It has been an exciting journey following Jesus throughout my life. There are so many significant moments in my spiritual formation, but the most central theme has been Young Life. This para-church mission has shaped my parents, their faith, my adolescence, my calling, my service, the churches I attend, my understanding of God and relationship with Him through Jesus.
Having Christian parents who volunteered for Young Life and love Christ gave me a strong foundation for my faith. At age seven, I was instructed by a Sunday school teacher to give my heart to Jesus. With the mental image of Him sitting on my heart like a beanbag chair, I began a personal relationship with Jesus. As a high school Freshman, I attended Young Life’s Woodleaf camp and gained a richer understanding of what Jesus did for me on the cross. That Summer in 1993, I devoted my life to following God. Two years later I attended a month of the same camp as a Work Crew student and experienced personal renewal through fellowship with other Christian teens.
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Not knowing what else to do, I took junior college classes and volunteered as a Young Life leader. Within months of volunteering with Young Life, I heard God say almost audibly in my head “well done good and faithful servant”. I knew God was entrusting me with a deeper calling to pursue Young Life staff. I started taking my studies seriously, transferred to Simpson University and trained to minister. Now, after eleven years on staff, I hear Jesus calling me deeper in devotion to Him. I want to grow in my instruction of volunteer leaders in their faith journey and learn to guide Christians towards service outside their church. I also am seeking a deeper understanding of church history. I feel it could be useful to know God’s past movements through his church as I urge the body to follow