Joy in the Journey #3/#4:A Joy-Job & Faithful Children

Bay and I have served in ministry for years. For the majority of our years, we were blessed to work with youth. What a joy-job! We loved nothing better than planning, preparing, producing events, food, outreaches, food, worship nights, devotions, retreats, more food… It was a delight to spend time with the youth with whom God crossed our paths. They were our Friends (yes, with a capital “F”); almost to the exclusion of adult friends. The opportunity to serve the students of our community, as well as in other churches, and other countries, blessed us HUGELY. We lived, ate, slept, dreamt, breathed in and out youth ministry. Over the years, as we’ve gotten older, that has now transitioned more to adult ministry. It’s as much a joy for us as loving on youth. Of course, ministry can be tiring. Yes, ministry involves a lot of sacrifice: time, personal finances, energy, laundry left undone… Yet, I am never more full of joy than when I am serving and operating in my strengths and spiritual gifts. This would be yet another joy-restorer… Label this #3: Ministering in my joy-job!

Each summer, we are blessed to return to a family camp where we have served off and on since about 1994 or ’95. That’s a lot of years under our belt (and reminds us of how old we are getting). The upside to this is that we’ve seen a lot of familiar faces over the years. By nature of what we do in ministry, we don’t often get to see follow-up-results to our ministry. The exception to this was when we were privileged to work within our home town for a number of years fulfilling the dream-of-our-hearts: The P.O.W.E.R. House Youth Center. Anyway, I have digressed. The last couple of years at camp, we’ve had summer staff approach us, and the story has different dates attached, but a similar theme: “You spoke here about 12 years ago (8 years ago, 4 years ago…) and I was 13 (10, 12…), and the night you spoke, I gave my life to Jesus. I just wanted you to know that was the best decision of my life, and I’m still serving Him.”

Those words. No greater joy! No greater JOY!!!!!! I so relate to the words of the Apostle John as he talks about the joy that comes to him when he hears the good news of his “children” (spiritual, in this case) walking in truth, being faithful to Jesus, loving on others, and refreshing the hearts of the Lord’s people (3 John 1:3; 2 John 1:4, 2 John 1:12).  Indeed, Paul, the Apostle, said, “You (meaning the spiritual children he helped birth) are our joy and our glory!” I’ve never needed, or wanted, a thank-you for ministry…that is not necessary, since the service is the joy. Oh, but to hear the stories of those who are still moving forward with Jesus, loving Him, walking in truth, and serving Him by refreshing the hearts of others – nothing fills my heart more! I’d have to insert here, this is joy restorer #4: The good news of faithful “children.” 

There’s always a flip side to the coin. What often restores my joy can also deplete it. So, when the news arrives on my doorstep of those we’ve loved and spent time with not continuing on with Jesus, my heart is heavy. What follows is always these questions, “What more could we have done?” “How could we have been better examples, mentors, encouragers-of-the-faith?” God interjects amidst these questions (joy-robbers) with reminders that we are human, mistake-makers, still growing in faith till the day we leave this earth, so of course we won’t do ministry perfectly. The better question is: did we serve with the best knowledge & passion we had at the time? I think so… Therefore, I am not responsible for another’s choices, or their walk…

When joy seems low, I remain faithfully serving, because in that place is fulness of joy; and when joy starts being sucked dry as the coin is tossed, I remember those who’ve continued on, and are, also, loving, serving, and persevering in faith.