It’s not even the first official day of National Youth Workers Convention and I am already being reminded of valuable lessons.
I met up with some friends of mine and we went in search of something to eat. Most of the restaurants around the hotel are not open in the evening, so the West End was our best shot. We walked and walked till we found some good spaghetti. On our way back the coolest thing happened. We walked right by these.
We couldn’t help but be drawn in. Flowing water. Hundreds of fountains. Lights. It was peaceful and relaxing.
We easily could have taken the DART train to eat. It would have been faster. It would have been less walking. But we would have missed the adventure. We would have missed the discovery. We would have missed the fountains.
My hope this weekend is that I will be able to slow down and look. Maybe go to some workshops I wouldn’t normally choose. Talk to people I don’t know. Open my eyes and heart to see what God is wanting to tell me.
That is also my prayer as I continue in my youth ministry. Prayer that I will not get so caught up in programming, and pizza that I look past people. That I take time to look and listen. To really listen to my youth, parents, volunteers and church. To really listen to what God is telling me. That I take time to enjoy and relax.
So what about you? Do you need to take time to slow down? What might you find if you do?