Tags
Abraham, Bible, Christian, Christianity, God, Holy Spirit, honesty, Jesus, Religion & Spirituality, Religion and Spirituality, Tony Campolo, YWS, YWS13, yws14
Yesterday I got back from YWS13 (The Youthwork Summit). It was my first time at YWS and I was swayed to attend by the promise of a preaching masterclass from the legendary Dr Tony Campolo on the early day, followed by the main day of fast moving talks on a wide range of topics. So why then my distain? Well as per usual the problem was not the event itself, which was excellent and I shall be linking to some of the best talks in the coming weeks, the problem was me.
As much as I enjoy these events, and I certainly do, they often appeal to my insecurities. I see a parade of truly exceptional youth workers, people who have gone above and beyond, who have changed the lives of young people, and then I turn my gaze on myself and see wasted opportunities and a man who has floundered about for far to long. Of course this is not the organisers fault or indeed their intention, just an unfortunate side effect.
But this time something changed. I’m not sure if it was through the worship, or the teaching, the theme of greater, or just simply being sick of selfishly placing my self doubting thoughts above everything else, but I have decided to stop waiting. For years I have had prophesies and pictures about the things I will do, but they have never quite come off the way I expected. I think it’s because I lived in the world of ‘If only’ and this has caused me to wait, to wait for God to move, to wait for the timing to be right, to wait for the right circumstances. I’m sick of it. And while there is a time to wait on God, for me it’s time to start changing, to start doing.
Deuteronomy 1:6-8 ‘The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighbouring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that the Lord swore he would give to your fathers – to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – and to their descendants after them.’
(And why not book in for YWS14 it will be awesome)
Ebs and Flows... 
Chris Jordan said:
Nick – thanks for sharing your heart in this post… I remember when I was in Bible College, I was also in full time youth ministry, and there was another youth pastor that I went to school with, and he was so hip and cool and casual in his way of sharing the Word with the youth, I always wished I was more like him. But then I realized that I needed to stop comparing myself to anyone else and just be myself, and minister through my gifts and personality. And to remind myself that as I offer my gifts and abilities to the Lord (small and insignificant though I may often feel), that Jesus will take my loaves and fishes, and do a great miracle with it. So, I pray the Lord Jesus would richly bless you in your ministry, and that He would enable you to see yourself the way He sees you, and that you would offer up your gifts and talents and everything you are to Him, and allow Him to do great and mighty things in and through you. Amen! Blessings to you today bro…
Nick said:
Thanks Chris. I’m starting to think I’m being called to say the things out loud the majority of use are thinking!
Pray that God will help me especially in the area of planning and priorities and that what this conference has stirred up will not be diluted by ‘everyday life’ Cheers buddy!
Chris Jordan said:
Nick,
I think all of us need to take more risks in being completely open, honest and transparent with what we’re feeling and going through, as I’m sure our stories and struggles will be an encouragement to others. May God give you wisdom and guide you as you implement what you have learned in your ministry… Amen!
Jessie Clemence said:
Just this week I found a new blog: http://www.boomama.net . And that was it for me–the woman is amazing; what am I doing? I can’t even come close!
But God told me to get over myself and get back to blogging. 🙂
Anthony Baker said:
Paul said, “I have finished MY RACE…” Each one of us has our own God-given race to run, each with its own finish line. We all must break our own tape, not another’s.