I have been in the youth ministry for a while now and I was talking about this recently with a friend and he remarked that I can't possibly still be in the youth ministry when I'm 50. I must read the signs, and know when to go. So that thought has stuck in me since then, and I happened to mention this to another friend two days ago and she doesn't see it that way. One thing she told me before that I remember to this day is that when we become leaders, God gives us an extra measure of grace and wisdom that others don't have. So I will use that measure of grace and wisdom to know when to exit gracefully... but while waiting for that event to happen.... hehe, let's talk about other stuff. Besides, I am not even in my 40's yet, don't say 50 loh.. oh wait.. the guys tell me I'm forever 16 in their books and that.... IS AWESOME!
You think that when you become a youth leader you are supposed to give of yourself; your time, car, money and sanity. Tick all the boxes above, for that IS what you are supposed to do, and more. You wear many hats and sometimes it's all at the same time; become a driver, a counsellor while driving, a planner, game master, sharing the Word and if you know how to sing or play an instrument, even better! Helps also if you know how to cook and feed hungry mouths. So, anyone wants to be a youth leader? Come and see me!
But time and again, God has shown me that while giving of myself into the ministry, I also receive. The past 2 weeks have been a stressful one for me, mainly at work because it's audit time and I have to get my accounts ready. Then I have had to juggle schedule in organising parties and do Christmas shopping, the general busyness that December brings. After an especially grueling day, I was really frazzled and I looked forward to spending some time with the youths by going to drama practice. I told some of them I needed to de-stress and true enough, spending time with the youths really does the trick. We laugh at lame jokes, tease each other, try and outdo each other in some crazy stunts, welcome friends back for the holidays, go yam-cha (and hope we don't get calls from parents ordering us to go home!). By the time I got home, I was tired but relaxed, happy to be able to laugh and joke with the youths.
So thank you, to those who are youths and those who call yourselves youths, thank you for sharing your life with me, thanks for the laughter, the jokes (even the lame ones, but please, a small measure goes a long way), the creativity, the love and joy. Thanks for being in the youth, don't stop coming and continue to ask others to come and join. Some are unable to be home for Christmas so make sure you go to church for services and remember why we celebrate Christmas... Jesus! Have a blessed Christmas.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Youth Awakened - Truth Or Dare
Sorry for not updating this for a while, we've been busy on FB! Anyway, just wanted to inform you that the CCL youths are organising this event in September; Truth or Dare and we have also set up a blog (address below) so from now till the event, we will be writing more in that blog. However, our youth meetings are continuing as normal and our prayer requests are also updated.
We thank you for reading our news and that you'd continue to do so! We will be back after Truth or Dare. Blessings!
http://ccltruthordare2010.blogspot.com
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Wisdom from Little Animals
Four things on earth are small,
yet they are extremely wise:
Ants are creatures of little strength,
yet they store up their food in the summer;
Coneys are creatures of little power,
yet they make their home in the crags;
Locusts have no king,
yet they advance together in ranks;
A lizard can be caught with the hand,
yet it is found in kings' palaces.
Proverbs 30:24-28
Last Sunday's sermon was from this passage, but since I overslept last Sunday and didn't go to church, I only heard the sharing from Cell group tonight. It's stuck in my mind because here we are, always being told to look up to the great men/women of this earth, be it Gandhi, Einstein, Billy Graham, Mother Teresa etc.. yet this wise man who wrote this points us to 4 creatures.. small ones at that! Mind boggling.
The ants.. small little creatures yet they work hard. You have a picnic, they carry your potato chips away to store. They work hard in the summer so that they have food to eat in the winter. They don't put off to tomorrow what they can do today. They know the timing of things.
For us, the 'preparation for winter' is to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Now is the day of salvation (2 Cor 6:2). If we have done that, then we must also work hard to equip ourselves for difficult times by storing God's Word in our hearts.
Coneys.. are like the size of a guinea pig and they are vulnerable to attacks from predators. So they know their own strengths and weaknesses. As long as they hide under the rocks, no eagle can get to them. The eagle would have to rip the whole mountain of rocks to get to them! But if they get out onto the plains, it's dead meat!
Likewise, we are like these coneys, vulnerable to diseases, depression, temptation, name it, we're exposed to it. So where is our strength? In the Lord, of course. Like coneys, they did not make the mountain, but they know how to use it. So we don't have the strength ourselves, but our God have that strength! Be strong in the Lord, the Bible tells us, and in His mighty power (Eph 6:10)
Locusts.. one locust can't do much, but when they get together, they can create havoc and devastation to crops over a vast area. Farmers fear them. They know when they do things collectively, they make an impact.
Christians can make an impact like these locusts when we come and work together, and pray together. Let us come together and contribute to the unity of the church.
Lizards.. they're creepy, slimy, cold blooded and you will forever remember the occasion should one fall on you.. urgh! They're everywhere! You can't get rid of them (sorry Van!) and they can be found in kings' palaces.
Think of the people who are not lovable, and you might one day see them sitting next to you in our King's palace! And we might be like that lizard ourselves, not lovable nor desirable, but by God's grace we can live in heaven as sons and daughters of God.
yet they are extremely wise:
Ants are creatures of little strength,
yet they store up their food in the summer;
Coneys are creatures of little power,
yet they make their home in the crags;
Locusts have no king,
yet they advance together in ranks;
A lizard can be caught with the hand,
yet it is found in kings' palaces.
Proverbs 30:24-28
Last Sunday's sermon was from this passage, but since I overslept last Sunday and didn't go to church, I only heard the sharing from Cell group tonight. It's stuck in my mind because here we are, always being told to look up to the great men/women of this earth, be it Gandhi, Einstein, Billy Graham, Mother Teresa etc.. yet this wise man who wrote this points us to 4 creatures.. small ones at that! Mind boggling.
The ants.. small little creatures yet they work hard. You have a picnic, they carry your potato chips away to store. They work hard in the summer so that they have food to eat in the winter. They don't put off to tomorrow what they can do today. They know the timing of things.
For us, the 'preparation for winter' is to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Now is the day of salvation (2 Cor 6:2). If we have done that, then we must also work hard to equip ourselves for difficult times by storing God's Word in our hearts.
Coneys.. are like the size of a guinea pig and they are vulnerable to attacks from predators. So they know their own strengths and weaknesses. As long as they hide under the rocks, no eagle can get to them. The eagle would have to rip the whole mountain of rocks to get to them! But if they get out onto the plains, it's dead meat!
Likewise, we are like these coneys, vulnerable to diseases, depression, temptation, name it, we're exposed to it. So where is our strength? In the Lord, of course. Like coneys, they did not make the mountain, but they know how to use it. So we don't have the strength ourselves, but our God have that strength! Be strong in the Lord, the Bible tells us, and in His mighty power (Eph 6:10)
Locusts.. one locust can't do much, but when they get together, they can create havoc and devastation to crops over a vast area. Farmers fear them. They know when they do things collectively, they make an impact.
Christians can make an impact like these locusts when we come and work together, and pray together. Let us come together and contribute to the unity of the church.
Lizards.. they're creepy, slimy, cold blooded and you will forever remember the occasion should one fall on you.. urgh! They're everywhere! You can't get rid of them (sorry Van!) and they can be found in kings' palaces.
Think of the people who are not lovable, and you might one day see them sitting next to you in our King's palace! And we might be like that lizard ourselves, not lovable nor desirable, but by God's grace we can live in heaven as sons and daughters of God.
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