Baptism by fire.

I've met a lot of my fellow staff members at RBC this week at work, and they've all told me that I started this position with "baptism by fire". This is because I was only here a few days before I left for the Winter Retreat with the students in the youth group. I guess what they're saying is that as soon as I got here I basically jumped right in and immersed myself into work and into getting to know the kids. What is ironic is that it seems like with everything I do, that is the way it always begins with me. I'm still trying to figure out if that is a good or a bad thing.

I took this weekend to be a way as a time for me to build relationships with most of the senior high girls. I went into the trip knowing four or five names, and came out of it knowing at least 50. I really wanted to focus on at least learning as many names as I could, and I even built some deep relationships along the way. For those of you who think youth ministry is easy or that it's not time consuming, I beg to differ. I just learned the names of about 50 girls, the background story of about 25, and the struggles and inner emotions and thoughts of about 10, and this was all in the span of 3 days. You best believe I was exhausted!

Even though the fatigue caught up with me fairly quickly by the time Sunday and Monday rolled around, I really was extremely encouraged by the girls and the growth that I could see within the group, and also by God Himself speaking and pouring into my life. I managed to find a lot of time to spend with the Lord, even if it meant reading my Bible with the light from my cell phone while everyone else was asleep. He taught me some really thought provoking lessons through those cell phone lit conversations with Him. One of the passages of Scripture that He brought me to during a night-time devotion, was this:

Mark 10:13-16: And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

My question from this is, how do I receive the kingdom of God like a child? This is an answer that the Lord has slowly been revealing to me, and I don't have it completely down yet, but I do know that it has to do with our faith. Children are always so eager to learn, they believe things easily, and they have an imagination. Children don't need facts or proof. They don't need you or me to like them or to accept them, and they don't put concepts in a box and simply leave them there. They don't worry about what other people are going to say or how they are going to be treated if they make a certain decision. Children have a mind of their own.. and a world of their own at that!

So everyday I am reminded of how Jesus says that whoever does NOT receive the kingdom of God like a child will not be able to enter it. Right now my daily prayer is for the Lord to show me how to receive the kingdom of God like a child and approach his throne with a childlike faith and humility. I trust that He will continue to show me what this looks like and that I too, may receive His kingdom without hindrance.