5 Years Ago

It all started five years ago. I was dating this girl who volunteered with a Jr. High Youth group. She asked me if I'd like to come to the youth group with her to help out. Doing anything I could to impress her, I quickly agreed to come. I had a lot of fun that night-but I didn't have a job. There wasn't anything that I was told to do. I was just "there".
I remember leaving that night being slightly disappointed. I love doing things. I love having things assigned to me. I never have liked just being there. I told this girl as we drove away that I wished I would have had something to do. I also asked that if I came back again, if she could find a way to get me more involved. Her response to this shocked me. She flat out said no. She told me that the reason I was there wasn't to have something to do, it wasn't to be in charge, but that God wanted me there simply to be with the students.
This was a hard pill for me to swallow. I'm not sure if I agreed with her or not. Honestly, all I can remember is being so shocked that she told me no that I was a little upset. Now, 5 years later, I see just how important her words were.
In the past 5 years God has transformed me from that first time volunteer, to the full time youth leader in the same church. He has also transformed me from the guy who would do anything to impress that girl he was dating, to that girl's husband. A lot has changed in 5 years.
One thing hasn't changed though. God still has called me to this youth ministry for the same reason he called me 5 years ago. God wants me to be with the students. By "being with" these students, I am able to form true and deep relationships. I am able to minister to them. I am able to teach them. I am able to watch them grow spiritually. I am able to play a part in their lives. I am able to pray for them and with them. I am able to be with them.

If you've buzzed through the rest of this post-please slow down here!

I want you to know this. Being with students is the single hardest, yet most important job in a youth ministry. It is the job that all of the volunteers have accepted as their own. And it is the job that I struggled to understand when I first began to volunteer with the youth group.
So to all of my youth volunteers-Thank you. Thank you for being with the students. Thank you accepting God's call to minister to these youth. Your job, your "being with" these students, is the single most important part of this youth group.

Jesus chose them to be with Him. -Mark 3:14

Questioning Amelia Earhart

Last night we took the youth group to the drive in movie. I was pretty excited about it because we were going to see Night at the Smithsonian. Kendahl and I had just watched the first Night at the Museum a couple days earlier, so this was sure to be good. Indeed it was.
I remember a lot of funny quotes from the movie. One of my favorites: "My hair is actually currency in certain parts of Europe." -Colonel George Custer
What I remember more than funny quotes though was the lack of a quote. Well, the lack of speech really. Towards the end of the movie, Ben Stiller was standing outside of a plane next to Amelia Earhart. He had spent the majority of the movie by her side but they were too busy fighting to talk; let alone have a deep, meaningful conversation. I thought for sure that he would use this chance to ask the one question that everyone wants to know the answer to: Where did you crash!?
For those of you who don't know, Amelia Earhart crashed her plane during an attempted circumnavigational flight of the globe in 1937. She was never found. Now why in the world wouldn't Ben Stiller ask her!?
I'll tell you why. He was too amazed by her. He was amazed by her character, amazed by her beauty, and simply amazed by her face. Watch the movie and you will agree. Sure it sounds a bit ridiculous-I'm telling you that a grown man was awe struck by a wax statue that had come to life. But seriously, watch the movie.
Anyhow-think about this for a moment: have you ever been so awe struck by something that you simply could not say anything? Think again of a moment that you had prepared yourself for? You knew what questions you wanted to ask, you knew exactly what you wanted to say-but when you saw the person you were going to talk to, you were too awe struck to ask?
I heard a song the other day that talked about this exact topic. "Then I'll gaze upon the throne of the King, frozen in my steps. And all the questions that I swore I would ask, words just won't come yet." It is a story of standing at the feet of God. When this man gets there, he simply cannot speak as he is awe struck-yes, much like Ben Stiller is awe struck by Amelia Earhart, but on a different level.
Ever thought of something you've wanted to ask God? I'm sure you have. Here are some of the questions that I've had for God over the last 23 years: Where did the Dinosaurs go? How often did I frustrate you when I was on Earth? How do animals talk to each other? Do dogs go to heaven? Couldn't we have been all right without mosquitoes?
I have a pretty good feeling though, that when I get to heaven and am standing at the feet of God, that I will be too awe struck to ask any of these questions. Honestly, I don't think that the answer to these questions will even matter to me anymore. Much like the answer to "Where did you crash!?" did not matter to Ben Stiller. He just wanted to enjoy his moment with Amelia Earhart.
Take for instance when Jacob saw God: Genesis 28: 13, 16-17 "Then God was right before him, saying, "I am God, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac...Jacob woke up from his sleep. He said, "God is in this place—truly. And I didn't even know it!" He was terrified. He whispered in awe, "Incredible. Wonderful. Holy. This is God's House. This is the Gate of Heaven." He didn't question God, he described God.
Or look at Peter, James, and John when they were in the presence of God: Luke 9: 34-36 "As they found themselves buried in the cloud, they became deeply aware of God. Then there was a voice out of the cloud: "This is my Son, the Chosen! Listen to him." When the sound of the voice died away, they saw Jesus there alone. They were speechless." Peter, James, and John had nothing to say. There was no reason to speak, for seeing God made them speechless.
So take it in. Look for God. Don't worry so much about the questions you have for God. Don't worry about asking Amelia Earhart where she crashed. Just take in the moments where you can truly see God. Don't question, just stand there-speechless, and in awe. And if anything-take an example from Jacob-describe God.