Why I love YL

There are so many reasons why I love my job in Young Life ministry! But for lack of time, I'm just going to explain what today looked like for me...and let the following pictures tell the story.
Today, I started the morning, as I do every morning, with the distinct priveledge of praying for the lives of kids at 2 5A high schools to be changed! Afterwards I attended a Pep Rally at one of the schools that I do YL at. Kids couldn't believe that I cared to come. There I met an orphan that had been so in the local area all of his life. Before the pep rally a mom had called me saying she didn't know what to do with her daughter who she found out was addicted to drugs and very sexually active and begged me to please help her. So after the pep rally I met with said girl and had a great talk with her over coffee. I introduced her to a devotional, journal and bible and see much hope. I have been walking through life with her for some time now. In just a few minutes I am meeting with a boy for ice cream (along with another guy leader of mine) to talk about his struggle with sex with his girlfriend and how he can be a man of God. He asked. After that I am attending a high school football game to encourage my kids that I care and to meet more hurting souls. I don't have time to include all the countless texts and phone calls that I have received today from hurting kids in need of hope. But may you get a glimpse of kids faces who...
have brain tumors, bring their babies to YL, invite me to sleep overs and earn my trust after living way different previous, hundreds of lost kids who come to YL for fun yet end up finding hope-Jesus-and someone who cares, kids who only had a have bday cakse made only by me-not by a caring parent, found Christ through YL and shared their story at our recent banquet, hiked over a 14,000ft mountain with me in Colorado this summer, found Jesus in Colorado this summer, see life can be fun w/o partying, still need Jesus but are hearing the story, and who know now that someone cares. This is just a small glimpse of why I love my job and pray for more support in it! :) And this is un-edited due to lack of time.... :)

It's back!!!!

Yes, it's that time of year again...THE RED CHRISTMAS CUPS AT STARBUCKS ARE BACK!!!! Woo-hoo! :) What excitement rushed through me lastnight as I was made aware of this. I was holding interviews at Starbucks for new volunteer leaders for YL and the 1st to arrive was this sweet, innocent young man that had to witness me in child-like thrill and proceed to take pictures of me...ha. Lights are starting to go up as well...I love this time of year! :) Enjoy the Holidays friends! I will with Jesus and a good cup of coffee in a great looking cup! :)

Checkers

As I was sitting at my hair dressers today (getting my head fried under the giant blow dryer that was drying my "glaze") I was bored so preceeded to play a game of checkers on my iphone. Normally the stupid computer beats me everytime. I rarely win. But not this time! I beat that machine in 60 seconds...woo-hoo! To which I pondered, "How? Was it just luck?" Nope. I had a different strategy this time! Normally I never jump the computer's checkers if I know that it can jump me right back. But today I didn't care. I had been at the salon for so long and I forgot reading material and I was bored. So I just kept jumping the computer's checkers knowing that it could very well jump my checker right back. But it worked. And it was after that discovery that I had an epiphany...I normally play checkers just like how I approach life. I am scared to get "jumped" so I make no move and therefore always lose. Yet today I RISKED and I lost a few checkers but I ultimately won, and still with a lot of checkers left on the board! We must risk sometimes with the Lord. It's scary but He takes care of us. Just TRUST. Currently I am in a season where a lot of wisdom is needed as I wait for God's direction. It's not time yet for me to risk but now I know when it is, wherever God leads, I will be OK. Thank you for lessons, Lord! And thank you for enabling me to forgive the checkers iphone game after a certain someone ruined it for me...ha. :) With that being said, here is a picture of my hair cut. My mom saw it and said, "Yuck. You look so old. I like it so much better longer. Why do you keep cutting it." Nice! :) Well, I like it...I like a change! I can't believe that I am doing it, but here's a compare and contrast...Ok, So I am going to grow it back out. :) I just pulled a Jennifer Aniston. Wish I looked like her too...ha. :) Ok, well I'm off now to teach campaigners to my YL folks. We are learning about holiness. God, may we live holy please! And gracious Shepherd, I ask you for wisdom please!