Dear youth ministry friends,

Those of us in Christian traditions are likely familiar with Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say: Rejoice!”

I have a long-standing connection to that particular verse of Scripture, rooted in my youth. When I was going through an especially hard time in high school (another article for another newsletter), I had a beloved English teacher who was deeply affirming of my call to ministry. On one particularly challenging day, when I was confiding to him that I was trying so hard to make something work that just wasn’t working, he said, “You know, Jill. God never called us to have joy. Instead, God calls us to rejoice.”

He explained the distinction: having joy can feel like an outer layer of clothing we put on. It’s almost like feigning happiness for the world to see and admire. It’s those glimpses of social media that people tend to show in their pictures of perfection. But “rejoice,” my English teacher explained, is a verb. An action verb. To rejoice is a challenge, to be sure: it requires of us something far deeper than “don’t worry, just be happy.” A focus on rejoicing is also a deeply subversive act; to rejoice is to choose joy deep within, even when, and perhaps especially when, things aren’t working out, when things don’t go according to plan.

Beloved of God: what is causing your heart to rejoice in these summer days? Are you taking the time you need to rest, to savor in the rejoicing that comes from simply being? Can you allow that voice to nudge you towards acting in love, rather than stewing in despair? When the picture doesn’t look as complete as you had hoped; when the family vacation turns from Rockwellian perfection into “why-did-we-do-this-again-ian;” when you ache for the family visit to end (or perhaps never end); when you grimace at the summer vacation sticker shock; when you find yourself wishing for just a little more time. Wherever you find yourself this summer, dig deep; there is more to you than the fleeting emotions of the moment. Rejoice, my friends. For God is rejoicing in all of you.

With you on the journey,

Rev. Jill