Church has always been an important part of my life and I was worried that when I got to college, that would all change. That, thankfully, was not the case. When I first got on campus, I attended club fair to see what this campus had to offer to me. There were a bunch of different sororities and clubs on campus that didn’t catch my attention. I was beginning to worry because I thought I wasn’t going to find anything that interests me and I wouldn’t get involved on campus. Once again, that was not the case. As I was walking around, I was greeted by some very nice people who offered me free sunglasses and more information about their organization. These amazing people were the Young Life College leaders here at Radford University. They’re some of the nicest people I have ever met in my life and I’m glad I met them when I did.
Young Life has so many people involved and they’re honestly the nicest people and are insanely easy to get along with. We all get along well because we all have a common interest, our faith. We care about Jesus just as much as Jesus cared about us. The boys and girls in this organization have helped me obtain a stronger relationship with other people and the Lord himself. I was a very shy and scared person when I got here. They helped me break out of my shell and I couldn’t be more grateful for each and every one of them. They’ve become more than just friends to me, I can be myself with them like best friends can, and they care about me like my family would. They’re more than just friends to me. They’re my best friends, my mentors, my game partners, and siblings through Christ’s eyes. Two people, I met this year that I am very thankful for are two of the leaders, Sarah and Taylor. They've become such huge role models in my life and great influences. I can literally go to them for anything I need and they're always there. I love you guys so much. I’m beyond blessed to have met them all and can’t wait to see what the future holds for myself and the rest of Young Life College.
There were no Young Life organizations around where I’m from, so of course I had n idea what it was when I got here. A friend of mine that I met once I got here told me all about it and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I knew I wanted to get involved because I knew it could bring many life-changing people and events into my life. Young Life is a non-profit Christian ministry organization whose goal is to help the youth generation get stronger relationships with the Lord. Regardless of your religion, Young Life offers you accepting community opportunities to be a part of while you explore or deepen yourself in your faith. There are several ways to get involved whether it be through small groups, leadership opportunities, club events, connect, focus, or camps. There’s something for everybody and if you need help finding something for you, there’s always somebody there to help you, all you have to do is ask.
As I said earlier, church has always been a part of my life. Just because I say that, doesn’t mean I always went or that I’m a perfect child. That’s literally impossible. Nobody is perfect and everybody sins. Am I ashamed of myself at times or do I wish I made a different decision sometimes, of course. That’s not going to change who I am as a person though. I’m a mess, my life is a mess, I’m not even going to lie to you. It’s very hard to have a near-perfect life in this day and age. People are so judgmental and rude towards each other, it’s hard to have high self-esteem or confidence about yourself anymore. Young Life isn’t just an organization focused on Jesus and his life, it’s about the people involved too. It helps people discover their true self and who they are.
One of my favorite experiences I’ve had thus far in Young Life was going on Fall Retreat at Rockbridge Alum Springs- A Young Life Camp. It was legitimately a life-changing experience for me. When I signed up and paid to go, I was expecting to just go on a summer-camp-like trip like you see on TV. Let’s just say it was nothing like that. Who knew one short weekend, not even a complete 72-hour trip, would make such a difference in my life? Not me that’s for sure. Young Life camp was full of people my age who share one common interest, our love for Jesus. It’s like club at my school, but with hundreds of other people and much more fun (and amazing food). We had one leader there who was from James Madison University who would lead the club talks every time, and he brought a strong message to the camp. He taught me the love that Jesus has for me and no matter what I do or how many bad decisions I make, he still cares for me with the same amount of love he had for me as before. I would do anything to go back to Rockbridge and relive the experience I had that weekend. In a few short days, I very much believe that my relationship with the Lord was improved and is now stronger than ever. The amount of love there that everybody had for one another and the number of friends I made in such a short time was amazing.
As I’ve stated pretty much throughout this entire article, Young Life was the best decision I’ve ever made and it has changed my life in more ways than one. I strongly believe that it made me a better person inside and out and helped me share my love for the Lord with others. With that being said, I plan on attending the next leadership training available and possible to hopefully, one day become a Young Life leader myself and help make a difference in the people’s lives around me. All I need is the Lord.
“The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.” -Psalm 138:8 ESV
