Thursday, January 06, 2011

like a hit in the head...

I have worked in Youth Ministry for years... I'm talking YEARSSSSS...

Its almost to the point where I wonder how old you have to get before they kick you out & say "You're not sane if you're still jumping up & down with teenagers"...

Until that day comes though - I'll still be jumping up & down with teenagers!

Last night, our new Youth Pastor, Scott, had his first night, introducing himself to the group & telling us a bit of the story of his life & how became a Pastor.  He was talking about how he wasnt raised in church, but at the age of 15, he accepted Christ & then the ball got to rolling for him...

He asked everyone who had been raised in church? ... yep, my hand went up, with many others...

& then Scott was talking about how accepting Christ at 15, he had the best time in the youth group growing up.  Huge memory making moments...

And then it hit me right in the head... a thought I never ever thought about...

See, I was raised in church.  Have pictures of me in Christmas pagents, Easter egg hunts, every church gathering from the time I was a tiny little girl.  Well, maybe not tiny... I dont think I've ever claimed the word tiny - I started in this world at 10 lbs... come on now - "Tiny" isnt in my world. 

ANYHOO... I was always in church.  My parents even led a youth group when I was a child.  I can remember feeling like I had a ton of big sisters when my parents did all the youth events.  And I remember going to church & just starting to get into the youth group when I ventured into middle school.  Then, there was some nasty "church stuff" that happened with our church  (why do churches have these nasty things happen to them?  Another subject for another day)....& my family quit going to church for a period of time. 

Can you guess what period of time that was? .... yep... my high school years...

I started back to church the year after I graduated & have been back involved in church ever since then.  Even when I started back is exactly when I started helping in the youth group at my church...

But I totally missed the youth group years of MY life...

I didnt do the camps, the lock ins, the retreats, the goofy games...

When that thought hit me last night - it was like God was showing me something.  That I missed out, but now, I get to do it.. over & over again.  Years worth of doing it over & over again...BLESSED to be doing it over & over again, watching young kids become young adults who love the Lord...

How cool is that? ... just another reminder of how our God is a God of second chances ....(& 3rd, & 4th, etc....)

And now, I wonder if they'll still let me go to youth retreats when I'm old & in a wheelchair... I'm sure the teens can have me doing some awesome wheelies!!!

6 comments:

  1. Rebecca...those kids are so lucky to have you as their friend and mentor! I didn't grow up in church. I attended, off and on, during my elementary years thanks to a friend of mine whose daddy was a pastor. They'd pick me up and take me to church with them, but I never attended with my family. When I was in 5th grade, we moved to a new area and I met my still BEST FRIEND whose father was, also, a minister. She invited me to church and my mom went with me. I got saved and was baptized by her dad a few years later. Would you believe that my dad didn't get saved and baptized until he was in his mid 70's? That was the BEST news of my entire life!

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  2. Glad you have that in your life.. I bet they would take you..

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  3. RJ,
    I love that you shared part of your testimony with us. Thank you so much. I am SO glad that you work with teens. They are SO Blessed to have you.

    Love you friend,
    Dawn

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  4. 10 lbs? That was how much YS weighed...it was no picnic!
    I think it's great that you can make sure teenagers have great experiences through church activities!

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  5. All I have to say after reading this and learning more about your history is...I love you and your heart. Those are some mightly blessed kids to have you in their life.

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