The End

My internship has now drawn to a close. Yesterday was my last official day as the youth ministry intern at youth group. It has been a great semester. I have learned and experienced amazing things and amazing people. I feel like I have been able to get the background and experience that I needed to understand that this is where I want to go after school. This internship was able to help me again realize and support the calling I feel that is on my life for youth ministry.

These are my final reflections:

Youth ministry is hard. All types of ministry are hard, they require physical, emotional, and spiritual energy. You have to pour yourself out to people, helping them along their own spiritual journeys and this can be taxing. It can be a thankless job.

But just as much as this job is hard, its also rewarding. Serving God and seeing him move in the lives of young people is amazing. The greatest reward this semester has been watching the kids grow in their faith. Its been developing relationships with them and helping them to see how much God loves them that has been the high light of my semester. Last night I was thinking about this being my last time there officially and I watched a couple of the kids closely thinking in terms of their growth and I was amazed. For one specific youth there has been slow growth. I have seen him move closer to God and begin leading. When I first began I was worried that there was not a passionate flame that was burning in any of the youth's hearts to be servant leaders but I was wrong. I have been able to see youth raised up to be leaders and now that passionate flame is burning and its only a matter of time before growth takes place.

I have learned a lot this semester about what it looks like to be a leader, the characteristics that a leader must have. I saw how difficult that it can be to be in a ministry positions because the whole world is watching you closely. But I have seen examples of both the youth minister and the senior minister taking their roles and setting examples of just how great ministry can be and they live their lives wholeheartedly for Christ, allowing their love for Christ to spill over into every area of their lives. Its been amazing to see. And amazing to have mentors who are so deep in their own walks with Christ. It showed me the importance of surrounding yourself with people who are going to be able to walk along with you in ministry and offer their advice and spiritual maturity on the issues that are being faced in ministry.

So, as I end this semester, I know that I want this job. I want to be a youth minister and have the opportunity to change and impact youth's lives. This internship has been challenging and confirming and I have loved every minute of it!