The desert has always been a place of death and life. Perhaps this is why it figures so prominently into the narrative of God and humanity. God leads people into a harsh wilderness to wander, but not without purpose. In the wilderness, God and the people build a relationship.
All those who work in youth ministry and who are married know this - behind every great, passionate, enthusiastic, and strong-willed youth minister, there is an even stronger, humble, patient, and compassionate spouse. Well, let's correct that right off the bat, not standing behind, but walking beside.
We at Life Teen are committed to equipping you with high-quality ministry resources. We’d love to know how these August 2021 resources have helped you lead teens closer to Christ.
New Fire breathes an air of revival, opening ourselves to the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit. Just like the disciples in the Upper Room, we receive the Holy Spirit, but then we are sent into the world to create change, to utilize our gifts, talents, qualities, and abilities, and to 'stir into flame' the gift that God has given to us all.
All Saints Day is a day for us to celebrate the lives of not just the well-known saints, not just even those with the St. in front of their name, but it is a celebration of every single person in heaven. Your spiritual BFFs. This means on All Saints Day, we celebrate the feast day of our own friends and family who are in heaven.
This is the time of year when we collectively focus on gratitude. As your Edge Support Coordinator, I am grateful for you and your commitment to walking with the middle school youth in your parish. Life Teen exists to empower and equip you to lead teens closer to Christ, so I’d love to know how we did with these November 2021 resources. You can contact me directly or respond through our follow-up survey.
Growing up I loved holidays and all of the traditions my family had. But, all of a sudden, my once joyful and happy holiday experience was different, very different and sad. It was only through my relationship with Jesus, prayer, and good friends that helped me navigate the least wonderful time of the year.
If you were to ask most people what they know about St. Patrick, you would most likely get a wide range of answers. And, inevitably, most would be incorrect. Much like St. Valentine, St. Patrick is more known for his now secularized holiday than for his actual feast day.
While serving in ministry, it is essential that we keep our spiritual cup filled through various means. That includes partaking in the sacraments such as the Eucharist and Reconciliation, setting aside personal time for prayer, and even coming together with our community to pray and give praise to Him. Regardless of the amount of time, energy, and effort we put into building God's kingdom, we must also take a step into the secular world and spend some time outside of ministry.
