Remember to Remember.

The first time I ever taught or preached to anyone was for a group of college students. one of the great things about that (though I didn't see it as an advantage then) was that I was fresh out of what they were in the middle of in their lives. I thought this was a handicap because I lacked that extra experience that comes from living longer, and true, that would have been helpful. But the most helpful thing about that was I clearly remembered everything about that phase of life. All of it, the questions, the insecurity, the feelings of time closing in, was all still fresh in my mind. This enabled me to, almost naturally address the needs of  the audience, addressing questions, hopes, and dreams that they were in the middle of experiencing.
    With youth, Though I've got a few more year ahead of life-lived insight which is helpful. relating to their needs is a little less natural than it was when I was talking to my peers, one 1 to 3 years younger than myself. That is why it is so important to remember what life was like at 16 years old when prepping to talk.

Always,  remember to remember.

     It helps to think back (as scary as it sounds) and ask: What was I doing my freshman year? Who was I hanging out with? why? How much did I study? why? How did I treat my parents?
If I knew this scripture or this lesson back then how would it have changed the way I dealt with My English teacher? What was her name again? How would it have changed where I sat at lunch? How would it have changed my time at home with the family?
Sometimes, we find that not much has changed. Some of those questions and insecurities are exactly the same ones that adults in the workforce feel. As SuperChick "High School could be a mini-me of the rest of society. There's always a prom queen. there will always be sororities" but also we rediscover questions we hadn't asked in years. Things that now don't seem like a big deal at all. Remember when they were a big deal! That's building common ground.