If A YL Leader Were To Give The Graduation Commencement

I'd love to give the graduation commencement speech for the high school where I lead Young Life.  It hasn't happened yet, but it's on my bucket list. When preparing, I'd take some pointers from Rhett & Link's Pokemon Pinata decapitation, but it might be even more helpful to listen to the commencement address King Solomon would've given. 

Here's an excerpt below from The Gospel Coalition Blog and Joe Carter. 

The Commencement Address King Solomon (Probably) Would Have Given

People often ask, "What's the key to success?" My father—who was quite a success himself—gave me some sound advice on the subject: "Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses."

One of the most important things I know is this: Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

I knew a kid once who was poor but wise. He went from being in prison to become a king. Led a great number of people. But now no one remembers him—at least not fondly. He was better off being poor. What happened to him? Well, after he got in power he no longer knew how to take advice. The lesson: Listen to advice and accept instruction, so that you may gain wisdom in the future.

Young men, admire the beauty of your wife; young women, admire the beauty of your husband. (I recommend comparing a woman's hair to a flock of goats and a man's hair to a raven.)

Don't love sleep.

I had a dream once that God would give me whatever I asked. If you ever have a similar dream, here's what I recommend: Don't ask God to give you wealth or a long life. Ask for anunderstanding mind and the ability to discern good from evil.

Keep your tongue and you'll keep out of trouble.

What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done. Sure, you may have iPhones and Starbucks now. But when it comes down to it, there is nothing really all that new.

Buy truth, and do not sell it. Buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding too.

Aim to get rich slowly. Wealth gained hastily will dwindle; wealth gained little by little increases.

Go out into the grass and find some ants. Watch what they do. Notice how even this insect works hard preparing for the future? You should do the same.

Don't ever say, "Why were the former days better than these?" Wise people never ask that question.

Even fools who keep their mouths shut seem wise. So if you want people to think you're intelligent, close your lips.

Don't marry someone who doesn't share your faith. Trust me, it only leads to heartache and pain.

Remember when you were a kid and your dog died? That's going to happen to you too. Did your dog go to heaven? I don't know.

Don't take everything people say to heart. You know that many times you yourself have cursed others.

When you vow a vow to God, pay it as soon as you can. God takes no pleasure in fools, so pay what you vow.

Don't spend too much time drinking alcohol. It may go down smooth, but in the end, it'll bite you like a snake.

Wine is a mocker, liquor a brawler.

The more you know, the more the world breaks your heart.

Never trust a woman who would accept half a baby.

Wear sunscreen.

A New Book For Dads, Written By Young Life Staff

Looking for a Father's Day gift?

Alan Smyth & Kristy Fox, Young Life Regional Directors in California, have recently published a new book for dads of daughters. You can order it here and read more from Alan below. You can also win one of three copies, instructions at the bottom of this post.

Friends,

We've reached a milestone in the life of this “little project.” It started nearly 25 years ago when my daughter Brittany was born. As I stumbled around hoping to be a great Dad for my daughter, I learned a few things through “on the job training.” Then, my entire adult life working for Young Life has given me a front row seat into the lives of adolescents and their struggles.

Long story short, I felt compelled to record my thoughts and experiences of being a dad to my daughter. I felt led to record them all into one place and make them available to whoever might be interested. Further, I felt that getting input from dozens of other Dads, daughters and Young Life leaders would provide a unique collection of content.

Never really knowing where this was all going, I am happy to announce that the project which I spearheaded and collaborated with many others has been turned into a book. And that book is available for consumption starting right now! Let this blog post signify the release of a book I have entitled “Prized Possession.” You will have to read chapter two in order to understand where this title came from.

Kristy Fox (RD of the Southcoast Region) is a huge part of this project and her female perspective has been an invaluable component to the conversation. My voice is strong as a Dad who raised a daughter. However, her voice is strong from a woman’s perspective and has provided a strong influence. She is someone who has been intimately involved in the lives of adolescent girls for over 20 years. Kristy has contributed an important chapter in this book as she speaks about what girls are battling every day. She has also been a sounding board for the rest of the chapters as I compiled them. My own daughter, Brittany, has also contributed a chapter from her perspective.

Additionally there are dozens of veteran dads (many on the YL staff) who have shared their insights on what they did and how they approached raising their daughters. Maybe the best part of the book though, is a chapter written by a compilation of testimonies from post teenage girls who turned out great. I asked them “what did your dad do?” “What impacted you?” You will hear from awesome women what their dad did well. You will want to steal what you hear them say.

The point was to gather important voices and share important insights on a very important topic. My hope is that this book becomes a resource for dads who are looking for a little encouragement and practical help for the sake of a healthy daughter who gets what she deserves. It is irrelevant whether 1 or a 1 million people read this book. I am just doing what I believe I was asked to do by pulling it all together.

My experience as a dad, but more importantly as a Young Life leader for 30 years tells me this conversation is critical.  If you believe this topic is as important as I do, then I would ask you to “share” it on Facebook, “tweet” it and ask people you know to check it out on our website. I want a lot of dads to participate in this conversation because I believe there is some great stuff on the pages which will make a difference in the lives of little girls. 

May God bless you in your parenting and may God use the words recorded in this book to empower dads and bless the little girls they love.

Bless you,

Alan Smyth

You can purchase the book at www.myfatherdaughter.com.

From that site, you can also subscribe to a parenting blog written by three different “YL” people from three different perspectives.

FREE BOOK CONTEST

Tweet/Instagram out a picture you have of you and your daughter (or you and your dad). Think funny, creative, meaningful, cute, sweet, fun or whatever. Tag @2cor618 & @YoungLifeLeader in the tweet so Alan can retweet and post it on his Father/daughter facebook page. He and Kristy will determine the winners and send out 3 FREE books to 3 different winners.

Another Helpful Parenting Book

Check out 'Life In Our Shoes' by Curtis Chesney, a book for YL staff parents written by YL staff kids. 

The Strategy of Jesus

"A society of genuine loving souls, set free from the self-seeking struggle for personal prestige...would be something unutterably priceless and powerful. A wise person would travel any distance to join it." -Elton Trueblood

One summer. 

Three months. 

Thousands of Work Crew/Summer Staff.

Millions of hours volunteered. 

Why?

Why will thousands of high schoolers and college students sacrificially work hard and long hours for free this summer?

The same reason I once drove from Colorado to California to eat at In-N-Out Burger. Well, it's not exactly the same, but that sure was a good burger. 

Quaker scholar and theologian, Elton Trueblood, offers a helpful answer to the question.  

There is no person in history who has impacted all of mankind more than Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was deeply concerned for the continuation of his redemptive, reconciling work after the close of his earthly existence, and his chosen method was the formation of a small band of committed friends. 

He did not form an army, establish a headquarters, or even write a book. What he did was to collect a few very common men and women, inspire them with the sense of his spirit and vision, and build their lives into an intensive fellowship of affection, worship, and work. 

One of the truly shocking passages of the gospel is that in which Jesus indicates there is absolutely no substitute for the tiny, loving, caring, reconciling society. If this fails, he suggests, all is failure; there is no other way. He told the little bedraggled fellowship they were actually the salt of the earth and that if this salt should fail there would be no adequate preservative at all. He was staking all on one throw. 

What we need is not intellectual theorizing or even preaching, but a demonstration. One of the most powerful ways of turning people’s loyalty to Christ is by loving others with the great love of God. We cannot revive faith by argument, but we might catch the imagination of puzzled men and women by an exhibition of a fellowship so intensely alive that every thoughtful person would be forced to respect it. If there should emerge in our day such a fellowship, wholly without artificiality and free from the dead hand of the past, it would be an exciting event of momentous importance. A society of genuine loving souls, set free from the self-seeking struggle for personal prestige and from all unreality, would be something unutterably priceless and powerful. A wise person would travel any distance to join it."

Many of us will head to YL properties across the world to serve together this summer. 

As Young Life leaders.

As Assigned teams.

As Summer Interns.

As babysitters for YoungLives.

As Property Staff.

As Work Crew.

As Summer Staff.

What if we exhibited a fellowship so intensely alive

it turned people's loyalty to Christ? 

The strategy of Jesus was the formation of a small band of committed friends. 

It's no accident we crave to belong. 

Posted by Drew Hill

The Campies: An End Of Year Campaigners Tradition

This hilarious & meaningful Campaigners tradition is shared by Tom O'Neill, a volunteer leader of 8 years in Sammamish, WA. 

The Campies

With "The Office" sadly coming to an end last week, I was reminded of a Campaigners tradition I started a few years back, after being inspired by Michael Scott's shenanigans. I was watching an episode of "The Dundies", which is an annual office award show, hosted by Michael Scott, who gives out awkward and hilarious awards in full tuxedo. That immediately made me think "this is pretty much a YL camp last dinner award show".

With that "light bulb" moment, "The Campies" were born. A fusion of “The Dundies” and a Camp program awards, it’s a great way to cap off the school year with your Campaigners kids. I invited all of my campaigner guys (sophomores at the time) to attend the 1st Annual Campies, and instructed them that the dress code was "unnecessarily formal". My co-leader Warren, and I, then spent the morning of The Campies writing awards for each of our Campaigner guys. Many of them were inside jokes, that had been developed over years, or happened in Campaigners that year (ex. “Better Late Than Never”, “Last Man Standing”, or “I’m a Lover, and a Fighter”). Others were more serious, such as the coveted "Ironman" for most YL events attended that year. I also always save for last "Rookie of the Year", for someone who was new that year and became an integral part of the group. We make toasts (sparkling cider), take pictures looking quite dapper, and laugh a lot. We then talk about some of our favorite moments in Campaigners, and what God had taught each of us that year.

This is now a huge favorite, and something the boys look forward to. One of them was crushed when he was beat out for "Ironman" because of sports conflicts. 

A couple tips if you're considering doing this or something similar:

-Hammer home the dress code and do it big yourself, it makes things more ridiculous, and makes the pictures stand out on social media. Kid's friends always wonder what went down at The Campies and start asking their friends about it.

-Invite an amateur photographer, or just someone with a nice camera to come be your photographer. Go paparazzi, photos as they enter, and of course some posed shots.

-Spend a good amount of time in writing the awards. Think camp-style: Presented by Inside Joke, Reverse Inside Joke, Program Character #1, Program Character #2 etc. Maybe even get some help from another leader, two minds are often funnier than one. 

-Be sensitive to what is funny, and what is offensive. An extra laugh is not worth a hurt kid. Err on the safe side, and consider the relationship you have with each kid. Find ways to celebrate kids while making light of something ridiculous.

-Get RSVPs ahead of time, so you know who you need to write an award for. I always print a few blank ones in case I need to hand write one last minute too. 

Good luck, and go celebrate your Campaigner kids!

Thanks for sharing this great idea Tom! If you have any YL traditions you'd like to pass along, here's how you submit a guest post. 

Goose Eggs

Originally posted May 2011. 

I received this email from my friend Charlie who leads at another school in our area. He has three kids, works full time, and has been volunteering at the same high school for 11 years. May you be blessed by his honesty. 

Friends,

Monday night we had Senior Club.  Zero, that's right a big fat goose egg, senior guys came to club. 

The same guys that i have spent the last 4 years with (even a few that i had just played 18 holes of golf with on Saturday) did not show up.

For selfish reasons I wanted them to show up..."How does it look that none of my campaigners or other senior guys that I've invested in aren't here?" I wasn't going to hear the shout-outs to me for being there for them, the freshmen guys weren't going to hear encouragement from senior guys to keep coming to YL and letting Charlie buy you dinner, or what it means to be in a campaigner group experiencing life together and learning what Jesus meant when he says, "I have come to give you life."

Most importantly I wanted to send them off with a message from Philippians 1:3-11 which reminds us that "being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

A few of them texted me that night apologizing, one called me the next day to see how the last club went. I started doubting my role as a YL leader. 

Thoughts in my head were asking, 

"Is it really worth it? Do these guys even get it? Am I wasting my time?"

I realized that was all from the devil (who sucks by the way)...I was reminded of something Ty Saltzgiver had said, "God doesn't call you to be successful, just faithful."

I remembered this quote when a freshmen guy texted me Wednesday and asked if we could go to dinner and talk about some things. Still feeling upset about Monday night, I told him yeah, let's do it. We went to dinner last night and had great conversation and I thank God for this ministry.

Today, God blessed me with a text message from an old YL kid who is graduating college today. The text read:

"I wanted to let you know that you are one of the people who helped me get to this point in my life. You gave me the best gift anyone could give when you introduced me to Christ. Just wanted to say thank you."

I don't know why I'm sending this email, maybe to encourage those in ministry that yes...God doesn't call us to be successful, just faithful...but in our faithfulness we become successful. So, here's to planting seeds...

God is Good,
Charlie

 Have you been discouraged? Encouraged? Would you be willing to share your Young Life story?  If so, consider submitting a guest post.

A Letter From A Young Life Leader To Graduating High School Seniors

This letter was written by Virginia Gustafson, a leader in Raleigh, NC.  She gave it to her high school friends that are graduating this year.  You can find more of her writing here.    

Dear Sweet and Beautiful Friend,

You have no idea what a gift it is to be your friend, what a gift it has been for me to meet and get to know you over the past four years. I thank God over and over again for YOU. Your laughter, your thoughts, boldness, mistakes, failures, fears, successes, and triumphs have all been a joy for me to be a part of. Thanks for sharing your high school experience and time at Athens Drive with me. 

Thanks for not being too weirded out four years ago when a strange college student talked to you in the cafeteria, in the carpool line after school, or at some random sports game. What's crazy and incredible to me, is that on that day, each of those new and awkward introductions were ordained by God, and now, those "random" encounters have turned into lifelong friendships.

Please know that I will forever love each and every one of you, and I will forever be praying that the Lord would continue to reveal his love to you. And know I will forever be calling and texting you, and that I plan to keep up our annual thanksgiving dinners where we can all reunite, share life, and eat good food for years to come!

Now, as you head off to college and to be adults, on your own, making decisions for yourselves, I want you to know a few things, things I hope you never ever forget (which is why I'm writing it here for you to find and read forever and whenever). These are things that I’ve learned in life thus far. They are truths that have changed me from the inside out, truths I constantly remind myself of, and they are true for you too.

1. You are loved beyond measure. You are loved not because of anything you have done or will do, not because you have earned it or deserved it, not because of the way you look or how you dress, not because of your academic, athletic, or social performance, but YOU ARE LOVED because you are the beloved and beautiful daughter of God.  He created you; He has given you value, and His love for you will never waiver. He will never ever stop loving you, He will never give up on you, and He cares for you more than anything else in all creation.

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:38-39

“You are my beloved Son (or daughter); with you I am well pleased.”

Luke 3:22

2. You were born to live a full life with Jesus. If I have learned one thing over the past four years, it is that God’s plan is way bigger and way better than anything I could plan or imagine for myself. It’s scary to trust God and live life building and growing a relationship with a God you can’t always see or feel, but I promise that living life with Jesus is the best adventure you could ever have. Life is hard, and I would not have survived all life’s struggles and hardships without Him. He is the only one who has brought real joy, laughter, and hope out my life’s hardest struggles and pain; He wants to do the same for you and with you. Talk to him (pray), continue to read about his life and how he interacted with the people around him, and don’t forget that he wants to be a part of your life; he will always be there for you to turn to.

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Jesus speaking in John 10:10

3. You are imperfect and you will fail. It’s true, no matter how hard you try to be the perfect student, friend, girlfriend, sister, daughter, athlete, and one-day wife and mom, it will never happen. You will never have your life all together, but that’s okay. You, my dear sweet friend, were not made to be perfect; you were not created to have it all together. One of my favorite authors, Emily Freeman, says it beautifully, “You are not responsible to have it all together. You are free to respond to the One who holds all things in his hands.” Find freedom in knowing that you will never be perfect but that Jesus was and is, and He willingly shares His perfection with you. Rest in Him. Trust Him. He is the perfect one, after all.

“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”

Romans 7:15

“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep doing.”

Romans 7:18-19

4. God has more grace and love for you than you have the ability to sin and reject him. God’s love for you is beyond compare; there is nothing as strong, as powerful, as confident, or as permanent as God’s love for you. And in his love there is grace. That means that God knows the worst of the worst things you have done and will do. He knows about when you betrayed your friends, your family, Him; He knows when you lie, cheat, steal, and disobey. He knows when you choose your own selfish desires over the feelings of others, and He has already forgiven you. He has already paid the penalty for all of the crappy things you have done and will do (a.k.a. your sin) with His death on the cross. Why? So he can be in a relationship with you, so you don’t have to be perfect anymore, and so you can rest and just live and enjoy life with him. Ladies, this is the greatest love story ever, this Man did and will do anything and everything to capture your attention and your heart. Give your heart to Him! He will take better care of it than any other boy on the earth.

“If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

Romans 8:31-32

“For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.”

Romans 11:32

5. You are the Lord's. He did it all just for you; he came to earth, died on a cross, raised from death to bring you hope and prove His power. He created you in your mother’s womb, loved you before you breathed your first breath and has called you his precious daughter. He is working constantly for you, to bring you life, freedom, hope and joy. He wants to bring peace out of the war in your life, joy out of the sorrow, and love out of the hate. He wants to walk with you into the Promised Land, all you have to do is trust and walk with him. Let him fight for you. Let him bring hope and light and true beauty into your life. 

“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

Exodus 14:14

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus speaking in John 16:33

So dear, sweet, and beautiful friends, this is why and how I have been able to love you over the past four years. Jesus' love changed my life; He alone gave me the boldness and courage to talk to you on that random (but perfectly ordained) day. He gave me all the love, life, joy and kindness to share with you. He gave me the strength to wake up early and bring donuts to you at 7am because he wanted YOU to know that you are worth it. You are worth being celebrated and being known. He wanted you to feel love, life, joy and kindness, and what a gift it has been for me, that I was chosen by him for this task. 

I also want to leave y’all with one of my favorite phrases of all time. I want to share it with you because you are starting a time in your life where you will have more freedom, time, and energy than you have ever known, and it will certainly be tempting to chase after boys, partying, success, and all sorts of other appealing "college adventures." But y'all, life is too short to chase after anything but Jesus. He is the only thing that will bring you real, lasting, and satisfying joy, comfort, peace, freedom, and life. Just think, me choosing to chase after him is what brought our friendship in the first place, and ladies, our friendship is the best college adventure and gift I could have ever asked for. 

With Love (and a large chunk of my heart),

Virginia 

Thanks, Virginia.  Leaders all over the world echo your sentiment, and what a gift to those girls for you to let them know so eloquently your heart for them.  

Let us know how you've encouraged your graduating seniors!  Here's how you submit a guest post.

#YLWorkWeek

Young Life properties around the country are currently being beautified by thousands of volunteers. As you share photos, tag your pics with #YLWorkWeek and we'll repost some of the best shots here on YoungLifeLeaders.org.

Ideas 4 Pics

Before and After pics of projects you're working on.

New features at the property: new hammock parks, new buildings, new rides, etc..

New & Old friends. Young Life Work Weeks are a fun time to connect with old friends and to make new ones! 

 Morning stretching routines. HT to @kaleighmichel for sharing this pic from Sharptop Cove! 

Thank People Well: Notes We Need To Write

As the school year ends there are tons of folks we as Young Life leaders need to thank. My YL Area Director in college drilled three things into our skulls:

1. Pray First.
2. Thank People Well.
3. Always have good breath when doing contact work. 

Who Do You Need To Thank? 

• Administration 
• The principal at your school didn't have to let you come to lunch. Send them a note with a $10 Subway gift card saying 'Thanks for letting us eat lunch with your kids this year. Enjoy a lunch on us this summer. Sincerely, the Smith Middle Young Life Team" 
• Athletic Director
• Remember those free athletic passes your YL team got at the beginning of the year. Think how much $ they saved you. What about a picture of your YL team holding a sign saying 'We heart Coach Mac' for the AD's office?
• Club/Campaigners Host Homes
• That family let you have fifty middle schoolers invade their basement. That mom cooked dinner for your Campaigners group more times than you can count. That dad is still repairing the damage from when that sumo-suit put a crater in his garage wall.  I think you can get a 10% off Home Depot coupon at your local Post Office. 
• Area Director
• Being a YL AD is no easy task. Area Directors spend tons of time making it possible for us to be YL leaders. Send them a note of encouragement thanking them for leading well and be specific about how they've encouraged you.
• Spouse
• If you're married, make the effort to thank your spouse for allowing you to pursue this calling. What if you gathered some of your high school friends to put on a mini 'YL club'   for the purpose of celebrating your spouse? Or how about a needed Date Night now that club is taking a summer break?
• Middle/High School Friend
• Do you have some kids in your YL club that went the extra mile to help out at YL this year? Model gratitude for them by sending an unexpected note. Print a pic of you with your middle/high school friend and turn it into a postcard. 
• Jesus
• Celebrate this year by thanking the One who made it all possible.  Build an ebenezer. Remember God's faithfulness!

Who else do we need to thank? 

Let Prayer Be the Work

This guest post is written by Ashley Coomes.  Ashley is on Young Life Staff in Greenville, SC.  She is a leader at Eastside High school, and she trains volunteer leaders from Furman University, Greenville Tech, and North Greenville University.

“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.” Habbakuk 1:5 

Well friends, God did that thing again where He answered a huge prayer, knocked me off of my feet, and reminded me that He was at work the whole time. It went down like this:

Our Young Life team has not been given permission to be on campus for a few years. We have been meeting kids through various school events and coaching, however we were only meeting kids within the same group. Our mission is to reach every kid, so in August we began praying nearly every day for access to the campus during the day so we could meet every kid. We prayed for favor with the administration and for the Lord to make it possible for us to meet every type of kid at the school.

Since we could not be on campus during the day, we had to get creative with contact work opportunities. We started tutoring after school so we could meet new and diverse kids. All semester the assistant principal witnessed the beautiful relationships being built between leaders and kids. She saw that we were not just coming to tutor kids, but to hear about their days and to laugh with them.

So, last week when I explained to her our mission and that we are about reaching every kid, everywhere, she cried and said that Young Life leaders are an answer to her prayer. Everyday she has been praying that “someone would love [her] babies.” You know what else? She told us we are welcome on campus anytime!

The God who does immeasurably more than we can ask for, answered our prayer of gaining favor with the administration and access to campus. The best part is that the whole time the assistant principal was praying for us! We serve a God who goes before us, writing His story.  Had our prayers to be on campus been answered in August, we probably would not have ever started tutoring after school, I may not have started to help coach Lacrosse, and the story of God answering this prayer would not have been nearly as cool. The Lord answering our steadfast prayer to be on the school campus has made a pretty cool story. Would your answered prayers make a great story? 

I am not saying I have it all figured out people. TRUST ME, there are plenty of days I wonder how I even made it on Young Life Staff.  I also haven’t mastered the perfect prayer life; in fact, I have to set an alarm on my phone to remind me to pray specifically for our area everyday at 10 a.m. That’s just crazy because if something is important enough, a silly little alarm would not be needed in order for us to remember to do it. (Like who needs an alarm to remind them about a hot date or what time the premier of Downtown Abbey comes on, right?)

I try to have successful ministry without prayer sometimes. Then when I crash and burn, God so gently reminds me, “Hey Ash, remember that time I freed the Israelites from slavery? Yup, that was me. Want to let me handle this club matrix now?"  Thanks, Lord, for allowing me to still serve you in this ministry even though I forget it is your story in the first place!

Take heart dear friends who have been kicked off campus, who have low club numbers, who have difficulty finding committee or leaders. Bob Mitchell sums it up well in his book, Letters To A Young Life Leader,  when he says "Prayer is the work." Remain steadfast in your prayers and GO to the school. He will show up!

“Keep on beating the path of God’s door, because the one thing you can be sure of is that down the path you beat with even your most half-cocked and halting prayer the God you call upon will finally come, and even if he does not bring you the answer you want, he will bring you himself. And maybe at the secret heart of all our prayers that is what we really are praying for.” –Frederick Buechner

Thanks, Ashley.  It is important to remember what an important role prayer plays in our ministry.  We'd love to hear how YOU have seen prayer "do the work".  Here's how you submit a guest post.

An Insta Confession: Why I Check My 'Likes'

Okay, I do it. 

I feel silly admitting it, but.. 
my guess is you do it as well. 

I often check my 'likes.' 

When I post on Instagram, if it hits a magic number of 'likes,' I feel accepted and loved.  If it doesn't, I feel rejection. It's stooopid, but sadly true of our social media driven culture. 

This morning I posted a pic on our YL club Insta account. I thought it was clever and worthy of a 'like'...it only got nine. And one of those was mine. BTW, never 'like' your own picture, it's an automatic deduction of cool points. 

I recently read this blog post for parents that was helpful in explaining this phenomenon. 

Sarah Brooks writes, "We're no longer in a world of handwritten "circle yes or no" notes between two people; kids are living social lives on a completely public forum. Have you considered that your child is given numerical values on which to base his or her social standing? For the first time ever your children can determine their "worth" using actual numbers provided by their peers!

Your daughter has 139 followers which is 23 less than Jessica, but 56 more than Beau. Your son's photo had 38 likes which was 14 less than Travis' photo, but 22 more than Spencer's.

See what I mean? There's a number attached to them. A ranking."

And if you think they don't actually pay attention to this stuff, read the hashtags on these photos."

At Campaigners last week we had a 10 minute discussion about how you need an appropriate ratio of Twitter followers/following.  

Following more people than are following you = Loser status.

I'm a pastor, a Young Life leader, and I have a wife and kids that love me well...and yet I still look for approval from Instagram 'likes.' 

Why?

Simple answer, as hard as it is to write...

spiritual immaturity. 

In Romans 12:1-2 Paul writes, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Eugene Peterson translates it this way in The Message, 
"So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."

If we want to lead our middle and high school friends towards being transformed by Christ, we too must experience that transformation. We must take our everyday, ordinary lives and place them before God as an offering. We must become well-formed mature disciples of Jesus.

We're addicted to being connected.

We've traded connection with our Creator 

for connection with created things. 

We've become well adjusted to the world.

We're searching for affirmation in silly places. 

We've been lured down to the culture's level of immaturity. 

How do we change?

Through spiritual disciplines. 

One thing we can do is give up looking at our 'likes,' and instead, 'fix our eyes' on the One who liked us enough to die in our place. 

To whom will you look for affirmation today?