A Beautiful Short Chapter

It has been an incredible spring semester and summer with central Fairfax YL. Thank you so much for your support and prayers. I have a lot to catch you up on.

To begin, I’m going to go ahead and start with the bittersweet part of this blog. I have just recently accepted a new job offer and will be transitioning out of Young Life staff.

Though I’m thrilled for my new opportunity and for what God has planned for the future, as you can imagine, this was an extremely difficult decision. I have not yet fully processed saying goodbye to the amazing adults, kids, teammates, and partners that I’ve made over the past year’s journey, but it helps to know that, with God, the best is yet to come for them as well as it is for me. Central Fairfax YL will now and always still be in His good hands.

With all that being said, I’m excited to announce that my next chapter will be teaching! I’ve just accepted a 7th grade math teaching role at Stafford Middle School. Though, I will no longer be in full time ministry, my heart is still 100% for kids and for the gospel and can’t wait to live that out in this new context.

As you can imagine, there’s much more that went into this prayerful decision that I can detail in a single blog post, but know I’d be more than happy to connect with you in person or on the phone to tell you more. I am a totally open book!

But for now, it’s time to end by celebrating. Celebrating all that God did in YL in kids and all he did through YOU and your generosity. It means the world that you supported me this year. Enjoy these highlights for now and let’s connect soon.

SPRING MINISTRY

As things started opening up in the spring we got to have some really fun outdoor events from campaigners to scavenger hunts to bonfires and tailgates.

Spikeball ministry kept on strong!

This was an amazing painting service project we got to do in DC.

Someone thought it would be a good idea to make getting in a trashcan and taking a picture part of our scavenger hunt.

Victories over the semester included meeting new kids, discipling our own, and building up a culture that would lead to an INCREDIBLE summer camp trip in late July (keep scrolling to see!)

TEAM BUILDING

We got to invest big in our TEAM this semester. That first picture was taken right after jumping out of an airplane with those great people! Even though I’m leaving staff, our friendships will remain strong and those memories will last forever. Chelsea Hugel will be taking the reigns from here and as always she will KILL it!

Me and Chelsea Hugel AKA the new boss with our officially skydiving certificates

MY ROCKBRIDGE ASSIGNMENT

Before I took Robinson kids to camp for our official trip I got to do a full month of serving rockbridge myself! I was the PITS boss.

The kids in these picture are from all over the place. I had not met any of them before my month of service but I had the pleasure of being one of their leaders and discipling/mentoring them as we all served camp together. It may have been my favorite month of the whole year I was in ministry. They told me they had the best month of their lives.

The pits boys! I cannot tell you how much fun we had doing dishes all month.

Right after the infamous Rockbridge obstacle course!

ROBINSON KIDS TAKE ROCKBRIDGE

Less than a week later it was time to go back with my own group of YL kids! They had the absolute best week of their lives making crazy memories and hearing about the Gospel. Lives were changed.

We (I) decided we were going to dress as Wild Berry Skittles for our camp volleyball tournament

I was volunTOLD to let a high schooler shoot cupcakes at me with a massive sling shot. Sometimes you have to take one for the team I guess.

Dylan thought it would be fun to make me get in the dunk tank.

And that was the best note I could possibly leave on. I will miss these kids a ton, but the good news is I won’t be far and their journey with YL will continue.

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you

For journeying with me.