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!

My story began in Idalou, Texas, a small farming town, outside of Lubbock. I became a Christian at a young age and my faith grew under the guidance of an amazing youth minister and his wife. After high school, I moved to Waco to become a Baylor Bear and major in Communications.

My freshman year a free taco dinner changed my world. When I arrived, I found out the meal was for potential Young Life leaders. After listening to the basics of Young Life, I was hooked.

Allison and Rere at Camp

As a junior, I enrolled in a class entitled “Poverty in Waco” where I learned the depth of poverty and its causes. Later that summer, I spent a month in Guatemala with Buckner missions, hosting vacation bible school at orphanages. Through these experiences, the Lord molded my heart towards the underprivileged. He gave me a desire to love people by helping meet both their spiritual and physical needs.

Entering my senior year, I had no idea where I was headed. But just as the Lord led me to Young Life four years earlier, He began to tug at me to go on staff.  After a series of interviews, God placed me here.

I have no doubt that the Lord has placed me here for a purpose.  After an incredible summer of camp and campaigners, I am ready and expectant for the Lord to do great things through Young Life Club and Grub this next year.

I’d love to talk more with you about what we are doing at Club and Grub. If you want to know more, please email me at turnerallison11@gmail.com

Last night was another incredible night at Club and Grub! I don’t know
how to begin to thank all of you who spent so much time preparing an
amazing Thanksgiving Feast for so many kids who voiced that they will
not even be having a Thanksgiving meal with the family.  As we all sat
together  at one long banquet table in fellowship, it gave me a little
glimpse of what it will be like to sit at the table of our Lord one
day in heaven! None of it could have happened without each of you
serving behind the scenes…thank you!

This year we are starting a Multicultural Young Life Club that reaches out to the students at Richardson High School that live in the surrounding apartment complexes. We will begin to meet every Monday night at 7:29 on September 28th, and our first official club starts October 12th. We will meet in the clubhouse of the La Mirada Apartments located off Coit and Spring Valley, which should be close enough for most kids to walk to. We will have games, music, Bible talks, and enough food to make sure each student is fed that night. We are excited to see what God is going to do in this community this year!!!