YL in High School
John Overton High School is the high school I attended. Young Life clubs were on Thursdays nights. I attended my very first Young Life club spring semester of my freshman year after being convinced by some Senior boys that it would be the most fun that could happen on a week day. Little did I know that they would be right. I went to Fall weekend camp at SharpTop Cove in 2005, 2006, and 2007. It was at Young Life clubs and camp and through my Young Life leader that I first started hearing about characteristics of this God who supposedly loved me...for me. It didn't click for me right away, but after continued pursuit by my Young Life leader and by the God of this universe, I knew that there was a better life out there for me.
YL for a month- Summer Staff
The Lord called me to give up a month of my summer in 2010 to go serve at a Young Life camp in Colorado. The name of that camp was Crooked Creek Ranch and it was one of the most beautiful places I'd ever seen. My job that summer was one out of 5 "Snack Bar Girls". It was incredible to be surrounded by campers and their leaders for 4 weeks. I learned so much about what it meant to serve, even in the smallest ways like making a camper the best milkshake I had ever made or cleaning up a frozen coffee drink on the carpet with a smile and no complaints.The work was the hardest work I had ever done in my life, and the pay was...well, nothing. It was amazing to see these other college students work along side with me at this beautiful Young Life camp serving others, FOR FREE. That's right, we didn't get paid for our work, but would I do it again? In a heart beat. My relationship with the Lord grew so much at Crooked Creek Ranch, and it was also the place that the Lord wanted me to restore my relationship with my dad, and it happened. Summer Staff changed my life, and I'm so thankful to have had the opportunity to do it!
YL in College
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is the school I currently attend. I have been at this school for almost 5 years and will be graduating this May (victory lap!). I have been a leader since spring 2010 at a school called Soddy Daisy High School. Being a Young Life leader has completely changed my outlook on life and love. We, as Young Life leaders, are called to go to the extreme lengths to build relationships with high school kids and show them the Gospel by the way we live life and offer that life to them. How do we do this? We live life with them: go to the school's lunches, go to talent shows, go to games and events, go get ice cream, go sit at the park and talk for hours, go throw a frisbee, dance in a mall, and then video tape it, go "coning" (my high school friends loves doing this...you just go through the drive-thru at a McDonald's, order a vanilla cone, and when they hand you the ice cream cone, you put your hand on top and grab it with your hand on top, opposite of the way you're supposed to do it- they do it for the reaction. It's actually kind of hilarious). My favorite part of being a leader are those late night text messages saying "Can you call me? I need to talk to you about something." Those are my favorite moments: sitting and listening and loving on my high school friends, who maybe don't have anyone in their lives loving on them. I've gotten the privilege of bringing girls to weekend camp and summer camp at SharpTop Cove this past summer, and am getting the privilege of bringing girls to Windy Gap this summer!. It's been such a sweet journey and I'm so excited to see how Soddy Daisy will continue to grow next year, and the year after, and the year after, and the year after...
I'm so excited to sit in the stand and get to cheer on the people that I love (the leaders) loving on the high school kids that need love. Transformation has happened not only for those high school kids, but for my life as well.
I'm so excited to sit in the stand and get to cheer on the people that I love (the leaders) loving on the high school kids that need love. Transformation has happened not only for those high school kids, but for my life as well.
YL for a summer- Internship
The Lord called me to be at the beautiful SharpTop Cove this past summer for 3 months as a Intern (2012). Just like high school kids get to experience the best week of their lives, I experienced the best summer of my life. The Lord showed up in so many ways and opened my eyes to so many things. I came and left that camp a different person. Jesus taught me about love and how to love others even when I didn't think people deserved it sometimes; He sweetly taught me about patience and how every one that stepped foot on that camp was His FAVORITE and to treat them that way; He showed me what it meant to be pursued by Him, and that I am worthy of all good things that He blesses me with, and He showed me that He is the ultimate Provider and that all I need to do is believe and trust. I was the office intern this summer, so I didn't get to see many of the leaders or campers, but the work I did in that office is more important than anyone on that camp will ever know...I wouldn't have picked another job for me!
YL in a new role- Student Staff
I was asked to be on Student Staff this year, and work alongside 5 other Student Staffers (why I originally made this site). It has been the best/my favorite year or leading as a Young Life leader. Learning how to better communicate and encourage our leaders has been such a blessing to do it with these 5 other folks. Student Staff meeting became a place that I could just share my heart, the good and the bad, new hope and discouraging moments. I've learned so much about how to be a better leader and how to give it all to God. I'm so excited to take what I've learned this year from those people and share it with the world. I will never forget you Mary Moore, Jordan Batey, Will Conway, Bobby Fugate, Mannie Duron. Thank you for giving your life away daily.