You Don't Know What Makes You Beautiful

LBP and Bre

This past semester in the Southern Counties area is a perfect picture of how life normally goes: some clubs appear to be doing well and some clubs not as well; some leaders are excited to be running the race and others are tired; some of our high school friends have been as involved as ever and others have seemed to fall off the face of the earth. The refreshingly good news in all of it is the Lord's steadfast faithfulness. Whether club appears to be successful or not does not stop the Lord from loving us unconditionally and lavishing even our farthest out friends with His love. Whether leaders are excited or exhausted doesn't change the fact that God is graciously using them and molding them into the people He desires. Even if our dear friends have pushed us away, they cannot escape the grasp of the Lord. The only reason we can love Him is because He has first loved us. He doesn't need us to do ministry, but He wants to bless us and change us through the process of ministry, all the while using it to change others.

We had the privilege of bringing a junior to camp last summer who has acquired the nickname "LBP" (creatively using her initials as a nickname, only the most creative people can do Young Life...). She hadn't come out to many events in the spring last year, but I knew her really well from soccer, and knew she loved the idea of Young Life. After going to camp she was committed. Not just to me, not just to Young Life club, but to the Lord. She saw how the Lord had changed people at camp, and she wanted Him to do that to people she knew at school.

Even though LBP is a ball of energy, she's not the most outgoing person, so getting people to club was hard for her. I talked to her all semester about what it looks like to really care for people, and by the grace of God this year on the soccer team we have 7 freshman that she got to love and invest in. All of the freshman girls on the team look up to LBP and think she's the cutest girl ever (if you know her, you know it's impossible to NOT think that about her). So she slowly started talking to girls about club, which they are extra curious about because I'm their coach and the Young Life leader.

Two weeks ago at club was an extremely joyful night for LBP. Two of the soccer girls came to club and had a blast. One of them even brought her older brother that's a senior at the high school. After club LBP was experiencing pure excitement because she actually felt like the God of the universe was HERE to work in people's lives. She felt like their lives were going to be changed and that she somehow got a front row seat to watch it happen. LBP is now learning what it means to make disciples of all nations (or of all classes in her high school), not because someone got up and talked about it, but because someone got to walk through the process with her.

 Please be praying for the freshman girls on the soccer team and LBP. Pray that they would feel loved by her enough to follow her everywhere, even a silly thing like Young Life, so that they can encounter the God of the universe that wants them to know that He loves even THEM.

Seniors OWN

You are. My fire. The one. Desire. Believe. When I say. That I want it that way. Tell me Why.

If you don't love music from the early 2000's, then you must not work with high school kids. Tuesday night was full of laughter, ridiculous songs, questionable games, and a message that will not soon be forgotten. Senior run club. A Solanco tradition (you know... all 2 years of our existence). The seniors own the night. Leaders help write the club talk, but other than that we are kept in the dark. And we like it that way, because our seniors run club better than we do.

The night was amazing! Energy was high all night, right through the club talk and into burger king. The way they led the games was funny and engaging, and they worked as a team. Laura and Holly (picture right) gave the best camp sell just because of how they feed off of each other. The seniors could read how the crowd was feeling about songs and games and adjust accordingly. Not only was the night amazing, but they were amazing.

I was asked what my favorite part of the night was. To be honest, it was when two of my really close friends got up to share with their friends what sin is and how it effects us and the world. Caleb (picture left) explained what a lot of people, including himself until recently, think sin is: the bad things we do. But it's so much deeper. Sin is a condition of our heart that we can't seem to fix ourselves. We try so hard to just be good people and do the right thing, but we can't do it. So it's got to be something deeper. Then Caleb confessed some of his sin to a room full of people he sees everyday. He talked about how he takes it as a personal challenge to make people like him, and he does that to build up his pride and to feel better about himself. Then he apologized to everyone in the room for not treating them the way they deserve to be treated.

Next, my close friend, Shira (picture below), got up to confess as well. She talked about how she always desired to be needed, and how that would come out in a lot of unhealthy ways. She was honest and vulnerable in her confession. Then she talked about how there has to be a punishment for sin. She gave the illustration of how she broke a light in someones room and hid it so they wouldn't know. She didn't have to take the punishment, but the person had to pay for a new light. Someone had to pay for it. So what is the punishment we have to face? It's eternal death: separation from everything good (love, relationships, success, and ultimately God). But we also have hope, because eternal life is an option, which is the opposite of eternal death: living in everything good.

They came up to me after club saying they couldn't remember anything they said. The Lord spoke through them last night. He also spoke to the hearts of all their friends there, especially to the hand full of people that went up to them after club and at BK to talk about their club talk. Shira and Caleb experienced the Lord teaching them something very profound by taking a chance and proclaiming the message that has changed their lives. They were terrified, but the Lord used them in such an amazing way. They didn't just teach their peers last night, they taught me too. They taught me about community, being vulnerable, and taking the time to think things through. They taught me faith. I am so grateful for my friendship with them.

Love,
SLC YL

The Best.

This semester has been kind of ridiculous. And by kind of, I mean really. There has been so many great things happening in the midst of difficult things, but I suppose that's what was meant in Ecclesiastes 3:4 "a time a weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance". There has been beauty in the midst of pain and the presence of the Lord in darkness.
Club has slowly been growing all semester, and this is something to celebrate because our campaigners have been reaching out to new people and caring for them so well. To the left (in the middle) is Shira. She's a senior at Solanco. Behind her is Julia, a freshman. Julia and Shira eat lunch together and are forming a really healthy friendship. To the left of her is Owen, another senior. Owen is a great guy that finds excitement in his care free, "scary", lifestyle. Both Owen and Julia keep hanging out with Shira because they know there's truth to what she tells them about life. To the right is Shayne. Shayne is a junior that plays drums at club. He loves club and loves to invite new people. Shayne has a really hard, unfair, life though. He loves club because he is cared for there. He's not over looked or even looked down on. In the front is Lydia, my co-leader. She sacrificially gives of herself to make all of those people, her friends, feel loved and valued.
I can give you countless stories of our campaigners taking chances. They bring people to club, some not even their close friends, just because they want them to experience Christ. Mike has been investing in some underclassmen guys that never stop giving him a hard time. Mike isn't the most popular guy in school, but he brings new people to club just about every week. Laura is a senior that is caring for the freshman girls on the soccer team and earning their trust so they will follow her to club. Shira drives 45min to pick up a mini van full of freshman to drive back to her house for club. Caleb cares for the guys that lead music with him (a full band with drums, electric guitar, bass, acoustic guitar, and singers) and is always thinking of the next person that will love club. Frank has finally been able to get his little brother out to club after trying for over a year.
There's story after story of campaigners that want their friends at club to hear the Gospel, and that is a demonstration of their faith that God is who He says He is, and that He changed their lives forever. What makes it even sweeter though? The cherry on top, if you will? My amazing co-leaders. Tom and Lydia (picture to the right) continually show up in the lives of our friends to SHOW them that they are worth it. Tom has gotten countless kids to club because he shows up to lunches week in and week out to talk to kids and meet their friends. Lydia has gone to just about every midnight opening of a movie with girls and has had sleepovers with them to listen to them talk about their lives and point them to Christ. We get the privilege of loving our high school friends unconditionally and living life along side of them. We get to love each other. I have the best co-leaders I could ask for not just because they love me well, not just because they love kids well, but because they love the Lord and are pursuing Him. Which, coincidentally, is why we have the best campaigners too.
We are blessed beyond measure.

Thank you for all your love and support.
SLC YL (Solanco Young Life)

I met her up in Deleware

Last night Solanco Young Life celebrated its second annual Christmas party. This party includes both current students and alumni and is a fairly unorganized chaotic mess of fun, laughter, and gift giving (and stealing). We dress in the Christmas spirit, except for me (someone has to be scrooge), play the white elephant gift exchange, and listen to conventional and unconventional Christmas music (if you've never heard "Favorite Christmas Story" by Capital Lights it comes highly recommended).

As you can see from the blurry picture, we had over 40 kids in the Kauffman's basement. Last night was just incredible. People who normally don't hang out or associate together were jumping around and dancing to music, were throwing pretzels into eachother's mouths, and laughing about the randomness of the white elephant gifts. Tom still reigns as most creative gift by bringing a urinal painted yellow with a smiley face inside. Oddly enough, Owen and Anthony actually fought over that gift.

Owen has been one of the highlights of club for me this year. To paint a picture of who Owen is: He's kind of a punk kid that likes to drive fast, break the rules, and freak people out. He brought an 8ft red boa constrictor snake to the party last night. He gives his friends tattoos himself and regularly gets in trouble at school for being disruptive. One of the first times I met Owen he had what I thought was a bloody knuckle. Apparently he just painted it on. He had me believing he was in a fight and punched some kid in the face. Someone told me it was fake, and I looked at Owen and said if he tells me it's real I'm going to believe him. Obviously he lied, but I'll continue to believe him when he tells me things. For what it's worth, I actually don't think he's lied to me since that night.

During the sin talk this year I was pretty sick and was losing my voice quickly. I had a glass of water and a music stand with me up front and we joked about how all I needed was stool and I would look like a stand up comedian. The drummer, Shayne, quickly gave me his stool, and I set my glass of water on it. Owen asked if he could sit on it during my talk, so I handed it to him in the crowd. I quickly realized this was a squeaky stool. I told Owen he had 10 seconds to get all the squeaking out, but it would distract me the rest of the night if he kept doing it. To my surprise, Owen was hanging on every word I said that night. You could hear a pin drop in the room as I talked about the condition of sin that we all have, and that God didn't leave us out to dry. He did something about it.

As you celebrate Christmas this year (what God did about our condition of sin), please celebrate with us all the things the Lord has done. He's brought kids like Owen, Will, Derrick, and Nate to a Christmas party to celebrate with Christians like Tom, Lydia, Shira, Caleb, Jesse, and myself. Emmanuel, God with us, is with Owen and working in his heart as his friendship with Tom continues to develop.

Let's pray boldly for miracles this upcoming semester, and let's love people ruthlessly and sacrificially. Not only did God come to earth, but He entered our wicked hearts and is changing us into the people we were always meant to be. That's a life long process that I am so blessed to be a part of in girls like Tori, Kayla, Alyssa, and Celeste (even if they don't know it's happening).

Truly, have a Merry Christmas,

Love,

SLC YL

Tell me whatcha want

Club night is pure chaos. For those of you who have experienced it from the leaders end, you know exactly what I'm talking about. You're constantly running around, getting things together for games and songs, practicing your talk, trying to make kids feel welcome, stopping kids from doing things that are too stupid, while also trying to keep the energy level up. My favorite part of the evening is after club when we all go out to eat. Not only is this just a chill, unorganized, time, but it's a time to talk to our friends and really get to know them.

A few weeks ago the Solanco leadership team had an interesting situation to handle. As I'm driving girls home, Lydia is the last person to get to Taco Bell. She sees a group of guys walking across the parking lot to the dollar store, so she decides to join them. As they are leaving the store, Paul* pulls a candy bar out his pocket and laughingly says "hey, look at what I got!" His friend, Rob*, laughs, and Lydia shockingly asks if he stole the candy bar. He says yes, and then eats it right away.

I get a panicked phone call from Lydia, and once she explains my first reaction is anger (like any good Christian). She talks with our other co-leader, Tom, about the situation, and decides she can handle it. She goes up to Paul and tells him she's going to go pay for his candy bar. Paul says he will go with her, and Rob says he wants to go too. Lydia gives Paul the money and he bangs on the doors on the dollar store, as they are locked and all the lights are out. Someone inside shouts that they are closed, and he shouts back "I stole something, I just wanted to pay for it!". Long story short, Paul shoves the money through the door crack as Rob is in the background saying "It's so easy to do the wrong thing, but so hard to make it right" (oddly profound, I know).

At this point, you may be thinking that Lydia is a really confident person who knew exactly what to do in this situation. However, the exact opposite is true. She is petrified, especially considering this is the first time Paul has ever come to club! She feels like she didn't do anything right. But as they are walking across the parking lot one last time, Paul begins to profusely thank Lydia. He thanks her for challenging him, and for making him think about what he was doing. Before he leaves he gives her a huge hug and says he's coming to everything Young Life from now on.

Sometimes, we just don't know what the right thing to do is. But praise the Lord that He can use all of our fumbling efforts to care for, challenge, and point each other towards Him. I'm not really sure who learned more that night, Paul, Lydia, or maybe even Rob, but I do know that the Lord used Tuesday night to teach us all about who He is.

*Not real names

Love,
SLC YL

I'm holdin' on

There's really not much better than good clean fun. I mean the innocent kind. Fun untainted by competition and masking who you really are. This is the kind of fun we had on Tuesday night at our all area barn party.

Will K screamed and jumped up and down on a hayride as we swerved all over a field. Megan had a beaming smile on her face as we sang songs sitting on hay bails. Will G quietly watched with a smile on his face and his hands by his side the whole night. Maybe this is how life is supposed to be. We played silly games, cheered for each other, sang songs, listened as Theron talked about how we all want to have a good life, we rode an extreme hayride, and sat around a bonfire. There was no drama. There were no fights. Our campaigners had a direct opportunity to stop thinking about themselves and just serve.

Life makes a little bit more sense when it's not all about me. When I get a taste of true humility. The only way to find true humility is to see the grace that has been lavished upon us. I'm going to hold onto that.

It feels so good to have clean feet!

Tonight. Tonight. There was a party at the Fredrick's. Top of the world. Tonight. Tonight.

It was a night of firsts and lasts.

First official club of the year! Legit. Jesse's last club before heading off to the Navy. Sad. Tom's first Homecoming proposal. From a freshman. And Holly's last time eating Hot Tamales. Saucy!

Our first club included a bunch of kids from Octorara, who were checking out club to try to get Young Life started at their high school. Music was loud, kids were cheered for as we played games, and we talked about the questions we all have about life. We got to see many new faces. It was packed!

Since it took us (one of us) foooooreeeeeeevuuur to write this most recent blog post, our second club has also already come and gone. This has definitely been the best club we've had so far! We met some more new people, a few freshman, a basketball player, and two crazy southern hooligans, who came to invite us all to the All Area Barn Party next week. In Nottingham.

God truly blessed us that night with energy, smooth transitions, and excited kids--all despite our somewhat tentative expectations at the beginning.

Pray for us as we continue to love and pour into the lives of these teenagers and help them love each other well.

SLC YL. Out.