Growth

Just one year...

The top half of the picture above is our YL 10th/11th grade girls from LSN small group one year ago and the second half is that group now.  Growth.  I would say that group of girls who attend YL Club and their small group Campaigners has more than doubled.

We announced where we are headed to camp this summer last week at Late Night.  We are headed to Lost Canyon- July 26-Aug 3rd.  I have 80 spots.  I am not taking sign ups yet... however 35 of the girls from above have already texted their YL leader saying they want on that bus!

How are we growing?  How is that group so huge and so receptive to what YL offers?  I believe all students want truth.  Truth from the adults around them, truth from peers, and about purpose.  This group of girls share that truth and continue to invite their friends to experience that in YL.  One of the reasons why it continues to grow is because their volunteer leader continues to share life with them.  I asked their volunteer leader, Audrey Lanier, a few questions.

Audrey in the middle with two of her YL girls. 

Audrey went to LSN and was one of my YL kids when she was in high school.  She attends UCM now as a junior and this is her 3rd year of leading.  She has been with this group of girls since they were freshman.

How have you seen favor of God in YL?
In a million different ways.  I love seeing girls interact and love on one another.  I know God gives me the energy to give to the girls too.  I'm super busy with work, rugby, 18 hrs at UCM and He continues to fill me.  He gives me love and truth to give them.  And just recently He answered my prayers about needing help to lead this growing group by calling my best friend Kelsi to be a YL leader as well. 

Why are you serving with YL?
I'm not going to lie it's hard.  There have been times when it gets hard like I don't have gas money, and times when i feel empty, but I feel the Lord calling on my heart to keep going to keep serving  I know these girls need loved on and Jesus wants me to lead and give up my time.  He continues to bless me with friends and favor.  I feel inspired often by the girls I lead. 

What do you hope for the girls you lead?  
My hope for my girls is for them to own their faith.  To continue to go deep in a personal relationship with Jesus.  I want them to have identity not in YL or a church alone, but in Jesus.  I know they will go off to college and go on their way and I want them to have identity in Jesus, so no matter where they go they have that as their source.  
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YL is growing.  It is exciting.  I am so thankful for leaders like Audrey and the rest of our team who give up their free time to do life with kids and share truth.

Thank you:  Paul Moore, Brian Keller, Connor Hartnett, Josh Fuller, Allison Hunt, Jessica Burton, Audrey Lanier, Kelsi Worihaye, and our junior leaders:  Clair Mulvihill, Megan Garica, Katie Davila, Savanah Thorne, Taylor Downey. 

YL Events Calendar

Give to LS YL

Late Night

Hayrides

Hanging Out with a Hot Dog

A few LSW students

A big hit was the mechanical bull

Late night is tradition with LS YL.  Last night, over 150 students attended our annual event.  This year we were blessed to have the event at Faulkner's Ranch.  Our night kicked off with YL Club, then to hayrides, bonfires/gourmet s'mores, and of course a mechanical bull.  We had a blast!  It is such a joy to share truth to so many students and provide a fun event where they can be kids.  Thank you to Faulkner's Ranch for an excellent event! 

One of the highest points of the night and highest decibels reached was in announcing where we are headed for camp this year.  Drum roll please.... Lost Canyon in Arizona!  We are headed west to have the best week of our lives!  Our camp dates will be:  July 26-August 3.  More info on how to save your spot and sign up coming soon!  For now, check out the Lost Canyon website and watch the camp video:
http://lostcanyon.younglife.org/Pages/default.aspx
 
Lost Canyon Video

We will be back at LSCC coffee shop for YL Club on Tuesday @ 7:47pm.  See the weebly for more details: http://lsyl.weebly.com/

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There is more...

We had YL Club #3 last night.  Another incredible night.  Even with a huge soccer game going on over 120 students showed up for club.  We heard from one of our leaders about our need for more, our need for Jesus, our need for community.  The verse that continues to ring true in the ears of students was spoken:  John 10:10- Jesus says, "I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full."

YL is not just about Club.  There is more... We are about relationships.  A YL leader meets students where they are and earns the right to be heard.  We do life with students.  We offer small groups, hang outs, show up at their games, show up in their life because we care about them and want to offer them the hope and freedom Christ offers all of us.  Some are ready and eager, some say not yet, some say never... and we love each kid regardless.  I love that about YL.

For example, these crazy senior LSN girls and more not pictured are coming to my house Sunday.  Many are coming with me to church before, then my house for Sunday Funday.  They are invited into my world to be a part of my life as well.  We will have lunch, do some crafting/cooking, share truth and life.  There is more... in YL besides Club.

Senior Girls at Club last night

I wanted to share a text one of my former YL kids that now attends University of Arkansas sent me last night at about 2am.   :)  I think she said it well.  There is more...

Hi ya! So this text is about to be very long, but my roommates life is being changed by a young life bible study here. It's so cool to hear her talk and hear for the first time that Jesus gives you life even though she grew up in church. And that our lives are so freaking messy and that's ok, but God stays the same. It's SOO cool. 

So it made me want to read through my old prayer journals from high school and from when god radically changed my life through young life. I've come to realize lately its sometimes hard living in the Bible Belt. Or being surrounded by so many believers. It's easy to get caught up in knowledge for knowledge sake and just doing doing doing and tidying up to make everything clean. I labor so hard but I forget who Jesus is and what he's done for me. How sweet he is. How simple my love for him was about a year and a half ago. I miss it. I didn't know crap about the bible, couldn't quote any verse or tell you who Paul or Abraham or anyone was, literally not a thing, but I loved him with all my heart. And I knew it was in him that my hope and comfort and rescuer was found. I called and he answered every single time. I see the truth in my old prayer journal. A child like faith. And knowing that's all that matters. I hope I never lose that NEED for Jesus. That desire to just be with him. I'm not sure how I understood grace so well then, understood my depravity and helplessness but knew and trusted that god was good and that he was for me and with me. 

It's just really cool and I have you and God alone to thank for it. Your life, your job, your constant sacrifice towards your self, your love for me, your love for Jesus mostly, it turned my life upside down and back again. I'm not who I was. Thank you Tracee.  I could literally never say thank you enough. You mean the world to me and so does young life. 

Next week- NO club Tuesday.  Instead YL Late Night- Oct. 17th.  See calendar for more info. 
http://lsyl.weebly.com/

No party like a YL party!

120 Students at LS YL Club #1

Wow!!!!  We are off to a great start!  Last year we topped the year with 115 students at club.  This year our first club had 120 and our second club 126.  We are not all about numbers, we are about students- their hearts, their desire to be known, pursued, and loved.  However, 126 students showing up and coming back, wanting truth, screaming, dancing, listening, and being kids is worth talking about.  It is a gift.  We as YL leaders and staff do not take this lightly.  To have their attention, to have their time, to have their honesty it is a gift and we love it.  What happens at club.... stays at club.  Just kidding- here is a sneak peek for all you curious parents of what happens.

-Welcome- screaming, running, dancing, screaming!
-Songs- we sing appropriate yet relevant and popular songs.
-Skit/mixer- often we have "characters" who do a skit-using humor to break down walls, and then a mixer- which is game involving all the students.
-Raffle- we have a raffle where students win something odd or weird, we are just looking for excuses to celebrate students.
-Game- a game that involves 4-6 students.
-Content song- a song that is a bit slower and speaks to who Jesus is.
-Talk- a YL leaders shares a message about their life and Jesus.
-Meet your leader- after club is over students check-in or meet their YL leader to see what else maybe happening this week and gets an invite to campaigners- our small groups.
-Then there is dancing and more screaming and way more that happens but that is Club in a nutshell.

 Club #2- short 2 second video of who showed up!!!

Stay tuned to all of our YL EVENTS by using this link:
http://lsyl.weebly.com/

Late Night is coming!  Find out when and where with the link!