Hi everyone! My name is Ellen and I’ve been a volunteer with Younglives for about 3 years now. It has been so amazing to see how God has breathed life onto this ministry over the years. I have seen Jesus meet with both teen moms and teen dads, and it has brought me so much joy to witness the redemption and restoration of lives.

Last Friday my husband and I had the pleasure of attending the Bi-Annual Giving Gala at the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity in Costa Mesa, which not only was a fun date night for us, but also was such a testament to God’s faithfulness and heart for this ministry! When we walked in, I first noticed the stunning decor (great job ladies!!), and I then looked around and was so encouraged to see the room full of both new and familiar faces. I was in awe to see the significant number of people compelled by the heart of YoungLives. The night began with a silent auction, which included so many fun items and trips! I was constantly blown away by the generosity in that room from the moment we walked in to the moment we left. After the silent auction ended, Myrna shared about how she and Yousef stepped into YoungLives and the powerful ways they’ve seen God move. I have the greatest respect for Myrna and Yousef, and it’s amazing to see the ways their hearts beat for teen moms and dads.
We then watched a testimony from one of the teen moms who found the Lord and a new life through YoungLives. Her story was so powerful, and I am so thankful that she has come to know that she is not only loved deeply by the YoungLives community, but she is also unconditionally loved by her Father in Heaven. After her testimony, we had an incredible dinner from 24 Carrots Catering (my table couldn’t stop talking about how tasty both dinner and dessert were), and we heard from speaker and author Paul Gibbs. He captivated everyone with a message centered around Young Life’s motto: “You were made for this”. He shared how through the love of Jesus we are compelled to action. We are each created with gifts and talents, and God’s heart is that we would live out the calling He has placed on our lives. There is abundant life in and through Jesus. This was such a good reminder!

The main thing I will remember from this night would be the amount of people there
who came to support this ministry, whether they’ve been involved for a few years or if they recently just learned about it. In my view, this wasn’t just a fundraiser, it was also a beautiful celebration of everything God has done, and a declaration of everything God will do in the years to come.

Thank you to all who came and all who made it possible!