It is always special to have our entire Richardson Area Young Life family (committee, leaders and staff) together to celebrate Christ’s birth. From incredible food to fun games and great conversation, the night is one to remember. We couldn’t begin to thank everyone that played a critical role in making the night all that it was. So we will say “Thank You” to committee and the friends of Young Life that spent countless hours making sure the details of the night were just right! It was a night like none other!

Here are a few pictures from the night:

Need a cute gift for Valentine’s Day? Look no further! From Funky Hats to Cute Scarves and more… all items are $16. Proceeds from your purchase help send Young Life kids to camp this summer! Email kidstocamp@gmail.com to place your order! (Click on picture to enlarge the image) We accept cash, checks (made to YL) and paypal. You can pick your order up at the YL office or shipping is available: $4.95 per item or $10.95 for three items.

Funky Animal Hats: Black Bear, Snow Tiger, Sock Monkey , Owl, Wolf, Mountain Moose, Brown Monkey and the Rowdy Raccoon, The Lion
One size fits all.

Head Wraps: Winter White, Brown, Black and Berry Red
One size fits all.

Scarves: 

Flowered and Stripped Scarves: Multi-Color Brown, Multi-Color Teal

Fun Furry Scarves: Gray, Cream and Brown.

Fluffy Scarves: Brown/Olive and Turquoise/Gray

Just In! Scarves: Brown/Tan, Pink/Gray, Black and White

Flex Necklaces:

Skinny Flex Necklace: Silver, Multi, Bronze, and Gun Metal

Regular Flex Necklace: Multi

Questions? Email us at Kidstocamp@gmail.com. We’re happy to help!

The room burst with energy as we sang the song’s final verses and I stood in front of the crowd. My heart was about to beat out of my chest.  Inside I held the greatest news to ever grace the ears of my high school friends. I swallowed hard, and began to speak.

A bridge has been built, the gap has been filled. No longer are we slaves to our own sin, but through Jesus’s death on the cross we can be free. Jesus did not come to bring us rules. We already knew the rules and we still broke them. He knew we were going to mess up, but he chose to die anyway. The problem isn’t our actions, it’s our heart. We need a new heart…

Scanning the crowd, I locked eyes with Elijah, a freshman boy, swallowed by his yellow t-shirt. His eyes gleamed as I spoke. I beg and pray that for ten minutes, the distractions fell away.  He didn’t hear the girls whispering behind him or think about the food we were about to eat. For ten minutes I pray that all Elijah heard was Jesus and the truth of the Savior washed over him.

Like every week, the students filed into a line after the talk, eager for dinner. But instead of “The Cupid Shuffle” blaring over the speaker, songs from Young Life camp this past summer echoed off the walls. These were simple songs, but songs that spoke the truth of the Savior once again.

Please join me in praying for our students as the let they wrestle with truth.

Thank you to Julie Hess for the sub sandwiches!

A little piece of paper…

Sweaty hands thoughtfully folded it and handed it to leaders for no
eyes to see. Dozens of them were stuffed into a brown envelope and tucked away.

A little piece of paper, once insignificant, suddenly took on great
responsibility. Each one bore a secret of pain and hurt. A secret,
hidden deep behind the faces, smiles, and witty remarks of my high
school friends sitting in the room.

After listening to the story of the bleeding woman and hearing the
burden she bore alone for twelve years, we watched a video with a
series of post secrets from around the country. Post secrets are a
place where anyone can anonymously send their secrets and have them
posted online or published in a book. Students were asked to star the
back of their piece of paper if they were okay with having their
secret posted anonymously.  Here are a few-

I hated myself for what he did to me so bad that I started drinking a
lot one night. I passed out drinking.

Never ending lie.

I wish the guy who raped me would’ve killed me instead of giving me herpes.

I say I don’t miss my dad but in reality I think about him everyday
and sometimes shed some tears.

I laugh to keep from crying.

These little pieces of paper are evidence of the pain our high school
friends are facing, but thankfully the story doesn’t end there. As we
point them to the cross through their heartache, please pray they
would see their desperate need for a Savior.

Along with the banquet, this past week we also had a huge dodge ball
tournament with all of Richardson! It was crazy, but it was a great
time of competitive fun.

I am excited to finish the semester strong and see how the Lord moves
in the hearts of our students.

- Allison

Oct 28 (sorry this post is a little late!)

Jesus, taco soup, the World Series, and a homecoming mum exchange! I don’t think our Wednesday night could have gotten any better. After discussing the true meaning of grace and enjoying a wonderful dinner, students gathered around my kitchen table for a game of “Catch Phrase”.  A senior homecoming mum exchange drew in new faces to campaigners and a few of the students were quiet as we started to play. It wasn’t long before people were jumping up and down and yelling out answers. The most exciting part of the night was seeing seniors that had been reserved come to life as they tried to describe things like “turkey sandwich” and “Daffy Duck”. We laughed and laughed and laughed.  It was so refreshing to enjoy the company of old and new friends. It was truly a night to remember.

Thank you to Patti Whitehurst and Scott and Berkely Thompson for the great meals last week!

Every Wednesday 509 Dover Dr turns into a party. Last week at campaigners, Kirk Franklin shook the living room walls as students came to hang out enjoy a meal together and learn more about Jesus.

This past Wednesday was a similar story. After a few great rounds of Jenga and a wonderful dinner of salad, lasagna, and brownies, a group of about 15 girls and guys spilt into two groups. This semester the guys are looking at the idolatry of our hearts and the things we put before Jesus. The girls are studying lies that hold us captive and the truth that will set us free. It was encouraging to see students who went to camp return with a hunger to learn more about God and also to see new faces plopped on couches, eagerly listening to the gospel.
Students have already begun to open their hearts by sharing struggles they are going through and offering support for one another. We are excited to see where the Lord leads our high school friends!

Thank you to Michael and Susie Hatley for providing meals for campaigners!

-Allison

The first official Richardson Club and Grub kicked off last Monday!
Music echoed off the walls as students poured through the doors and
into the La Mirada clubhouse. The night was filled with laughter as we
sang “Ain’t No Mountain High” and we enjoyed a few “guest” visitors,
Vinegar and T-Spoon. Allison spoke about a big God that has suspended
our planet in space, but is also so intimate that He knows our steps
and the hairs on our head.

Last night we experienced another fantastic night at Club and Grub.
New faces graced our presence and it was exciting to see the room
filled with so many freshman. Seniors also stepped up and helped lead
skits and announcements. Students sang at the top of their lungs, when
we were led to an impromptu acapella singing of “Lean on Me” after a
music speaker fell over. We had more fun without the music than with
it!

Allison shared a story of trying to follow a recipe and almost
catching the kitchen on fire. She thought that she was following the
directions, but somewhere along the way something went wrong. Like her
view and idea of the recipe directions were skewed, she shared that
our view of God and Jesus is also clouded. She spoke out of John 1,
and shared how the Word took on flesh and moved into the neighborhood.
Jesus came to show us a clear picture of God and His great love for
us. Allison shared that Jesus dealt with the same junk that we deal
with, a teenage mother, people hating Him, His best friend’s stabbing
Him in the back. Students were challenged to think about their view of
Jesus and if it is clouded. After club, we enjoyed a delicious meal
together and volunteer leaders served selflessly by cleaning and
taking kids home.

Thank you to Steve and Gail Akers and to Rob and Correll Seidel for
providing meals for the past two clubs!

This Wednesday campaigners will meet at Allison’s house at 6:39 for
students who want to dig deeper in their faith!