An Excerpt from “Helping Kids in Pain,” by Bert Dockery
I’m 40 years old, so 13-year-old girls have certain emotional needs that I can’t meet (you may feign your shock now). That’s why I’m deliriously thankful that I have Karen, our resident grandma. She serves as an adult volunteer, leads a small group, and loves recklessly.
Karen is pure unconditional love. She never judges our kids or gives them hard advice. She laughs with those who laugh and cries with those who cry. She never dispenses Scripture like a spiritual prescription. She prays, every day, for the teenagers she’s nurturing. She’s the lowest-profile person on our ministry team, and she makes the deepest impact.
We have a teenager in our ministry named Katie (not her real name). Our kids invited her to youth group over and over, but she always said she wasn’t “all about God.” Eventually they convinced her to come to a fun event, then to one midweek service. Then Katie got sick—really sick. Her doctors were thinking leukemia and lupus. Katie started visiting our ministry, and listening.
One night, right before Katie was scheduled for surgery, I invited her up front for prayer. I asked our kids to lay hands on her and pray. When the crowd dispersed, there was Katie, alone with Grandma Karen. Hard-crusted Katie, a girl who never shed a tear, was sobbing on Karen’s shoulder. The next week Katie asked Jesus to be king of her life.
Sometimes a pastor has to correct, challenge, or guide a teenager who’s drifting away from God. But a grandma only has to love. Every youth ministry needs a grandma.
To become a grandma, grandpa, mom, or dad in our youth group please contact me (Jeremy) at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or for the rest of this article please visit: http://www.youthministry.com.