Teen-Rage

I was standing there in complete and utterly speechless thoughts to what I had signed myself up for.

Did I actually sign myself up for this?

The sight was out of my mind nuts. Girls running around in circles on an invisible engine of energy that seemed endless, boys grabbing handfuls of chips at a time as if their ultimate goal of the night was to eat up the snack table, and both sexes rushing to hoard as many sugar loaded jelly sticks as they could before they were directed to settle down and listen in an orderly fashion.

Was it too late to not commit to this anymore I asked myself. Maybe it was not being in the shoes of a teen for so long that finding myself at the focal point of it all turned my panic mode on. Or perhaps I was still  holding onto some annoyance from the previous weekend working at Grad Expo and having to assist needy teenage girls, but I couldn`t believed how overwhelmed I was.

When I had inquired about serving the junior high fellowship, it was because there was a need for female leaders for this new program starting called Youth Alpha I thought was pretty neat. Partly feeling obligated due to the need, partly acknowledging how critical leaders were to me when I was a teen, and partly clueless that my inquiry had turned into a commitment, God knew all along what my next twelve Saturday nights would be spent doing.

I don`t know if this is funny to you or not, but I find God has quite the sense of humor putting me in this situation. Initially I was very eager to serve and excited to share my spiritual experience with the young girls at a time where establishing their identity and foundation in Christ is so significant, praying for wisdom in these weekly sessions that I would lead, and that God would work in them and transform their hearts. However, I couldn`t believe that in a complete instant, I had changed my mind upon observing this group of hormone raging youth.

WAIT, there`s a turning point though.

I sucked up my predicament and decided that instead of feeling distant and incompetent in this role, why not join them in their fun and just trust my guts that this night won`t be madness?

And surprisingly, it wasn`t.

As if God sense my utmost exaggeration of teenage peril, the night was more smooth sailing than I ever thought it be post teen-rage storm. The first episode of youth alpha was engaging and cool to even my not-so-teen standards, and the questions and discussions stirred was deep and unexpectedly open and honest beyond my comprehension. I even felt like I had to learn from these girls and to change my approach in leading them these next few months.

On my drive home, I praised the ultimate one and decided to stick with my initial thoughts as it`s not me, but Him whose in control of all things and I am but a tool in His hand. I`m looking forward to what God has in store for us, and to see how these youngsters are going to grow in the next eleven sessions.

Please pray for them, and me to survive. Not kidding.