Author: Rachel Miedema

Posted on

When God Makes a Youth Pastor’s Dream Come True

Julia Bauman is nursing her four-week old son when I call her, so in between I hear adorable little sighs of a precious baby. It’s the perfect picture of her life as a youth pastor and a new mom—a life that turned out so much better than she could have ever dreamed, thanks to an unexpected call three years ago. “It was really a dream come true,” Julia says. Continue reading When God Makes a Youth Pastor’s Dream Come True

Posted on

WYMC Brag Sheet: aka Why I’m so Stoked for These Speakers and Coaches

[By April Diaz] In just two months, women from coast to coast will convene in southern Indiana for three days to be encouraged, trained, and connected with other female youth workers. There isn’t another national event like this. And I’m over-the-top stoked about the speakers and coaches who’ve agreed to join us this year for the third Women in Youth Ministry Campference (WYMC).

These women are friends. Most of whom I’ve respected, followed, and admired for years. This is not a good paying gig. Some of them are paying their own way to come. But they are coming because they are committed to this thing. To you. Humbling, right? Continue reading WYMC Brag Sheet: aka Why I’m so Stoked for These Speakers and Coaches

Posted on

The Lost Art of Writing Letters

A recent study in the UK showed some interesting statistics (and boy, did they make me feel old!) about teens and writing letters. A third of the teens surveyed said they had never even (hand)written a letter and half of them had never written so much as a thank you note or letter. And get this: one in ten said they didn’t even own a pen.

Let that sink in for a bit. Handwriting, it seems, is a lost art. Gone are the handwritten love letters, the cheesy poems decorated with little red hearts, but also the Christmas cards, a thank you note for a special gift… Continue reading The Lost Art of Writing Letters

Posted on

Does Helicopter Parenting Cause Binge Drinking?

Last year, I did a short blog series on helicopter parenting and the effects this has on students. Recently, I came across an article in the Atlantic that suggested a strong link between helicopter parenting and the alcohol problem on college campuses. It was a really interesting read, not in the last place because the real conclusion the author comes to is much deeper than the somewhat sensationalist title suggests.

The article states several reasons and arguments for the conclusion that helicopter parenting leads to binge drinking in college: Continue reading Does Helicopter Parenting Cause Binge Drinking?

Posted on

A Father’s Love

If you’re looking for a great illustration on the love of a father, check out this video.

I came across it on Facebook and it hit me deep. Here’s a dad who is doing everything he can to take care of his handicapped son. And he does it with a love and patience that’s overwhelming. Even when his son literally lashes out at him, he stays calm and keeps on loving him. Continue reading A Father’s Love

Posted on

You Are Not Superman or Superwoman

I’m skipping the intro here and getting straight to the point: you are not superman, or superwoman, or supergirl.

Have you ever noticed how many superheroes are doing it all alone? They’ve got superpowers, so they don’t need anything or anybody else. Also, they’re virtually indestructible, so they can keep going and going and going.

You’re not superman, or superwoman. You cannot do it all by yourself. Not in life, not in youth ministry, not in anything. Continue reading You Are Not Superman or Superwoman