Why go into the ministry? Why work with Youth?
This is why.

Tonight was a normal night. I got to the church early and met with the pastor. We discussed ideas for this Sunday as well as future weeks. The direction of the church and the direction of the Youth Group. Normal. Dinner started at six and we had tacos. Normal. After dinner we had Youth Group. There were three youth there tonight. I used an idea I had been kicking around for a while as a base and then improved the discussion. Normal

But at the end of the night I got a note.

As we were walking out, one of the girls gave me a note and asked me to read it in ten minutes.... I did.
And I have seldom been so touched; so moved. The simple lines... maybe four sentances... were more Thanks and higher praise than I have ever received. I think I may have helped someone. And she was generous enough, had enough self-pressence... to give the gift of herself in return.

When I was a senior in high school, I wrote something like this to Christy, my youth director. And what she said, I have never forgotten, but have never fully appreciated.
"If I receive nothing else this year, what you wrote is something that I will cherish for a life time."

Thanks, Kena