When it has Been a HARD Semester

 All of us have been there in college ministry and everybody in college ministry is tired at this point.  I visited with a College Minister friend recently and he shared how tired he was.  Some of it was just end of the semester, some of it was student drama.

What do you do when it has been a REALLY HARD semester?  I shared in my little book, Fixing a Broken College Ministry, how my first year at ASU was harder than my year in the war emotionally.  Students would come into my office to tell me they wished I wasn't there and a couple would even be disruptive in our weekly events.  I even ground my teeth in my sleep. You may not be any where close to that, but it has been hard and you are one hundred yards past tired.

So, here are some suggestions for when you are TIRED and when you are REALLY TIRED:

1.  If you are married, obviously, you have shared things as the semester has gone along.  BUT, as this semester ends, beware of dumping too much on your spouse.  Someone has said, "This is like throwing up on somebody; you feel way better, but it didn't do much for them.

2.  Connect to a ministry pal that knows you, loves you and that you can tell anything to and let them help you process.  They can see things from a more distant viewpoint and give you some feedback. It helps for you to get it off your chest.  Sometimes, we have been too close to it to see it all accurately.  Plus, just spewing it all out can help.  I have a graduate degree in Guidance Counseling.  One of the great things I learned is, just listening to people helps them process things.

3.  Do some things for YOU during this slower period.  Read, go to the movies, go to the gym or whatever helps you chill.  Go to lunch with some friends....just for going to lunch with some friends.

4.  Enlist some people to pray for you and the ministry in an on-going way.  You don't have to tell them everything, but just you need some folks praying.

5.  Put off some of your evaluation and planning until you have been able to detox and see things from a little better perspective.  I have always reminded myself of this little saying, "When things are going well, they are probably not going as well as I think and when things are going poorly, they probably are not going as poorly as I think."  I believe God is always doing more than we know..

6.  Remind yourself that is not the size of the crowd that determines the good and bad of the ministry.  I really, really like big crowds, so this was one I had to really, really remind myself about.

7.  A CRAZY TRUTH my wife told me in one of my down times.  "EVERY semester cannot be better than the one before....it just can't.  College ministry years come in waves and cycles.

8.  Do some project that you have been wanting to do and that you can complete.  It will give you a sense of satisfaction in doing it and in accomplishing it. Lots of our frustration comes from not seeing an end result in much of what we do.  It might be to paint a room (at home or work).  It might be to write a Bible study series.  Just make it some you WANT to do...not have to do.

If you are in the painful spot of feeling like the ministry you are leading is broken, here is that book, Amazon.com/dp/1521876665.  Reaching MORE College Students is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN.