...for a challenge which taught you a valuable lesson.

There aren't very many people who search out big challenges in life but almost everyone I know has faced a big challenge at one time or another. It could be in your personal life or professional life. Perhaps it was within the context of a family relationship or a work project. What challenge did you face which, in the end, for better or for worse, taught you a valuable lesson.

Today's post is by Registrar Sara.

Just out of college, I worked for several years in full time youth ministry. I loved working with the kids. Even the most reluctant to be there would, when they had enough time to find a comfort level with you, admit to some pretty big questions about God and faith. And I loved most of the parents who volunteered. But everyone once in awhile, I will admit I found it nearly impossible to connect with a parent. One in particular informed me that she was called to come up with ideas for the youth group to do, and it was my job to make them happen. This was contrary to every single policy the church had as well as every single model of effective ministry I had come across. Her desire to be "involved" in the youth ministry program taught me the importance of several things. It taught me the importance of having a good working relationship with my direct supervisor (the pastor of the church in this case), it taught me the importance of not judging a child by the actions of their parent (her child was super fun and easy going), and it taught me the importance of good communication with co-workers (turns out other co-workers had similar experiences with this particular parent). Most importantly, it taught me the importance of seeing people primarily through God's perspective, not mine. In her heart, she was simply doing her best to advocate for a youth program her child would be interested in participating in and I could never get angry with her for that.