Your Kids Are Awesome

A few months ago I was tasked with something crazy. I thought it was a crazy idea, I knew I wasn't the best person for the job, and I was positive it was going to be a train wreck. I was offered the position of Youth Worship Leader. 

Youth Worship Leader. YWL, doesn't sound that scary in and of itself. What scared me was what I was about to be handed:

You'll be picking out music and singing most Wednesday nights.Your guitarist knows what he's doing and that's it. Your bass player just started playing, your drummer just started playing, and your other vocalist isn't used to singing outside of a choir.

Thank you for handing me a train wreck.

So I go into our first practice with literally no expectations.... and they blew me away. 

These youngsters, who are wise beyond their years, made incredible, beautiful, and in-rhythm music. They mauled every pre-conceived notion I had had. Our first time playing together we made legitimate music and it rocked my world. Here is why...

Our guitarist is 17 and has played guitar for almost half his life. Our vocalist, who has probably sang most of her life in choirs, is 15, but she had never sang in a praise and worship environment. Our bass player who is also 15 has been playing bass for like 6 months now. Finally, our drummer is 11, and has been playing drums for about 6 months now. Their combined ages is the same age as my dad (sorry Diddy).

These YOUNG people were tasked with something and they did it. And they do it well. 

When you look at your children what limitations to you set on them? I thank the parents of these young people for encouraging these kids to follow their hearts, and not putting limitations on their creativity. They wanted to play noisy instruments and you said, "okay!"

They wanted to do something they had never done before and their crazy parents were on board. These teens were given responsibilities, and they rose to the occasion. I said, "learn this song" and they did. They had never played these songs before, and they made awesome music. 

I cry when I think about how cool it is. I want that for my kids. I want them to see something, chase it down, and conquer it. I want to encourage them to do things that seem hard, like taking up the drums and actually playing in front of people! 

Encourage your kids to do awesome things. Help them do them. Give them responsibilities, so they learn to follow through with things. Teach them accountability that way.

I'm not saying every kid should join a band or pick up an instrument. Your kid could learn how to cook, or make pottery, or knit for all I care. Get accountability into the mix somewhere. Have achievable goals, and goals that sound insane. Get somebody in their life that believes in them and wants to see them succeed. 

I believe in these young adults. I pour into them so much of me. They are amazing in every way, and I want them to know how proud I am of them. I have never been so proud of anything as I am our little band. We are awesome. These young people are awesome. Tell your kids they are awesome too! And then let them prove it to themselves. 


At practice I sometimes video me on my laptop, so I can go back and teach our vocalist the harmony. Ignore me completely and listen to this! Remember: 17 year old guitarist, 15 year old bassist, and 11 year old drummer.