So Very Worth It

We started hanging out with teens in January 1988.

In March 1994, Jerry took his first full-time position as Youth Pastor. That title took us to 3 different churches over 10 years.

Youth ministry is not very rewarding. It is fun, simply because teens are fun. But the rewards? They are few. It's not one of those jobs with instant results. You teach and you talk and you eat and you camp out and you play crazy games. And you hope that something, anything, is sinking in.

And so many times you watch them walk away from your ministry at the end of the night, and go right back to living for the world. No matter how fiercely you told them to live for Jesus.

And it is frustrating. It makes you want to pull your hair out sometimes. It makes you question why you are even doing what you are doing. Why waste your time when no one is listening. Why pour yourself out, only to have the kids suck you dry.

And then every great once in awhile, you find out that is was all so very worth it.
I am grateful to have kept relationships with so many of our teenagers so that I can see the impact that my husband's ministry had on them.