God's grace continues to amaze me. It's hit me more in the past few weeks than it has in a while, but it has been a very eye opening experience. I'm realizing it more in the little things I've been doing; little things for Caleb, others, the tedious little jobs at the office, etc. Most of all though, I've been realizing it in the realm of ministry involvement.
The Tween ministry kicks off three weeks from tonight with a lock-in filled with crazy games, fun, food, and a chance for us staff to really get to know some of the students. Caleb and I planned the event, and when I talked to the director on Wednesday, she was just as excited as we were about the events getting underway. I can't wait to start! Youth group has also been going well. I forgot what it was like to be in middle/high school until I started to get to know some of our students better. Middle/high school is a crazy time, and as many times as students say adults don't understand them, I'm willing to admit that sometimes I don't even understand their issues. Praise God though, I've been able to answer some hard and deep questions only because I was trusting I would be given the words that the student(s) needed to hear, and I was. Getting to know some of the students and their parents has been fantastic, and it makes me thankful for the youth pastor I had growing up. He made a huge impact on me, whether it was a quick conversation, a question answered, or some tough love when I was out of line; he was honest, and didn't sugarcoat things. I intend to do the same with our students, because life is brutally honest, and nowhere near sugarcoated. These students teach me something everytime I get to lead small group, have a conversation, or am even around them, and I love that. It's so easy to just sit back and help instead of be intentional in your actions around these students. They're only a few simple years from being them same age as I am, but I've learned so much since high school, and being intentional is a way that I hope to relate even better to them. They are amazing, and I hope that each of them feel that way based on how our staff not only treats them, but ministers to them in words. Being able to share in their struggles, concerns, and even them giving us an insight into their worlds and minds is an awesome thing. I love the opportunities to be able to connect with these students.
The AWANA program is another ministry that I'm involved in, and I work with K-2nd grade. These children are more wonderful than I can explain. I've been learning so much from them, and learn more every single week. Seeing their face light up when they pass a section because of saying a Bible verse correctly is one of the coolest things. I'm so lucky for this opportunity to share in their learning, and be able to be there and see them smile, cry, have fun, and sometimes even be frustrated. Every emotion has a purpose, and it's a learning process on how to handle all the different emotions we encounter with these students. At the beginning of the club year we had a few very young students in our group, and verse time was challenging almost to a point of frustration. But, we kept plugging away at each section with these students, and week by week, a little more comfortable each time, they opened up, started talking more, and now even come to club prepared with a section to recite! One of the things I strive to do in my actions is show them that we are ecstatic that they are there. Whether it be a smile, a conversation, or a simple question, I try to let each of them know they matter and we are interested in their lives. I try to be as intentional as I can, even when its frustrating. These students come from all kinds of families, so I think we need to be as intentional as we can in everything we do during the short hour and half we have them each week. That, my friends, is more challenging that I ever would have thought. But I love working with them. Its brightens my day to see them in public, and even more so when they tug at the shirt of who they're with and tell them I'm their friend from club, or I help them at club. Some even run right over to give a hug. That makes it so worth it; to know that I've made such an impact that a student will willingly go out of their way to say hi. We can make a difference in these students' lives.
It has almost been too easy for me to be intentional in relationships with students, and challenging when I think about being intentional in other relationships. The ones that come to mind are mainly with my husband and family. How can I be intentional in my relationships with them to show them God's love and that they matter? We all know ways we can do that, but doing those actions or speaking those words are so much more challenging. We are around these people more, we know their stories, they may have hurt us, etc. And yet we are called to love them like Jesus loves us. We are called to show them the unconditional love of Christ. Easy? Of course not. But learning and growing is part of the amazing process that brings us not only closer to those involved in the relationships, but also Christ. He'll help us, we just have to take those steps. So, in my relationships at home, and around other family, friends, etc., the urge to be intentional will be there, I just have to act on it. Will you act on it too? I hope so.
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