Been a long time. Thought from my first trip by myself in ministry

It has been far too long but I am excited to be back on.  I recently took my first trip with middle schoolers in which I was the head and boss and one in charge and one accountable for their safety (notice the silly titles).  It was terrifying!  Yet I loved it.  The retreat was a purity retreat an our students learned many helpful things yet I may have learned a lesson that had nothing to do with purity.

This is more a message to students in college training for ministry or the jobs where they would like to work.  Applying what you study, argue over, adamantly agree with, and are blown away that people don't do is a LOT HARDER than it sounds.  For 4 years teacher professed to me the importance of looking for opportunities to have conversations, killing personal sin, discipling students, loving students, having fun with students, not being the crazy rule enforcer all the time.  All of that..ALL of that I struggled with this weekend. Two and a half days with 22 middle school students pushed me farther than I have been pushed in a long long time.  I say this not to complain or sound like I don't enjoy working with the middle school age.  No I LOVE this age..they are hilarious, awkward (which is hilarious to me), and they have the craziest attention span and ability to TALK!  I say all that to remind myself and you that applying what we are taught and agree with takes WORK.

Phillipians 4:8-9 says this

1. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and wreceived and heard and seenxin me—practice these things, and ythe God of peace will be with you.

1. These verses were read to our students in the context of thinking on pure thoughts.  Yet verse 9 strikes me in the heart as it is a reminder to apply (practice) that which I have received and heard and seen in God.  A large part of that is the truths that I was taught in college about ministry.  This internship is the perfect time to learn how to apply these truths and i must confess that I need to work harder at that.  When I am staring at a middle schooler who is drawing on his face with a permanent marker it is hard so that he can claim to have 5'o clock shadow it is hard to think on lovely, excellent, pure, or praiseworthy things.  Yet if I were to stop and remember that God loves and cares about this student and that as crazy as he is, he is still made in the image of God I can then realize that this is hilarious and can then laugh as God probably (hopefully) was.  The true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, and excellent thought that is worthy of praise is that this student is loved and cared for by God and that God desires this...possibly insane yet fun child to grow in a greater relationship with Him.  Therefore, the responsibility of the youth worker (me and 3 others) is not to get frustrated because one of our students is running around with a marker goatee and beard but rather to laugh with the student so that he does not feel stupid but can rather have a few minutes of feeling like he is appreciated and cared for.  There is a big difference.  Many a deep breath was breathed this weekend yet not much ministry happened on my part after those breaths.  It will be a forever memorable first trip as I strive to never have an outlook like I had this weekend again. Instead, I must strive to apply the truths that I have been taught and practice them daily from now on.  Applying what we are taught (practicing these things) is harder than it looks but the importance of working at it is so incredibly clear now.
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3. Love in Christ,
4. Nathaniel
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