The motivation to start a blog was to reverse the emptiness I have found myself leading through of over the past few months. Through continual reflection of my development as a leader, steadiness to the Word of God and pursuit of a passionate prayer life I plan to full my spiritual tank and never lead on empty. Let me explain my journey.
Three and a half years ago I started as the Junior High Pastor at a large church in the Minneapolis area. The church has been an incredible training ground for me to foster my skills as a young leader and grow in the gifts God has given me. I have been married for almost 4 years and have been blessed with two beautiful boys.
My life has changed more in the last few month than at any other period in my life. The changes have been both exciting and challenging and I wouldn't trade any of the experiences for anything.
Last November my boss and leader of the youth department of three years moved on to become a campus pastor at a rapidly expanding church in Wisconsin. Through much prayer my pastor decided to give me a chance to lead our youth ministry in a new direction after seeing the ministry flounder for the past few years. At the age of 25 taking on this experience is an incredibly humbling experience. To think that God would use me in such a vital position at our church has left me on my knees and I hope that I never grow out of my dependence on him.
In January, my wife and I were blessed with our second child. Since we also had a 13 month old boy at the time, the dynamics around the house changed dramatically. My wife is a rock star taking care of two babies around the house but, the added pressures that I have felt from home with the new responsibilities of the job has seemed more that I can bear.
Now before you stop reading this blog because of my indulgence in self-pity, know this. God has given me strength to make it through this time and I have been standing on James 1:3 to choose joy in times of trials. I know that it is because of these times that God is refining me to be a better man, husband and church leader. It is this perserverance that God is working through me to develop the endurance to be ready for anything.
Thank you for joining me on my journey to be changed before God into a leader that is ready to raise up a generation of world changers.
