The crazy guy who was in youth ministry for 41 yrs.

I’m heading back home from a youth pastor’s conference. I’ve been to a lot of these things and I always walk away with a good nugget or two. This year they did a “How long have you been in youth ministry game.” If you can believe it, one person had literally started the day before the conference began.

Then they got to the other end of the spectrum. “Who has been a youth pastor the longest?” They asked. Can you believe there were two people that had been in youth ministry for 41 years?! Insane!

Imagine all the changes they have seen in 41 years. Imagine how often their poor noses had to smell unhygienic boys in the church van. Imagine all the letdowns and failures, all the success and joys, all the hurt, all the celebrations.

41 years of youth ministry!! That’s something to celebrate.

It couldn’t have been easy. It makes me think about this verse, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Rom. 12:12.

You may be going through something right now and it seems like you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. There is power in slowing down. Take a breath. Remember the hope of what’s to come. Be patient. Talk to God.

Fight the urge to cut corners or to find the easier way out. Stay the course. The journey is powerful.