Its been a pretty good few days. Exciting actually :) - With last week a little down concerning our Egroup for Students God through Pastor Steven at Elevation Church, he preached a message I so badly needed to hear. God wanted me to hear the words and see them sink into my heart. I got it! Honest!
As I begin today and share a little - I have to say that there are a lot of things just starting. Think about it for a second. Morgan is a freshman in high school and SINGING in a concert! Yes words coming out of her mouth in a song!! WOOTAGE! Kyle started wrestling last week. Taylor in a new school. Kate coming to live with us and today is her first day of enrolling into James Madison High School. Carol has a new do today and is showing amazing signs in her spiritual growth that I personally have not seen in a long time and I am loving it and cheering her on. Donna is now leading in a singles Egroup at Elevation. Carol and I leading high school students in our Egroup for students on Wed night. Marissa is home schooled. Miss Carol is a grandmother. Kayla and Scott plugging into their church and Kayla soon to be on stage (where you belong girl with a voice like yours!). Scott is fired up and leading. Mens group on Thursday night and Jason and Donnie leading it. Sherry is on fire and running marathons?! Holy smokes..... Tony is working. Anna is sticking with me and our families are connecting. Danielle is asking to go to church every other week. Harlan started a new job here in Charlotte. Nicole is a freshman in college and I am enjoying spending a little invested time with her. Hannah E. is at Liberty University! Jessica is a rock star when she comes to church and people treat her like one as she gets us on the 2nd row at church. 2nd row is familiar to us from years past but now with things so much bigger its hard to get there without some pull. Life group has a new format and peeps seem to be digging it and sharing more. I bet there is something new in your life too if you step back a second and think about it. Praise God for something new!
There is a LOT of new things happening!! God is doing something new but there is one thing that remains solid. One thing that should never change.
That is preaching his name and sharing with others what He has given you. I want to share the last part of 2 Corinthians 4: today but also note that it has been amazing just focusing on this piece of scripture now for over a week. It has really spoke to me in so many ways. So lets finish it up big and with something new!
2 Corinthians 4:13- We're not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, "I believed it, so I said it," we say what we believe. And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive. Every details works to your advantage and to Gods glory:More and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise! So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day foes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.

One of the main points Sunday in Pastor Stevens message that really reached out and hit me on the head was the fact that in Matthew 11:1-11 - Jesus was talking about John the Baptist while he was in prison and was praising him. Talking good behind his back to crowds of people. Pastor Steven clearly sent home a message to let us know that Christ is talking behind your back. He is telling others that you are doing good and giving them praise for you. How awesome is it to know that!! How cool is it to feel that we can shut out the noise and gossip and the tearing down of others when we can choose to listen to what God is talking about behind your back. Nothing but good things! I elbowed Carol when all this was unpacked and Danielle was in tears and God was poking a LOT of people Sunday morning. As I finish up 2 Corinthians today in "thewalk" - it just goes together to say - YES, Christ is cheering us on behind our backs with nothing but good things and encouraging words that leads us to - WE'RE NOT KEEPING THIS QUIET! I believe and so I must say what I believe. Every detail - that is good details and not so good details - works to our (yes mine and yours) advantage and to Gods glory!
More and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise! So dont give up!

Pastor Steven sunk it for me when he shared with us - "You're doing better than you think you are." - Gosh I really needed that. A major boost for sure that stirred me. Yes I am not an Egroup leader with 50 kids in my living room. But God you are sufficient with the ones that you have placed in my life to lead, thank you for each of them no matter how many there are. Yes I am not doing all I can do but blessed because I am doing something and that my heart is breaking in new more deep ways - one for example would be my level of compassion of people. Jesus showed such compassion for people that he crossed lines, boundaries and society rules to go to the people and to touch the unclean, sit with sinners and share meals with tax collectors. Surely I can give a homeless man a meal, serve lunch to women and children, adopt a child in Jamaica, empower and encourage others in my life and to reach out to that student who was being abused at home and is now living with an aunt. I dont know a ton of people at church but I am making connections, friendships and hugs are common and encouraged at church because it IS family and you are the center of all that. I may not be teaching at YCI on Friday mornings, but that is for now, keep showing up. A student needs to see you there, needs the gift that I have given you in to encourage others, now go and do that. I sometimes have no idea what to say and do with the students in my life who I am a dad figure, awkward at times, heart hurting at other times but so blessed to be standing in and doing the right thing. There is so many blessings in there by standing in there, even taking a fall for them but knowing head held high that I am doing the right thing in the long run. Lord I heard you knocking on me and calling me to lead them. Grateful I did because LOOK AT WHAT I WOULD BE MISSING!
I got it Lord.....

Things we see today are gone tomorrow but the things we can't see now will last forever. In those things we cant see are the relationships being restored and built up, lives are being changed, together we are marching forward in faith and believing in Christ as we inform others, inspire others, connect with others and equipping others. There is something new taking place and this season of change is just perfect in Gods timing.
Dont lose heart loved ones, dont keep this quiet, pray for boldness in your life and courage to lead others but follow Christ.
"I believed it, so I said it."

Lonnie~