As a sophomore in high school, I had just transferred to a new school. Fortunately, I had a few friends who had decided to attend this high school all four years and weren't starting a clean slate. But, even though I had a few close friends, I didn't know anyone really. This was the same year that I had been invited to attend Young Life, found the friends that I am closest to today and met someone who changed my life forever: Brittany Rimmer. Brittany was my Young Life leader in high school and without her, I never would have found Him.

Brittany,

From the time that I began Young Life during my sophomore year, you were nothing but welcoming to each and every person who came to join. You were so enthusiastic to meet me and anyone else and equally, if not more, enthused to teach us about Him. Meeting you was so incredible. Having someone who genuinely cared for me and what was going on in my life was incredible.

You have such an amazing soul. Your fire for the Lord shows in all of the work that you do for Him. And without you, I never would have found Him. His love is proven through the work you have done and will continue to do, the way you light up when you speak His word and through your everyday life.

You were the one who I first told that I had accepted Him. I remember the night so clearly. The speaker from camp had us spend time sitting in silence outside somewhere to pray and talk to Him. During this twenty minutes, I sat beside the lake and opened up about my life and was brutally honest with myself and Him. It was a chilly night at Lake Champion, but warmth washed over me as I prayed and asked for forgiveness. Afterward, you and I talked in the stairway of our cabin about that night, and as I admitted that I had accepted Him, emotions took over and I cried tears of happiness.

Thank you for the endless love that you have given to me and the rest of Young Life. You truly care about each and every person you have come across. You care about their life, their problem's and their faith. Thank you for teaching me about His love. Each and every time that we spoke about Him in club or campaigners, you spoke with such confidence in His love. Thank you for all of the hard work and dedication that you put into making our Young Life community everything that it is today.

You supported, and continue to support, each and every individual. You came to countless sporting events that you had youth participating in or attending. You were always a text or a phone call away when someone needed advice, including the endless times that you were there for me. You still talk to the individuals that you had in Young Life whether that is by a text, phone call, or meeting up.

You inspired so many young souls. Look at how many of the people in our little community came to be leaders! You taught us about God and created that strong base in our faith that we needed to pursue being a leader. I know this semester I wasn't able to pursue the path of being a leader, but I plan on doing so next spring. And I would never have had the confidence to pursue that or the love that I have for Him without you.

Brittany, thank you for all that you have done for me, the other students who came to Young Life and the individuals around the world that you have touched through doing His work. You have been so successful in spreading the love and Word of God. You truly are an inspiration.

Thank you.