Graduations and Weddings!!

...we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head...(Ephesians 4:15)

 

Friends,

 

It's the season for GRADUATIONS AND WEDDINGS, our Young Life family, included!  

 

In the picture on the left--our very first YoungLives girl, Emely, and her daughter, Martiza, at Emely's high school graduation! Emely beat the odds as Christina, Sarah Ann, and Lee kept loving on her and pointing her to relationship with the God who loves her like crazy.

 

On the right--Emily and Tyler, Young Life/YLCollege leaders, dancing at their wedding on Saturday. They are just one of FIVE NWA Young Life leader couples getting married this year. What's more--most of these 10 young men and women actually met Jesus through Young Life when they were in high school!

 

We are also excited about our college graduates moving into the business world, recognizing that as the place God wants to use them. And we are thrilled that 3 graduates are going on full-time Young Life staff--Megan as camp staff at Young Life's Southwind property in Florida, Christine as our full-time administrator, and Amy as Young Life College International staff in Germany.

 

Please pray...

 

...that Emely and our other high school graduates will continue in their journey with Jesus. Many will stay involved with us through Young Life College, some to become volunteer leaders while others are still trying to figure out what relationship wtih Jesus means.

 

...for our newlyweds, that they would represent the love Christ has for the church to a watching world and would continue to be mission-minded Christ-followers.

 

...for all our college graduates to "grow up in all aspects into him who is the head," wherever God calls them to be.

 

Thank you for being part of this beautiful journey!

God's Peace,

 

Robyn Stutts, Area Director 

Big Week Ahead!

This is a significant week! There are two important events for which we would ask you to join us in prayer.

 

First of all, on Sunday, April 27, we will place 15-20 new Young Life volunteer leaders! Please pray for us as we spend almost every night this week interviewing the 20 candidates who have been in YL New Leader Traning class all semester. We interview them to assure both them and us as staff of their calling to Young Life leadership, as well as to determine on which of our now NINE ministry teams to place them.

 

And secondly, Tuesday, April 22, is the official Groundbreaking for the premier Young Life camp about to be built on Table Rock Lake. Having a Young Life camp in our part of the world is a gamechanger for our ministry, with more opportunities to take kids to camp, while providing better use of our finances and resources. $10 million has already been raised--please pray for the additional $5million needed to complete the project. I hope you have a few minutes to check out the link to the video below--Northwest Arkansas is one of the featured Young Life areas!

http://vimeo.com/89748979 

Mid-Semester Encouragements

The last two weekends, we've had the privilege of attending both Leader Weekend and Campaigner Weekend. Both were incredible opportunities to fellowship in rich community, encourage, cast vision, and get away and rejuvenate!

We took about 60 leaders from Northwest Arkansas down to Little Rock to meet the rest of the leaders from around the state of Arkansas for Leader Weekend. It was a time to meet, share ideas and struggles, and learn from leaders in other areas doing the same things we are. It was such an encouragement to know we're not alone!

We also had the honor of hearing from our regional director and a guest speaker. Both encouraged us to be "congruent," being self-aware and understanding our deepest hurts, so that we can move forward.

This past weekend, we took 53 leaders and high schoolers to Campaigner Weekend! We had the opportunity to pour into our campaigner kids and give them a vision for what Young Life can do in their schools. It was a chance to encourage them to be a part of something bigger than themselves!

These two encouraging weekends came at a great time. As we approach the middle of the semester, it's easy for our students to get burnt out and stressed with school. Both Leader Weekend and Campaigner Weekend were good encouragements!

Goodbye, 2013. Hello, 2014!

Hope everyone had a very merry Christmas!

As we wrap up 2013, we want to reflect on some things that God did this year:

* Started Wyldlife at a new school, Ramay Junior High
* Took 56 high schoolers and leaders to camp
* Took 8 college students to Macedonia
* Took 12 college students to Work Week
* Took a handful of girls to a Young Lives weekend camp at a lake house
* Gave our high school campaigner groups vision to see YL change their high schools
* Brought on new staff members and team leaders
* Welcomed 16 new leaders to the NWA YL family
* Grew each club
* Had countless deep, intimate conversations in small groups, campaigner groups, and one-on-ones
* Sent 3 college students to summer staff
* Sent 5 high schoolers to work crew

These are just a few of the amazing things we had the honor and privilege of seeing God do in us and through us, and we are so, so excited to see what He does in 2014!

Please be praying for all of our leaders and kids over the break. Pray that they find rest as they take a break from school, but especially that they take advantage of the break and spend time in the Word. We want all of our leaders to come back refreshed and open to where God wants to lead us in 2014! 

Banquet and YLC Update!

Last week, we hosted our annual fundraising budget. Our goal was to raise $40,000 and we raised $46,000, and we thank God for that! Thank you to all of our staff, committee, volunteers, and generous donors! Thank you also to our generous sponsors: Central United Methodist Church, Penguin Ed's BBQ, General Mills, Dr. Mark and Karen Bonner, Planation Pest Services, and the Church at Arkansas.  

 

This week, please pray for our Young Life College outreach. University of Arkansas students are on fall break until Wednesday. Our Young Life College students are experiencing stress as we've reached the middle of the semester and feel a need for some rest. Please pray for our adult and student leaders who reach for the lives of these college students. And please pray especially for our college students who are Young Life leaders in each of our 7 ministries reaching junior high and high school kids, kids with disabilities and teen moms. They give many hours of their week to serve Jesus through Young Life and by mid-semester they are tired.

 

Finally, please pray for our Young Life College Fall Outreach Camp this weekend, Oct. 26-27. We have close to 100 campers and leaders registered for camp. Pray that these college students would hear the word, accept it, and that it would produce a crop thirty, sixty, or a hundred times what was sown! (Mark 4:20)

 

Yours for the Kingdom,

Robyn Stutts, Area Director 

Start of the Semester

We've had a crazy, crazy start to the semester! After wrapping up a full summer of camp trips, mission trips, and summer campaigners, we hit the ground running when school started.

We kicked things off strong with Young Life College. From a straight week of parties and tabling on campus to weekly Late Nites and small groups, Young Life College is reaching hundreds of students. Our college team is the largest its ever been, and we're so excited to see where God leads us this year.

Our two high school clubs and campaigners have started, as well. Our campaigner kids are stepping up to the plate to help lead their peers, and we're excited to see how God uses them this year.

It's no secret that Capernaum and Young Lives are hard, slow-paced ministries. They've both been in our area for a few years now, and we're so excited that they've gotten some momentum. We're confident God is doing a great work here.

We now have two Wyldlife teams and are reaching the two junior highs in Fayetteville. We're so excited about the growing teams and growing clubs. First Wyldlife event is just a week away!

Six years ago when Young Life began (again) in Northwest Arkansas, it was like trying to "till a concrete field." But in the last six years, God has taken His ministry here to a whole new level. We've built incredible relationships with more kids and students than we could have ever imagined. It's been an absolute blessing and honor to be a part of their transforming lives. And somehow in that, we too are transformed more to the likeness of Christ.

We are so grateful that God invites us to be a part of His ministry here. We're so excited to see all that He has in store for us this year, and we're so thankful that you're a part of it, as well!


NWA Young Life staff and volunteers

OUR WEEK AT CROOKED CREEK RANCH

This week 56 Young Life kids and leaders traveled by charter bus to Fraser, CO to experience "the best week of their lives" at Crooked Creek Ranch. We are a little past the half-way point of the week. 

Cy Martin, one of our volunteer leaders, shares some of his experience so far with his guys:

After just one day, all I could say was that Crooked Creek Camp in Colorado was amazing already! I love being at Young Life camp and my guys are loving it too. None of them have ever been to a camp like this before. The first club was outrageous! Tons of enthusiasm and laughter. The talk was great and set us up for a solid first cabin time. None of my guys are Christians, and none of them have anything spiritual going in their life. They are nice and not against God, but they didn't grow up in church or Christian homes and just haven't been exposed to the gospel before. 

I asked each one in cabin time why they came to camp. Each one said they came because they were pursued and because their friends were coming. They know that we're going to talk about God this week, but they haven't really thought about it past that. They have tough lives, and they have experienced life without God for 16-17 years so far. I think they are primed and ready to experience God in a huge way this week.

Day 2 was awesome. I got up at 7:00 to beautiful sunshine coming over the mountains. This was a packed day, full of activities, from a wacky sand volleyball tournament to a mountain bike ride to a "rodeo" of fun, all inclusive games, yet with lots of time to spend with some of the guys just hanging out. A BBQ dinner followed after that in the valley over the ridge from camp at the base of the continental divide 

Club was once again awesome. We sang some Justin Bieber and rapped the Ludacris part like champs. The upfront game on stage was musical guys, and the girls have to fight for them. Emily Yurwitz from our group won and we all died laughing. Steve, the camp speaker, did a great job telling the story about Jesus turning water into wine. Just like how the master of the ceremony told the bridegroom that they had saved the best for last, Steve pointed out that it took the faith of the servants to take the dirty pots used for ceremonial cleaning and follow Jesus instruction. Fill them to the brim, and then dip some out and take it to the master of the ceremony (aka your boss). Sounds easy, but put yourself in the servants' place. It takes some faith to believe that Jesus can take dirty pots and make the best wine ever in them. 

Cabin time went very well. We talked about what it feels like to get rejected, and then we talked about whether or not we've rejected God and why. God is doing great things in their hearts. I can tell that the Holy Spirit has been hard at work, because each one of them is willing to listen and be real. That's a huge praise!

The week is continuing to unfold in unexpected and amazing ways.We had a ride before breakfast on the "Claim Jumper" which is a huge swing like at a theme park. It swings way out over the valley so it's really high off the ground. At the very top where we start the cables are parallel to the ground. Several of the guys were afraid of heights and so it was a big deal for them to do it. The same guys have been having trouble letting the walls that protect their hearts down. It was a great accomplishment for them and it really helped them be open in cabin time last night. 

Steve, the camp speaker, explained at club how we keep trying to fill the void in our hearts. He has a 30 gallon fish tank on stage with him. He took a pitcher with a hole in it and scooped one of the fish out. The fish represents us, and as the water ran out of the pitcher he kept filling it up with more water. Just like in our lives we keep trying to fill our life with more and more stuff to try and have enough to keep so that we don't run out. It's just like our spiritual lives. We keep filling it up with stuff to try to compensate for the huge hole we have, and we've become really good at it. 

My guys really opened up last night. Really tough stuff in their lives that they shared. It was by far the most serious and emotional thing I've ever been a part of. It was totally heartbreaking. 

At the next club, Steve talked about our "condition." He took 1 oz of dye and said that it represented sin. Then he said "a little sin is ok right? It's not like it will affect other parts of my life." Then he poured the dye into the fish tank and the entire tank turned black. The fish can do nothing to get rid of the black, and we are just like the fish.... there is nothing we can do to get rid of sin on our own.

We've done a lot of activity since the sin talk--the ropes course (which was great for he guys to conquer their fear), a carnival, a big dance, a hike up to 10,000 ft! But the best part is coming... In club, the story of how and why Jesus died on the cross is coming. My guys are very anxious to know what comes next in the story. They don't like the idea of being helpless with sin. 

I can't wait to see what God does Days 5-7 of camp!

In Him,

Cy

Work Week 2013

Work Week at Sharptop Cove started off bright and early as 17 of us began the 14-hour journey to Jasper, Georgia. Work Week happens every year at Young Life camps around the country. College students and adults come together to prepare the property for the hundreds of kids who will be coming to camp and are introduced to Jesus Christ every summer. Going into the week, I’m not exactly sure what I expected. I mean, we would be at a Young Life camp so I knew the property would be beautiful, the food would be plentiful and tasty, and the community would be amazing. But perhaps I missed the “work” part of Work Week. Of course I was expecting to work, but I think in my mind I thought I’d be doing dishes or paperwork for a few hours each day. I do know that clearing brush to make bike trails out of a full blown forest for the next 4 days was not in my plans. Something funny about God though is that He doesn’t follow my plans, but instead asks me to follow His. The other funny thing about God is that His plans are exactly what I need and this week was no exception.

God used this week of manual labor to teach me that often times He just wants me to show up. I wish I could say this week was full of rainbows and butterflies and that every moment was fulfilling and joyful, despite the hard work. However, that was not my week. Although there were definitely times of joy, fun, and laughter, there were also lots of times of “my back hurts”, “what the heck do I know about trail blazing?” and “can’t I just take a nap?”

To be honest, that’s typically how my life seems to go. A lot of showing up, trudging along kind of moments and trying to seek God through this messy life. It’s definitely not easy and often times I fail to experience God. But when I do experience him, it’s a shining, overwhelmingly beautiful glimpse of Him. And those shining moments are so lovely and so personal that they make every blister worth it.  That’s what I see as I look back at my time at Work Week. I trusted that God would use my imperfect service to bless hundreds of kids who will come to Sharptop Cove this summer, and He ended up blessing me. As I give myself away, I experience more of Him and I am blessed.

That makes all the blisters worth it. From having the opportunity to sit on top of a mountain and pray for the kids who would use the trails we had just made to being surrounded by my Young Life family while we sang and laughed together. From sharing in worship with people from around the country to encouraging a fellow worker when we were getting tired, God used Work Week to share His love for me in a beautiful and personal way. And if I had chosen to nap instead of show up, I would have missed it.

Eva Rosberg

Young Life College Leader

YL Journey 2 Macedonia

Wow. Putting into words how incredible the time in Macedonia and Greece was seems almost as impossible as containing Christ's love in a single box. My words will never be sufficient, but I'm learning that the greatest things in this life are like that- impossible to accurately describe. So, I'm holding on hard to the images of soft, broken, desperate-to-be-loved little faces; the sweet sound of kids' laughs; the different words sung to the same tune when macedonian-speaking lips and english-speaking lips worshipped the same awesome God; the feeling of a little girl's hand clung tight to mine- despite the fact that she could hardly pronounce my name (I had even more trouble with her's). 

We had quite an itinerary this year: we did four Young Life clubs, in hopes of introducing local school's in and around Strumica and Skopje, Macedonia to what a Young Life club with their kids would look like. For those of you who haven't been to a Young Life club before- we played games with them, did a silly skit, and Martin (a local YL volunteer) gave a short Jesus-talk (or in school's where we weren't allowed to speak the name of Jesus Christ, a talk on God as creator, love, the value of community, etc.) in Macedonian. It was so so so fun. Kids laughed with us (or at us), and after, followed us all the way to our van with big smiles and waving hands, not ready to see their new American friends leave. How excited they were to be noticed, to be loved on. Even more important, directors and teachers of these school's (most of which are full of muslim or poverty-ridden families, or both) were EXCITED for their kids to be involved in this organization. Again, I'm at a loss for words to say how incredible this is. This is where the eternal impact begins, as Young Life is essentially given permission to pursue friendships with kids of these middle schools and high schools, bringing them to the love of Jesus. THAT is our goal, as leaders who only spend a matter of days each year on the ground- our hope was to help PLANT SEEDS and encourage local believers to get involved in Young Life so they will pursue kids year-round. 

We also visited a Roma village (if you aren't familiar with that term- the Roma people migrated from India- known as "gypsy's", and are very very poor). This was one of my favorite experiences of the whole trip. We played several games with them, despite their inability to understand english (duck-duck goose was a huge hit, and hide-and-go-seek turned out to be universal!!!) There was so much joy that day. Precious little girls wouldn't leave my side, and I delighted in every second their hands latched onto mine! They were simply desperate for love. I truly felt like we were the face of Jesus Christ in those hours spent laughing with them. It was an experience I will hold near and dear to my heart forever. 

A lot of time was spent getting to know local believers and sharing with them about Young Life's mission in their communities. Some of these believers included high school students from an International School's bible study, eager to evangelize among their peers. Others were local pastors, and elders of churches. One evening, we got to present Young Life to a congregation, sharing how this ministry had impacted the eight of us individually, and how we hoped to partner with them to impact the youth of their city. We also got to share a meal with some of the college students from Skopje we met last year. I was over-and-over overwhelmed by God's faithfulness to go before us and pave the way in every place we were in, and for every conversation we had. 

Our time in Greece the last two days was AMAZING. Needless to say, I fell in love with that country. We visited Thessaloniki and Phillipi. I walked the same grounds as Paul and some of the first-ever followers of Jesus Christ. Mind-blowing. We hiked to the acropolis of Phillipi, where Paul preached the grace and truth of Jesus Christ thousands of years ago. I must have had a thousand 'pinch-me-this-experience-is-too-incredible-to-be-true' moments that day. What a gift it was to see the words of the Bible come alive before my very eyes. 

If I had to pin all the Lord opened my eyes to during this into a single strand of words it would be this: His Love transcends ALL boundaries of culture, language, and ethnicity; He is desperate for his children in our own country and to the ends of the earth to know the riches of his glory. If we all live with that truth in our hearts, imagine the difference that would be made. 

Once again, this is just a glimpse into what this experience was and is to me and the rest of the team that went on this trip. We are so thankful to have had this opportunity, and hope you all feel apart of our Father's work across the world.

Lauren Bevan

Summer 2013!

We had a great end to the semester! We placed 13 new leaders, and are so excited to see what God does in the fall. But first we have BIG things happening this summer. Our second annual Young Life College mission trip to Macedonia was a huge success. We also had a team of college students at Sharptop for Week Week to get the camp ready for thousands of high schoolers this summer. More on those trips later!

Our Wilderness trip leaves in just another week! We have a small group of high school guys going on a backpacking trip in Colorado. Be praying for fun and safety. Pray that the Lord will open hearts and do great things on this trip.

Our high school trip to Crooked Creek leaves not too long after that. We're taking a full bus load of high schoolers and leaders to Crooked Creek in Colorado for a week of summer camp. Pray for spontaneity, fun, safety, and that the Lord will be working in their hearts now in the days leading up to the trip.

At the beginning of July we have Young Lives camp for our teen moms. We'll be taking a group of girls to a lake house for a few days. Pray for fun times, safety, energy, and vulnerable hearts.

We also have a number of high school and college students serving at Young Life camps either on work crew or summer staff throughout the summer. Pray that as they give themselves away, they will experience Christ in ways they never have before.

Discipleship Focus in Branson, MO partners with Young Life to disciple leaders for an entire summer. Over the last several years we've been sending college students there and they come back completely transformed. It makes significant impacts in their ministries, but most importantly in their own personal walks with Christ. This year, we are sending 11 students! Pray for transformed hearts and lives.

Last but not least, we have a bible study, Taco Tuesday, for college students staying in Fayetteville this summer. We'll eat dinner together and then study the seven feasts in the Old Testament and how they're fulfilled in Christ. Pray for strong community and fellowship.

Thank you so much for your support, donations, and prayers this summer. We're so excited about how God will move in individual lives!

Walk-A-Thon

This Saturday, April 6^th, we are having our 5^th Annual Not-Quite-5K-Walkathon. This fundraising event is to raise money for all of our summer opportunities. We don’t want money to be an issue for a high schooler who wants to go to camp or a college student who wants to go on our mission trip to Macedonia.

Our Walk-A-Thon is just a couple days away! We’re excited to walk in community around a track and raise support! If you want to send in a tax-deductible donation to Young Life and help kids and college students out this summer, you can go to Give to Young Life and check “camp scholarship.” You can donate to someone specifically by typing their name in the box or donate to camp scholarship in general and we will allocate the donation to kids who need it. You can also mail a check made out to Young Life to PO Box 1325 Fayetteville, AR 72702.

Thank you for your support! We’re excited about what God is doing this summer and are so thankful that you’re willing to take part in it! 

NWA Young Life

Staff Team and Volunteer Leaders

Har-ber Club!

Golly, where do I start? Young Life started at Har-ber high school about two years ago, and it was no easy task getting it off the ground. But God has been so faithful through the whole process, and this spring semester we finally got to launch club, one important aspect of Young Life. The fact that club is now happening absolutely blows me away. God is doing something big at Har-ber high school, and I am so excited and so thankful that He asks me to be a part of it. From the skits to the songs to the games to the relationships, I know I am a part of something much bigger than myself.

The Har-ber team was so excited to meet and bounce ideas off of each other to plan the first Har-ber club. The love and passion everyone had was so obvious and encouraging. We wanted to make sure that every single piece of club was great, even the little details, knowing that this isn’t our club, but the Lord’s. When we finally decided on the songs, the mixer, the game, and the time (7:27), I could see the excitement in each and every person’s eyes, that we were REALLY doing it! From the new leaders who had just been placed this past semester to those who have seen this thing grow from the beginning, every one of us was ready and all that talk in the past about how great planning club would be had just become a reality.

The day of our first club had finally arrived.We didn’t have a sound system, we had never used this particular projector before, some of the details were still a little hazy… But, man, did God show up. Maybe because it was our first club or that everything went so smoothly, but it was the most memorable club I have ever been a part of.  The energy, the atmosphere, everything about it was incredible. It’s hard to find the words to really describe the way club made me feel. After it was all over and our young friends had gone home, everyone on the team was exhausted. But we were so excited and ready to do it again the next week!

It still blows me away and will continue to blow me away the plan that God has for each of us. I am so grateful to be a part of a team that is just as passionate about this ministry as I am, and I am so excited to see how God continues growing Young Life at Har-ber high school!

JD Allen
HHS Team Leader

ARC 2013

This past weekend we had the privilege of attending ARC , the ArkLaMiss Regional Leadership Celebration in Monroe, LA. We brought a busload and a few extra cars of staff, committee, and volunteer leaders to join 400 other Young Lifers from Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

It was a weekend to celebrate and worship; to be encouraged. It was a weekend to be challenged; to walk away different than the way we came (Ezekiel 46:9). We reunited with old friends. We made new friends. We even got to visit Duck Commander!

The semester is halfway over. It’s easy to feel burnt out and to start dragging our feet. The Lord is always gracious in giving us rejuvenation just when we need it. We were able to walk away from this weekend with full, joyful, and excited hearts.

Some tweets over the weekend from leaders of the ArkLaMiss Region:

“So thankful for this weekend at @YLARC2013 Definitely the spiritual rejuvenation I needed! And confirmation that I’m doing the right thing!”

“So blessed this weekend. Thanks to everyone @YLARC2013 for your hard work…”

“Pretty much the best weekend ever.”

“Always super impressed by these staff and volunteers.”

“Young Life and Duck Dynasty! What else could a girl want?!”

We also made a Harlem Shake video while on the party bus down to Monroe!

Everyone Has a Story

Gregg Stutts is an executive pastor at the Church at Arkansas in Fayetteville. He is also a good friend to Young Life. As we continue telling individuals' stories in our area, we want to share this blog post that he wrote a few months ago. To see Gregg's full blog, click here.

I went to lunch today at a friend’s restaurant. Last week at this time, he was in Houston at MD Anderson waiting for the results of his latest scan. Unfortunately, he found out the next day his cancer is back.

While at his restaurant, he pointed out a guy who has a similar type of cancer that’s even more advanced. The doctors told him there’s nothing more they can do. If you were to see my friend or this other guy, you’d never know they had cancer.

After lunch, I was in Wal-Mart and got into a conversation with the greeter that probably lasted thirty minutes. As we talked, she told me she started singing in bars in 1958 at the age of 13. She’d make more money in two nights than her dad did in two weeks working for Philips Petroleum. At one point, she and a guy named Harold Jenkins won a singing competition. Harold later changed his name to Conway Twitty.

She also knew Janis Joplin who called her one day and told her to get to Love Field (Dallas) where she’d pick her up. In a plane. Janis said they were going to a concert in upstate New York. The year was 1969. The concert was Woodstock.

This woman has a story. So does my friend. We all do.

Everyone has a story.

Some of us are in a good part of the story. Health is great. Job is going well. Finances are in good shape. No major relationship problems.

But others are in the midst of a story they never wanted.

The person who cut you off in traffic has a story. Maybe he’s been unemployed for two years and is embarrassed every time his wife and kids have to go to the store to buy groceries with food stamps. And now he’s late for a job interview that could change everything. He didn’t mean to cut you off. He was just in a hurry and didn’t see you.

The girl who sits near you in class has a story. She’s friendly, pretty and smart. But her dad is an alcoholic. Sometimes things get out of hand. That’s when he hits her mom. Like he did again last night. They’re too scared to call the police.

The man in line behind you at the store is addicted to pornography. The shame and guilt are killing him.

The woman in front of you buying the diapers isn’t buying them for her baby. They’re for a baby shower she’s going to. She has no children and recently miscarried for the third time.

I’m as guilty as anyone when it comes to forgetting all this. Someone was tailgating me the other day and it made me furious. Later, I thought about how I should have stopped in the middle of the street and had a “talk” with the person. I felt wronged and wanted revenge. But what if it was someone who was late for something important or just had to go to the bathroom really bad?

That person had a story. I just didn’t care.

What if I did care though? What if rather than being angry, I just pulled over so I was no longer in the way? And if pulling over wasn’t an option, what if I simply took the time to remember that everyone has a story. Including tailgaters.

What if my prayer for others was the same as Paul’s greeting in Ephesians 1:2, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Isn’t that what we all want and need? Grace. And peace. From God our Father. And from Jesus.

The next time you and I are tempted to get angry or defensive or ignore someone we cross paths with–what if we at least took the time to ask God to give them grace and peace?

Because everyone has a story.

What’s yours?

Living in Real Community

This past week at Young Life College Late Nite, we had the honor of hearing from guest speaker, Matt Mooney, founder of 99 Balloons. To read more about this foundation, click here.

Matt shared briefly with us the importance of real community. We have an innate desire to be relational, to live in community. But often in this busy, independent world we isolate ourselves. Real, rich community is a choice. Proverbs 27:17 compares it to “iron sharpening iron.” It can be challenging and painful at times. But it is always full of joy and freedom. And it is good. When we live in community we are living life to the full.

As the semester picks up and you get busier and busier with your schedules, we want to encourage you to choose community that will strengthen, encourage, and sharpen you. And we hope that Young Life can be a place where you find that. 

A UA Student's Story

I remember the first time I ever heard of Young Life. It was my sophomore year in high school, and I was just beginning to find my identity as a Christian through a cell group with my friends at my church. It wasn’t enough though. I found myself slipping into the same harmful routines. I was introduced to Young Life by a few of my new friends from school, and proceed to continue with it throughout high school. The first club I ever attended was ultimately my favorite one. I remember wondering why everyone was so friendly and honestly just weird. For the first time, I realized that I could be around people that didn’t judge me. People that liked me for me. I was hooked after that, and knew I would continue going from then on.

The first event I ever did with YL was summer camp to Frontier Ranch. It was one of the best weeks of my life. Period. The months preceding the camp, I didn’t know how I would pay for it. Luckily, I was able to work different jobs and fundraisers to raise some money.  We worked at a few different homes just cleaning, organizing, or doing anything they needed us to. That's when I really started to see the depth of YL and how many hearts Jesus can reach through it. I had never experienced such a welcoming group of people, whether they knew me or not. When I got to camp I had an incredible experience. The things I learned, the people I met, and the relationships I built from it really helped show me God's love for me. I understood why and how I wanted to pursue a relationship with him and that I wanted to live life to the full.

School progressed and the burn to pursue Jesus grew stronger and stronger. My senior year in high school I saw myself transformed by the people around me. I was realizing that this was something God wanted me to be apart of. My boy and YL leader, Carlyle, came up to me one day and told me about an upcoming trip this summer. He explained it was different than camp and that it would be a handful of senior guys or veteran camp goers to go backpacking in Colorado at a camp called Wilderness. I agreed to go and began the ritual worrying of how I was going to pay for it. I began doing fundraisers and got to go on the trip. From seeing the storm chasers to sleeping outside of a motel in a van, we finally arrived to basecamp. I just want to say that this was the best week of my life. I almost died twice, and learned so much about the nine guys I went with. I was so moved by the love of Jesus these men shared. I was even more moved by the way we got through the toughest of situations: Me getting altitude sickness and having no inhaler for my asthma. Sliding down loose dirt toward a raging river, not knowing where to go next. The list is endless.  My heart felt so warm and full, just from the fact that men like me were pursuing Jesus.

One of the last things YL led me to was small group. During my first semester of college I was invited to have small group at my leader’s house every Monday. Last semester we studied the journey to becoming a better man. I can honestly say I am a better man. Just by admitting that I have flaws and becoming vulnerable with this group of young men, I took a huge step into that journey to becoming a better man and the journey to pursue Christ. Without YL in my life, I fear I would have never gotten to experience these wonderful people in my life. God used YL to lead me to Him and He succeeded.

Dmitri Love

University of Arkansas, freshman

A Wyldlife Leader's Story

     Where do I even begin? I guess I could start with the fact that I grew up in a warm, loving Christian home, but the truth is that I did not know Jesus personally until very recently. I lived life with Jesus in the back seat, only going to him when I needed him. I knew there was something missing in my heart. Throughout high school I tried filling that hole I felt with popularity, good grades, material possessions… But I never felt whole. No matter what I did, I always felt worthless. The comfort and self-worth I got from my successes never lasted more than a few weeks. All along I knew exactly what I needed, but it wasn’t until my life completely flipped upside down that I truly met Jesus. 

     Toward the end of my freshman year of college at Texas Christian University, I found out that due to finances and the increase in tuition, I could no longer afford to stay. During this time my dad lost his job, my mom was diagnosed with diabetes, and I was about to leave the country for 2 months on my own. I got on a plane to Costa Rica, so overwhelmed and stressed and clueless of what I was going to do with my life the following year. To make matters worse, I landed and met my mama tica (Costa Rican mom I lived with) and she didn’t speak a word of English. While in the mountains of Costa Rica I remember coming to terms with what had previously happened back in the States. I knew change was needed, and so I asked Jesus to come into my heart and transform me. From then on, God has been in the driver’s seat and my life is changed forever. I no longer feel the weight of it all on my shoulders and I feet a part of something greater than this world.

     God was with me when I decided to attend the University of Arkansas and He was with me all the way through that transition. I had been involved with Young Life back in junior high and high school and absolutely loved it. When I came to Arkansas, I immediately started leader training and was placed on the Wyldlife team this past semester. I am so pumped to start next semester sharing God’s love with junior high kids; a love and a presence that is so persistent and perfect. It’s no surprise that I have been the happiest I’ve ever been since meeting Jesus. He is always good.  He is always kind, forgiving, mighty, wise, compassionate, understanding, merciful, sovereign - you name it. My God is everything. And I’m so excited about what He has invited me to be a part of here at Arkansas!

Logan Marx,

Wyldlife

 

A YLC Leader's Story

     This semester we’ve had a series of blog posts highlighting each ministry. As the semester wraps up and we enter Winter Break, we want to switch gears and tell individual’s stories, of both leaders and kids, of how Young Life has changed their lives.

     My mom went on Young Life staff when I was 5^th grade. My dad became a pastor when I was in 9^th grade. Needless to say I grew up in a Christian home, going to church, going to Young Life. I went to camp every single summer, as a staff kid on my mom’s assignments and as a camper with our area. I also worked at a camp for a month my sophomore year of high school. I always heard amazing stories of God transforming lives at camp. And I was jealous that that wasn’t me. I wanted to want it, and when I didn’t get it, I grew resentful and angry. My freshman year of college I went through training to be a Young Life leader and was placed on the Young Life College team at the end of that spring semester. I was completely absorbed in the Christian culture, but it didn’t mean anything to me.  I had my “other life,” making more than my fair share of mistakes.  It wasn’t until my sophomore year of college that I genuinely started walking with Christ.

     Summer after my freshman year, I begrudgingly spent ten weeks at Discipleship Focus in Branson, MO. Growing up in a Christian home, I expected a lot of the material to be familiar to me. And a lot of it was. But the more I spent time in the program, the more God whispered secrets into my ears; secrets that every Christian should know. But few do.

     At the end of the summer, I moved back to Fayetteville to begin my sophomore year at UA. I stepped into my new leadership role with confidence and excitement. It didn’t take long before the life I had previously known started creeping back in. I got frustrated at how easy it was for my fleshly, worldly desires to take control again. It was the perfect opportunity to take what I had learned that summer and put it into practice. But it was hard. I failed over and over again, but God was always faithful to remind me of who I am and bring me back to Him.  

     I also grew frustrated with my leadership abilities. How was I supposed to lead a group of girls when I was either being a hypocrite or simply had no answers, no idea what to do? I felt incredibly inadequate and unqualified, and often that translated into passivity and failure.

     There was no defining moment or event where things turned around. But somewhere along the way, over the last year and half of being a Young Life leader, God has confirmed that, no, I’m not qualified for this. But that’s when His glory is revealed. When I am having to depend on Him through my weaknesses, He is able to show His strength. It’s still a process. But as I make myself available for Him to use me in His ministry, I am continually blessed with a transformed heart. I couldn’t tell you when it happened, but I am not who I was a year and half ago. I’m not who I was six months ago. God has used Young Life, specifically Young Life leadership, to transform me more to the likeness of Christ. He took something I was bitter and resentful of… and made it beautiful.

Amy Stutts

Area Admin, Young Life College Leader

Polar Bear Weekend!!!

     Last weekend I drove to Baum Stadium parking lot to find dozens of kids and leaders dancing around cars as they waited, giddy to head to Castle Bluff for a retreat called Polar Bear Weekend.  For two days each Fall, leaders all over Arkansas get to spend intentional time with the kids we’ve been chasing after all semester.  I was especially excited on Friday when I saw that two high school girls I’ve been meeting with had sleeping bags in hand and playlists ready for the drive.  

     Over the next two days we sang (yelled, really) at club together, shared dry shampoo (showering is overrated), took a ton of selfies (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=selfie), all mainly while talking in accents.  I love how fun Young Life is, but I also love the fact that you get so “real” with people.  Sometimes I think the kids teach me more as a leader than I teach them.

     One of Jesus’s most challenging commandments is to love others.  It sounds so simple, and I would say most Young Life leaders genuinely want to love people (or else they wouldn’t do all that they do).  However, this becomes really difficult when the theory of loving people is actually a reality, especially if those people are different than you.  I am always very humbled when I realize I will say I want to love the poor, but when the poor aren’t victims in a far-away place but are people who are around me so much, who test my boundaries, who annoy me, or seem to poke right at my insecurities, I quickly realize I have a very big need for the Lord.  

     So, this weekend there was one of those moments.  A very precious high schooler from another area started gravitating toward our kids.  Angel* was an outcast among her peers as she did not have the social etiquette that some are taught at home.  She was sweet and excitable and absolutely genuine.  All Saturday afternoon we had free-time at camp, so our kids wanted to do outdoorsy things, but Angel really wanted to play a game.  As she thoroughly explained the rules, hoping peers would want to play, and as she sang Disney songs all afternoon, you could see high schoolers make snide remarks and want personal space.  But then that moment happened.  As others were backing away and finding other things to do, Alex invited Angel to do the ropes course with her.  Angel was scared to do it, but Alex patiently listened to her talk about games and sing songs, and then helped her overcome her fear afterward.  Alex genuinely met Angel where she was.  Alex got it. Alex was not only a believer in Christ, but a follower.  Alex loved the poor in spirit, and she was an incredible example to her peers.

     Moments like that are the reasons why I will go through a hundred moments of sacrifice for a kid.  Jesus changes people, and I believe it. He loves people for who they are, but He also knows the people they were meant to develop into. It is a joy to be a part of that—to see a kid changed by the Gospel; to be a new creation.  Alex is just one of a ton of kids in Fayetteville who are EXPERIENCING Jesus.  Praise the Lord.

*All names are substituted to protect kids.

Katherine Haworth, Fayetteville High School Leader