Spiritual Advisory
Do you take precautions and protect yourself and your ministry spiritually? Gwen talks about the importance of always looking forward and remembering the battle is already won.
Don’t Clear the Backlog Just Yet
Coming Up For Air I sat down with a friend the other day. And, as we indulged in a hipster lunch in some gourmet coffee shop, he shared his plans to take a month off this summer. He is an excellent youth minister who has not come up for air in years. I was fascinated […]
Refilling Your Cup in Busy Times
Busy Summer can be (and most of the time, is) a busy time for youth ministers. Between camps, mission trips and conferences, it’s easy to finish the summer more exhausted than you began. It is vital to take care of yourself, allow the Lord pour into you, and take some time to rejuvenate. Whether you only have a […]
Smile Wide
“Say cheese!” “But first… let me take a selfie!” “On the count of the 3!” Everyone knows when you hear any combination of these words, it’s your cue to smile for the camera! Whether it’s for yet another picture that your mom wants to take or you are laughing with friends, we smile a lot! […]
Where Is Your Happy Place?
Your Happy Place Are you sitting near a stream? Maybe you are in the stands, watching your child perform on the field or the stage? Are you in front of a blank canvas with a brush in hand? You could be sitting on the porch, on a cool morning drinking a cup of coffee? Instead, you may consider […]
13 Reasons Why: A Youth Ministry Perspective
13 Reasons Why…or Why Not? You’ve seen the various posts on social media. Netflix made a show and teens are watching it. What to Know It’s not a show about suicide, it’s a show about manipulating people through suicide. It’s not a show for teenagers, its rated MA for Mature Adults, I’ve never met […]
Bruised, Dirty, and Muddy?
This past Saturday, several good friends and I ran a race called the Tough Mudder. We had a lot of fun, worked hard, and got muddy. Afterward, I realized that this race makes an excellent analogy for what the beginnings of many new ministries feel like. Initially it’s scary seeing the course that has been laid […]
I Wish the Saints Were Kidding Sometimes
Part of my Lenten activities this year include reading a book called “A Lenten Journey with Jesus Christ and St. John of the Cross”, by Rev. George Mangiaracina, O.C.D. This book has a reflection for every day in Lent. I have to admit, this hasn’t been easy for me. I am drawn to St. John […]
Taking A Lesson from C. S. Lewis
“I have no intention of explaining how the correspondence which I now offer to the public fell into my hands. There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy […]
Becoming a Man of Prayer: Part 2
Welcome back to our series for men. I encourage you to share this with the men at your parish, your brothers in Christ, and anyone God has placed in your life who you think would benefit from this series. Last week, we talked about how the world we live in is hurting. Depression, alcoholism, pornography… the […]