Summer Reminds Me That...

…It’s all about relationships! Summer always serves to remind me of the main reason I got into junior high ministry:  To spend time with them!  Sure, summer can get busy with camps, activities and outings…but it is at camps, activities and outings that we get to spend extended time with the kids in our groups.  Take advantage of the relational opportunities the summer months bring you.

…It’s okay to relax!  I am embarrassed to admit this, but I have not been a very good husband, dad and friend during the summer months for the vast majority of my youth ministry career. For the exact same reason mentioned above, I have worked way too hard during the summer and have often neglected the stuff that matters most.  This summer, look for ways to slow down and enjoy life outside of ministry. Go to the beach….alone!  Go to an amusement park…with just your family.  Catch a baseball game…without renting a bus!

…It’s impossible to please everybody!With the onset of summer also comes the onset of a whole lot of other people’s agendas and expectations.  Parents who expect an activity every day, volunteers who want you to switch camp locations, elders who think the youth group should spend their summer re-painting the sanctuary. The list could go on and on and on and on.  Every summer, my ministry gets bombarded with other people’s ideas and agendas. Sometimes they are legitimate, but most of the time they are unrealistic or selfish.  Summer reminds me that it is impossible to keep everybody happy.

I hope you have an amazing summer. Spend time with students, relax, and quit trying to please everybody. I think you’ll be glad you did.