what an awesome experience - 4 weeks leading a boys small group - we made ice cream in a can - cooked hot dogs in a milk carton - made campfire pizzas - and smocos - that's a cross between tacos and s'mores - and last night was the biggest - we built 2 cardboard ovens and baked chocolate chip cookies in them - no really we did
and each night we talked about how God built this huge awesome universe as a display of His glory - every sunrise - every star in the sky - every crazy-looking bug - every animal we see for the first time - they all shout His glory!
i got a little personal payoff last night - when i reminded them it was our last night - they were sad - i know it was genuine because they hadn't pulled any punches so far - i knew if they hated it they would have told me - but no - they just wanted to know if and when we would do it again
i told them to tell kristen they liked it and wanted to do it again - and then i told them to pray - pray that God would move on some of the men of our church to lead another small group - you see - that's not my direct calling - not minister to boys on a week-to-week basis - not as pastor - but i could do it once a year - for 4 weeks - but for some of you that is where you need to be all the time - or much of it
and others of you are like me - you can do it - you should do it - from time to time - or as the need arises - at church for some - for others of you, in the community - at the ballpark - at school - someplace that God has given you opportunity
why did i do it? probably on one level just to prove i still could
but the more pragmatic reason was to connect with them - as pastor - they need to know me - they also need to know other christian men and women - they needed me to meet them on their level - we too often try to engage kids - boys and girls - on our adult level - we don't have time - or patience - to put up with their adhd - or the self-centeredness that comes with that age - or their youthful insecurities - their pouting - their whining - their tattletaling - do you need me to go on? if that's the reason we won't give them our time then shame on us - for not being grown ups
but maybe the most important reason i led the small group was they are worth it - every one of them - they all had their little ways about them - their irritating little habits - but sometimes we forget that we do also - and just like us they all have their own needs - if not me then who? who will let God use them to meet the need of a little boy or girl by giving their time? a little attention? a smile?
so this is a plea - an encouragement - volunteer somewhere - somewhere that you can make a difference in the life of a child
and each night we talked about how God built this huge awesome universe as a display of His glory - every sunrise - every star in the sky - every crazy-looking bug - every animal we see for the first time - they all shout His glory!
i got a little personal payoff last night - when i reminded them it was our last night - they were sad - i know it was genuine because they hadn't pulled any punches so far - i knew if they hated it they would have told me - but no - they just wanted to know if and when we would do it again
i told them to tell kristen they liked it and wanted to do it again - and then i told them to pray - pray that God would move on some of the men of our church to lead another small group - you see - that's not my direct calling - not minister to boys on a week-to-week basis - not as pastor - but i could do it once a year - for 4 weeks - but for some of you that is where you need to be all the time - or much of it
and others of you are like me - you can do it - you should do it - from time to time - or as the need arises - at church for some - for others of you, in the community - at the ballpark - at school - someplace that God has given you opportunity
why did i do it? probably on one level just to prove i still could
but the more pragmatic reason was to connect with them - as pastor - they need to know me - they also need to know other christian men and women - they needed me to meet them on their level - we too often try to engage kids - boys and girls - on our adult level - we don't have time - or patience - to put up with their adhd - or the self-centeredness that comes with that age - or their youthful insecurities - their pouting - their whining - their tattletaling - do you need me to go on? if that's the reason we won't give them our time then shame on us - for not being grown ups
but maybe the most important reason i led the small group was they are worth it - every one of them - they all had their little ways about them - their irritating little habits - but sometimes we forget that we do also - and just like us they all have their own needs - if not me then who? who will let God use them to meet the need of a little boy or girl by giving their time? a little attention? a smile?
so this is a plea - an encouragement - volunteer somewhere - somewhere that you can make a difference in the life of a child
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