School Days, School Days
Today I took Levi up to one of our local high school's to have lunch with one of the teens in our youth ministry. It was fun to be back in a high school cafeteria (not that I ever ate in one - my high school had off-campus lunch). But the buzz and the energy felt in a room full of high schoolers is enough to get your adrenaline pumping. As we sat eating our Burger King hamburgers and chatting about the day, I was reminded that I, in no way shape or form, miss high school. While I thoroughly enjoyed being with the high schoolers, I did not want to be A high schooler.
I remember driving my brown 1986 Chevy Cavalier with a huge dent in the front fender. I remember showing up for early morning band practices and staying late for basketball and baseball games. I remember my senior year getting my mascot costume on for pep rallies on Friday mornings. I remember piling in cars to get away as fast as we could for lunch at a near by fast food joint. And I remember absolutely nothing from any of my classes.
I remember high school being the most confusing, aimless time in my life. I was never really quite sure who I was or who I wanted to be. This sounds bad, but on the surface I looked just like everyone else, who I'm sure were experiencing the same things I was. I was into things like sports, the ladies, and band (woohoo, band geek!!!). But honestly, I remember being a different person in each of those settings.
I was reflecting recently on the day I realized I wanted to be a minister. It was something I always thought about simply because my sister and I were so involved in our youth group. But there's one day that stands out above the rest as the day I decided that was where my life was going. I was driving to school one morning and stopped at a red light. Directly to my left stood my church building. I found myself wanting, even longing to be there instead of headed to school. It wasn't because most of my closest friends were church friends (which they were), but it's because I liked the "Church Cory" better than the "School Cory." I knew the "Church Cory" was who God wanted me to be but I was easily distracted and thrown off by all the temptations that come to a high school guy.
I really believe that God was present in that moment when I sat at the red light on 8th Street in Odessa, TX. He has guided me to the place where I am today and I can see His fingerprints all around me. I have a beautiful wife and two glorious sons. I know a lot of people feel that way about their wife and children, but I feel especially blessed to have mine. I'm also a part of a youth ministry that is alive and full of the Spirit. I know that it is not my doing that has caused this youth ministry to be successful, but instead it is God. I cannot picture myself being more devoted to an ordinary "job" as I am to my calling as a youth minister. I think of the jobs my friends have and I think, "BORING!!!" (No offense) I am thankful that God has led me to this place as a minister in His Kingdom. There truly is nowhere else I'd rather be.
While I LOVE our high schoolers, I certainly don't envy the stage of life they're in. But I can already see God working, guiding and leading them to a path of life meant for glorifying Him. What a glorious God we serve!!
I remember driving my brown 1986 Chevy Cavalier with a huge dent in the front fender. I remember showing up for early morning band practices and staying late for basketball and baseball games. I remember my senior year getting my mascot costume on for pep rallies on Friday mornings. I remember piling in cars to get away as fast as we could for lunch at a near by fast food joint. And I remember absolutely nothing from any of my classes.
I remember high school being the most confusing, aimless time in my life. I was never really quite sure who I was or who I wanted to be. This sounds bad, but on the surface I looked just like everyone else, who I'm sure were experiencing the same things I was. I was into things like sports, the ladies, and band (woohoo, band geek!!!). But honestly, I remember being a different person in each of those settings.
I was reflecting recently on the day I realized I wanted to be a minister. It was something I always thought about simply because my sister and I were so involved in our youth group. But there's one day that stands out above the rest as the day I decided that was where my life was going. I was driving to school one morning and stopped at a red light. Directly to my left stood my church building. I found myself wanting, even longing to be there instead of headed to school. It wasn't because most of my closest friends were church friends (which they were), but it's because I liked the "Church Cory" better than the "School Cory." I knew the "Church Cory" was who God wanted me to be but I was easily distracted and thrown off by all the temptations that come to a high school guy.
I really believe that God was present in that moment when I sat at the red light on 8th Street in Odessa, TX. He has guided me to the place where I am today and I can see His fingerprints all around me. I have a beautiful wife and two glorious sons. I know a lot of people feel that way about their wife and children, but I feel especially blessed to have mine. I'm also a part of a youth ministry that is alive and full of the Spirit. I know that it is not my doing that has caused this youth ministry to be successful, but instead it is God. I cannot picture myself being more devoted to an ordinary "job" as I am to my calling as a youth minister. I think of the jobs my friends have and I think, "BORING!!!" (No offense) I am thankful that God has led me to this place as a minister in His Kingdom. There truly is nowhere else I'd rather be.
While I LOVE our high schoolers, I certainly don't envy the stage of life they're in. But I can already see God working, guiding and leading them to a path of life meant for glorifying Him. What a glorious God we serve!!
posted by CoryJones at 4:34 PM
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