This made my week

I got a message on Facebook from a kid in a youth group I worked with Mike Thompson at Everett High School in Lansing back in 1993 from a kid named Shane. The message read:

Do you remember talking to me with Mike about my Christian walk? You told me I needed to get things straight with God or I was going to have a difficult time in college....well, you were right Dave. Now, I am a middle school teacher, and lead a Christian youth group before school. I give talks like the one you gave me all the time. Thanks for making a difference in my life. I know, you probably thought I wasn't really listening. but I got your message, sometimes, it just takes a long time to sink in.

The talk he's referring to was one that my friend Mike and I gave him one night on one of our Florida trips. It was a very frank (to put it lightly) talk that I was pretty sure went right over his head. It was three chairs and a bright light, kind of a mafia style interrogation.

Working in youth ministry I've come to learn that it's all about taking a big picture view, especially with junior high kids. I'm constantly amazed at the impact that stuff we did 10 or 12 years ago has had on kids today. You never know, one of those kids who griped about going to your youth group may just end up the wife of the youth pastor at your church (Kasey).