A prayer for the second half

At this time last summer, I still had one more week before all of my sites were even up and running. Tomorrow, my sites will wrap up their second, third, or fourth week of programming, and I am proud to say that they are all doing quite well. That means that my role is changing. No longer am I coaching and critiquing; now I get to turn my attention to supporting, encouraging, listening, affirming. I love this part of my job, even though the lack of structure and clear direction can be daunting.

Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Matthew 24:45-46

LORD, you have set me over this precious sixteen-person household. Equip me to be a faithful and wise servant, giving these beautiful sons and daughters of yours their food at the proper time. May they be nourished by your word, your spirit, and your glory displayed in their participants, their communities, and their teammates.

O Let Me Ne'er Forget

On Tuesday night, my New Orleans staff team led their participants on YouthWorks' first ever Katrina Prayer Tour. A couple of locals and dear friends shared their stories with the group, then we headed out into the Lakeview neighborhood where we saw evidence of Katrina's devastation as well as signs of hope. Clouds gathered as we drove along the bumpy, pot-holed streets. When we pulled up to the park on the lakeshore, our destination for dinner and debriefing, thunder rumbled quietly, lighting flashed far off, and beams of sun pushed their way through dark clouds. The darkness of an impending storm and the light of the sun met in the sky above us, much as darkness and light mingled in the neighborhood we had just toured.

At Club that night, we sang the following song, and the words could not have been more fitting for such a day:

This is my Father's world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings,
and round me rings
the music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world: I
rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees,
of skies and seas;
his hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world,
the birds their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white,
declare their maker's praise.
This is my Father's world:
he shines in all that's fair;
in the rustling grass I hear him pass;
he speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world.
O let me ne'er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!

May every day end this way

Yesterday was a busy one as my sixteen staff and I made final preparations for our Early Bird week - the first week of programming (which doubles as the final component of YouthWorks training) at our site in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. We had a long morning at Sam's Club, a full afternoon of planning, practicing, cleaning, and tying up loose ends. The day didn't flow as smoothly or feel as productive as I had originally hoped, but all in all it was fine. Eating a Cajun feast of jambalaya and boiled shrimp cooked by our friend Robert was a great way to end the day (few things bring me more happiness than eating Cajun cuisine), and a stop at Sonic on the way home was icing on the cake - or a cherry in the slush, as it were. As I walked from my car to the community center where we stay, I concluded that it had been a good day. But God wasn't done yet.

Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD,
who stand by night in the house of the LORD!
Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the LORD!
Psalm 134:1-2

I opened the door and heard a guitar being played, coupled with the unmistakable beat of a djembe drum. At first I thought a couple of my staff were just having a little jam session. As I walked farther in, I realized that in the darkness of the cavernous gym, several of my staff had gathered together in worship and were singing their hearts out to the One who had called them into this harrowing, exhausting, undoubtedly life-altering adventure this summer.

The joy that stirred within me as I paced around this gym-turned-sanctuary led me to imagine the great delight that our God must take in the praises of his children. How right and good that He be lifted up and exalted in this place. I found myself humbled, knowing that this was nothing I had planned or put on any agenda - yet nothing could have been more important for these staff at that moment. I was reminded of what is most important: more than leading a meal crew well, more than giving a thorough orientation, more than having every sign hung perfectly, I want these staff to be pursuing and exalting God's glory, to know Him and hunger to know Him more, to be in a constant attitude of worship.

As I reflect this morning, I find comfort in Jesus's admonition to Martha:
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:41-42

There are many tasks and details and relationships to juggle in a YouthWorks summer. I pray that at the end of each day, there would be just one thing on the hearts and minds of my staff.