Steadfast & Sure: Transition Days

Today was a transition day of sorts. It started with a lot of goodbyes and continued on spending time with the people who will populate my life in the future.

I have grown up in Flagstaff. I was baptized and confirmed at the same church. I have spent 20 years of my life involved in the ministry at Peace Lutheran as either a youth participant, usher, greeter, or youth leader. I have seen the church ebb and flow, change from pews to chairs, get new hymnals, get painted and repainted, rooms change, people pass away and new members come. I have seen and been apart of just about everything at Peace.

The wonderful kids that I have had the privilege of leading in the youth group spoke their words to the congregation this morning about their experience at the National Youth Gathering just two weeks ago. Their experiences give me hope for the future of the LCMS and the future of their lives. They are filled with God's love and compassion and truly have found lifelong friends during their time at youth events. I am not always 100% fond of the policies or direction of the synod but I cannot debate the history and impact it has on my life and the people who I have crossed paths with.

I reminisce because it was my last Sunday of consistent worship at Peace. They had a cake made for me and when our presentation to the congregation was over, I was surprised by the youth group with a number of heartfelt letters from them.

I have spent the last four years with these kids. When I began, there was about 4-5 consistent members at inconsistent events. It was led by a wonderful parent who was just too busy to also take on the task of planning and coordinating events for a small youth group. She did phenomenal in the circumstances.

I prayed about the whole situation and felt compelled to take on a more prominent role with the youth. It may be the one true situation in my life where God spoke a clear and concise message to me. When I was asked if I was interested in leading high school Sunday School, I asked for the whole youth group instead. It started slow and I was not sure how to become that person God wanted me to be. I am still not sure I do the best job of it sometimes. Sometimes I wonder if I am not just hurting the kids more with my advice, or fully getting my point across in bible studies. And I certainly don't claim to have the impact on their lives that some have told me I have had, because at the end of the day, God put us all on the path that crossed in the cramped youth room at Peace. I was merely a tool in his belt. I was very clearly stressed and tired to those closest to me at times and questioned the role I was playing.

When I left today, we have grown from those original 4-5 (who all still attend or have graduated out of youth group), to more than 20 in four short years. At the last National Youth Gathering in 2010, we sent 4 kids and 2 adults. Two weeks ago, we sent 12 kids and 5 adults. We only have a congregation of about 130 members.

It physically pains me sometimes to worry about these kids and the path that they walk. I worry about their relationships, life decisions, their walk with God and if I am truly stressing enough that they are amazing for being who they are and that no one can tell them differently. Because it doesn't matter who you are but whose you are. And I just pray that they never lose sight of that fact. That God is the one true path in life and as long as they put their faith in Him, he will never lead them astray.

I leave these kids with great hope for their futures. I pray that the new youth leader is led by God in the most beneficial way. I expect incredible things from these youth and I know that they won't let me down.

I wanted to close this blog post with photos from over the years of my time leading the youth group and some of the activities we have all had the blessing to do together.