Last Club, Best Club

This is certainly a season of lasts, and while some of the lasts are celebratory (the last presentation, for example), others are on a more sad note. One of those being my final YoungLife club, which happened last night. I was somewhat involved with YoungLife in high school, moreso going to camps and weekend retreats than club and campaigners, as I had volleyball practice on Monday and Wednesday nights, the nights of club and campaigners, respectively. 

Wilderness Ranch '09

So, I wasn't the most active YoungLife attendee, so I wasn't even aware that YoungLife was a thing in college. Well, that all changed when I got a call from a woman named Jordan, asking me if I wanted to be in her small group. Not really knowing what I was agreeing to, but wanting to quickly get involved in things, I said yes, and she said she would be in touch about a weekly time to meet. Small group led to club on Sunday nights which led to leader training which led to me being placed on a YoungLife, or more specifically, WyldLife team in Northwest Austin. I have posted about this many times before, but YoungLife club on Monday nights became a regular part of my college experience. Singing crazy songs, playing outrageous games, making middle school and high school kids eat or drink weird things, dressing up in bizarre costumes - this might not sound like the normal college experience, but it quickly became a very normal part of mine.

And as many times as I was stressed out with a million other things that I felt like I should be doing, I always ended up having a great time just being a kid with my sweet girls. Last night was my very last club, and it was honestly one of the very best. So many of my girls were there, the backyard where we had it was sweet - complete with an in-ground trampoline, volleyball net, and inflatable water slide. The perfect weather made for such a sweet evening with so many wonderful people. It has been a privilege to walk alongside these girls, watching them grow from quiet, crazy seventh graders, unable to stay focused for longer than 10 minutes at a time, to confident, adventurous ninth graders who ask tough questions and have learned to take ownership over their faith.

I can't wait to see where the next three years take them, and if any of you girls are reading this, know that last night was not good-bye, only a see you later, and each and every one of you is always welcome in Houston. More on that later! Anyway, I am thankful for the organization that is YoungLife, the leaders I have gotten to plan and lead with, and the sweet girls I have gotten to lead. If they have learned even half as much from me as I have learned from them, then we're all doing just fine. What a sweet ride it has been, and it couldn't have ended on a better note.