Lessons in life & love..

As you can see, I've given my blog a face-lift of sorts: New name, new background, new theme. I've decided to devote my blog to a "life lessons" type of template and list lessons in each entry. I think this will be more helpful in the future when i want to look back on these first years in ministry: all that i learned and went through during this time. i was inspired by some events this week that have plagued my mind and have caused me to begin a list of these "lessons in life & love".. so here goes:

Lesson #1: Ministry is hard.

~ this may seem like a harsh statement to make, but to all you people out there who think my job in youth ministry is all just a bunch of fun and games, i urge you to think again. yes, ministry is fun. yes, ministry is rewarding. but ministry is more than just a job. i do more than just hang out with teenagers and get on facebook all day, and plan crazy activities. ministry becomes hard the minute you have to betray someone's trust in order to get them the help they need.

its not easy telling someone they can confide in you and then later realizing that they need to talk to a more trained individual who can better counsel them. it's not easy telling your supervisor the prayer requests of some students, knowing that it is something that was hard for them to tell in the first place. nothing in ministry can ever be completely confidential. and it's hard to try and explain that to a girl who just poured their heart out to you. "by the way, everything you just trusted me with.. i have to tell someone else because they can better assist you. thanks!"

yeah not an easy task.

but ministry is all about loving and intentionally pursuing others. as long as you are doing that, they will come around.

and i know my girls will come around. i will never turn my back on someone because they turn their back on me. Christ doesn't do that, so i will take after Him and show his love in this way.