We had to do something. This was easy because we did love these kids. But in committing our love to them, we were accepting the fact that love can be rejected, and at times, the lover is hurt. Pain would be part of our relationship with them. Once we acknowledged that, we asked God for the gift of endurance.
Love is long-suffering.
Another church in our community began a youth program. It started with a bang, and people were talking about it. We were happy for them. We also knew that a good ministry is not the one that starts out well when energy is high and the future looks bright. A good ministry is one that, through enduring love, builds stability so that when the exuberance of the moment is gone, the group is still marching on.