We led contemplative worship at our recent Youth Dynamics staff conference. One exercise was to think about what was holding you back from trusting the Lord more in your ministry. We wrote them down on post it notes and stuck them on the window of the conference hall we were in.The we had an area to symbolically wash our hands of these things and enter into a new season wholly invested in following the Lord in ministry.

For me, “control” and “expectations” hold me back from giving everything up in my life and ministry to the Lord. I worry too much about measuring up and feel like everything is on my shoulders. It’s funny, it’s all the Lord’s to begin with and it continues to be His. I just fool myself to think otherwise. It’s all His. It’s all the Lord’s.

You have any to confess and walk away from?

Every once in a while we (as youth leaders) get a glimpse into the mind of a youth.  Here is one of those opportunities I’d like to share with you.

This is not a student of mine, but one of Pastor Brian’s students.   

“What defines somebody as being a “loser?”

 a loser is somebody who. . . . doesnt drink on the weekends with friends. doesnt have a matching shirt with their shoes. stutters in front of girls when asking them on a date. doesnt defend themselves when they’re made fun of. wears a jacket because of the person who gave it to you. A Loser is somebody who. . . . doesnt have a girlfriend for more than 2 months. sits by the phone, hoping somebody will call. thinks that girls are out of his league. wishes for a personality other than his. wishes he could have somebody to love. A Loser is somebody who. . . has a stepfather and a father, neither that smile or hug interacts with his little sisters, instead of his weight training. has never been told “you’re intelligent, smart, and capable” by a guy. joins the military to make his father proud finds out he still thinks your a fag. A loser is somebody who. . . . doesnt lose his virginity by senior year. hasnt tried smoking at least twice. buzzes his own hair because he’s so ashamed. lies to his friends, so that they still embrace you as one. find out theres more to friendship than being cool. A loser is somebody who thinks his friends have left him, when they were there the entire time.. . . . I’m a loser”

I love raw honesty and I wish I knew more losers.

It’s glimpses like this that keep me in the ministry.