If you’re reading this blog, you probably either work with kids/preteens/students, or have some of your own. (Or else someone simply suckered you into clicking on a link on twitter/facebook.)
Whatever the case, we all realize that life happens. And we all realize that it happens quickly. The whole “thousand years are like a day” adage seems true in more than just the Psalms, but in the everyday rhythm of life. While our clocks seem to move at a steady pace, time jumps forward, seemingly in the blink of an eye.
As a pastor of fifth and sixth graders, I see rapid change over a brief amount of time. Over the course of two years, boys go from kissing their mother goodbye and running away from girls to walking three steps ahead of their parents and daring one another to sit next to a possible girlfriend.
Life happens too fast. One minute we’re here, the next we’re light years away.
But as much as we might like life to slow down, this growth is natural, even necessary. As bodies change and personalities develop, faith continues to emerge. Students move forward, click by click, becoming the people God has made them to be.
And our job as preteen ministry pastors and leaders (or parents, aunts, uncles, etc.) is to encourage this movement forward.
This movement appears in the form of new (and sometimes frightening) questions. It can be the sudden change of interests, one hobby quickly outdated by the latest trend. It can appear in mood swings and high-water pants and testing boundaries with siblings, parents, and friends. This movement can be a renewed interest or disinterest in spirituality or school. It can be the discomfort and curiosity with sexuality. All of it is new. And all of it is a part of growing up.
Because growing up happens. Just as bodies and minds grow, so does faith. And in order to help foster environments that allow a whole person to grow, we must be intentional about creating spaces for conversations and questions, experiences and appropriate exploration. Because in the blink of an eye, this moment will be gone. And this is the moment where we must let go of the bike.
