nd I have truly been blessed to be with them. In addition to speaking to the entire group each morning, I have also been a family group leader that met with a small group of students at the close of each day. There were eleven students in my small group (also led by Everett Smith), and the more intimate setting gave us a chance to talk more personally and share on a more individual basis. Wow...what a blessing it was to sit in a room with eleven students and hear their heart each evening. Traveling with these 50 high schoolers has reminded me of how important it is to invest in the lives of young people, and I am encouraged about their love for the Lord and His kingdom work. I don’t suppose I will ever be able again to pass one of these students in the church hallway or the aisle of Wal-Mart without remembering these special days. I want to be the kind of pastor that the students know has a love for them, and a pastor that is authentic before them. And these days in Maryland have been a big step toward that.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Final Thoughts from Maryland
It’s around midnight on our last night of our high school winter retreat at Wisp, Maryland, but I couldn’t help but jot a few words about this fantastic group of students. These four days have given me a chance to interact with them in ways that don’t seem to happen back in Statesboro, and I have come to love each of them. Every student is different—facing different issues, blessed with different talents, and each is a unique creation of God—a
nd I have truly been blessed to be with them. In addition to speaking to the entire group each morning, I have also been a family group leader that met with a small group of students at the close of each day. There were eleven students in my small group (also led by Everett Smith), and the more intimate setting gave us a chance to talk more personally and share on a more individual basis. Wow...what a blessing it was to sit in a room with eleven students and hear their heart each evening. Traveling with these 50 high schoolers has reminded me of how important it is to invest in the lives of young people, and I am encouraged about their love for the Lord and His kingdom work. I don’t suppose I will ever be able again to pass one of these students in the church hallway or the aisle of Wal-Mart without remembering these special days. I want to be the kind of pastor that the students know has a love for them, and a pastor that is authentic before them. And these days in Maryland have been a big step toward that.
nd I have truly been blessed to be with them. In addition to speaking to the entire group each morning, I have also been a family group leader that met with a small group of students at the close of each day. There were eleven students in my small group (also led by Everett Smith), and the more intimate setting gave us a chance to talk more personally and share on a more individual basis. Wow...what a blessing it was to sit in a room with eleven students and hear their heart each evening. Traveling with these 50 high schoolers has reminded me of how important it is to invest in the lives of young people, and I am encouraged about their love for the Lord and His kingdom work. I don’t suppose I will ever be able again to pass one of these students in the church hallway or the aisle of Wal-Mart without remembering these special days. I want to be the kind of pastor that the students know has a love for them, and a pastor that is authentic before them. And these days in Maryland have been a big step toward that.
