CleveCo goes to Colorado, y'all - June 28-July 8, 2012
I was thrown head first into my role as a Young Life leader the summer after my freshman year in college on our 10 day cross-country trip to Crooked Creek Ranch in Colorado. 19 years old and solely responsible for a cabin full of 14 girls, most of whom I was less than acquainted with, the Lord wasted no time working in my life. A three-day-two-night-sleeping-on-the-floor bus trip, stops in cities often topping triple-digit temperatures, too much fast food, and ceaseless top-of-my-game perkiness left me all but spent before we even arrived at camp. Thankfully, the Lord tapped hidden energy reserves within me and I laughed, sang, cried and grew to deeply love my cabin of girls, enjoying every beautiful moment of our trip. Crazy energetic "up for anything" spirits, hulk-ripping t-shirts, sunburnt scalps, spilled nailpolish, the girls relentlessly protecting me during our obstacle course, having the world's messiest cabin, "alti-toodies," not being able to walk anywhere without becoming breathless, profound and raw cabin times, pies in the face, puffy paint, Enos, square-dancing, way too many attempts at match-making with the summer staff, overcoming fears, "hydrate or die," forming new friendships, dominating at slappy points, "go big or go home," letting my girls get away with almost anything, growing, learning, and laughing in the name of our precious Savior. I could not have asked for a more perfect summer camp trip. So thank you girls for becoming some of my closest friends
Shelby High's First EVER Campaigner Week - June 17th-22nd, 2013 at Carolina Point
Shelby High YL girls teamed up with Burns YL girls and spent 5 days at Young Life's newest camp. This trip was meant to provide an opportunity for second timers (and those actively involved in their Campaigner groups) a chance to spend some time with each other away from home, centered around Jesus. Because the camp was so new, and because our girls desired to grow closer to Jesus, much of the week's set up allowed us to focus on each other and on personal time with the Lord. This first phase of Carolina Point included a dining hall/club room combination, no pool, no designated snack bar, and only 2 dorm cabins for all campers and summer staff/work crew. It was such an incredible feeling to be among the first campers EVER to sleep in our beds and ride the infamous zip line course. I can't wait until these girls and I can look back and tell stories about the time we spent here during Carolina Point's opening summer. Truly an incredible experience.
Fall Weekend at Windy Gap - September 20-22, 2013
Fall Weekend always comes and goes as if it never actually happened. This year was incredible and filled with so many campers that we took 3 buses for Cleveland County. Having the opportunity to return to Windy Gap after serving in the kitchen on Summer Staff in May/June was a blessing. I had come to recognize its grounds as home. I have also come to know so many Shelby girls as friends. Not only am I served great food, get to go crazy/crowd surf and sing songs at club with 300+ people, get to tell 30 people that I'm not in high school, get to spend time outside in the mountains (always wonderful), have a huge sleepover in a not -dirt-floor-no-electricity-no-running-water-cabin, I get to do all these things with some wonderful friends. Every fall weekend I am thankful for friends who I get to share memories with, friends who get the opportunity to hear about Jesus with me. This fall weekend I was able to wrestle with some super hard questions in cabin time with some of the girls I've grown to know and love so much. I am thankful for these hard questions. I am thankful for opportunities to grow in my own relationship with Jesus. I am thankful for friends to share struggles and instant coffee with me in the leader lounge. I am thankful that I only lose sleep for two nights on weekend camp trips. But most importantly, I am thankful that I get to take these memories and friends home with me.
Shelby High Seniors! Class of 2014