I am amazed to see how God has worked in YoungLives North OC over the last 3 years. One particular thing that has completely taken me by surprise is seeing teen dads start regularly attending YoungLives alongside the teen moms. We didn’t expect this when we started a ministry for “teen moms” but we quickly realized that it was an open door from God, telling us to enter what was before us and mentor these teen dads. Over the last 3 years, we have seen many teen dads become men, with jobs and responsibilities, and fathers, desiring to provide for their families.
One story that stands out to me is about the boyfriend of a young girl that my wife mentors. After getting to know the girl and her baby, we asked about the baby’s father and found out that he was in juvenile hall. When we asked why he was there, she told us it was for gang related issues. Over the next 2 years, the boyfriend was in and out of juvenile hall several times and even missed his baby’s first two birthdays. But he stayed in touch with his daughter’s mom and heard about her involvement with YoungLives and that she and their baby had been attending church on Sundays.
After the last time he was in jail, my wife and I had the opportunity to meet this teen dad (at the time he was 17 years old) and we invited him to come to church with us. At church, he saw his daughter run up to people she knew, hugging them. Seeing that so many people knew his daughter by name touched him deeply. And now, for more than a year, he has attended church every Sunday!
This teen dad wanted to be in his baby’s life every day, and now he wakes up to her every morning, knowing that he will be a loving and supportive father to her. A few weeks ago he got his first job. And I’m so proud of him! He is working hard and getting a new start at life with his family. I know that the future will be bright for all three of them!
“‘For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord. ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.’” -Jeremiah 29:11
Webster Dictionary defines “blessing” as – “the act or words of one that blesses”.
YoungLives Committee members, Tom & Colleen Drew, welcome the volunteers!
Last week the YoungLives Committee had the privilege of spending an evening humbly trying to thank all the many volunteers that fill in to make YoungLives not only operate, but to be the outreach of love, encouragement and FUN it is today. When I was asked to share with you a bit about the evening, I thought the best way to do that would be to tell you about these volunteers.
These are the folks that define “blessing” by their “acts or words that bless”:
SET UP & TEAR DOWN CREW: One of the newest teams added to the YL army are those that come early and stay late. They pop up tables & chairs, take out the trash, vacuum the crumbs and put the tables & chairs away – they move in and out like ninjas and we are so thankful to have them!
GREETERS: Sign in sheets, name tags, pens, smiles, hugs and a warm “WELCOME, glad you’re here”. They meet the teens, the volunteers & families at the door pouring out love before anyone even steps into the club room.
Delicious food from Joey’s Pizza
FOOD PREPPERS: The meals are planned, shopped for, prepared, carted in – piping hot, served with smiles, cleaned up and carted out. At times they have miraculously fed the multitudes with fishes and loaves and other times they box up the leftovers for the young moms to take home – We LOVE this crew!
CHILDCARE CREW: We started this club year with a stomach flu bug that spread like wildfire through our childcare and yet, these folks were not afraid! They show up knowing they are entering the bewitching hour for babies – bottle time and bed time! And so beautifully and with such grace, they take in the babies to feed, rock, play, soothe, change, cuddle and love giving these teen parents a needed break from their little ones.
GAMES & SKITS TEAM: A really sweet time of the club evenings happens just after the kids have been dropped off into childcare and the “teens” get to participate in some wacky little game or skit that gives them a few minutes “to just be kids”. Thanks to the Games & Skits team who is not afraid to embarrass themselves or the teens!
PRAYER TEAM: Intercessory prayer is such a gift of the Spirit and knowing that the teens and their families as well as all the volunteers & supporters are being prayed for is HUGE. This ministry is dependent on God’s will and we thank the prayer team for praying into it!
CRAFTERS: If you walk into this room during club night, you see the heart of YL in action. Girls and mentors all connecting with each other. Glitter & encouragement are sprinkled, glue and lives are bonding. Things get created in this room and it is/they are beautiful.
Worship time led by Rock Harbor’s Worship Academy
DADDY MENTORS: When this YL club first started, the vision was to reach out to “teen moms”, but as we have watched the ministry unfold, God had plans to reach out to “teen PARENTS”. So, while the girls go off to the craft room, the guys also gather together.Thank you to the men that have reached out to these young guys in friendship, consistency and accountability.
CLUB TALK: Being vulnerable, honest, willing. Sharing life and Biblical truth to a sometimes restless group – this is where the teens get to hear about the Lord. For some of them, it may be seeds planted, for others it has been the message that changed their life. – Thank you to ALL those that have taught and shared Christ with the teens during the Club Share portion of the evenings.
MENTORS: They’ve paired up, driven countless miles after texting, waiting, loading car seats, bucking in and delivering. They’ve visited, tutored, polished nails, shopped, shared, listened to stories they never really thought they would have to hear. They’ve loved unconditionally, gone to camp, dried tears, baptized, cuddled babies, shown grace, shared Jesus by action and maybe by the Word. All this and more – mentors…you are amazing and without you, there is not a ministry!
FUNDRAISERS: Banquet Dinners and Silent Auctions, Ice Cream sales, Pancake breakfasts and Craft Fairs, and so much more – they’ve given time, money, ingredients and endurance – all to keep YL going and to keep sending teens to camp! We are blessed by these folks!
COMMITTEE: We’ve met, planned, budgeted and prayed over the ministry. Such a privilege to serve along side of such smart, energetic, Jesus loving people – Thank you Committee Members!
SPOUSES, KIDS, PARENTS OF VOLUNTEERS: Thank you for sharing in the ministry by giving up your family members for volunteer time – also, for the times they have volunteered you to help out “just this once”! – Thank you!
Volunteers had fun connecting with each other!
OUR MINISTRY PARTNERS: Calvary Chapel Refuge, Mariners Church, First Christian Church, Templo Calvario, St Peter’s By-the-Sea and Rock Harbor – without them this YL club would not have had the opportunity to grow to what it is today – they have strengthened, encouraged and given so much. They pour out and into this ministry in quiet ways that are not always known publicly…we are humbled.
During the evening, I refrained from calling out any names, many of the volunteers serve in many areas and whether it has been one event that they’ve have helped with OR they help every month, we want them to know – this ministry has been BLESSED by all the time and love given.
But I couldn’t pass up the chance to acknowledge our Lord, Jesus Christ who gets ALL the glory in this ministry. We continuously pray for HIM to be the center of all we do. Without Him at the head, this is just a program of works that will not last. We look to Him for wisdom, discernment and strength. We stand amazed at what He has orchestrated and accomplished in the last three years and we thank HIM for what He continues to do in YoungLives.
And finally – though they are almost like one name since they move in this ministry together – Myrna & Yousef. They have been a part of EVERY area of YL and daily continue to do so. I know that God is the center of their lives and marriage and that He reveals Himself through them by filling them with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. They have never desired man’s accolades for what they do. They give relentlessly, they love unconditionally. They stand firmly grounded in Christ and act according to His direction. They are never afraid of seeking out Godly wisdom from others and they are never afraid to state the TRUTH of God’s Word and lead with that as the backbone of their actions.
Every YL teen KNOWS that they can call on them and… they do! We call on them as well. As much as we try to lift some of the responsibilities from them so they don’t get worn out, we cannot keep them out of the middle of most every situation that YL faces – they live and breathe this ministry 24/7. They are precious examples of servants of the Lord they serve – completely taken by Him and living for Him. – THANK YOU MYRNA AND YOUSEF!
“Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”
We’ve all heard the saying, “It takes a village” when people talk about raising children. And we are here to attest that “It takes a village” to run our monthly club! We are constantly amazed by the fabulous volunteers who pour out their time, energy and love into making club welcoming, fun, meaningful and special each and every month. This year, Laurie Bradley stepped into a new role as Club Coordinator. Each month she worked behind the scenes to make sure we had volunteers to cook and deliver a delicious meal, a childcare team to care for babies, a team to welcome moms and their babies, a team to lead us in fun games, a craft team, and someone to share the club talk. We asked Laurie what it meant to her to be the Club Coordinator this year and this is what she said:
Laurie doing one of her favorite things – cuddling a sweet baby!
“I’ve been so blessed by relationships with the teen moms this year. Last year I served in childcare and I was able to get to know the babies but not really their moms. This year I was able to get to know teen moms personally. I was so blown away by their desire to be open and honest about their lives and struggles. I was able to offer motherly advice, pray with and just listen to them. It was a huge blessing for me! Also, getting to see the girls engage in relationships with each other and their mentors was really special. I’ve had a front row view watching the body of Christ work together to make YoungLives happen – people with different gifts, skills and passions all working together to serve teen moms, dads and their babies. Watching God work in the lives of these girls and guys as well as all of the volunteers has been amazing. I love serving in this ministry!”
We are so grateful for each and every volunteer who makes YoungLives possible. It truly is a beautiful picture of the body of Christ working together, each in his or her own gifts!
“In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” Romans 12:6-8 (New Living Translation)
Last night was our last regular club gathering of the school year (next month we have PROM!). And we wanted it to be a great night, a perfect night. We wanted to end the year on a high note and so we planned for that. We had a silly game where girls were blindfolded and had to determine the flavor of baby food. We had a fabulous lasagna dinner our volunteers lovingly made. We had a fun, summer theme for decorating the tables. We had a great photo album craft planned. And we had a powerful message all ready to go. And then despite our best laid plans, life happened. Mentors had last minute change of plans and couldn’t drive girls. Girls had last minute work or school conflicts and couldn’t come to club. Volunteers who care for babies got sick. Traffic was horrible and people were running really late. It was feeling like a recipe for disaster.
Crystal, Fatima and baby Leah
If I’m honest, I started thinking, “Really God? But we planned a great night. And we wanted all of the girls to be here. And we had a perfect night planned and it’s about to be ruined!” And in that moment, I heard the Holy Spirit’s still small voice say, “I know all about it. Instead of complaining or freaking out, just talk to me about it.” So right there in the hallway, I prayed. “Ok God. I really don’t get it. But I trust that You do. You know who is here and I’m trusting it’s exactly who you want here. You know every little detail and I’m not going to worry about it because you know all about it.” I took a deep breath and headed back into the group.
Pastor Andrew Schey (campus pastor for Rock Harbor Huntington Beach) was sharing his story of meeting Jesus and the transformation that happened in his life. You could hear a pin drop in the room. Then he invited Myrna up to share her story. She shared boldly and honestly about some of her darkest and most difficult moments. How God has redeemed the hurt and shame of the past and turned it into something beautiful. How God called her into ministry to teen moms in ways she never expected. How God created beauty from ashes.
They were raw, moving examples of the Gospel – that Jesus died on the cross to save us and all we have to do is say “yes” to Him. Andrew gave everyone the opportunity to say stand up and say “yes” to Jesus. It was a bold call to action. Stand up in a room in front of your peers and say, “Yes. I need Jesus and I want everyone to know.” Slowly one girl stood. Then another. More followed until 5 girls were standing. And in that moment, none of the earlier chaos mattered. None of our planning mattered. The food, the games, the decorations, the craft…they were just extras. Because God was working in ways we couldn’t see. He was doing something far more powerful than we could ever have planned for. He was working in spite of the chaos, in spite of our best efforts. And at the end of the night, 5 girls said “yes” to Jesus.
This is why we are here. This is what life is all about. None of us can do it on our own. We need Jesus. We need the transforming power of His love. Only God can redeem the hurts and pains of the past. And only God can exchange beauty for ashes.
“To all who mourn…he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.” Isaiah 61:3 (New Living Translation)
About 6 months ago a sweet 16 year old mom name Jackiey added me as a friend on Facebook and our friendship began! As we exchanged messages, we quickly realized that we lived pretty much across the street from each other. Jackiey is the mother of a beautiful 2 year old, a senior in high school, and working full time! The more I talked to her, the more I was impressed by her maturity and her plans for the future. Because of Jackiey’s work schedule she has only been able to attend a couple of YoungLives events, but over the last 6 months we have developed a friendship. Jackiey helps out around her house by picking up her elementary-aged sister from school every day. Jackiey’s walk to the elementary school at 2 o’clock is our hang out time. We meet at the street corner and we walk to the elementary school, talk about life, the past, the future. I have been so blessed to get to know Jackiey and witness what an incredible mother and young lady she is!
Jackiey’s sister, Celina, walking my dog, Habiby
Jackiey would tell you that before she had her daughter Faith, she was up to no good – running away from home, lying, stealing, using drugs, and fighting with others. When her daughter was born, Jackiey realized she could lose her daughter if she didn’t make some real changes. She stopped using drugs cold turkey and decided to focus on school. On Wednesday of this week Jackiey celebrated being 2 years clean! One thing I have noticed about Jackiey is that becoming a mother has made her appreciate her own parents. She speaks of them very respectfully and does whatever she can to be a nurturing big sister to her siblings. I am inspired by Jackiey as I watch her prepare to be the speaker at her graduation ceremony next month at the age of 16! Jackiey – I have no doubt that you are going to be an incredible psychologist someday and little Faith has a beautiful role model to follow after.
Can I just say what an honor it is to walk alongside Georgina? Georgina is a teen mom of twin boys, Alexander and Brayan. Should I say more?! I met Georgina about a year ago through YoungLives. Our relationship has grown over the course of the year. We’ve gone to several events together at my church, spent movie nights together and had many blessed conversations. Even though we don’t attend the same church, we do share the same belief in prayer. And we always make it a habit to pray when we get together. We have shared our own personal stories with each other and we have come to a place of trusting God.
About 6 months ago, Georgina told me about her desire to have Resident Alien card and also to obtain her Social Security card. She told me about an immigration program that would allow for her to apply for both. Georgina has lived in California almost her whole life. I found it sad that Georgina felt like she didn’t belong in Mexico or in the United States. We started to pray for her desire to one day become a US citizen. She shared with me her desire to get a job and support her twin boys, to attend college after high school and some day get her own apartment.
Maria and Georgina with Georgina’s babies
I helped Georgina connect with an immigration specialist. As a result, the paperwork went through pretty quickly. At the same time that Georgina was going through this trial in her life of prayer and waiting, I was also going through a trial myself. I had recently learned that I had a tumor on my brain. There was a lot of praying and waiting for us both. But there was also peace. I believe God gave us both this peace of knowing that He would come through and provide.
There was one day that I was driving Georgina to our YoungLives Christmas event. She was sharing about a singer who had just passed away and she said she had never experienced losing anyone close to her. I hadn’t told Georgina about my brain tumor and I found myself fighting tears from running down my cheeks. I didn’t want to be the first close person to be removed from her life! And for the first time, I felt her friendship and like she was a part of my family.
A few weeks passed and Georgina told me the immigration paperwork was finally going through. She was excited to tell me she had secured an appointment that was crucial to the final steps of getting approval from the Immigration office. We were both in awe when I told her that I also had a very crucial MRI the same day, at the very same time as her immigration appointment. I believe God purposely set it this way. It was not a coincidence.
I sent her a text the morning of the appointment reminding her I would be praying for her. She texted me back affirming that she was also praying for me. I remember laying on the MRI machine for a 30 min test requiring me to hold my head still and not breathe too hard. I prayed for myself, that God would take away this growth in my brain. I prayed for my family, my kids and my husband. And I also prayed for Georgina and her two boys.
Kimberly – Georgina – Maria
I am happy to praise God for the following results – Georgina’s appointment went well and she received her Social Security card; I also received good news and am praising God that the growth on my brain was not cancerous and is only a cyst.
I believe God purposely caused me and Georgina to cross paths. I have learned so much from her. She is such a sweet mom and is so caring for her boys. And now Georgina can start making some of her goals a reality. We are so thankful for God’s grace during this trying period. We feel so blessed that He used these circumstances to strengthen our relationship with each other as well as our belief that through prayer, anything is possible!
Do you ever invite someone to an event and spend the whole time worrying about how they are perceiving things – are they comfortable, are they making friends, are they completely weirded out? I often find myself doing this when I invite someone to church or when a teen mom comes to club for the first time. So when we had 4 new teen moms and 2 new teen dads at last month’s club, I found myself wondering what they were thinking. There was a moment when volunteers were sharing incredible, powerful testimonies and I was really excited for the teens to hear the stories. And then babies started screaming, girls were shuffling around to calm them down and a few of them had to step out of the room. I was so bummed that these mamas were missing out on hearing how, in the midst of brokenness, God entered in to our guest speakers’ lives and changed everything. But then God gently reminded me that sometimes the message people need to hear is not the message that I want them to hear.
Sometimes it isn’t even a message that they need. It might be a warm smile as they are welcomed into the room, a new friend they meet that night, or the joy they experience in laughter together that really impacts them. I am learning to trust that God will speak to people in just the way that they need and that He will speak to me in just the ways that I need as well!
As I watched the 4 new girls and 2 new guys leave that night with smiles on their faces I knew they got what they needed. And in His wisdom, God used this to remind me that He will meet people exactly where they are at. He will beautifully orchestrate things to speak to people in the way they need to hear Him. My hope and prayer is that YoungLives would be a place where teen moms, dads and their babies can encounter God in exactly the way they need to. That it would be a place where they find unconditional love and acceptance. And that it would be a place where not my will, but God’s would be done.
It was hard being a single mom, juggling school and my son. Life was just hard. And I was very anti-social. I didn’t have many friends until I started going to YoungLives. Some girls from school invited me to go and it was really fun! I started talking to other girls there and everyone was so nice to me. It was a new experience for me to talk to people and make friends. Even the people I didn’t know were so friendly. They wanted to get to know me. They didn’t judge me. And the mentors had great advice. They were so encouraging and motivating.
Class of 2012 (Carla and her son, Damian)Carla working at McDonald’s
I had been working at McDonalds for about 2 years. I was making ok money, but it wasn’t enough for me to live on. I saw people who had been working there for 20 years and I realized I didn’t want to be there for the next 5 or 10 years. I wanted to do something for myself and my son. So when I was invited by YoungLives to go to a College Night, I went. I decided that night that I wanted to go to school, but I honestly had no idea how I would do it. Tracy (from Goldenwest College) said she could help me get registered and that she would walk me through the whole thing. And some of my friends encouraged me to do it. So I signed up for college!
Carla in the middle with Michelle, her school counselor on the left, and Tracy, the C.A.R.E. program coordinator on the right
And now…I love college! I wake up every day ready to learn. I’m a student at Goldenwest College and am a part of two special programs for single moms – C.A.R.E. (Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education) and E.O.P.S. (Extended Opportunity Program and Services). As a single mother, these programs offer so much help! They can help with emergency loans, priority registration, books for our classes, tutoring referrals in case we are struggling with our classes, gas cards, school supplies, merit grants and so much more.
It is an amazing support group and I feel like they really want me to do well in school. The counselors have so much to offer and they’re very dedicated to seeing us succeed. It can be overwhelming trying to juggle school, work and of course our babies, but it will be very worth it in the end. It has been an amazing experience being involved with these two incredible programs.
Carla and her son, Damian
It’s been such a good experience and I’m so glad that I made the decision to go to school. I’m really proud that I’ve made it this far with my son on my own. I’m so glad I didn’t postpone going back to school and that I actually did it. I tell myself, “I’m not going to give up. I’m going to do it.” And here I am. I’m working on my AA degree in Nursing. Once I finish, I’m planning to go into the Army for 2 years as a Nurse. Ultimately I want to get my Bachelor’s degree and find a good nursing job.
Carla at school
I’m so grateful for everyone involved with YoungLives. I’m thankful for their support and for always telling me to never give up. It’s really cool being a part of a group that gives you so much support. My family is great, but they don’t understand how bad I want this, how hard I’m pushing myself. Sometimes you have to hear it from someone else to really believe it about it yourself. And now I’m using my experience to encourage other teen moms togo to college too. There really are people who want to help us succeed. It’s never too late to go back to school. Think about your kids and let that be your motivation. I want other moms to know if I did it, they can too.
Last night we had our monthly club gathering in Huntington Beach. There was the usual fun, silly games, a yummy dinner, friends and their mentors hanging out and toddlers running around giggling – an overall great evening that is what club is all about! We were especially encouraged to welcome 4 girls who came to club for the very first time! And 6 teens met with local college staff before club started to talk about next steps for going to college! After dinner, the kids were checked into childcare with amazing and loving volunteers and the rest of us sat down for the club talk. But tonight instead of one person sharing, we had the distinct privilege to hear the stories of four of our volunteers.
As the volunteers started sharing, the room fell silent. These weren’t just “ordinary stories”. We quickly realized they were raw, personal, heart wrenching stories. Each of them shared honestly and boldly about the rough turns their lives had taken, about finding themselves at the end of their ropes, and about God’s undeserving, flawless grace that redeemed them. As I listened to each of them share, I was struck by their bravery. If you’ve ever been at the end of yourself, you understand that it’s not really a place you want to go back to. You don’t want to relive the pain, the hurt, the shame of bad choices you made. But these men and women courageously took us there for one reason – they wanted all of us (volunteers, mentors, teen moms and teen dads alike) to know that God will redeem our stories. Every single one of them. They are living proof of that. Because these aren’t just stories they share, it is who they are. Each of them is wholeheartedly serving God with their lives. And instead of letting their past define them, they are choosing to allow Him to use the pain of the past to bring Him glory.
And as I looked around the room, it occurred to me that I was surrounded by some of the bravest people I’ve ever met. In addition to these amazing volunteers and many more like them, I was sitting in a room with dozens of teen moms and dads. Teens who chose life for their children. Teens who chose the really difficult path of raising their children while they are still in high school. Teens who had to change schools or take on independent study because of their pregnancy. Teens who are raising their babies alone. Teens who are determined to create a better life for their children. Teens who love their babies. Teens who are making daily sacrifices for their children. And teens who are learning about Jesus, how much He loves them and just how amazing His grace is.
So often I feel like I’m failing. Failing as a mom, failing as an employee, failing as a friend, a sister, a daughter. And I’m quick to be hard on myself for everything I’m not doing well. But sitting in that room, God gently reminded me that I am exactly who He made me to be – strengths, weaknesses, successes and failures. He delights in ALL of me. His grace is sufficient for ALL of me. And it is Christ who makes me brave too. It’s not a competition of who is the most brave. It’s not about doing it all. And it’s certainly not about doing it all on my own. But rather, it’s trusting that God has a plan for every single one of us. And even better? His plan is PERFECT and each of us can choose to (bravely!) walk out the life God has set before us – weaknesses, brokenness, hurts, pain and all! It’s about living life in community with other believers. It’s about letting Him redeem our stories for His glory. And it’s about bravely being me…His masterpiece.
“For we are Christ’s workmanship [masterpiece], created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)
Easter at the Vick house was crowded, colorful and noisy! Little ones squealed with delight as they dashed about looking for eggs. They were even more ex cited when they discovered there was candy inside! When the kids weren’t searching for eggs, they were chasing bubbles or waiting for their turn to ride the pedal boat.
The Easter brunch was fun but the most exciting and memorable event of the day was Karime’s baptism. Watching her take that step of faith reminded us all that the gift of salvation is real and should indeed be celebrated!
We were so thankful to celebrate Easter with our YoungLives friends. The joyful chaos is quite a change from a few months ago. In September, our youngest son headed off to college and we were officially “empty-nesters.” The house was eerily quiet and we found ourselves wondering what to do in this new phase of our lives. It seemed only natural that we return to Young Life. Jonathan and I met at a Young Life camp more than twenty years ago and served as leaders or committee members over the years. Since we were new to the Huntington Beach area, we went to the Young Life fundraiser to explore how to get involved. That is where we met Myrna and learned about YoungLives.
YoungLives is the perfect fit for us. It gives us an opportunity to serve as a couple, work with amazing teens and snuggle with cute babies (a perk that I really appreciate since there are no grandbabies in my immediate future) We look forward to many more exciting and noisy adventures with Young Lives. Our nest doesn’t seem quite so empty any more!
northocyounglives.com 