Dear sweet YL girls,

I have recently discovered how meaningful you truly are to me. Through the rough days, and tired mornings, You have shown me Jesus. Even though you may or may not know Him. You have shown me a little bit of who He is.
I know that you are in high school, But I want to thank you for allowing me into your life. For asking me questions, for calling, for being who you are. I have been so blessed by the opportunity to serve you. Which is disguised as late night phone calls,dance parties, tearful conversations, and many many coffee dates. How I have cherished those memories of everything we have all done together.
As a leader I never really expect to get much out of camp...just because I have heard the message quite a few times. but this time was completely different. It was because of you that it was different.
As I went into this week of camp...there was a lot of stress behind it. But all of those stressful moments were washed away the second we stepped out of our cars and were greeted by high school and college aged kids welcoming us with big grins, loud voices and even bigger hearts. The look on your face will forever be etched in my heart.
while you were nervous to go to camp, I was also nervous, Although it may not have seemed like it this was my first time doing this all by myself.
Having a conversation with one of you a few weeks before camp you had watched this video, you nervously asked me..." Is that what camp is really about??" I answered you with tears coming and said yes. It is all about you.
Little did you know how much your heart was going to change.
Little did you know with each club talk you were slowly beginning to understand, and with each cabin time your walls were being broken down.
Little did you know that work crew and summer staff were praying over your name, every hour for 24 hours.

How my heart broke hearing your worst day. How much my heart rejoiced as we sat and prayed for Jesus to come into your heart with shaky hands and shaky voice and tears rolling down out faces. The Angels were rejoicing. They were so excited that you decided to come home. I feel so honored that I was able to witness that.
On our last day there I woke you all up very early...too early for your liking. I didn't tell you what time, I just said to grab your blankets we were going somewhere. (which you all responded with "will there be boys? last time you did this there were boys and we were wearing sweats...thats not okay" haha you guys were so funny) I responded with "Yes the last time I kinda tricked you...but this is different trust me no boys will be there."
This time of camp was different. because I was the only girl leader. I chose how I did cabin time, what we did and didn't do. I loved being able to use all that I had learned(good and bad) from the previous years and put it to good use.

So we all walk out side with our blankets wrapped tightly around us the sun slowly rising and sat in a circle with a ball of yarn in the middle.
I wanted us to have about an hour to tell each other what we love about the people who were sitting with us. Through all of it I was on the verge of sobbing. Because this was going to be my last Kingman young life camp. A thought I shuddered at.
Here we are with that experience 6 months behind us, but still as I write this tears come to my eyes with the impression you have left on me.
I am nervous to begin leading else where because of how you all hold a place in mt heart. Nervous that I wont have relationships with them like I did with you. But that nervousness has been put to rest with this thought ringing in my head.
"all you need to do is show up.Jesus does the rest"
Walking away was hard for me, and still sometimes I wonder why I had to move away and finish college(ha)
but as I listen to Amazing grace by Shawn Mcdonald I am realizing that my time there was planned. God knew I would be leading there, even though  I am broken.
I once was lost, but now I am found. Was blind but now I see.
He knew all of it from the begging.
Thank you for being you. and changing my heart.
How I long for the day we will all be reunited.

with my whole heart,
Christian