Unwavering Harvest

Facebook is an amazing place. Seven years ago my profile was full of pictures of teenagers headed out on their first mission trip to Virginia’s Eastern Shore. There were the Video Game Olympic Lock-in pics and the random Youth Group shenanigan pics and the occasional Youth Band pics. I was a full-time Director of Youth Ministries back in those days.

Times have changed.

Nowadays, my Facebook world is still flooded with those same faces, though all slightly older. They are graduating college and some have even gotten married, or are close to it. And as I watch them grow, I still wonder about their hearts. I still pray for them. I still care.

Their hearts are forever etched on my own. And, as a result, their lives will be a part of my life forever. It was a privilege to work in vocational ministry, but in 2010, I had to step away from my role as a professional harvester of hearts.

2010 brought the birth of my second son, and the start of a new lifestyle. I came to the conclusion that I could not handle Harvesting and Parenting simultaneously. It was too difficult. To stay in the Harvesting game, I had to be willing to sacrifice too many personal comforts. I could not, for the life of me, find the strength to walk away from either of my sons for the sake of such difficult and exhausting work. Though it was also amazing and fulfilling work, I had to retire.

It was the right decision for me.

As I look back on it, that whole crazy journey leaves me humbled. Because in retrospect, I think of the Ultimate Harvester of Hearts. I think about how consistently His work spans over the years. I think about how our hearts are forever etched on His. I think about how, if we want them to be, our lives will be a part of His forever. I think about How, even when we grow up, and sometimes away, from Him, He still watches us, wonders about us, and still cares.

And then I think about why I had to walk away. And I remember that He walked away too. But He walked away from His only Son, in favor of the difficult and exhausting…yet amazing and fulfilling work, that is the harvesting of my very own heart. And yours, too.

And as the harvest continues on, I am overwhelmed with gratitude that He will never grow tired, lose focus, or otherwise disengage from His pursuit of my soul.

Unwavering Harvest. Unwavering Love.