Just yesterday I was able to reconnect with a friend that I had in college but have not talked too or seen for at least 10 years.  In an email he shared this with me.

“David,
It is so good to see you doing what you love. I have combed over your facebook site and the other web pages you linked. I can’t tell you how great I think it is that you are right in the middle of what you always wanted to do and what God had planned for you to do.”

As I read this thought came over me, I really do love my job!  Yeah at times students can be difficult and it can be a struggle when you feel like you are not really impacting them at times.  They are not often the encouragers of what you are doing.  Rather, the discouragers.  You wonder if they are going anywhere spiritually or are they just asking questions to impress their friends.  The stories you hear scare you at times and make you laugh at other times.  Students are a tough bunch to minsiter too.

However, ministering to them is really what I love to do.  I love to see that moment where they seem to have finally gotten it.  Those times where they have truly been forced to think and determine what they believe just after you have destroyed what they thought was true.  The prayer requests and conversations that are truly centered around the spiritual life.  Those moments when you get to see someone get baptized becuase their friend shared the Gospel message of hope with them.  Seeing students use their gifts to further the kingdom of God.

This may seem like rambling, but do you love what you do?  Do you wake up early ready to go and do what you can?  Do you go to bed late because you are so concerned about what is happening in the lives of your students?

After 16 years in student ministry, I still love this!