I have been thinking a lot about our students lately. Before Micah and I made the move to NC two years ago we spent our time with an amazing group of teen
agers at Concord Baptist Church in Salem/Bleeker, AL. Micah was the youth minister at this wonderful church for 4 years-what an incredible experience! We LOVED this stage of our lives and loved our students so so so much! Of course at the time we were newlyweds and didn't have children so we were able to focus all of our energy and time toward our teenagers and play hard with them! We were so blessed to develop fun relationships and get to know each of them and their families as they grew up through the awkward and difficult teenage years! We only hope that they learned something from us as we learned tons from them!
When Micah first started at C
oncord there was a large group of 8th grade students. They were like all middle school kids-silly and awkward-but they were committed and faithful! We followed this group and they became our "core" group of students and really the heart of our group. We had amazing students in each grade but this group was different because they were large in number and very close friends. We watched these students start high school, date, get their drivers license and prepare for college. We actually moved from Alabama just one week before their high school graduation. So, we REALLY watched them grow and invested so much into them!
We had another unique group of students-"the babies"-another large group of students that joined our youth group as 7th graders.
They were a blast and we worked with them through their middle school years-leaving as they finished 8th grade. I loved the middle school groups because they seemed to think I was more "cool" and were more interested in hanging out than the older groups who were busy with their school activities and friends!
I don't want to forget to mention all of the wonderful students that fall between these two groups because we had incredible students in all grades but it was these two groups that made up the core of ministry.
agers at Concord Baptist Church in Salem/Bleeker, AL. Micah was the youth minister at this wonderful church for 4 years-what an incredible experience! We LOVED this stage of our lives and loved our students so so so much! Of course at the time we were newlyweds and didn't have children so we were able to focus all of our energy and time toward our teenagers and play hard with them! We were so blessed to develop fun relationships and get to know each of them and their families as they grew up through the awkward and difficult teenage years! We only hope that they learned something from us as we learned tons from them!When Micah first started at C
oncord there was a large group of 8th grade students. They were like all middle school kids-silly and awkward-but they were committed and faithful! We followed this group and they became our "core" group of students and really the heart of our group. We had amazing students in each grade but this group was different because they were large in number and very close friends. We watched these students start high school, date, get their drivers license and prepare for college. We actually moved from Alabama just one week before their high school graduation. So, we REALLY watched them grow and invested so much into them!We had another unique group of students-"the babies"-another large group of students that joined our youth group as 7th graders.
They were a blast and we worked with them through their middle school years-leaving as they finished 8th grade. I loved the middle school groups because they seemed to think I was more "cool" and were more interested in hanging out than the older groups who were busy with their school activities and friends!I don't want to forget to mention all of the wonderful students that fall between these two groups because we had incredible students in all grades but it was these two groups that made up the core of ministry.
Thanks to facebook, we have been able to keep in touch with these students and continue to watch them grow. I stalk their pictures when they get their braces off, make a school sports team, etc. We see them a few times a year when we make it back down to visit and then Micah and I spend the entire 9 hour drive back talking about how much they have grown or how their voices have changed! We still love them so much!
Lately, I have been missing them a bit more-probably because I (again, thanks to facebook) am watching them grow up from afar and they all seem to be entering into new and BIG stages of their lives. For instance, our "babies" just turned 16, started driving and this week began their 11th grade of high school. We have three of our students that we worked with starting in 7th grade that are now seniors in high school and one that just moved into her college dorm! Because we have been gone for two years, it just seems unreal that this is all happening and they are so grown up!
Our original core group, are now juniors in college! They are young adults now, dating seriously (or even engaged), living on their own, applying to graduate schools, etc and we are so proud of who they have become. We are thankful to have remained in touch with these students and to still be apart of their lives.
We are excited that one event on our weekend agenda is to meet up with Steven-one of our original 8th graders! We called him "Steve-o" while we were i
n Alabama but his he is now 21 and I don't think it fits anymore! He is now in college in Boston and is traveling this weekend from Boston down to Alabama for a visit before fall classes begin. Luckily for us-his route brings him right through NC and we are going to be able to meet him for dinner tonight! We are so excited to catch up with him and meet his girlfriend! He will be the first of our Concord family to meet Lottie.We love these students so much and cherish the times we had with them! We pray for them regularly and we are so thankful that the Lord allowed us to be apart of their lives for just a time as they grew and developed! We hope, if nothing else, they knew and still know that we love them-with our whole hearts-we love them!
Haley, I just read this! I don't know how I missed it - I try to keep up with yall and Lottie through Facebook and all! Anyway, just wanted to say thank you for this sweet note, and an even bigger thank you for taking the time to talk to me the other night and calm my nerves about applying to grad school! Love you both and miss you so much!!
ReplyDeleteHaley! I miss yall so much! its so good to hear that yall are doing so well :) I'm excited for when I get to meet Lottie, she is so cute! I will be praying for yall as you continue your lives. Thank you for being such a great mentor and friend through the years. love you!
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