tough - its a roller coaster in faith. I know I will be there to pick up the pieces, to wipe the tears and hurts, to refocus them on what God is wanting them to know.
Its easy to get down and get in a place of being discouraged. God knows that and knows where our hearts are. Knowing that I am sometimes feeling like all my effort is for not - He prompts a heart of a student to txt me a prayer and pray with me. That is flippin awesome!

God you are so wonderful and the fact that you love and care for us so much that you not only created everything we can see, touch, smell and taste - you care enough about each of us to be personal and come to us when we need that soft reminder. Thank you for that whisper this morning Lord and thank you for the reminder that all this effort, tears, hurts and joy in serving you does produce fruit - in Your perfect timing. I believe in your faith seed Lord and even though my walk may not be that victory dance of taking someone far from you all the way across the finish line - Its a blessing to be any part of the play in the big game. If my walk takes someone from -10 yards to -8 ...then I am happy with that. That is my place and I am grateful to be used by you for those 2 little steps forward. Amen

I will end todays post from Mark 4:26-29
"This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soul produces grain - first the stalk, then the head, then the fill kernel in the head. s soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

Lonnie~