Because They Were Mine

Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

—John 21:16

When I led a small group of ten teenage girls, there were tiny moments of brilliance that first year. One of them would tell me something really true and important about her life, or ask me something about life with God that really mattered to her. But I planned to make it through one year and then find a new leader for them. I worked long hours, and nights and weekends. I was engaged and planning a wedding. They needed so much more than I was prepared to give them—more time, more honesty, more support, more help.

But I began to love them, not because they were the finest, most upstanding kids in our student ministry, because they weren’t. They had their moments of upstanding-ness, and they had moments of absolute insanity. I loved them because they were mine, because we were us, because of the funny, sweet, and strange things they did and said. They became a central part of my world, my thoughts, my prayers. My schedule became more and more wrapped around their term papers, proms, and problems, and my home became more and more the safest landing spot for this strange, whirling little gypsy wagon of girls.