College Bound

Yesterday I said good-bye to my last high school girl. And it was sad. I've been leading YL at Country Day for four years and these girls were the first group of girls for me to walk through all 4 years with. I mainly got to know them, not really through YL, but through doing a bible study with them on Friday mornings. Our Friday mornings totally evolved over the years. We also started a Annual Christmas Cookie party that I'm hoping we'll still get to do when they come home from college. It has been so fun living life with them!

lauren, laura, me, meg, gatesy
These girls definitely became my friends. They've been with me through having a baby and now having cancer. I know that's a lot for most high schoolers. But because of the depth of these relationships it wasn't weird to share this part of my life with them. In fact, I'm sure God is using it. I love these girls. And I am so sad to say good-bye to them. It's really a see you later b/c I know we'll be friends for life. Like I am with girls from Concord when I was a leader in high school, or girls from Louisiana. I think 4 years is the longest I've been a leader at one school, so it's been such a gift to walk through life with these girls.

me & ashley
With them leaving I'm realizing how nervous I am about the new year. I usually love fall b/c with it comes high school football games. I know, weird. But, football games are the best place to meet and see kids. Plus they are just fun. But this year I'm a little nervous. What is it going to look like being a YL leader with cancer? I have no idea. And the girls I'm closest to are gone. Walking into a high school is scary anyway, throw in the fact that I'm bald. I can't meet a new girl without explaining why I'm bald. And with the girls I do know I think it will feel a little awkward. It puts them in a little bit of a weird position too...it's the not so invisible elephant in the room. Clearly, my processing this isn't coherent. I can't really explain it and I'm not sure people really get it. So forgive the blabbering

kathryn, me and elizabeth
As I was thinking about all this yesterday I realized that cancer is not only changing my life, it's changing my ministry. Or at least it should. My hope is that I will be more bold in my pursuit of girls and more bold in my ability to share the Gospel with them. I mean, I have nothing to lose. I know doing young life is going to look different and it has to. I love high school girls, that hasn't changed. But I'm definitely nervous about the new year...going deeper with girls I know and meeting new ones...having cancer, being bald, surgery, etc. Maybe I'll just go get that pink wig.


hannah, kelsey, claire, me, tyler, sara
All these pictures are from the senior convocation last fall (hence the baby belly). I didn't get a large group pic, but a lot of little ones. :)