Hard and Healing

Last night LS YL hosted a hard and healing convo.  With two recent deaths in our community we felt led to host a place where we could have experts or experienced come share.  I will say that it was better than I expected.  Parents, student leaders, adults, and teachers came and dialed in.

I walked away reminded that being a teen is hard.  That they are often expected to be an adult and make adult decisions but their brain isn't fully developed and they are impulsive at times and overwhelmed.  I was reminded depression is real and not a thing kids can just "snap" out of.  I heard how important it is to be there for our teens.  To create a culture where hard convos are the norm.  A place where they belong and feel heard and valued.  Listen not dismiss their emotions and help them sort thru those often new feelings.

I know that teens need more that just caring parents they need caring adults... 5 is ideal!  That in order to make it thru these tough years students need 5 caring adults to be in their corner.  YL wants to be one of those!  We want to support parents and be team players.

My son Otto is three.  He said something profound a month or two ago.

He said, "Mom, look at the moon."  "It is so full of light."  "I know who lights up the moon."

I asked, "Who does buddy?"

Otto replied, "God does and I bet HE has so much fun lighting up things that are dark."

Otto gets it.  God does love lighting up things that are dark.  The light wins.  We want to be a part of the light.  Last night was a shining light moment.  Light won.  Healing won.  Hope won.

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."  John 1:5

Thank you to my friend Brad Edgar (now YL staff for Blue Springs) and licensed counselor for speaking truth and hope.  Thank you to Rick Mumford (KC YL Metro Director) for being a part of the panel and speaking life.  Thank you Jonathan Kindler (former YL kid, now licensed counselor in LS for speaking wisdom and heart.

I want to point you to resources!  I know that we need two things often in life:  1.  Jesus  2.  Counseling.  I would highly recommend Jonathan Kindler if you or your teen is struggling with depression/ anxiety / or just need a listening loving ear.

Jonathan Kindler- 816-892-0902
Serenity Life Resource Center
521 SE 2nd St. Suite C
LS MO 64063
kindlercounseling@gmail.com

Lotz Therapy
816-581-3737

Peace Partnership and Wellspring Ministries
816-886-0195
www.peacecounseling.org

National Suicide Prevention Hotline
1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Me too

LS YL has had the honor to walk with students and the community in this difficult time.  Our hearts break, we have cried with students for students, prayed with them and for them, listened, and continuing to create community around them.  They are not grieving alone.  They are surrounding one another, coming together, and able to say, "me too."  "I feel that too."  

Last night we had our weekly YL event called Club.  I had the honor to speak to students.  The message was simple.  Two words.

Me too.

I shared from the Magicians Nephew of the Chronicles of Narnia series an excerpt that symbolized this so well:  Digory is a young boy in this part of the story and he is about to lose his mom to a disease.  He begs Aslan (The Lion) for help.  

“Please—Mr. Lion—Aslan, Sir?” said Digory working up the courage to ask.  “Could you—may I—please, will you give me some magic fruit of this country to make my mother well?”

C.S. Lewis explains, “Up till then the child had been looking at the lion’s great front feet and the huge claws on them.  Now in his despair he looked up at his face.  And what he saw surprised him as much as anything in his whole life.  For the tawny face was bent down near his own and wonder of wonders great shining tears stood in the lion’s eyes.  They were such big, bright tears compared with Digory’s own that for a moment he felt as if the lion must really be sorrier about his mother than he was himself.”

“My son, my son,” said Aslan.  “I know.  Grief is great.  Only you and I in this land know that yet.  Let us be good to one another…”We do not grieve alone.

Those two powerful words are saying- ME TOO.  Jesus like Aslan is with is in our grief.  Sometimes we look at God like a scary lion, his claws, his power.  But if we LOOK UP we see He is with us and CRIES with us.

God is for you not against you! He did not cause you pain. He knows you pain and feels it. He also can do something amazing for our pain. He brings life to it. He takes it all on and uses it for good. You are not your pain.  You are a child of God.  You are his son or daughter.  He loves you and wants to take your pain daily and give your life.

Let us be good to one another…”We do not grieve alone.

Bronco Strong- Fox 4 News Clip

Come to the table

Have you seen this Walmart commercial?  It gives me all the feels.  I see God in this commercial.  I see YL in this commercial.  LS YL has been hosting family dinners over the summer.  We have been going to games at each LS school.  We have been taking kids with us to church.  We have been texting and encouraging students.  We have hosted tailgates and given away YL swag.  We have been leading Bible Studies.  And last night we had our first club.  We do all of this because we believe in the table.  Because we believe that all students can bring themselves (their chair) and find a spot at the table.  That there is a place for them.  That there if food ready all they have to do is come.  There is friendship and community.  Jesus is the table.  He invites us to come join him.  We want to let all students know they are welcome here.  That YL is home.  That they are family.  That there is real life and full life with Him and there is a spot for you at the table an in turn there is a spot for them here at YL.

16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’  Luke 14:16-17

YL Family at Club

text me

Every year for the past 6 years I get a text from a former YL kid, Will, on my birthday.  I've come to anticipate it with excitement.  My head thinks....

I wonder if he will text this year?  Is he too busy?  He's a grown adult now.  Surely he won't remember this year.  Maybe his faith or feelings have faded. 

However, Will never disappoints.  He has even been texting on Mother's Day, Father's Day, and the births of each of my sons.  They are texts that I cherish and I save for years.  They remind me that kids are worth it.  That YL is making a difference and leaving a legacy.  That students deserve to know who God is and how HUGE He loves them.  That they want to be heard, and known, and loved by caring adults.  That they want purpose and life to the full.  That YL camp is really the best week of many of their lives because they found the source of LIFE... a relationship with Jesus Christ.

You see Will and I sort of have the same birthday.  On my birthday 6 years ago Will said YES to a relationship with Jesus.  He came to life.  I don't know why God allowed me to be there, see it, and be a small part of it, but it has been one of the best birthday gifts I've ever received.  We got to walk beside him as his faith grew thru the ups and downs and curve balls.  We watched Will become a leader, have a depth of faith and compassion for others that is unmatched.  We watched him play collegiate sports and be a light in dark places.  Every year I am reminded of His goodness and my love for Will and kids like Will.

This is the text I received this year:

"Tracee, it is so late, but I couldn't let the day go by without telling you happy birthday, and thank you for the boldness, and courageous opportunities you have taken to share the Gospel to me and probably thousands of kids and because of you Jesus is being proclaimed and His children are coming to know Him!  I am thankful for you and Young Life, and because of this ministry 6 years ago I made the best decision of my life to follow Jesus, and here I am doing ministry for a living.  Never would've saw that coming!  I hope to come back to KC soon and visit!  I hope you, Billy,  Otto and Jude are doing well!"

-Will

young LIFE

We Back.

Life happened.  YL claims that students will have the best week of their life at YL Camp.  How does/did that happen?

1.  Kids... let's real... our teenage friends are kids.  They got to be a kid.  They got the chance to be carefree, irresponsible, disconnected from their device and comparison trap on social media and be present and be a kid.  They got to throw food on their YL leader, jump off a rope swing, scream, dance, play, sing, and take the weight off their shoulders for a week.

2.  They found adventure.  Campers experienced so many firsts.  First time to paddle board, first time to challenge themselves with heights and fears and complete a ropes course high in the sky or zipline through camp into a lake.  First time to spend 15 min alone under the stars, first time to talk to God, first time to share their story.  They also found adventure in octoball, volleyball games, go carts, and rock climbing floaties.  

3.  They found deeper relationships.  Camp is all focused around relationships.  Students grew in their friendships with one another.  They got a chance to be real, honest, share their heart and their friends and leader listened. I mean really listened.  Like no phone in their hand, no interruptions, but with eye contact and an open heart listened.  Those deeper friendships will help carry them through the rest of high school.  Those friends will be go to's when life is hard or throws a curve ball.  They grew in relationship with their YL leader.  They know, that they know, that they know their YL leader loves them no matter what.  That we are here for them in LS and at camp.  That we will be beside them as we all do life together.  They grew in their relationship with God.  Some said YES to life with Jesus for the first time.  Some said I want more in my walk with Jesus and are diving in deeper.  YL will continue to live out our mission statement- "introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow deeper in their faith."  

The best week of your life.  

John 10:10  Jesus says, "I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full."

Clearwater Cove Weekend Camp

Back From Weekend Camp

The Carpool

Video Blog - The Carpool 

The Real Mom

Video Blog- Real Mom

The Hangover

Video Blog - The Hangover

I Should of Stayed Home

Jess sharing truth to over 90 of our hs friends.

Club #2 happened last night.  I should of stayed home.  I wasn't feeling well.  I have bronchitis and ain't nobody have time for that.  I'm on meds and I'm not contagious, but I could not miss club.  My husband said, "Just stay home."  "Your team of leaders can run club."  But I couldn't.  I WANTED to be there.  I wanted to have our leader family dinner before club and laugh and get teary eyed.  I wanted to be there and pray over club with 20 high school seniors and our team.  I wanted to give those seniors a pep talk in our huddle and tell them to leave a legacy and that they matter.  I wanted to watch over 90 kids run thru the door screaming and dressed up in costumes of Disney characters or superheros.  I wanted to dance and sing with them and laugh at our crazy leaders during the game and rap battle.  I wanted to sit on the edge of my seat and hear Jess share truth about her life and who God is.  I told my team, "I'm gonna leave early right after the talk."  As soon as club was over I tried to make a bolt for the door and was stopped by a student she wanted to hand me something she had borrowed.  As soon as I said thanks, she burst into tears from a long hard day of trying to keep it all together.  I got to hug her and find a couple of chairs to sit and hear her.  To listen.  To love and encourage her and to pray for her.  I should of stayed home but I am so glad I didn't.  What a gift to be a YL leader to be able to show up.

Check out a short video on what our YL leaders do.

Come Home

Muckfest 2016

It's been a YL but we are back!  We had our annual Muckfest 2 weeks ago.  Where a kid can be a kid.  Where food flies, flour, oatmeal, whipped cream and slime are thrown.  Kids play games, and have FUN!!!  It was a mess and it was great!  I love watching our volunteer leaders get in the muck.  Go big, take whipped cream to the face and be in the mix with our students.  All to build memories and relationships with kids in hopes to earn the right to be heard.

We had our 1st club of the semester last night!  Around 90 students showed up and felt welcomed, had fun, and heard truth.  Truth about who God is.  I had the honor of speaking on the prodigal son.  I love that God knows us and loves us.  That he is a perfect father.  He wants us to come home to him to find real life with him in his love.  I shared this clip at club from the movie Blood Diamond.  The theme of the movie is a father's love.  Solomon in the film has been captured by the RUF and made a slave to find diamonds.  His son Dia has also been captured and had been brainwashed and trained to kill.  Watch what happens when the reunite.

You see the Father:  Knows us.  And loves us.  Knows who we are created to be.  He wants us to come home and be with him and find real life. Our hope is that our YL students feel at home at YL. That they feel the Father's love. That they feel accepted and welcomed and continue to take steps toward their perfect heavenly father.

Thank you for helping us with this ministry. Our goals of YL club are: 1. Students to feel welcomed. 2. Students to have fun. 3. Students to hear truth. Truth about our own lives and truth about who God is. We also have a small group program called campaigners and a week summer camp. We care about high school kids and continue to do life with them, meeting them where they are.

If you would like more info on how to help click here: Help LS YL info
Our LS YL calendar here:http://lsyl.weebly.com/
And stay tuned our middle school program WyldLife is coming this October. Sign up for our WL newsletter here: WL Newsletter

I heart YL.

One of our students thoughts on YL camp.  She received a scholarship from LS YL and local donors to help cover her cost for the trip.

"There's not enough words to type down that could express my gratitude for you and all you did for me. But to make it short and sweet, thank you. Thank you for allowing me to have the best week of my life. Thank you for donating money which made me able to attend the trip. That week made me open my heart and my eyes to Jesus along with many new friends some from within the Lee's Summit YL group, and some even from YL groups all over the United States. I overcame fears, accomplished goals, and most importantly I refreshed and renewed my relationship with Jesus, and there is no better feeling than that. I fully put my trust in God, and made a commitment to live my life through him. Young life is now like a family to me and i'm lucky to call it home. The friendships I made that week will last forever just like God's never ending love for us. I'm so excited to start my journey with Christ and it was all because of your donation that allowed me to go on the trip. This week truly made a difference in my life, for the better."  

Thanks for those that support this ministry.  God is using your funding and prayers to continue to make a difference in the lives of students.  If you would like to help behind the scenes check out this link below or feel free to contact me:  traceecobb@gmail.com. 

 Parents/ Adults get involved :)

I'm excited to have a guest blogger for us today- Jonathan Kindler.  YL knows that adolescent years are some of the hardest years a kid faces.  We believe the statistic that every adolescent needs 5 key adults in their life to make it through those tough times.  YL wants to be one of those.  Check out Jonathan's insight as a former YL kid and now therapist.


My name is Jonathan Kindler. I am a marriage, couples, a family therapist located in Lee’s Summit. I graduated from Lee’s Summit High School in 2003 and spent all four years involved in Young Life. Here I found unconditional friendship from leaders who became mentors guiding me to my greater purpose with Jesus Christ. Young Life is a great resource for teens to build a foundation of courage, to experience compassion, and to get connected.

Jonathan

"Adolescents are the most misunderstood people on earth."

 They are treated like children but expected to act like adults.  It is a chaotic barrage of influences, life firsts, and trials that are presented to our adolescents on a daily basis. This, coupled with rapidly developing bodies, pumped with newly introduced hormones and malleable underdeveloped brains, (not to be fully developed until the age of 25), lends us a recipe for a whirlwind of confusion. In this developmental stage, our teens are faced with life decisions that will shape their perspective of themselves and their relationships, and it will set them on a trajectory for years to come. Are you scared yet?

As a therapist, I sit with teens on a daily basis working alongside them in the uncharted valley between kid-dom and adulthood. I have found, that as much as I hope to, I cannot fully protect them from the influx of temptation they will be faced with. The objective, as parents and mentors, is to instill in our kids the resilience to withstand the craziness of adolescence. Here are five, often under-valued, essentials for helping high school kids survive.

1.  Support

Your teen needs you. They will say they don’t, but they do. They need to know that they are Worthy, even when they make mistakes. That their value is not based on their output. That they are loved and they belong. This will build resilience and courage.

2.  Boundaries

Adolescence is the stage of transition from kid to adulthood. Here they learn how to be independent. This needs to be a gradual process. Placing good boundaries, clearly stating expectations, parameters, and consequences, constructs a reasonable balance, giving parents the ability to control the rate
of autonomy. This will empower teens to make wise decisions.

3.  Purpose

Adolescence is the beginning of self-identity. Here they will explore what they will dedicate their time to, what their goals are, and they develop a vision bigger than themselves. To help cultivate this, your teen needs you to aid in creating healthy positive meaning from their life experiences. This
includes helping them process difficult circumstances, articulating and holding emotions, and challenging them to pursue achievements. This will help cultivate a strong identity and an integrated sense of self.

4.  Self Care

It is essential for teens to recharge their batteries. Eating healthy, staying active, and getting good sleep is critical. As well as having a healthy balance between academics, athletics, hobbies, and “screen time”. Spending time cultivating relationships with family, friends and God keeps them grounded.  Setting standards in these areas creates healthy resources and habits.

5.  A Model

Finally, (this is the hard one) we must be the adults we want our children to become. We cannot give them anything we don’t have. When we model for our kids how we want them to live, we build trust and confidence in them, and they experience the positive impact this has in our life.

If you would like resources for your teen or are interested in therapy for your family
please contact me. I would love to help.

www.serenitylifekc.org/jonathan-kindler
kindlercounseling@gmail.com
816-892- 0902

Day 7- Frontier Ranch

Our last day at YL CAMP!!!  It's an emotional and epic one.  I love how God meets us on the mountain and on the way down.  He is with us always.  I love that students had the best week of their life because they experience adventure, deeper relationships, freedom to be a kid, and heard truth about who God is and how huge He loves them.  Many of our students said, "yes" to following Jesus this week for the first time.  Real life and full life begins now.  Life that He promises us.  

10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  John 10:10

Some of our girls repelling down the mountain

All these students said YES to following Jesus for the first time!  

Our charter bus leaves camp at 8:00pm and will return to LSN high school by the tennis courts Sunday mid-morning.   Our students are instructed when they get their phones back (around 11pm) to text their parent an ETA and to communicate with them.  You can follow me on instagram- @traceecobb or Facebook Tracee Mela Cobb or text me if you have any ?'s 816 728 2024.

YL doesn't end with camp it only is beginning.

Check out the link below with all of our YL events:

YL EVENTS

Day 6- Frontier Ranch

Tanner and his leader Landon

Sophmore girls hanging around 

Senior girls with their leaders- Olivia and Jess

One thing I love about YL camp is kids get to be kids.  It seems simple but it doesn't happen a lot.  Back home we expect a lot out of our students.  There are pressures all around them.  They struggle with comparing their life to others daily with social media and many have experienced more pain and struggle then some adults.  At YL camp we want them to be kids.  To feel freedom, to have fun, to seek adventure, to smile, be honest, be real, and find deeper relationships.  I love watching kids be kids and watching them experience life to the full.

Day 5 Frontier Ranch

Day 5 was hard and challenging all our our students and leaders took a 4 hour hike up to the top of a 13,000 ft. mountain and a 2 hr hike down!  What a view and what a challenge.  Thankful for mountain top experiences.  YL camp is full of them.

ALL of our students and leaders make it to the top! 13,000 feet 

Our incredible leader team at the summit.  

Day 4- Frontier Ranch

Western Night

Our leaders taking pies in the face!

Western Night

Night 4 is the epic night that "never ends."  Our students were met with crazy surprises, that I won't reveal to you.  :)  In our day and age it's hard to be surprised.  And often surprises aren't good ones. At YL camp the campers don't know the schedule each day, they don't know what fun activities lay ahead.  They can't plan out their every minute.  They live in the moment at camp and live it fully.  I love that.  So last night was an amazing night had by all and it was full or smiles and surprises.  

Today Day 5 they are hiking at MOUNTAIN!!!  Pics to come!

Day 3- Frontier Ranch

Day 3.  Our students have heard 3 talks of truth at club.  Had 3 cabin times, rode horses, repelled off a mountain, participated in a rodeo, bonded with their friends, laughed, cried, and ate amazingly good meals as a family.

Our guys cabin preparing to repel 

Rodeo Night

Rodeo Night

Horse rides 

To be sophomore girls cabin

Day 2- Frontier Ranch

One of our girls cabins before riding the Ridge Runners

90's Themed Cabin Volleyball

Junior Girls

2 of our amazing leaders- looking for Nemo

Day 2.  Kids have been going full speed for over 48 hours!  They have had family meals, an epic club, a camp wide volleyball tourney, cabin time, and so much more.  They are having a blast and our leaders are tired.  It makes me appreciate our leaders.  They are in it with kids now at camp and when we get home.  We believe in earning the right to be heard and earning the right to be let in.  Our students bond with their leader at camp in a way I can't even put into words.  Our first cabin times were incredible.  Students are letting their leaders in on their life and their heart and who they really are.  Our hope is that they will continue to grow in that relationship and ultimately begin to consider a relationship with God.  Join me in praying for our leaders to be filled and full of energy as they go big and meet kids where they are.

Day 1- Frontier Ranch

They made it!!!  Our students and leaders arrived at Frontier Ranch today at 2:30pm.  They were greeted by a screaming crowd of work crew, staff, and YL volunteers all celebrating their arrival and the adventure that awaits!  We are so excited for kids to unplug from phones and busyness and plug into adventure, the outdoors, relationships, and truth.  In students free time the explored camp, hiked, shopped the YL store, some went repelling, go-cart riding, and swam in the pool. Tonight they will have their first club of camp with over 500 other high school students.  

One our our girls cabins before repelling 

The adventure begins- the first 3 minutes of the bus ride :)