If you ever need God to rock your world... sign up to be a high school life group leader... better yet... get signed up by someone else. :) This semester has been one of the most significant times of growth I have ever experienced. When there are people in your life looking up to you and depending on you... it changes you. I suppose it is a similar feeling of responsibility to having a spouse or children. It's basically a process of getting over yourself so that someone else's life can be better. God has really challenged me with the reality that I only have a window of opportunity with some of these students... maybe a matter of weeks for the graduating seniors. I have to be intentional. Although there have been great obstacles and challenges, sitting on the floor in the basement of our host home listening to student after student telling about how God is changing their life... makes it worth every minute of prayer, sweat, and hard work. Yes... retreat was tons of fun... getting all decked out in pink, getting hit in the head four times in a row in one game of dodgeball, running through the mud to the finish line, crazy cheers, losing your voice, wild bus rides, late nights... love it all... but, it's so cool how God can use all of that to tear down walls, build relationships, and get students' attentions.
Sometimes the change is a journey of breakthrough after breakthrough... sometimes it's immediate. Students are now wanting to come to church... taking notes... asking deep questions... passionately praying for their unsaved family... being bold about their faith... breaking free from the chains that have bound them. And it's just the beginning?! :) Wow. Can't believe I get to be part of this.
