Senior High

At the end of last school year I had the opportunity to speak to the senior high girls at a LACE (Ladies After Christ's Example) meeting. I shared a testimony about what God has been doing in my life the past couple years. The testimony included stuff about dance, depression, and decisions to make things right. I was invited to join the ladies and Kris (youth pastor's wife, in charge of LACE) for their final meeting of the school year. Really, I enjoyed it immensely! Shortly after I spoke at LACE, Pastor Nate (youth pastor) asked me to think about working with the senior high youth group. Wow, what a cool thing. The last few years I had been thinking about working with the youth group but had never said anything to anyone about it. Then it just didn't seem the right time, but now it was perfect time and I could tell it was God giving me a wide open door. I had awesome encouragement and support from Nate and some of the senior high girls I am close to. I also sought opinions from other people I respect and they all told me youth group seemed like a great ministry for me. So, in June I began my one-year commitment to work with the senior high youth group. Nate's requirements for his leaders are more than reasonable: he expects us to attend faithfully Wednesday nights and a handful of activities throughout the year. He is sensitive to leaders with families and busy schedules, but he wants them to get involved with the kids' lives too. As a single person, I am more flexible I think so I decided to jump right in. I've done some activities, hosted a YAC (youth after church) at my house, and helped with the LACE summer activity. This school year I am going to continue working with LACE, and I want to start helping out when they do the retirement home service once a month. All of this, to me, is an enormous blessing and one of the most fun things I have ever done. God has put in my heart a deep, full love for the senior high teens. I am being challenged to live out my faith in a clearer way, to be thoughtful of my decisions, and to reach out to young people in a new way. It's all very exciting and I hope you'll pray for me this year as I get more deeply involved with the teens. Pray that God will grow and teach me so I can make an impact for Him in the lives of these impressionable teens.