A Good Reminder

It's IB and AP test week for high school students everywhere. Austin is no different. Seniors are studying for hours, dreading the 4-5 hours that they have to sit in a classroom, wondering if their scores will be high enough to earn the college credit of which they dream. Some have two in one day. It's overwhelming.

As I wondered around the patio and mingled with folks at the church family dinner, I secretly hoped that my tired self could go home early. I didn't expect any senior girls to show up for small group and was thinking that if they did, it would be one or two, and we could go to Starbucks instead of doing Bible study. It was muggy and hot and after a day lacking of motivation, I was not excited to be there. Yup - it happens sometimes.

But God wasn't going to have any of that laziness. Four girls came. And they were excited to be there. My co-leader arrived, and we started talking about college life, tests and boys. It was fun. My mind was flip-flopping, wondering if we really had to do Bible study...or if we could just hang out. I'm not sure what made me change the subject, but all of a sudden, I started the DVD. We're doing a series that includes a video component. In fact, it's one of the best Bible studies I've done in youth ministry when it comes to relationships. Good Sex: A Whole-Person Approach to Teenage Sexuality and God. Seriously. Good stuff. We've talked about intimacy, homosexuality, parents, marriage, boundaries, desires, pornography, lust, abortion, friendships, dating...you name it, we've brought it up...or the book has. We've asked questions and giggled. Lots of giggling. My co-leader is currently 7 months pregnant, too, so she served as the "object lesson" for what happens if you do have sex. At least that was the running joke.

We watched the DVD and went through some of the questions. There's no way to cover everything in this series because there's just too much good stuff. We stretch each one-week series into two and are still left with many options. There have been weeks when girls left affirmed. Some where they've left angry. And others have truly been confusing. But at the end of the evening, they've always been encouraged and challenged by God's Word, and that's been an incredible privilege.

Toward the end of our time, I asked if there was anything that surprised them about the series or what we have discussed. What followed was truly a gift from God. It's a rare treat to see how the Lord is transforming lives. Several opened up with personal stories. Other's shared how they began to understand God's love and care and how it reaches every corner of their lives. I am tempted to write paragraphs sharing these stories, but it's too personal to share. 

I left feeling humbled. I left having an attitude check. I left giddy - on cloud nine like a school girl with a crush - reminded that it's moments like this that make it all worth it.

Youth ministry...there's nothing like it.