Missing BIGhouse

It’s not a secret that I have a soft spot for teenagers. Their naïve and youthful spirit is both annoying and captivating. One minute they are thoughtful, the next they are caddy and unpleasant. I suppose it’s easiest to just blame the raging hormones.

While teenagers can be overwhelming at times, their thirst for life speaks volumes. I am constantly surprised at the amount of knowledge they each seem to possess. Each teenager has a different talent – a special story that is unique to only that person. It truly is amazing if you consider everything that is going on in the brain of a teenager. There is a class that focuses on the adolescent brain, and I so badly want to take it. How interesting would it be to try to pick that thing apart?! I know we will never figure out the reasoning behind teenager behaviors. Why am I cool one minute and the next I get the “what’s wrong with you?” face? When I am around teenagers, I am constantly treading water. I love every minute of it.

At church last Sunday we sang a song very familiar to me. Hillsong United’s “From the Inside Out” was very popular when I was a leader at BIGhouse (a church youth group). I loved watching the kids congregate in the community center as they swayed with their friends with hands in the air. It was so powerful. I loved being a part of the spiritual growth of each student. They were all in different places in their lives. While I didn’t personally know them all, I knew that I was setting an example by just being there. It was one of the most rewarding times of my life – in my faith. Those kids were so cool.

I’m hoping to get involved with a new youth group once I am more settled. I am excited about teaching, but I would like to help reach students beyond the classroom. I would love to serve as a testament that shows how faith can guide and challenge us to be lights to everyone we meet.