I AM a Young Life leader!

I am an elementary special ed. teacher. I work with students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. Having kiddos for 3 years, they work their way into my heart as well as my classroom. Five years ago, I had 2 girls who were my "heart kids". They both came from hard families. Their parents were more interested in the bar crowd than sitting around the dinner table. I had had other students from hard families, but there was just a connection with these girls.

That spring Ron and I went to a Young Life banquet. (Young Life is a Christian outreach program that reaches the furthest out kids. Their motto is "Every kid everywhere for Christ") As I sat there thinking I was going to write our annual check to YL, it hit me. I was going to be a YOUNG LIFE LEADER. More specifically, a Wyldlife leader; which is the middle school program.

This has been an amazing 5 years for me as a leader. Those 2 amazing young ladies are now juniors in high school, and I have been blessed with so many special relationships with girls through Young Life.

It is said that you get back more than you receive. Remember the OTHERS blog. Well, my life has changed dramatically through Young Life. I am able to pray out loud for the first time in my life. No way could I remain timid when it was my "heart kids" I was praying for. I have had wonderful camp experiences with girls. My 4 kids are all out of the house, so I didn't have anyone to enjoy my culinary talents. Now we have Saturday morning breakfast in jammies every week. But mostly, it keeps me in His word and connected to my relationship with Christ.

I became a YL leader to show middle schoolers that no matter what is going on in your life, good or bad, you don't have to go through it alone. Now, thanks to my girls, my house is never an empty nest. It is a bustling hive of girls hanging out, drinking cocoa, and eating chocolate chip pancakes.

Oh yes, one more acquired skill from YL. I am darn good at texting! LOL

In Him,
Joyful
1-13-2010
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