WEEK 1

The past couple weeks in ministry have been very draining but also very rewarding. My activities this week have basically been my usual routine--teaching Sunday School (an hour in class, about an hour preparation time), setting up for, preaching in, and cleaning up after Wednesday night youth group (at least a 3.5-4 hour endeavor), a Sunday night visioning meeting with youth (one hour), counseling/praying with youth, working with my volunteers, meetings with other staff/volunteers of the church, time spent at the office, an elder board meeting, and paperwork. Plus, I have my Sunday morning responsibilities in the regular worship service.

The first week back, one of my girls, Sierra, accepted Christ! Of course that was a highlite! I've been working with Sierra, a junior higher, for almost a year. It was so amazing to sit in the back of the church with her and a volunteer as we walked her through the plan of salvation and led her in a sinner's prayer. Praise God! (The picture is of some of the junior highers--the girl on the far right is Sierra.)

Sunday night was great! We've been in a process of trying to pick a youth group name, theme verse, etc. in an attempt to give the ministry an identity that students can proudly claim. Charlie Alcock has been a huge part of this as we'll be doing Monster Church in the very near future and his Programming class played a large role in preparing me for the visioning process. Sunday night we finalized decisions. The ministry will be known as ALIVE Student Ministries. The tage line is "Changing the Definition of Life" with the theme verses being Romans 12:1-2. It was great to watch my student leaders catch a vision and a passion for what God is doing in the group!

Attendance has been rising, which is always an encouragement. Two new kids were there this Wednesday as well, which was super-exciting. However, I faced a new kind of obstacle. One of the new kids had some major hyper-activity issues along with some other problems I believe. He kept vocally interrupting me at the worst moments during my message. God gave me a lot of grace, wisdom, and patience on the spot as to how to deal with it. However, I felt like I totally dropped the ball with the message. God is so good, though! After the service, I was able to pray with one of my boys about a pretty serious issue and another student approached me to tell me how much he had been touched and helped by the message. It was very hectic to try to rush out afterward to make it back for the sermon of the last Summit Service. I usually am locking up the church, taking kids home, etc. It was nice to take a little break and let someone else handle some things so I could be ministered to, though.

On that note, Summit week was utterly exhausting but renewing at the same time. I am SO GLAD it is over, but I am also glad that it happened. God has been faithful to speak to me and mold me the past few days. I'm enjoying the One Year Bible and a unit Beth Moore Bible Study, Breaking Free, in my daily devos. Both are proving to be refreshing and challenging in my spiritual walk.

I'm learning some rough lessons right now about what it means to be in ministry in the church, not just with teenagers. Our church is in the midst of a pastoral transition, pastoral search, pastoral vote kind of situation right now. I'm learning what that means for someone in leadership and on staff. God is teaching me all kinds of lessons, both about the local church and how to trust Him.

To conclude this blog, God is faithful! I am so humbled and thankful for the calling He's placed on my life, and I'm terrified and excited to be discovering more fully each day what that really means. I know He's guiding me, and I simply long to be the kind of labourer for His Kingdom that He desires me to be!