Serving with JOY!

This is my favorite photo I have ever taken of a group of interns. The five of them served with us at El Refugio the summer of 2015. I love the picture so much because of the sheer joy you can see on their faces. They enjoyed being together, they loved what they were doing, and in this moment things were just funny. I was blessed to capture the moment with my camera!

I think in ministry sometimes we can forget to enjoy ourselves. At times we can take ourselves too seriously.

The truth is, we should enjoy what we’re doing and make sure we’re having fun, laughing, being silly from time to time, and living into the JOY that Christ offers us!

In Philippians 4:4-7 it says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

We should be in a constant state of rejoicing! In a world filled with so many people suffering from anxiety and stress, we need to remember that God cares about us, he wants to hear our prayers, and he offers to guard our hearts and minds. He wants us to enjoy the world he has blessed us with, and he wants us to be filled with JOY!

Now, I recognize there are difficulties in life. In Romans 12:15 it says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” And we should! Just as Christ goes with us into those darkest, hardest places we go through, we should do the same with those we’re living life with. We don’t deny the difficulties or pretend everything is fine all the time. At the same time we can look around in our every day lives and recognize that there are blessings and things that should fill us with joy all around us.

So, take a moment to laugh today! Praise God for the ministry you’ve been called to! Tell a joke to a co-worker, or share a funny moment that happened to you recently. Tickle your kids! Roll around in the grass with them! Step away from the computer screen and your ‘work responsibilities’ and connect with someone. Play a game, go for a walk, or read a good book.

 Be filled with JOY and laugh today!

Each new day of life is a gift from the Lord and a blessing— and we get to share those gifts with an incredible team of people here at Youth World!

Peace and Joy,

Jim

The Importance of Discipleship

In 2005 my wife, Suzy, was an intern with Quito Quest for 8 months. I remember coming to visit her and getting to see Ecuador for the first time. She told me one day that we’d be going over to the Miller’s house and that she’d be watching their daughter, Hannah for a few hours. I was a little confused. Who are the Millers? Why are you doing this? Suzy explained that Brad and Sandi were the team leaders and that Sandi was her mentor. Over these months she had been and would continue to meet with Sandi, being discipled by her. Part of discipleship meant not only being invested in, but also serving and helping when needed.

In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus told his disciples,“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” These were his final words before ascending to heaven, which in essence communicated: I discipled you—now go do the same. We want to take those words seriously!

When Suzy and I arrived in 2012 Brad Miller took us to Corfu during our on-boarding and we talked about what it’s like to be a part of Youth World. On a side note, we ran into a guy named Len Kinzel in the line and Brad introduced us to him as the pastor of a church called ‘EFC.’ Brad reminded us that day that discipleship is central to Youth World. He challenged us to always pursue a mentor for our own spiritual growth while also investing in others. This is what we do! It matters! It was true back then and it’s still true today: We as team members of Youth World want to keep growing spiritually and relationally with someone investing in us, and we want to be that person for others. That model—being discipled and discipling others—is the way of Jesus, and it’s still our calling today.

So here’s my challenge: Who are you discipling? If the answer is “no one,” ask God to show you someone in your life who needs encouragement and guidance. And here’s my invitation: Who is discipling you? We all need to be loved, supported, and invested in. If you don’t have that person, start seeking one—trusting Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:8: “For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Start knocking on doors and seeking out that person today!

Be discipled—and disciple others!

In Christ,

Jim

Leading and Serving from a place of Health

At our staff gathering this past week I took some time to introduce myself as Youth World’s new Director with the hope that as a team you might get to know me better and understand certain things about me.

One of the pieces I mentioned was a concept that has historically been a part of Youth World’s DNA. Specifically, the concept is leading and serving from a place of health. This is something I so profoundly value. We are blessed and privileged that the God of the universe has chosen to use people like us to represent him in this world and we need to remember that we will be better stewards of that if we’re not burned out, exhausted, or unstable. Jesus came that we might have life and have it to the full. So, we work hard, we steward well what the Lord has entrusted us, and at the same time we prioritize and look for opportunities of rest. 

I recognize that leading and serving from a place of health doesn’t just mean being well rested. We want to strive to be healthy in a holistic way— physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. But, if we are to start somewhere, I suggest following the model that Christ gave us. In Luke Chapter 5:15-16 it says, “Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” 

In the following chapter Jesus heals a man's shriveled hand and then it says, “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” (Luke 6:12) After giving and ministering Jesus needed rest and connection with his Father. So, what did he do? He prioritized it and made it a rhythm that defined his ministry.

Friends, I want to encourage you today to do an inventory of your time. Are you prioritizing times to withdraw from the busyness of ministry? Are you making space to go to the mountainside and pray? Jesus invites you into that rest and into that intimate space of relationship with him. In Matthew 11:29-30 he clearly states, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

If you aren’t prioritizing that rhythm of rest and connection into your daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly rhythms, start today! Take the first step and carve out some time to step away from your work and be with your Savior. 

Let’s all pursue together this concept of leading and serving from a place of health.

In Christ, Jim