That Thing After the Storm
I'm exhausted—heart, mind, body, and soul. But it's an exhaustion that feels a lot like peace. If you've been following along, you know that my last two weeks have been a whirlwind. I've been challenged and pushed to my breaking point, but I've also been rewarded far beyond anything I could have hoped for.
First, I went through my writing conference knowing that I had a lot to do. I impressed several publishers, which means they now want to see my work. Which also means I need to polish said work to perfection. But even knowing that, I completely pushed my writing life out of my mind this past week to make room for something more important—something that I've need for a long time. Something that I knew would, ultimately, improve every other aspect of my life, including my writing, my family, and my health. And that something was BigStuf church camp in Panama City Beach, Florida.
If you're new to this blog, let me bring you up to speed. My wife and I have been youth group leaders for the past six years, and we finally stepped down this last year in order to focus on each other and on our daughters (a four-year-old and a one-year-old). But doing so was no easy task. My heart is tethered to our nation's youth—to their energy, their inquisitive nature, their passion, and their potential. So even though I knew the change was for the best, it left me wondering what was next. Which was why I was so looking forward to spending one last week with those young people who have taught me so much over the past six years. Especially since it would give me the time and clarity I so dearly needed to process all of the challenges that have piled up in my life recently. And let me tell you, the trip was more than I had hoped for. So, in an attempt to keep things brief (and to respect the privacy of individuals I had the joy to fellowship with), I've synthesized everything I learned over the last five days into six main points:
1. High school is lonely. I hate seeing young people in pain. It's akin to my love for animals. There's an innocence there that deserves to be preserved and protected. And since I graduated fourteen years ago, it's easy to forget how hard it was. But seeing a thousand young people interacting highlighted those challenges acutely. It doesn't take much to isolate a student. Personality, background, and popularity are just a few of the inescapable factors that separate an individual from the group. These differences can eventually become wonderful strengths, but until they learn to embrace them, they can be incredibly painful. So it doesn't matter if you're still in school or not; if you see a young person who looks lost or alone, please, stop what you're doing and build them up. A simple act could be the turning point that saves a life.
2. Kids are actively seeking and watching. Generation Z has survived the millennials. They've seen the pitfalls. They're passionate about changing the world in a way that I never was. And they're willing to do what it takes to make a difference. But they're still learning. They are raw potential. Which means they're easily influenced, and they urgently need positive mentors to navigate their paths to success.
3. Kids are genuine. Every student I encountered at BigStuf was sincerely seeking God, even if their actual connection with Him wasn't yet mature. I met some who identified as agnostic, and others who were Christian but were asking the questions that needed to be asked in order to turn their fledgling faith into mature belief. Most weren't afraid to vocalize those questions, and they were sensitive to the nuances of the answers their leaders gave. Body language, sincerity, and intent were absorbed in real time. And it's this passion that most excites me about their future.
4. We can have too much of a good thing. As much now as it was when I was a student myself, church camp is profound. The separation from life's distractions and stresses gives the opportunity for real change. The worship concerts and quiet time were emotional in a way that made it near impossible to ignore the Holy Spirit's presence. The sermons were both timely and relatable, and the small group sessions afterward gave the opportunity to unpack what they meant for each individual. And fellowship with like-minded students allowed for honesty and stress-free fun in a hundred forms (sand volleyball, swimming, and late-night card games filled in every second of down time with the laughter and tears that young people crave and are so often afraid to express in their daily lives). BUT, after four days of utopian bliss, it's easy to start wondering, "What's next?"
To continue on in this way would lead to stagnation—numbness to the outside world that's no good for nobody. Which is why, in the book of Matthew, Jesus says, "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." There's a whole world full of hurting people out there. And Christ calls us to the battlefront. We're supposed to be a light on the hill. The Good News is too great to be contained behind walls. And as we boarded our busses and returned to our families, we were all on fire and ready to share the love we received with the lost and the hurting.
5. The modern church is getting it right. We're coming out of a legalistic age, and in its wake, there's one commandment that shines above the rest—love God, and love others as ourselves. It's such a simple concept. Do the next right thing. Edify God with ever thought and action. The learning curve is steep, and life is too short to finish the climb, but churches all across the world are building into this idea and leaving the distractions behind. And most importantly, our current society has opened the doors for our youth to embrace this idea more fully than any other that came before it. With the fruitful interconnectedness and tragic polarization that comes with the Internet and social media, we get the potential to shine brighter than all previous generations. Laws don't break down walls. Love does. And the creator of that love is capable of spreading salvation like a wildfire if we're willing to allow it to flow through us. We can't do it on our own. We need His constant strength and support. And the potential of our young people leaves me more encouraged than I can describe.
6. I'll be back. As I said, my heart is with our youth. And it just so happens that I'm raising two very youthful daughters. Right now, I need to pour into them. I need to stand with my wife and embrace my children, building them up and paving their way to adolescence. But there will come a time when they enter the turbulent waters, when they join the masses and find their place in the great human race. And when that time comes, I'll enter it with them. It may be five years from now, or maybe ten. But the inevitability of that fact was confirmed again and again this past week. I spoke with leaders who left the ministry to focus on their children and then rejoined it when the time was right. I saw my own daughters reflected in the faces of young women at camp. I heard God's whispers confirming my own fate. Of course, the future isn't clear for me yet, but it's definitely beginning to take shape. And I can't wait to see what God has in store for me and mine.
So when it comes to it, I valued nothing more than that long embrace after time away from those dearest to me. They are my passion, my drive—my reason for getting up in the morning. The seasons of life come and go, but God is the one constant. I can't know for sure where He will lead me, but I see clearly where I've been. And, for now, I know my place. I embrace my duty. I'll support my wife. I'll protect my children. And I'll strive to make every decision through the lens of the Greatest Commandment (not to be confused with The Greatest Showman, which I can't seem to get away from lately). Whether my impact is large or small, it will be a positive one. There will be those who don't agree with my decisions, but I serve the One. So I thank God for this past week, and for every week that comes after. The future is bright, y'all. And I can't wait to bask in its brilliance.
