No post last week because I was out of town. I’m back though. Yes, yes…working on my fall calendar now. Believe me, I am back and it’s booking up fast!
Here’s a copy of the newsletter I sent out to some of my precious Young Life support team about our recent trip to camp! It was wonderful!! Enjoy.
Can it seriously be August already? Surely I am not the only one in denial of how quickly time is flying by! I want you to know what an incredible summer it has been and how unbelievably grateful I am to watch the Lord at work through Young Life.
Last week, we took students to Frontier Ranch, Young Life’s beautiful camp in Buena Vista, Colorado. 50 degree weather, gorgeous mountains all around, adventure at every turn and a camp filled with adults genuinely pursuing the hearts of high school students for the sake of Christ. It was awesome.
I thought you might enjoy a glimpse of how I saw Jesus at work this week:
(*Names have been changed to protect confidentiality.)
Selena*: On the second night of camp, Selena shared with our cabin “I’m an athiest and have been for years. I know Young Life is a place where anybody can come and have fun, but I also know there’s this spiritual side of it, too, and I’m ok with that. When I’m honest, I really want to know more about that side of things. Because maybe I’m open to changing.” After a week filled with fun, laughter and a steadily building relationship with Selena, I was shocked by how she seemed to flip a switch on the last day of camp. That morning, she cussed me out multiple times for no reason, followed by hours of an angry silent treatment directed at me and another leader, Shea. After yelling at her cabin mates, Selena finally talked with us. Through many tears said “It’s just that I’ve never had anybody who cared like this and I don’t think it could be real.” We talked and I shared the hope of Christ with her, telling her I could give her all sorts of tips but at the end of the day, the only thing that can really change a heart is Christ. My desire wasn’t to pressure her to accept Christ in that moment, but rather to give her something to think about the next time she felt herself begin to question. She sat by me on the 15 hour bus ride home. No real conversation, but no longer angy. We slept, listened to music, and watched the Jackie Robinson movie “42” on my iPad. I gave her a hug when she went home and prayed once again for her heart, believing that someday she might come to know Jesus. Little did I know, on her own, she prayed to trust Christ with her life while we rode home from Colorado. She shared this with us a few days later. I’m still a bit speechless. Praise Him!
Anna*: On a one-on-one the last day of camp with 15-year-old Anna told me her history of abuse and brokenness. All week long, she resisted anything deep. She pretended to sleep during our cabin time, though she came alive during anything fun. As we talked with our feet dipped in the pool, I expected a very surface level conversation, but, instead, she hugged me tight and bawled at the thought of going home. Anna told me about how she finally had hope because of Jesus changing her heart. I was amazed. She is absolutely a treasure and because of her unique homelife, I’ve invited her to stay in my guest “room” (aka – twin bed in a closet, let’s be realistic) as often as she’d like. I continue to pray for her safety and hope to see her often this fall!
Jenna*: I got to rejoice with Jenna after successfully hiking Mt. Chrysilis on Thursday. This hike is hard!! 14,000 foot elevation and a solid challenge even for those in excellent shape! Jenna has battled her weight all of her life and has years of “I can’t” instilled in her mind. This line of thinking has led her to incredibly low confidence, and, subsequently, to partying and drugs to make her feel normal and accepted. Half way up the mountain, she was begging me to let her stop the climb. But that’s not how this hike works. We all make it to the top. Her friends and I helped her step by step, and she dug deep to successfully make it to the top. That night, muscles aching from a days hard work, Jenna and I talked. I saw her smiling and looking at a rock she had picked up at the top of the mountain to keep as a memory. She told me she’d never finished something when she thought she couldn’t do it. She was used to giving up, and this was the proudest she’s ever felt of herself. I was proud of her too! We talked about how, even spiritually, maybe God has more in store for her than she has begun to imagine, and she revealed that she has never really believed that could be possible. Her joy and increased confidence was worth every step up that mountain, and I am eager to see how God uses this experience to shape her view of His plans for her life.
Mallory: On a personal level, I was surprised by the vivid reminder of God’s faithfulness as I returned to the place where I spent 5 weeks last summer on crutches with a broken ankle. Last summer, God patiently taught me to rely on him, not my own ability or strengths. It was hard, so hard, very humbling, and unbelievably growing for me. Returning a year later, leg fully healed and heart stronger through it all, made me want to fall down and worship this friend, Jesus, who has been near through it all! Because, you see, he knew what he was doing all along. And somehow, he knew I needed a hot pink cast and crutches to remind me how desperately I need him and prepare me for every step of this ministry.
The Lord is so good. So unbelievably creative. So capable in ways I can only begin to fathom. You are a huge part of his work this last week! Thank you for your prayers, support and encouragement. Know that you are remembered often, and always with a smile and a prayer of gratitude!
Please continue to pray for his work through North Dallas Young Life as we begin the new school year. May the Lord’s name be lifted high in the least likely of places!
All my love,
Mallory
mallorybea 