I was a sophomore in high school when my best friend suggested we start going to this thing called Young Life. I did not understand what it was until she finally convinced me to go. This article is not about how it was love at first sight with this organization. It was a relationship, which means it needed work.

When I first showed up, I was nervous and surprised. I was nervous because this was something new and I was surprised because some of the people I saw there would be considered the ‘popular kids.’ These were the kids who went out on Saturday nights and somehow made it to church on Sunday. They were the ones I went to elementary school with, but for the most part avoided eye contact with in the halls at my school so I could pretend I was the one choosing not to talk to them when it was really them who had completely forgotten about me. I didn’t understand how or why ‘these’ people were voluntarily involved in a Christian organization.

I didn't like it at first. I was scared that I would get called up for a game or that someone would make fun of how I sang, but I somehow managed to keep coming back. Maybe it was because the adult leaders would show up at our school lunches to reach out to us mere high schoolers or maybe it was the way singing praises as a group made me feel closer to God. All I know is that by the end of the year one of my friends had convinced me to go to Crooked Creek Young Life camp.

I still remember the feeling I had when I got dropped off at the bus to go to Colorado. I was terrified. I looked around and I only knew my friend Holly and a few semi-recognizable faces surrounding us. The good and bad news was that there were only about 10 girls going on the trip. In my head, this meant either everyone was going to become best friends by the end of the trip or some massive drama was going to happen. Don’t get me wrong, with that many girls living in close quarters there was some drama, but surprising God did some amazing work in us during that week. We bonded and grew closer, not only to each other, but also to God. I grew closer to our Young Life leaders and made a special bond with the woman who is still my mentor today. Young Life took me outside of my boundaries and showed me that it was okay, and even brave, to try new things. Not doing something was not always the reaction one should take when you are scared. It showed me that I could climb a mountain (with some major encouragement) and swing on a GIANT swing (not going to lie I cried on this one). It showed me that the ‘popular kids’ are just the same as everyone else. They are not perfect and neither was I, which meant everyone had something in common. It showed me how a group of girls who are all so different only need God to bond them together.

Yes, YL camp was amazing and yes, I was on what some would call a ‘camp high’ while I was there and for a couple of weeks afterwards, but YL did not stop there. I came back having made some amazing friendships and I started going to YL club every Monday and Campaigners every Thursday. I grew closer to some girls and farther from others but I grew in my relationship with God more than ever during my junior and senior years. A lot happened during these two years and Young Life was always there. Whether it was through a friend or leader consoling me when I'd come to them about the struggles I was enduring, or just showing up at Young Life and having the time of my life every Monday (who knew Mondays could be so much fun?), I learned so much. I learned not to be afraid to play a game in front of everyone there, but to WANT to participate. I found that I didn't care if people thought I was a bad singer or dancer and I learned that it was not the end of the world if I made a fool out of myself. It brought me out of a dark place even if the people involved in this wonderful organization didn't realize it.

Young Life then did an amazing thing: they allowed me to be a Freshmen Young Life Leader. I was one of a few seniors chosen to lead the incoming freshmen in their endeavors with Young Life, God, and their first year of High School. It was an amazing experience. It showed me that I could be a leader and how much influence you can have when you are the old one in an organization. Young Life continued to lift me up when they asked if I could take a small group of girls to Crooked Creek the summer after my freshman year of college! Some of the girls going to camp were ones I had lead in Freshman Young life, but I was still nervous and did not understand how they thought I was capable of leading them at camp. Young Life and God showed me again that fear should not stop us from doing what we are called to do. Taking those girls to camp was one of the best weeks of my life. I got to watch them grow closer to each other and closer to God. We cried, laughed, screamed, and danced together.

This organization showed me how simply asking a girl who you just met if they had heard of Young Life can change lives. I say lives because this girl started going to Young Life regularly and became a dear friend of mine. Not only that, but her senior year she became the President of Young Life at our high school and was able to influence the new ones in their journeys with God. (I remember actually crying tears of joy when I found this out.) It showed me that EVERYONE deserves a chance to get to know God and that I still had a lot to learn about Him. Young Life showed me how even people you seem to have nothing in common with can become your best friends.

I currently still talk to my Young Life mentor and meet up with her when I’m back in my home town. Last semester, I took a break from college and two of the leaders who had been at my high school were now in charge of Houston Young Life College and graciously allowed me to become their intern for the semester. Even today, God keeps using Young Life in my life. Thank you to Young Life, my leaders, and my friends for changing my life for the better.