Young Life

Young Life is a ministry designed to share the Gospel with high school students. I believe it’s the greatest thing ever. Here’s why:

Young Life is a relationship based ministry. That means that we go to kids where they’re at, we don’t expect them to come to us. Jesus didn’t expect people to come to Him, He went to the people- went to find them in the middle of their messes. Prostitutes, tax collectors, murderers- Jesus did not wait for them to get their lives together and then come to Him. No. He jumped head first into their messes. And who is more messy than a high school student? Young Life leaders go to high school football and volleyball games on Friday nights, they go to high school cafeterias during lunchtime, they sacrifice their time and energy and relationships with peers to pour into sixteen year olds.

Polar Bear weekend retreat, 2013

I did Young Life for all four years when I was in high school, and it brought me to Jesus, introduced me to His heart, and led me to a relationship with a Savior who would change my life. I was truly a poster child for Young Life- going to club and campaigners every week, retreats every winter, and camp every summer. But when I look back at my time in high school, it wasn’t Young Life club, or camp, or weekend retreats that kept bringing me back. I loved all of those things, but it was a relationship that kept bringing me back. It was my leader, Emily. She loved me with a strong and fierce love that brought me to Jesus.

When I began going to the University of Texas, I knew from the very first day that I wanted to be a Young Life leader. I wanted to pour out into others the same way that my leader, Emily, had poured into me. I went through training my freshmen year, and was placed on the McCallum High School Young Life team in the Spring of 2012.

I spent the next four years diving deep into relationships with my girls at McCallum, and they are now some of my closest friends, years after that first day in the McCallum lunch room. They make me laugh and cry and remind me daily of the promises the Lord gives us.

I absolutely love being a Young Life leader, and I love sharing that joy with others. I hope that through my experience as a Young Life leader, I can encourage and empower other leaders to continue to pour out the love of Christ onto high school students.