Dating starts at different ages for different kids. All of a sudden bodies change and hormones take over and our teens want the label of “boyfriend” or “girlfriend.” They’ve noticed that they have feelings for a boy or girl and want to do SOMETHING to express these emotions.…
I looked over the crowd of students as they stared at me blankly. My hope had been for a reaction filled with excitement and wonderment, and that overwhelming number of students would raise their hands when we asked who would want to sign up for a local service opportunity.…
One of the most frustrating conversations I have with friends is the “You should quit ministry” conversation. Sure, there are days when I want to quit, more than I care to admit. You know those days. They are filled with church politics, angry parents, mess-ups, complacent students, bad youth nights, and heartache.…
The 3 “P’s” For Your Volunteer Team It’s football season! It’s on everyone’s mind and so it’s an analogy I like to use when it comes to working with our support team in ministry. Imagine your team has shown up for their first game. …
Look at this sweet picture of a Junior High girls volleyball team. Do you see the camaraderie as they come together after a game that they had lost to be supportive and encouraging of each other? I hope it makes you smile, if not just a little.…
Once when I was discouraged in ministry a friend of mine suggested that I start keeping a file of encouragement. I could put all of the thank-you notes and bits of paper given to me over the years to keep in one place.…
I am half way through the summer and I am already exhausted. While others slow down and catch their breath I think we move faster at our house. In our ministry we run day-camps for junior high age students and I coordinate mission groups of teens to come and serve with us.…
The other day I decided to go into Starbucks for a refreshing drink on a very hot day. I sat down in the shade outside to take a break from a busy day and catch up on some paperwork. This is when HE showed up.…
Camp will always have a special place in my heart. My Mom would not have a relationship with Christ if it weren’t for entire summers spent in the hills of Massachusetts. It is the very place my ministry career began. In high school I worked at a day camp for the disabled.…
I caught her out of the corner of my eye as she ambled around the airport. Admittedly, my first inclination was to judge her. This woman in her mid-forties was disheveled and obviously a little tipsy. Yet, as quickly as I noticed her she moved along.…
