Reconnect with The Youth Worker Daily

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I am so excited to share the next chapter of The Youth Worker Daily with you. After a 2 year sabbatical, it's time to get back to sharing student ministry. That means there is new content, both in a written format here on the blog and video content on the TYWD YouTube channel. I am also looking forward to the relaunch of my podcast, Conversations with Every Day Youth Workers, which will begin airing this coming Fall (2025).

So where have we been? That's a great question.

At the end of 2022, I decided to step out of student ministry for personal reasons. 2022 was a year of personal challenges. We found that we were physically, emotionally, and spiritually weary. The thought of caring for others while feeling so depleted was overwhelming. We decided it wouldn't be fair or right to continue serving students and their families while we were working through our own challenges.

So we took a break and committed to taking some time to mourn, heal, get some coaching, and seek God for our what's next. And that's what we did. We were able to get some remote work which allowed us to work from home while healing and reconnecting as a family and with God. After about 9 months we began asking God to show us our 'what's next'.  Over the next couple of months we began to see God moving in some new and unexpected ways. We sensed a new chapter was about to be written. We were excited, but cautious. But we stepped out in faith and trusted that God was in control. 

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Those last couple of months opened the doors to join two ministries that worker with youth workers; PACT Ministries and the National Network of Youth Ministries (NNYM). PACT Ministry provides relationships, training and equipping for evangelical, full-time youth ministers helping them grow in their personal spiritual life, their family relationships and their student ministry through a unique combinations of highly effective, proven educational, relational, and experiential strategies. (from https://pactministry.org/about/about-pact)

National Network of Youth Ministries (NNYM) seeks to see every youth leader thrive in deeper connection with God and each other so that every young person is changed by the story of Jesus. They create collaborative spaces for youth leaders to be personally encouraged, professionally equipped and spiritually strengthened for faithful and effective ministry with the next generation. (https://www.youthworkers.net/mission-and-values.htm)

These ministries connected with two of my ministry passions; youth worker networking and youth ministry coaching. After a few more months of prayer and conversation with NNYM,  I joined their team. And with PACT, I began my training to become a certified ministry coach.

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Then something unexpected happened. Just when we thought we had stepped into our 'what's next,' God opened another door. Just as we were getting used to our 'new roles' we were called to serve an incredible church in Cleveland, Ohio. All of a sudden we were thrusted into full-time student ministry, while connecting with youth workers part-time in the Cleveland area. I can't help but look at all of this and chuckle, just when I thought I knew what my next was, God said, 'I'm not done with you yet.'

The plan had always been to bring The Youth Worker Daily back as a resource to youth workers. Through weekly blog posts, I want to encourage youth workers with helpful content that encourages, equips, and connects youth workers to tools and resources for your ministry.

The vlog is home to practical tips , how-to's, and tricks that I hope will help you with the nuts and bolts, game ideas, creative resources, and fun ways to engage with your students. The vlog will be another weekly tool that I hope provides you with fun, interactive tips to help you thrive in your ministry.

The podcast, Conversations with Every Day Youth Workers, is something I love doing. It connects with every day youth workers and gives them the space to share their stories and the amazing things God is doing in their ministries. This summer, I hope to begin having those conversations with the goal of posting weekly episode starting in September of 2025. 

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Here we go. More tools, tips, and resources to help you thrive in your ministry. The Youth Worker Daily wants to encourage you as you reach students. 

Know that you are being prayed for. Know that you matter and that you are making a difference. Know that what you are doing is vital; a calling to be Jesus' witness first in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. And through you, God is changing the lives of students.

Welcome Home.

​- the youth worker daily

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