Living a Young, Extraordinary Life

Today marks 75 years of Young Life. Whether you are familiar with the ministry or not, what I want you to know is that it drastically changed my life. I would not be who I am today if not for Young Life.

From my experience with Young Life I have discovered this organization loves making people uncomfortable. There was always a moment of doubt before I participated in any trip, because I felt that I wasn’t cut out for it. But I always stuck it out and ended up more transformed as an individual than I had been prior to the experience.

Words cannot effectively describe my experiences through this organization. I can’t put into words the feeling of understanding Jesus’ sacrifice and crying for fifteen minutes, because my heart was bursting with contriteness. I can’t express what it was like to stand on top of a mountain and throw all of my sins over the edge, or cling to God as I hiked, because I physically and mentally could not have done it otherwise. I have watched broken teens find Christ, and you cannot find something more impactful... people singing their hearts out, with tears streaming down their faces because they have seen the Light. The ever-increasing hole in their heart finally found its filling.

See, the thing about Young Life is the people. They are the coolest people you will ever meet. Every member of staff is bursting with love and encouragement. Every person I have gotten to know has been a blessing. It is one thing to grow with God, but quite another to be surrounded by such a beautiful community that shows nothing but love for one another. It broke my heart every time I left a camp, because that type of community is not prevalent in our daily life.

Thank you, Dad, for allowing this wonderful ministry to be built 75 years ago. I know I am among countless people who have a similar sentiment. God is good.

~Annah