“Three years ago I attended YoungLives Huntington Beach Club for the very first time. I had just turned eighteen years old and I was seven months pregnant with my daughter. I was very alone, and so broken. 

After my very long, exhausting, and complicated week of giving birth, I had Maria Jude. I took her to YoungLives camp when she was only six weeks old, and that is where I asked Jesus to take control of my life and my broken heart.”

These are a few of the details I shared at Huntington Club this past Thursday night. I was given the opportunity to share my testimony alongside three other volunteers and it was amazing. I was hesitant to open myself up on a stage, in front of teenagers, and share such intimate details of my story. 

• What if they couldn’t relate to me?  •What if I didn’t say what they needed to hear? •What if I had something in my teeth?!

These thoughts ran through my head beforehand, but as I began sharing they disappeared. 

I looked into the crowd as I spoke and felt overwhelmed by the amount of compassion these teenagers had for ME! What a shock! As a volunteer I find deeper admiration and compassion for these young parents at every single club I attend, but I never thought that I would receive that back from them. 

Seeing that many of the mothers at club could relate to my story just affirmed even more that YoungLives is where I am called to serve. 

I entered the evening nervous about what everybody would think of me, but I drove home that night with a full heart and spirit. Sharing my testimony blessed me so far beyond my expectations. 

I often look back on my own time spent at club as a teen mom, and I remember every testimony that was shared so clearly. When somebody would share their story with us, it stuck. I saw the way God worked in their life, and it encouraged me to wait and see how He was going to work in my own life. Hearing testimonies of others has a huge impact on planting the seeds of faith, and I think they are so important to YoungLives and the community we serve. 

I want to encourage you, if you are ever asked to share your testimony, to prayerfully consider saying YES! For me, it brought joy from depths I didn’t know existed. 

♥Jayanna Hendley, YoungLives Mentor