Payoff can take a while

Last Friday Greg and I were eating a late lunch at Cane’s when a young man approached and asked if I remembered him. His face was familiar but I didn’t remember the name. He said his name was Bobby and that I was principal when he attended Faith Academy years ago. He’d has served in the Armed Forces and was in the area living and had a 5 year old daughter that was cute as she could be. He was a big guy, very muscular and in great shape, you know, young. He said that I used to whip his butt when he was at Faith Academy. He also said, thank you for the whippings. He confessed that at the time it was unpleasant but now as he had grown older he understood what I was doing. He was very pleasant to talk with and I was so glad to see he had matured in every way and not just physically. It was great to see the payoff in the life of someone that I had the opportunity to invest in, even if it was discipline. He appreciated it and I’m glad now that I took the time to help him see that following authority is a great character trait that will help you in life. He said his parents had divorced and he doesn’t see his dad much. I invited him to MANUP, hope he come tonight. I’d like to invest some more into his life, this time as his peer, not his principal.

XG Camp 08

As is our custom, Vanessa and I traveled to Hattiesburg, MS to be a part of one night of youth camp. Man, have things changed since I was a youth. There were 6 or 7 youth groups from all over Louisiana from Shreveport to Houma. It was great to see 350 youth worship;ing the Lord and getting fired up about becoming all the Christ died for them to be. Worship was great, the drama rocked, and Wade preached a tremendous message that the Holy Spirit used to speak to every heart in the place. I’m so encouraged by the young leaders that God is raising up in HOF and I know that they are going to do great things in their generation. In fact, I’ll be speaking along those lines on Sunday as we begin the ONE PRAYER series. I’m really excited about this series that we are doing in partnership with over 1400 churches and 830,000 people world wide. God is doing something great today and we want to be right in the middle of it.

Take Someone on Your Journey

This morning as I read from Acts 15 & 16 something jumped out at me from the scripture. Acts 15:37 says, “…that Barnabas ….wanted to take John Mark along with him.” Acts 16:3 says, “Paul wanted him(Timothy) to join them on their journey.” A characteristic of people who are going somewhere directed by the Lord is that they will want to take someone with them. I know that I always try to find someone to go with me especially if I don’t know what I’m getting myself into or don’t fully know where I’m going. John Mark was a person who had previously disappointed Paul, while Timothy was an up and comer in the church at Lystra. Barnabas was looking to bring John Mark along as a second chance effort, a reclamation project if you will. Paul was envisioning Timothy as the cream of the crop. I find it amazing how God uses different people with different views of “others” to reach everyone. I want my eyes open to someone that I can take with me on my journey. You never know where they will go after that.

Father’s Day Men’s Retreat

I’m asking you all to pray for me as I’m going to be doing a men’s retreat for Mission Church in the Hammond area on Friday and Saturday. In fact it’s a very cool arrangement because my dad and I are both doing our first retreat together. I’ll be doing a service on Friday night and Dad will do a devotion on Saturday morning. My good friend Devon Pedeaux asked us to do this several month ago and I’m fired up about it. All the Bledsoe boys are going to Percy Quinn State Park where the retreat is being held and we are staying in one room. Me, Dad, and my 3 sons will get to spend some time together in the “woods” and lakes of LA. I love speaking to men about their walk with the Lord because men bring such a strength to the body of Christ. I’m going to challenge them to go to the next level as a man of God, as a dad, and as a husband. We leave Friday afternoon and return during the day Saturday. I guess Vanessa and Madison will just have to hit the mall, oh well. It’s no girls allowed, men only. No baths, just men. See you all on Father’s Day!

Fishing with the family

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the youngest 3 Bledsoe kids and I went fishing with Mom and Dad. We had a blast catching redfish and just being together away from home. Check out the videos of the kids doing their thing. Spending time with my children is some of the best use of my time because much more is happening than just fishing. We talked about all kinds of things and of course it gave me the open door to speak into their lives about different issues that come up on a trip like that. One asked about dying, I talked to another about valuing all life, I also got to talk about respecting other’s property. Life is a great big classroom and it’s our responsibility to teach our children, not school, not Club Faith, but my responsibility as a parent. School and Club Faith should reinforce what I’m already saying to them. As they follow me, I get to make something out of them. It’s one of the great joys in life to mold my children and help shape them into fully devoted followers of Christ. It’s also why I pray, because I can only do so much and then they must choose Jesus. HOF is a place where they can choose Christ, I want there to be other places around the world for “other’s” children too.

Gifts for Others

I thought that you might like to know that 42 people showed up Sunday night to discover their gifting. I want to thank Greg and Wade for helping them find out their gifting. It’s good to see people apply the word they are hearing. “Anyone who listens to my teachings and follows it is wise..” Matt. 7:24. It’s exciting to be a part of a church where people will follow in addition to listening. The implications of that kind of obedience are full of promise and I know that the best is yet to come. My heart is to lead HOF to being a place where the lonely can be planted, where the bound can be set free, and where the free can live out God’s purpose for their lives. It’s going to be a great ride and I’m all in for the fun. For those of you who stayed home to watch the LSU game, Geaux Tigers and we’ll see you at the next Discovery Seminar.