All the Difference

Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” is one of my favorite poems…maybe my favorite outside of the Psalms. The end of it says, “two roads diverged in a wood and I/ I took the road less traveled by/ and that has made all the difference.”

But this morning I woke up and lay reflecting for a few minutes, on this auspicious day…namely a birthday getting rather close to the number 40 (yeah, it’s 38). And I was feeling pretty thankful for being so incredibly blessed to have been born to 2 Christian parents. Not perfect parents, but still terrific! And I’ve always been surrounded by lots of wonderful Christian people, to learn from, share with, do life with. And I married a wonderful Christian guy. And I thought: belonging to people who belong to God, that has made all the difference!!

Many of the teens, really anyone, around us have not had that opportunity yet. As we prepare for fall, we’re praying about finding the right adults to lead discipleship groups for teens who want to go deeper—no matter what level they are on right now. People who will “do life” with them. It will make all the difference!

Even if you’re not currently teaching or leading worship or anything “up front”—make no mistake. Your ministry of example—how you conduct yourself, your marriage, your life—is making a difference in the lives of the people you interact with daily and weekly. So, thank God for all those who have made a huge difference in your life, even through the smallest gestures, and go make a difference for someone else!

Imitating part two

It is really easy to get into the habit of serving all the time, pouring ourselves out and not being re-filled. This idea of a pitcher being poured out may not be the most accurate metaphor for our spiritual lives. A better one might be that of a spring being fed from a natural source. It is continually fed, and continually gives nourishing water to whomever happens by.

We, who help to grow others, need to take an inventory now and again and determine whether or not we are continually being “spring-fed” with spiritual things – through our own Bible study, a women’s Bible study or Bible class (participating, not leading), mentoring relationships, reading good books from solid Christian authors who whet your appetite for spiritual things. Even in the busiest of schedules there is time for at least one of the above things. We must make it a priority.

There were many times when I was giving, giving, giving, and I let my own spiritual relationship go on auto-pilot. I relied on the things I had learned up to that point instead of intentionally making time for my own growth.. That can sustain a soul for awhile, but eventually your stores become depleted and you can start imitating the wrong things. And it tends to rob you of the abundant life that God wants for you.

Right now, we’re on vacation and I’m reading Rob Bell’s book Sex God. He’s a great writer and a deep thinker. It’s just what I need to keep my mind sharp and ever-learning. My daughter and I are also trying to read along in the New Testament reading plan our church is going through. We are behind a little bit, but we’re doing our best to catch up.

How about you? What kinds of things are you doing or have you done to stay connected with the source of our life? If you’ve got a few extra seconds, how about sharing some ideas with the rest of us harried youth ministry wives?