My Life Group students all graduated last year. This year I’m back to teaching Freshmen. This week we went to the park for our lesson. Afterward, they ran around the field pushing each other over and being very rough. All of it was in fun, but I’m so not used to that anymore. Kind of took me by surprise. I’m also finding that I need to learn how to teach to this age group again.

I love how each age has unique needs that require me as a leader to grow or relearn skills I haven’t used for a long time. It keeps me fresh and requires me to rethink strategies. As youth workers, we can become like old wine skins that can break with changes like this. I find myself reminding myself I need to be renewed, rather than expecting students to adjust to my “get off my lawn” stage of life and what I’m used to having with my seniors from last year.