It’s that time of year—the end of spring and the arrival of summer break! I think back to my early 20s, and all I could think about at this point was sleeping in, spending time with my friends, and going to the beach. I always had a summer job—doing things like working for a leadership program for students, interning at my church, and doing lots of babysitting. While I can think back, the last thing I thought about was how to be intentional with my time during the summer. I hope you’re wiser than I was and will ask God how He wants to use you this summer. You might be going back home to work at a local store, and you don’t see how God could or would use you in that situation, but have you asked Him?
I had lunch with some college students recently after church and challenged all of them to invest deeply where God has planted them this summer. I often show my age when I’m around college students because I don’t know some of the words they’re using. I might as well be 85-years-old in those moments. Anyway, they were using a word that they had made up and were laughing about it, and I used it as an example. These college students are all serving in our church student ministry this summer, and I asked this question, “If you use that word around students, how long do you think it’ll be before they’re using it?” They all laughed and said it probably wouldn’t take very long.
They have influence whether or not they think they do. So do you.
Wherever you’re working, interning, traveling, or spending time—you have influence. What would be different at the end of the summer if you decided to use your influence for the glory of God?
Here are a few ideas:
- Take a high school student to lunch. Encourage them, pray for them, and just be their friend. Think back to when you were in high school and how much this would have meant to you.
- Love and serve your family. If you’re away at school, chances are, they miss you. They’d love to spend some time with you this summer, too. Your family members are your forever people, so don’t miss opportunities to love and serve them well. You won’t regret it.
- Jump into church. No matter where you are, don’t skip out on church this summer just for one more lake day or an opportunity to sleep in. Even if your church doesn’t have a dedicated college or young adult ministry, show up. Let them see that church matters to you and that you want to be part of the solution, not the problem.
At the end of the summer, how do you hope you’ve spent your time? I hope you spend it wisely.
Mary Margaret West serves as the Girls Ministry Specialist for Lifeway Christian Resources, which basically means that teenage girls and the women who lead them are her favorite people on the planet. Mary Margaret is the author of Show Her the Way: Your Guide to Discipling Teen Girls. She is a former Girls Minister and holds a master’s degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. She also hosts Lifeway Women’s {MARKED} podcast. Mary Margaret and her husband Jonathan live in Franklin, TN. Connect with her online: @marymargaretc and girlsministry.lifeway.com