When life happens.

When I moved home, I thought I would get a full-time job, and work with the youth at church a bit. I didn't expect two jobs instead! What an incredibly perfect place I am in though. Letting God take control of your life is the perfect position to be in, everything is always as it should be, (when we can let go enough and truly let His will be done, even when its hard), and is so much better when you bow down, and let Him be lifted up and glorified, and take control of your life.
Here is something I thought would never happen in my life: Becoming a Youth Leader. I guess I can check that one off my list? Granted, it is a very temporary position, but I wouldn't want it any other way.
It is just so interesting to me to see how God works. I obviously have some sort of burden for today's teenagers, but why would God give me this job? What is He doing? I kind of love being in the position of now knowing exactly what God' will is, because now I get to pray and seek out exactly what His purpose is, and man, do I have to be active about this one!
It is funny looking back on the time line of my life, at least in the recent past, and see all the way's God has been preparing me for this. Working with the School of Ministry Development (which is basically learning how to be a leader), staffing DTS and leading outreach, working with Mission Adventures, I can see several specific lessons I learned in each of these things that will directly influence me now. Funny how God takes you through something, and you have no idea why, and then some time later you are in the midst of something else, and the light bulb goes off; "Oh, I get it!"
I really feel excited and a bit in awe about this new development. One thing I know for sure: I could not do this without the help of the volunteer team. Paul (well, ok, the LORD) has put together and incredibly gifted team of passionate people who love our teenagers, and I certainly couldn't do this without their time and devotion to the ministry. Which, by the way, I'm not really, Josh (who I've known practically my whole life, and truly is my little brother) is in the boat with me, and man, thank you God for such a gifted person! I am so excited too see all the different talents and gifts really be given a chance to shine and be developed firther in our team, we all have so much to offer, and I am grateful for the opportunity for everyone to shine the light that God has placed in them.
My days have gone from maybe working several hours a few days a week to overtime. And school is starting next week! My plate is over-flowing, and that is such a blessing. I hope I can maintain that attitude when the going gets rough though!
So of course I have to mention my favorite topic of discussion...Missions. So we get to plan the Mission Trip for this summer, which incredibly excites me! I will be totally honest here, I want to see this trip go international. I want to pray about it and hear God say some amazing country that is in need of this specific group of teenagers to go and care for it's hurting people. I'm afraid though, that in this time in our church, I would be met with all resistance. Bottom line. Pretty lame, right? Really, it comes down to what the Lord is saying, that is all that truly matters, but yeah. I think we'll be going Urban America this year, and that is quite all right with me. There is always next summer. :)