"Jesus Is the Rock...and He Rolls My Blues Away!"

Hamp, Connor, Jacob, Scott, Jerry,
Nate & I- NYC, 1997

Pardon my language, but sometimes being out of youth ministry just plain sucks.  I always get a little melancholy when this day rolls around each year, and with good reason.  For the biggest part of my adult life, the Sunday before Thanksgiving meant I was on an adventure- and an adventure that I dearly loved.  I was either in New York City with a group of students or at the National Youth Workers Convention with some of the best (and craziest) people I knew.  In fact, I know people who are doing both of those things even as I write this post, and it makes me sad that I cannot be there.  It makes me angry that I threw away that part of my life.  And it makes me sentimental about all of the times I shared those experiences with people I love.  It's almost enough to make a man depressed.

Tim, Me, Yac & Jerry at the NYWC in 1996.

Almost.  I am able to stare into the face of these feelings and overcome my sadness, anger and sentimentality through no power of my own.  I can survive this day the same way I have survived every trial and bit of turmoil that has come in to my life- Jesus.  We used to sing a song at youth group that simply said, "Jesus is the rock and He rolls my blues away."  Amen to that.  If you are staring into the face of sorrow on this day, don't let those simple words pass you by.  Jesus has your back.  Always has...always will!  Have a blessed day.


Because of Jesus,