Turn Up the Music and Dance

I have had a lot on my plate lately and I am struggling with what it means to let go of my own burdens and other people's burdens. Most of these struggles are doubts and frustrations that come from being a youth minister.  How do I give my worries to God and truly be set free? That is one of my greatest struggles. I constantly wonder if I am doing a good job and how that is defined.Questions constantly haunt me like...

Are student's spiritual needs being met? Do most of the students and volunteers feel reached out to? What does it mean to be a successful youth minister? Am I equipping parents enough? Are lessons deep enough? Are events fun enough? Are relationships meaningful enough? Am I doing enough? WHAT IS ENOUGH?

The pressure of ministry can be overwhelming if you are constantly wondering.. "Am I doing good enough". The answer you are going to get from the enemy "NO. You are a fail." No wonder so many youth ministers quit after two years. On the edge of this struggle I prayed on my knees saying, "God help me not to worry. Help me find freedom from burdens and worry. How do I find freedom God?" I heard nothing in response. I do often hear God's voice, but I heard nothing and was discouraged. So I quit praying and went on worrying about my life.

Monday night I was invited to come judge Young Life Capernum Idol which is basically a game similar to the T.V show American Idol. Young Life Capernum is basically youth group for student's with mental and/or physical disabilities.I happen to have some students in my youth group who have a passion to serve others with disabilities so I invited them along. The evening was beyond special because it was "dress like a celebrity night" so many student's were dressed up as movie stars. When they walked in the door they were treated famously! They walked on red construction paper carpet while being cheered for and getting their picture taken. The joy on their faces lit up my heart. I experienced Christ in a new way and experienced freedom and joy like never before.

The first group got up on stage and sang "Baby, Baby, Baby" by Justin Beiber and I never thought I would see Jesus in a Justin Beiber song (no offense Justin). But these students didn't care at all what people thought of them and certainly were not worried about any expectations the world put on them. They were free! Free to dance and free to sing at the top of their lungs. Free to be who God made them to be. They sang off key and even put in different lyrics... BUT they did it with all their heart. I imagined Jesus dancing next to them and singing "Baby, Baby, Baby!" at the top of His lungs. Would Jesus sing a Justin Beiber song? Sure He would, because He is Emmanuel God with us.

As the night continued singing songs by Myley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, and others, I continued to see Christ in a refreshing way. I watched as my own youth who came with me were doing youth ministry as they sang and danced along side the other students seeing them as equals. I watched and learned as one of my girls, Molly, pushed a girl in her wheel chair and stuck by her side even though this girl had no ability to communicate. Yet, Molly stayed by her side and reflected Christ to me and to this girl simply by being with her the whole night. Molly was Emmanuel to her.

I was ministered to as Katherine embraced students with open arms even if they had food all over them or were drooling. She made her way around the room treating everyone with an equal amount of love no matter who they were. She listened to stories that didn't make sense and every word she spoke was encouraging. Katherine was Emmanuel to me and everyone she talked to that night.

And then it hit me. I don't have to do youth ministry, I need to encourage youth to do ministry.

Even though Katherine, Molly, and I went to do ministry that night... I think we all realized that the Young Life Capernum students were ministering to us. They taught us how to give up our pointless worries in life and to truly live in freedom by being who God made us to be! They taught us to let go and that sometimes you just gotta turn up the music and dance!