It has been far too long since I have taken the time to write. Over the course of 7 weeks in the time since I last blogged I had 5 scheduled weekend trips (one elementary students, one middle school, one high school, one middle and high school, and one family) and the added work of a sermon for one Sunday morning and one Lenten service. I never really "have the time," but I enjoy writing so I try to make the time - this stretch didn't allot for that even - so I have been holding it in.
Ministry can be discouraging and writing has been an outlet of sorts. It allows me to get my thoughts out and my experiences shared in a way that is generally healthy and sometimes even beneficial to someone other than myself. Oftentimes working full time in ministry can be unrewarding and work on burning you out. Trips like the ones I have been on recently generally help to counter that. Students can make leaps in spiritual growth, there is usually a new student or two invited on the trips, and often you see a bit of attendance bump from otherwise hit and miss students and new students. You get to watch and participate as students worship, as they become a part of something larger, as they start to "get it." It is a highly recommended experience... seriously, you should help me out - drive a van load of kids or something. Call me...
This year, we had the largest group of middle school students for the weekend conference since I came to Assumption. It was exciting. We came home and I was looking forward to seeing that group back - it was only a few days until the next time our group would meet. That Wednesday only 2 of the 7 students were at youth group. That was fewer than usual even. We had maybe 5 kids total. Not a good week.
I put in a lot of time to prepare worship that is of the best quality I am capable of producing, a message that is relevant and engaging, activities that further the message, and small group time that helps them to personally apply the message... and less than 1/3 of the kids who were so pumped after this exciting trip made it last for half a week. I had plans to unveil the details for our big summer trip and be bombarded with immediate sign ups and it was going to be great and --- most of the people I expected to be there stayed home.
We worshiped all the same. I shared a message just the same. I presented the details for the summer trip just the same. Then something strange happened. They went bananas. Those few kids, some of whom were middle school students who DIDN'T go on the trip were so excited that they wouldn't let me talk. Kids who I never expected to step out and go on this trip were the first to bring back the deposit. Our small group time was cut to almost nothing because they were so fired up about the summer trip that they couldn't stop asking questions.
Expecting to go home crushed with disappointment, I went home strangely refreshed. No, our numbers didn't double overnight - in fact they went down. No, students weren't crying and making life changing decisions. Something was happening though. This was something new. This was a small victory. Sometimes that's all you get. This direction is right. This path, though difficult, is leading somewhere. Just a small victory. Sometimes that's all you need.
