The Impact of a Youth Minister

My youth minister from high school passed away suddenly recently, and although it had been years since I had any form of relationship or communication with her, God prompted me to reflect on the impact of her youth ministry on my life for several days. 

In her obituary, she was described as a “mom of many” in addition to being the biological mother of a daughter. I don’t know that I ever recognized her as that when I was in youth group, but looking back, she was. 

Many of the kids approached her as a “spiritual mother” for advice, counsel, and comfort in any given situation. Mostly, she was just always willing to be a listening ear and talk to them. I always noticed that she was a safe haven for a lot of them who had fractured relationships with their parents. Perhaps God may have only given her one daughter purposefully--to give her maternal love away to these other kids.

At one point in my involvement, I remember her and the other adults not selecting me as a retreat team leader, but noting other gifts I had that could benefit the youth group. Those gifts ended up being true to who I was, though I resisted that message back then. Retreat work, even to this day, is not my ministry calling.

She also recognized an area where I needed healing, and brought it to the forefront. It was a saving grace that impacted my life for years after. 

She gave us all a framed prayer on one retreat by St. Teresa of Avila -- "Let nothing disturb you..." It is in my living room to this day and looking at it has gotten me through the worst and most anxious of times.

I’m really not sure where I’d be if not for the graces of my high school youth ministry experience. It set a foundation of a relationship with God in my life that I’ve carried with me to this day. 

I got to thinking how God’s grace was moving in my life even back then through this ministry. Perhaps I didn’t completely recognize it’s impact on my life and the seeds it planted so early on. 

Members of the youth group pulled together a celebration of life event for her following her death. I thought that was really touching -- that all these people were impacted by her work and life, perhaps just for a few years, and wanted to come together to celebrate it. 

It got me thinking about my own “motherhood.” I’m getting older and am without children. It reminded me that God might give me no children or maybe just one child, but there is an opportunity, and maybe even an invitation, to be a “mom of many” in ways unique to my gifts.

So perhaps even in her parting, she gave me one last lesson from afar…