I can blame my ADD which was in full force, or the fact that I was trying some new things, or that only 13 youth showed up, but any or all of that means that youth group this past week tanked. Maybe it was fun for other folks, but for me it was a tough night.
The truth is that I find it refreshing that after 16 years of youth ministry I can still crash and burn. It reminds me that no matter how much I learn I will never know it all, there is no perfect formula, I have to keep learning, keep adapting, and Jesus still runs the show...not me.
And even in the middle of one big hot mess of a youth group, God still speaks, still moves, is still present. May God bless my messes.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Youth Ministry Stories #1 (Britney and the water Balloon )
Heather and I were on a long ride back from my in-law house in Anderson, SC. It was very late and I was struggling to stay awake. It order to stay awake she and I reminisced about memorable things that have happened in the year I have been in youth ministry. We came up with 126 stories, so I could do these blogs forever.
Youth Ministry Stories #1 (Britney and the water Balloon)
Our youth choir took a trip to the mountains for a three day weekend of rafting and camping. We had about 30 youth with us. One afternoon, spontaneously as these thing seem to happen, an all out water balloon war began with the entire group. We ran around hitting each other with balloons, laughing, and getting wet.
I was standing in the middle of the field and was not looking when Britney Boulineau came around the corner and threw a balloon at me. Britney was the shortest in the group, the most petite, and probably the youngest girl on that youth trip. The balloon she threw hit me hard, and the balloon landed below the belt. As soon as I felt the pain, I reacted, a moment of blind rage, not knowing at who I was aiming. I threw my balloon as hard as I could and hit poor Britney right in the face. She fell down crying, I fell down moaning.
I would say that the way her eyes blackened up the next day would be the worst part of the story, that is if her Dad was not one of the leaders. He was standing 3 feet from me the whole time.
I'm sorry Britney!
Youth Ministry Stories #1 (Britney and the water Balloon)
Our youth choir took a trip to the mountains for a three day weekend of rafting and camping. We had about 30 youth with us. One afternoon, spontaneously as these thing seem to happen, an all out water balloon war began with the entire group. We ran around hitting each other with balloons, laughing, and getting wet.
I was standing in the middle of the field and was not looking when Britney Boulineau came around the corner and threw a balloon at me. Britney was the shortest in the group, the most petite, and probably the youngest girl on that youth trip. The balloon she threw hit me hard, and the balloon landed below the belt. As soon as I felt the pain, I reacted, a moment of blind rage, not knowing at who I was aiming. I threw my balloon as hard as I could and hit poor Britney right in the face. She fell down crying, I fell down moaning.
I would say that the way her eyes blackened up the next day would be the worst part of the story, that is if her Dad was not one of the leaders. He was standing 3 feet from me the whole time.
I'm sorry Britney!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)