Student ministry requires a great deal of creativity and passion. It’s not something you just show up and do. I spend countless hours thinking through the nuances of what I do and how it will impact those I’m called to work with. I’m hopeful that for every moment our group spends together playing games or eating pizza that there’s at least an equal portion of spiritual activity that occurs among us. I like to think that I’ve got enough creative bones in my body to come up with unique ways to help students experience and articulate their faith in ways that seem tangible to them, but all the creativity in the world can’t sustain the task of nurturing the souls of others as well as my own. I can’t lead a group of students to a place that I haven’t been willing to go myself, so I’m constantly aware of my need to develop and nurture my own soul. I crave inspiration. The word “inspiration” denotes an indwelling of the Spirit. I think it goes without saying that we must never forsake prayer, but I believe there are a variety of other means by which we attune ourselves to the presence of the Spirit in our lives. There are those that awaken to the Spirit through their relationships with others. Some dive into a good book. Some rely on silence and solitude. I love to hear the ways in which others get their “good stuff,” the means by which they sustain their souls for the sake of doing the work God has called them to.
So here’s my question. Where do you get your good stuff? What inspires you?
(If you’re in desperate need of inspiration, you can always watch this scene from one of the greatest movies ever. It’ll do in a pinch.)
Ahhhh yes, I needed that.