When God Speaks to us, We Have to Listen

When God speaks to us, we have to listen.

I have been working with the youth from our church for almost 8 years now. I started out as a youth leader, assisting the youth minister with different tasks…..but in the last two-three years, I have been the main organizer and planner of all of our youth activities. I don’t really have a title, but when students introduce me to their friends, they introduce me as their youth minister. Even though we have an official paid part-time paid youth minister, he is usually only with us on Wednesdays…..and I am there every time the doors are open and every time there is a youth activity. I am assuming that’s why the students call me their youth minister. It feels good, but having a title has never really been a big deal for me. Sometimes titles get in the way of the job.

Our former Pastor, Bro. Wayne, has now been gone around three weeks. He was always a strong supporter of our student ministry, which I am very thankful for. Unfortunately, I think it may have hurt our student ministry some because our attendance has dropped. I am not sure why some of the students are no longer coming, although, I know many of them have transportation problems because they live with a parent that won’t bring them and they live in an area where our buses don’t run. Others can’t seem to get up early on Sunday because they stayed up too late on Saturday night…..and since their parents don’t go to church, they have no initiative to get up. Some of the others find other places to go and things to do instead of come to church.

It’s times like these, when the attendance is low, that I start to wonder how effective I am as a youth leader. What am I doing wrong? What do I need to change….or do I need to change anything? What will motivate these students to come? These are questions I have been asking myself for a while and looking towards God for some answers. I am happy because my daughter has gotten very involved with the youth and has really matured in the last year or so. It’s great to see her live her life for the Lord again. I just need to know if I am in the right place, or if God is opening other doors for me…I just don’t know.

It was a long and tiring weekend and I got very little sleep last night. I have been a zombie all day today and am doing my best to keep busy and stay awake. I have a lawn to mow this evening and am getting what few hairs I have, trimmed. I am hoping to be home at a decent time this evening so I can go to bed early.

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