Looking at this year
I'm not sure why but it seems to be this time of the year, the atmosphere, the emphasis, the joy, and perspective that is around this holiday, but I do alot of thinking back over the year. Boy, this has been a full year! We have been busy in ministry, learning things about ourselves, our ministry, our teens, our God, and how to better love, serve, and bring glory to Him. Boy, do we have along way to go!!! By NO means do we have anything figured out! We are a piece of work but anything good that happens thru us is only by God's grace (God giving us what we don't deserve).
We have been here at this church, working with the teens, for almost 3 1/2 years. We love these teens! There is just something about working with teens. When we started, I was so intimidated, so wanting them to like me, so self-consious that I think I was fake and not really being myself. I have learned something in these years. They just want to know if you are going to love them and they just want you to be real with them!! The more I have let them see who I really am, my fears, my failures, my struggles, my likes, my interests, and continue to love them as I get to know those things about them, that is when I have seen progress and growth. It is exciting!!
This year as I think back over our time with the teens, I am humbled. I have grown to love everyone. And I have found that its not just the ones that our in our youth group right now, tho I am so enjoying getting to know them as well, but we have started to make true relationships with the kids that have graduated and gone either into life or college. We have been able to go deeper and really get into their lives, and we have felt humbled and privilaged that they have allowed us to be apart of it. Cuz something we have realized is that we can't forces these kids into a relationship. We are involved in their life as much as they allow us to be, we just make ourselves available.
God has been good to us. This year has been a year of struggle, but also a year of blessing and growth when it comes to the kids. God has chosen us to impact these kids for these few years and that is a humbling thot. I pray that dispite our sin, failures, and inadequacies, God works thru that and continues to bring glory to Himself. We ultimately want these kids to learn to love God, make God real in their life, live a Word-filled life, and impact others for Christ.
I feel like this was very basic and general, but because of these relationships it has to be that way. I just wanted to express how much we appreciate these teens (and the kids that have graduated), our relationship with them, and how we have seen God work, in both our lives with them and their lives. AND how much we love them!!
We have been here at this church, working with the teens, for almost 3 1/2 years. We love these teens! There is just something about working with teens. When we started, I was so intimidated, so wanting them to like me, so self-consious that I think I was fake and not really being myself. I have learned something in these years. They just want to know if you are going to love them and they just want you to be real with them!! The more I have let them see who I really am, my fears, my failures, my struggles, my likes, my interests, and continue to love them as I get to know those things about them, that is when I have seen progress and growth. It is exciting!!
This year as I think back over our time with the teens, I am humbled. I have grown to love everyone. And I have found that its not just the ones that our in our youth group right now, tho I am so enjoying getting to know them as well, but we have started to make true relationships with the kids that have graduated and gone either into life or college. We have been able to go deeper and really get into their lives, and we have felt humbled and privilaged that they have allowed us to be apart of it. Cuz something we have realized is that we can't forces these kids into a relationship. We are involved in their life as much as they allow us to be, we just make ourselves available.
God has been good to us. This year has been a year of struggle, but also a year of blessing and growth when it comes to the kids. God has chosen us to impact these kids for these few years and that is a humbling thot. I pray that dispite our sin, failures, and inadequacies, God works thru that and continues to bring glory to Himself. We ultimately want these kids to learn to love God, make God real in their life, live a Word-filled life, and impact others for Christ.
I feel like this was very basic and general, but because of these relationships it has to be that way. I just wanted to express how much we appreciate these teens (and the kids that have graduated), our relationship with them, and how we have seen God work, in both our lives with them and their lives. AND how much we love them!!
What a great perspective. You love for God pours out in this email and it is neat to hear how God has allowed you to be involved in the lives of teens for His glory!
ReplyDeleteGreat thoughtful post. Loved reading a little of your heart here! Good job!
ReplyDeleteWow, you have expressed this so well, Jerelyn. It is no easy task to work with youth and all that comprises their complexities. You have given us a glimpse into the challenges and at the same time allowed us to see how very fortunate we are as a church to have this quality of leadership influencing our young people.
ReplyDeleteI loved seeing your perspective on ministry, Jeje! You expressed yourself so well in this post! I know I've talked with you about all these things, but it just is a blessing to read your thoughts! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete