I want you to know that youth group isimportant. The time you spend with those students and those leaders areimportant. Setting aside Wednesday nights for fellowship with other Christians your age is important.

Know that this community is so beneficial to you. I was involved with youth group throughout high school, but it took me a while to realize just how beneficial that community was. By the time I appreciated it, my time was limited. Through it, I found ways to lead and to be led. I attended conferences and strengthened and built relationships through those trips. Creating a community of fellow believers your age is crucial. You can learn through one another, challenge and question one another and celebrate what the Lord is doing in your life together.

Make this community a priority. I struggled with what almost every high schooler is struggling with today: making priorities. I was a high school athlete, I valued my family time and I had homework to complete every night. Attending youth group was something I did not have time for. But, that's the funny thing about time. We all say we don't have enough of it, but if we want to do something badly enough, we will make the time for it. So that's what I did for youth group.

I'm not sure when or how it happened, but I was challenged to make time for youth group. I was challenged to make it a priority. I worked on homework earlier throughout the day, studied for tests ahead of time, and would even slip in late if my basketball practice overlapped. There were many areas in my life that were demanding of my time and commitment and I had to decide what was worth investing in. Just like I was committed to my basketball team in showing up for practice, games and outside events, I worked to commit myself to my youth group.

You may not always feel like going or see it as a community worth investing in. But know that by investing in your Christian communities and making them a priority, you are creating in yourself a habit. A habit that will become a natural part of you as you go through life. It prepares you as you get older and creates in you a deeper desire for that community. So give your youth group a chance and don't throw it aside or say you don't have time.

It's a community worth investing in.