You Can Work ANY Job and Not Love People EXCEPT When You Are A Pastor!

You could be a lawyer and not love your clients. You could be a doctor and not love your patients. You could be in sales and not love the consumer. You could practically do any job and not love the people, except when you are a pastor! 

People can spot a fake a mile away, especially teenagers. Young people are looking for others that are genuine and authentic. It will not take teenagers long to know if YOU truly care about them.

This past Friday morning a senior at Fairfield high-school took his life. The tight knit community of New Paris and the students in the school were shocked and blindsided. The school called all the youth pastors in the area asking if they would come in and support the hurting students. As soon as I found out that youth pastors were being summoned I quickly drove to the school to be an encouragement. It was a blessing to be there to pray with, counsel, and encourage the students. Many of the students at the school who I got to talk with attend our youth ministry, AXIS. When a crisis situation happens there is little time to think, love must act, and jump at the opportunity to help!

Here is how God worked miraculously on Friday:
- I was planning on being at Fairfield most of the day because our church was providing a meal for the football players. Afterwards, I was planning on going to the football game. I did not have to rearrange my schedule at all to be there earlier at the school.
- On my way back to pick up the subs from Subway to feed the high-school football team I prayed and tweeted that God would use this young man's death to bring people to His Son Jesus. Little did I know that the young man had worked at THAT Subway. The workers at Subway were grieving all day. I had the opportunity to pray with one of the workers at Subway in the parking lot who was searching for God and meaning in this situation. GOD ANSWERED! 
- That same lady who I prayed with who worked at Subway, lovingly, drove her SUV to Fairfield with four six footlong subs to minister to the football team because she knew that I did not have enough room in my car, and because she had been touched by what our church was trying to accomplish. Pray for her, she will be at the viewing. Her name is Lori.
- It was a blessing to see the school come together and wear white at the home football game. The school even played the song 'It Is Well' during pregame. When tragedy happens people are searching for God. I'm glad the school allowed for truth to be proclaimed, especially in such a tragic situation.

As I told many of my students, past and present, there is nothing they can do to make me LOVE them less! I may at times be disappointed, but I will always LOVE them. Even though it was a dark day in Fairfield history it allowed people to express their love for God, for teenagers, and for the community! Light shines in the darkest of moments!