hey there. my name is matthew. i love jesus. i love my wife, wendy jo. i love cooper, ashton, caleb, carter, and our baby girl on the way. i know it sounds crazy, but i even love my job. God has not only blessed me with an amazing family, He has also blessed me with the opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to hang out with teenagers... and get paid for it. (i'm the student pastor here @ pocono community church)even though student ministry sounds like a super easy gig, you need to know that some fairly heavy baggage comes along for the ride... there were 15 of us moving through airports last week as we made our way home from a mission trip. when it was my turn for the boarding pass/i.d. check, the agent asked if i was 18 yet. 18?! i'm 34. make that 34 1/2! (i guess i shouldn't be upset that the lines on my face have not yet caught up with my life experience) and then there is the constant question: sooo, what do you do for a REAL job? real job?! changing the landscape of eternity isn't a real job? (i guess i should appreciate that i get to do full time what God created me for) then there is the extra heavy baggage. is it really possible for our Christ following life, and our family raising life, and our world ministry life to be in balance? (i guess i should be thankful that God actually gives me just one life to live, and not three to keep in balance) and how do we sleep at night knowing that people God has entrusted to our care are walking off of really steep cliffs with their life choices? (i guess i should be grateful that so many are choosing to climb higher than ever before as they serve in God's Kingdom)
i will do my best to tackle a handful of these issues this week from my student pastor perspective. i'll let you in on a few ways that we are following Jesus here at pcc's student ministry - underground fellowship. i hope you have time to hang out with me this week while pastor dave takes a much needed break. that is, of course, if you want to spend time with an 18 year-old in need of a real job...
-matthew
