The Heartbreak Of Ministry
To say excitement is in the air in anticipation of our first year students coming in next week would be a huge understatement! Regardless of what the year holds, I'm ready to give my heart away yet again. While the 9-month journey with most will be incredible, four decades in youth ministry tells me that one or two will break my heart.
Have you ever given your time, energy and heart to someone on your leadership team and then just had them walk away? If this hasn't happened to you, then you probably haven't been in ministry very long.
I think it's impossible to love and care for others deeply without hurting deeply. But I have learned that the very thing that makes ministry and life most fulfilling is giving your heart away. Relationship is the only way that we are all gratified and whenever you extend relationship, you have a high likelihood of being hurt. This has happened to me many times, yet even Jesus shared this pain with His disciples. Jesus poured His time, energy and heart into the 12 guys closest to Him and yet, Judas not only betrayed Him, but did it with a kiss.
Your choice when this happens is how you process the pain. You can either live a shriveled-up, self-centered life...that is just me and my four and no more and someday they still may hurt you...or you can choose to take a risk, to build into someone's life and give your heart away where it may get hurt. I have learned to put an invisible shield over my heart. I know it gets bent, dinged and hurt occasionally, so in prayer I say to the Lord, "I need You to take this shield back and pound out some of the dings and the hurt."
Often it has helped me to spend time processing my emotions and feelings by journaling. But even with the big bumps and hurtful situations, this side of the ministry is worth absolutely every price tag you pay. Because you're soul becomes shriveled-up if you don't pay it.
To say excitement is in the air in anticipation of our first year students coming in next week would be a huge understatement! Regardless of what the year holds, I'm ready to give my heart away yet again. While the 9-month journey with most will be incredible, four decades in youth ministry tells me that one or two will break my heart.
Have you ever given your time, energy and heart to someone on your leadership team and then just had them walk away? If this hasn't happened to you, then you probably haven't been in ministry very long.
I think it's impossible to love and care for others deeply without hurting deeply. But I have learned that the very thing that makes ministry and life most fulfilling is giving your heart away. Relationship is the only way that we are all gratified and whenever you extend relationship, you have a high likelihood of being hurt. This has happened to me many times, yet even Jesus shared this pain with His disciples. Jesus poured His time, energy and heart into the 12 guys closest to Him and yet, Judas not only betrayed Him, but did it with a kiss.
Your choice when this happens is how you process the pain. You can either live a shriveled-up, self-centered life...that is just me and my four and no more and someday they still may hurt you...or you can choose to take a risk, to build into someone's life and give your heart away where it may get hurt. I have learned to put an invisible shield over my heart. I know it gets bent, dinged and hurt occasionally, so in prayer I say to the Lord, "I need You to take this shield back and pound out some of the dings and the hurt."
Often it has helped me to spend time processing my emotions and feelings by journaling. But even with the big bumps and hurtful situations, this side of the ministry is worth absolutely every price tag you pay. Because you're soul becomes shriveled-up if you don't pay it.
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For the majority of us, we find our families, as well as our closest friends, to be the toughest mission field. We know all too well, when we share Christ with those we love most, the risk of rejection is high for a number of reasons. However, the reward of spending eternity with them in heaven can't be touched. We know this...our students know this...yet sometimes we both need reminded of it.
In this Source, we give students some tangible ideas on how to intentionally love their family and friends in ways that will enable them to both hear and see Jesus through their actions, attitudes, words, and deeds. My prayer for this resource is that our students will be able to cut through all the uncomfortable thoughts and feelings, and stand in the gap for those closest to them.
Fighting for the Family,
With this edition of the Source, "Christ's Answer To The Fear Factor," we give you a "can't miss" event. This is an outreach-based message that we did for two weeks. While this Source isn't long enough to include the audio from both nights, we've given you both sets of notes to use. We've also loaded up this Source with all the games, tech notes, and more to execute this event flawlessly. So take what you want, adapt it for your gang, and if you only do it for one week or stretch it longer than two, I know this will be a hit with your team!
On a personal note, this message deals with two of the biggest fears that people in our society struggle with: "the fear of rejection" and "the fear of insignificance." Our own students and ourselves, if we're honest, fight these fears daily. As you listen, you'll hear me often speak of my own battle with these fears. Remember, "you will lead people with your strengths, but you will connect to people with your weaknesses."
So sit back, relax, and give me a few minutes to be you "long distance cheerleader."
Lovingly your "Big Sis,"
What is the dream in your heart? At the end of your life, what do you want to look back on and say, "I did that"? Many people have a "Field of Dreams" they would like to build; unfortunately, countless abandon it when negative situations or tough times come their way.
In this Youth Leader's Coach, we look at the movie with Kevin Costner, Field of Dreams, and unpack the immortal line, "Sometimes the good Lord allows us to lose our dream to find our destiny." Even when life appears to throw us a curve ball, we get to choose how it shapes our soul. And that, my friend, will make all the difference in the world. So grab a cup of coffee and let's see what Abraham's life has to teach us about not giving up on our destinies.
Lovingly,
I could share lots of great ways to make an IMPACT on your world for Christ. But in this message I'm sharing the ONE KEY I've witnessed as being the MOST POWERFUL in reaching other people for Christ. I call it "FROG-KISSING."
John 17:15-18 challenges us to "Be IN the world...but not OF it." In this Source, I talk to students about creating a TRUE friendship culture with this passage in mind. It is a great source for challenging students to live out a friendship evangelism culture.
Committed to doing life together,
