Three Men and a Lady

Here are some portions of Paul's letter to the Thessalonians...

"After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what is our proud reward and crown? It is you! Yes, you will bring us much joy as we stand together before our Lord Jesus when he comes back again. For you are our pride and joy....In all of our crushing troubles and suffering, because you have remained strong in your faith. It gives us new life, knowing you remain strong in the Lord. How we thank God for you! Because we have great joy in the presence of God. Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God, who calls you, is faithful; he will do this."


I read 1 Thessalonians last night, and it put in to words exactly how I feel about the students that we loved for the last ten years in youth ministry. With modern communication the way it is, keeping up with former students is easy. I love when I see their posts or blogs about what God is doing in their life. I love to see them solid. On days when I am discouraged or burdened, the fact that these students follow the Lord lifts me up and helps to renew my hope. Even though we are no longer in a direct ministry position with these students, it does not mean that my heart loves them less or that mind thinks about them less often. I think the Holy Spirit continually brings their faces to my attention in order for me to pray for them, or reach out to them. My prayer for them is that they will be found blameless when Jesus returns. My prayer is that we will be re-united together as we live together for eternity with Christ.