Clint and I had no expectations of what this night was going to look like, but tears were shed, laughs were laughed, prayers were prayed, and Christ was present! Raleigh and Western Wake said "Good-Bye" to about 20 faithful leaders. It is overwhelming to think of the lives touched and changed by these Seniors in college. It is wild how many hours are sacrificed a week in this room of young people, about 2,250 hours a week are given to pursuing high school kids, middle school kids, and college aged kids... now that is community changing!!
So, it is Greater Raleigh Young Life's tradition to honor the Seniors that are leaving this ministry and moving on to adult life/graduate school/marriage/etc. Clint and I fell under this category this year. It was an emotional time for us because I was a high school kid that my Young Life leader set in this room and prayed for me, I was a Young Life leader in this room who prayed for girls at Leesville Road High School, and now I am a Meredith College Life leader who sits beside my serving "MCD" (Meredith College Divas) in this room. Clint has sat in this room as a Leesville High School Young Life Leader, sat in this room as a Garner High SchoolLeader, and as a Raleigh Young Life Staffer, and now he sits beside boys who have met Jesus who are now loving High School Boys at Sanderson, Millbrook, and Enloe. Let's just say there are A LOT of ripples in this room! WE LOVE THESE PEOPLE! We love this ministry! We love Raleigh! We love Garner High School! We love Meredith College! But, more then anything in this world we LOVE JESUS!
My 2 favorite thing said on Sunday night came form the lips of Mike Strawbridge (via Courtney Lancaster) and from Clint Rouse.
Mike said, "Satan is really mad about what is going on this room!"
Clint said, "The Lord could have done this ministry any way he wanted, but he chose US, he chose US because He had something in store for US in this ministry!'
This is so true! Yes, we got to see lives changed! Yes, we got to serve Jesus in countless hours sacrificed to loving people! But, it is undeniably true that Jesus changed Clint and I's heart, our marriage, our home, how we love, through this ministry of Young Life. And for that we are SO THANKFUL! We are SO GRATEFUL!
Clint and I are SO excited about the journey to come in Kinston, NC! WOW! We are prepared, excited, and anticipating our socks to be knocked off by what Jesus had in store for us there. And to that we say, "BRING IT ON!"
Here is a picture of the Garner Young Life Team "stacking hands!" We do this after every time we are together! This isn't the last time we do it, but it is a fun time to remember!
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