The Good News by Jen Buzbee

 

I was truly shocked when I received the position of Youth Director. For about a week, I was almost speechless—those of you who know me can appreciate how unusual that is! My mind raced with the question: how am I going to lead a group of teenagers to God? My husband, with his ever-encouraging smile, reminded me that we both know I can’t say no to a calling. So, I drew strength from two things: my love for Jesus and the way I feel closest to Him when I explore God’s magnificent creation.

The Bible is full of examples of imperfect people who answered their call. We often mistakenly believe that we need to be perfect individuals or flawless Christians to be worthy of such a calling. This simply isn’t true. Whether it’s Jesus’ disciples, Mary Magdalene, or little Zacchaeus, their defining moments came from saying “yes” and turning away from their old paths to embark on a new journey. Their leaps of faith, not their pasts, shaped their Christian journeys.

In our family, we encourage our kids to live life at full throttle rather than saying live life to the fullest. This past weekend, I witnessed our youth truly embracing that spirit. We jumped off boulders, leaped from boat houses, swam in currents, and navigated class four rapids. It was an incredible day to be a United Methodist! The kids are all so brave.

While sitting on a riverbank, enjoying lunch with my husband, cousin, and wonderful friends, I watched our youth jump into the water, splashing and laughing. In that moment, I realized we weren’t just surviving; we were thriving. Our numbers have doubled, not just for thrilling adventures, but we also recently had the largest attendance in Sunday school class at church. I am so proud of our youth group, and I truly believe I have the coolest job ever.

I knew the youth needed me, but I had no idea how much I needed them. Together, we are taking a significant leap of faith as perfectly imperfect Christians, loved just as we are.

With Love,
Jen Buzbee

Philippians 4:13 (NIV): “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”