Young Life insights

My Young Life blogpost...

Hi!
To those of you who aided by giving me your ideas/insights to Young Life from a what do you like/what do you dislike perspective,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Here's my thoughts about Young Life:

I have been involved with Young Life in the St. Charles IL area for a little more than a year. I am a college student who is pursuing a Youth Ministry degree at Judson College. Prior to coming to Judson I wasn't that interested in pursuing a Youth Ministry degree outside of the church, for my prior Youth Ministry experience was inside my home church involving middle schoolers, so when I came to Judson College I was rather certain that I'd pursue a church version of Youth Ministry because I knew what it looked like and I had a feel for it...

Two thoughts I had about Youth Ministry prior to Judson/Young Life:
1) Youth Ministry in a church setting is where the most amount of kids are reached
and
2) High Schoolers scare me! (ah, the naïveté I had!)

I did not grasp the holistic picture of Youth Ministry, that is, I saw ministry as a church thing and (perhaps in the back of my mind) I thought that is where it was solely based... Shortly before finding a place to call my Practicum for Youth Ministry I was challenged by a professor in the program (who has a 'little' experience in Young Life, little is the understatement of the hour.) who said in regards to practicums do something that makes you feel uncomfortable, something that you're not used to - and it really stuck! I mean, going from a church setting with middle schoolers to a parachurch setting with high schoolers... yeah, it's been quite a jump!
My good friend Jeremy was already involved with Young Life prior to going to Judson and he mentioned it to me, so I decided to 'try' it out... In all honesty, it was a bit overwhelming at first, especially since Young Life is a high school ministry (oh the horrors! ) and being in an environment that is not always controlled (compared to the church environment) was terrifying for the first, second and third time I was there.
Somewhere in this chaos and confusion and the question of where-am-I-going-to-do-my-Practicum I felt God calling, persisting, badgering me and guiding me towards Young Life. In my heart and mind I knew that I could either pull a Jonah and head off away from where I was being called to or give in to "the call" and make my way back to Young Life and make 'the best of it.'

Well, you know what?
I went back to Young Life (a duh moment, since I'm writing about it) and it wasn't a going-back-because-I-have-to, but a series of fortunate events that solidified my calling to parachurch Youth Ministry, which I was working with teens who are (gasp!) high schoolers!
I admit, it hasn't been all peaches and cream, and sometimes it has been downright painful on a mental/spiritual/etc. level. I have been tried and torn, I've be wearied and worn, I've felt the pain of others and being REAL and HONEST with my fellow leaders have made me sick of myself and I've wanted to just go to the door and walk away from the problems that bother me...

But I haven't left,
I'm an unfinished being,
I'm still here because of God.

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Some thoughts I'd like to pass on Young Life leaders everywhere:

• May God bless you in your pursuit to be personal, real and intentional with high schoolers! It's a difficult job, but God has you (and them) and he can aid you on your journey.


• This job should not be treated as a job per se, it should be treated as a responsibility that should not be taken lightly; sure, have fun with your teens, but remember the WHY question in regards to the ministry of Young Life.


• Be yourself! Teens rather see&be with who you really are, not the super-hero-kind-of-leader/save-the-day-and-everyone person, but who you really are.


• Pray: Prayer is a very valuable asset and it is a thing that should not be a last resort method, but a first! From a personal perspective, I enjoy praying to my Father in Heaven, and there are times where the teens share some things that they'd like to have prayed for (though not always mentioned as such, but still...) and it's a good idea to pray for those things and follow up with the teens in regards to those prayer requests as they were.


• Read the Bible and seek Godly advice: This may seem like a duh statement, but sometimes even I get sidelined in these areas. I'm getting better at it, and it has been very beneficial to my life.


• For those you work along side with, be REAL with them! My site supervisor is amazing at doing this, even though at times he is in tears because it tears at his heart, I... I'm glad to be working underneath someone who is intimate to us leaders on such a level.
  

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  I hope you who are reading this (whether you're involved with Young Life or not) enjoyed it; not for my honor and glory, but God's. Carry on the good work that is set before you and may God bless you richly.
  
  Going on by God's strength alone,
  Nathanael