Highschool Graduates

Ecclesiastes 3:1 - To everthing there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven

Now, is the worst time of the year to be a youth pastor. It’s graduation time. This is the time when Angela and I watch as young people we have ministered to and ministered with, take flight. Children we have loved and prayed for, outbound for new beginnings, now young adults. We pour a lot of effort and love into the young people that Jesus has given us to minister to. It is painful to see them leave because Jesus uses these young people to minister to us so much.

This year we have two truly dynamic young people graduating. They are amazing and special yet very different from one another. Jonathan is very logical and driven (although not without a great sense of humor) and Brittany (or Bridgette as I often loved to call here) is creative, talented and a bit whimsical. The diversity of God’s beloved creations is made evident by these two young people.

Senator Jonathan….from the great state of…..oh, wait, that hasn’t happened yet. It has not happened yet but, if you’ve met Jonathan you know it could. He has an analytical mind, charisma and near perfect comedic timing. In our Sunday morning bible study we were once pondering the question: Can God use unbelievers to speak to his people? I brought up the story of Balaam and his donkey. To which, Jonathan rebutted “We don’t know for sure that the donkey wasn’t saved!” Jonathan wields sarcasm with ninja like precision- I love that! He has a broad spectrum of athletic abilities including but, not limited to: soccer, tennis, basketball, dodge ball and ping-pong. At Springfling ’08 Jonathan served everybody in that place a family-sized-can of ping-pong whooping! Yet, all these blessings have not made him the least bit arrogant or conceited. I’ll tell you the greatest times I had with him were after all the overnight bible boot camps. After Jonathan helped me clean up (while pretty much everyone else was sleeping), we would take a nerf ball out and play catch as the sun rose. Just a great summer morning memory, of time spent with a young man of limitless possibilities

I met Brittany for the first time almost six years ago. I can see her as if it was yesterday. She wore a pink cloak; and it was a nice one. I knew from that day it was going to be an exciting ride along with Brittany. Brittany is one of the first kids we taught all the way from the beginning of junior high and then all the way through high school. She seemed almost constantly happy. I can’t think of a time I saw her in a bad mood. She was always smiling or in the process of producing her next room-brightening-smile. Brittany’s greatest passion is singing. Whether it was on the youth worship team or trying out for American Idol, she just loves to sing. And I loved it when she sang; she is really quite gifted. I also loved the fact that even when she didn’t have a regular ride to church she still managed to come more often than not. She was there for all the activities from bible boot camps to snow filled gospel walks.

Ecclesiastes 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

Both of these young people will be taking a small piece of my heart with them; wherever life takes them. The pieces will however, have been made better by knowing them. Jonathan and Brittany thank you. May the LORD bless you and keep you. If you love something let it……blah blah. Maybe I love too much!

The Peace of our LORD and SAVIOR be with you.