Taming the Teenage Cattle

I have to say, tonight, I have been overcome with memories from this past year. It's been a very different kind of year. Ushering in a new family member with the birth of our third daughter, becoming aware of the fact that my husband will be starting a new life in ministry, and last but not least, finding my spiritual gifts.

A few years ago, I never would have dreamed that youth ministry would be something I would find my passion in. It seems like such a thankless job. Teenagers had a way of intimidating me. When groups of them approached me, they might as well have been stampeding cattle. (You don't make eye contact, and you get out of the way fast). And alone, well, you never know what they are thinking. Imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered that I could love them so much. Over the past year, I've had the extreme privilege of leading a group of several students. We came together during a tough time and built community through unity and fellowship. They have changed my way of thinking about teenagers, ministry, and even myself. I've laughed more than I can remember, cried with a few of them over some things going on in their lives, and hopefully had some kind of positive impact on their lives and relationship with God. I've emerged from this past year, a new person, transformed by God, and these awesome people. Some of them have graduated and I will only see here or there when I get really lucky, and some of them I get the extreme privilege of hanging out with for a time longer.

I hope that if you guys read this, you'll know how much you mean to me, how you've touched my life, and how much Jesus shines through you.

Peace Out,

Slim-A