As a teenager one of the things I loved about my youth group at the First Baptist Church of Westerlo led by Rev. Bob Sheldon and a slew of volunteer leaders were the photo walls. In our youth room the walls were canvassed from floor to ceiling with pictures of us - caught by the leaders everywhere with humorous and encouraging captions underneath. It served several purposes. It helped us rejoice together in the good times we had shared, it gave us a feeling of ownership in the church, and it gave us a way to not look like a loner when we were standing all alone.

    When I became a youth leader it was one of the first things on my mind, and we have kept up the tradition that Pastor Bob and the other leaders first taught me. Tonight was our second night within the last two months were we took the time to paste up hundreds of new pictures, write captions, and generally make our walls colorful. This is a youth group activity and takes around two hours each time we do it. Its a lot of fun. Besides writing the captions we constantly joke with each other, eat some chocolate chip cookies, spend a minute or two in prayer, and throw wads of damaged construction paper.

    I am so thankful for Pastor Bob and the other leaders who sowed so much time into my life as a teenager...and I am so thankful for the opportunity to be a youth leader. I love teaching teens, but they also bring more joy into my life than seems imaginable.