If I Only Had This Kind of Talent

This is what every youth ministry worker in the world needs to learn… especially those unique souls that enjoy working with junior high boys.

Junior High Buddies Bringing Me Back

Think back to the people you knew in junior high. Hopefully you smile as you do. Who would you have picked to turn out as a doctor? A stay at home mom? A lawyer? A pastor?

I continually search for friends from my past on MySpace and Facebook. When I find them, or when they find me, I’m fascinated by where life has taken them. I’m especially entertained by my friends from junior high.

Twenty years ago, I was a band geek. A blond kid (I had hair back then – lotsa curly blond hair) living in a south Texas border town. I joined the school band because I was afraid a tiny white kid would killed there. Although I made that choice in fear (and never once came close to getting killed – the people were awesome), it led to some incredible friendships. I had friends in several different cliques: a few jocks, some cheerleaders, some nerds (there’s a surprise).

As any of those friends could testify, I was a good kid that liked to laugh and chase girls. I would bet serious money that none of them would have guessed I would become a pastor. They could have guessed I’d be a businessman, lawyer, doctor, or perhaps a professional wrestler. Pastor would not have been on the radar.

My junior high buddies have ended up in some interesting places. Their paths are as unique as they are. I smile as I think about how different and how similar our lives have been since junior high. I’m sure they’ve all loved, lost a loved one or two, failed at something, and done something amazing.

Surely God has touched them and tugged on their hearts. He’s molded them into who they are… and he’s still working on them just as intimately as he’s working on me. That makes me smile.

Who were you in junior high? A jock, a band geek… maybe just a face in the crowd. How have you changed in 20 years? What big lessons about life, God, and yourself have you learned? What would you have never expected with the journey you’ve been on?

Leave a comment and share a little bit about your journey.