Who is someone who has invested in your spiritual life? I can’t help but think about Bro. Lance who asked me if I would be willing to meet with him each week when I was in high school. During those weekly meetings, he taught me about spiritual disciplines, about discipleship, about prayer, about mentoring, and so much more. 

 

I also think about my dad, and the work we got to do together. Looking back, I’m grateful for the countless hours I spent working alongside him. Things I dreaded and resented in the moment have now shaped me into who I am. And the lessons I learned from him cannot be counted on paper.

 

I also think about my prayer grandmother. Every Sunday we would find each other and she would hug me and say, “Wes, I love you and I’m praying for you.” And I knew she was. She was an encouragement to me through some of my hardest parts of high school. And long after I graduated, when we would cross paths, she would repeat the same refrain, because it was still true.

 

What’s the constant in each of those relationships? Time. Each one of those influential adults invested time into me, some intentionally and one partially because I was cheap labor. But time made the difference. And time continues to make the difference.

 

As we enter the month of May, I want to give a shout out to our Youth Workers who have invested time in students this school year. Your efforts may not always produce the result you want or expect, but know that your time is not wasted.

 

And if you’re reading this and aren’t a youth worker (yet!), let’s talk. Maybe you can step into a role where you hug a neck and let a kid know you’re praying for them.