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He likes me. He really likes me.
Maybe if we believe God not only loves us but genuinely likes us, too, than maybe we would lighten up on the self-hatred.
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A Youth Pastor's Hurt
I wrote this a year ago after some time with some former youth. I’m currently working on a sermon that brought it to mind and decided to share it again. I’m starting my thirteenth year as a youth pastor at the same church. That is a really long time in youth ministry and a really long time as a youth pastor in the same church. I remember my current youth when they were mere babies and the first youth I had in my ministry are now having babies. Over the thirteen years, I’ve shared countless moments with hundreds of teenagers. I…
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Getting Schooled By My Youth
The youth in my youth group teach me a lot of things. There are the very useful things like how to master the Wii, how to have fun, how to fart on demand (okay, I already had that mastered.) They remind me that you can make a difference and that it is never to late to start. They remind me to relax and that to be present in some one’s life is more important than designing a stellar program or event. They teach me that selfishness is pervasive and that I once was as awkward and self-conscious as they are and I would be wise to not…