Why I YoungLife

My fellow YoungLife homies and I celebrating the wedding of our beauitful YoungLife leader, Ayla.

Three years ago, my older brother went to YoungLife’s Crooked Creek camp. I had no idea what it was, or even what YoungLife was, and I didn’t give it much thought until he came back a week later, a changed man. He was truly happy, and he was on fire for Jesus. I knew that something that had so drastically changed my brother (for the better) had to be worth exploring. So I attended my first campaigners the summer before my freshman year in the small basement of Grace Chapel. I was an awkward freshman with poor social skills, and YoungLife presented me the opportunity to hang out with upperclassmen and meet new people. I wasn’t able to go to club every week because of dance, but I made sure to sign up for Timberwolf Camp in Michigan in the summer of 2013.

It was an amazing week, where I was able to slow down for the first time in a long time. I was able to relax and focus on my relationship with Christ and my relationships with others. It was one of the best weeks of my life.

Sophomore and junior year, I started going to club regularly, and I also got involved in servent discipleship. I look forward to club every week because I know it will be filled with friends, Jesus, and laughing so hard I think I’m gonna throw up.

For me, YoungLife has taught me that no matter how much I mess up, no matter how broken I am, no matter how many steps I take away, Jesus is always there. I am always loved.

I YoungLife because so often I get confused by Jesus’ unfathomable love. It baffles me that I cannot deserve or lose Jesus’ love, and YoungLife reminds me constantly that I am saved.

I think that’s why some people don’t understand YoungLife. They call us hypocrites. YoungLife challenges and redefines the definition of Christianity that has burned so many people. It throws out rules on how to ‘be a good Christian’ (as if there ever was one). YoungLife, just like Jesus did, goes up to the broken, and the lost, and the sinners, and it says, “Jesus loves you.”

And that confuses the heck out of people.

Yes, people that go to YoungLife drink, have sex, lie, cheat, mess up. It’s called YoungLife for a reason. It’s real, messy life and sometimes (or lot of the time) people mess up. People aren’t perfect, so it’s convenient that Jesus is.

YoungLife does exactly what Jesus did. YoungLife loves. YoungLife says, “You are enough, you are welcome here.”

And the beauty of YoungLife is that all glory goes to God. We end every club with a leader speaking about Jesus. Not religion–Jesus. It’s not about promoting YoungLife, and it never has been. It’s about spreading the Good News. To everyone.

And that’s why I YoungLife.

“I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest.” // ‭‭John‬ ‭10:10‬

#October2015 #YoungLife