What is YL?

This year, I am starting an internship with Young Life in Gainesville, FL. As Young Life is a non-profit ministry, I am both required and encouraged to raise $6000 for the mission. This budget allows me to be properly equipped and trained to lead, and also support Gainesville Young Life’s mission as a whole!

Young Life is a non-denominational Christian organization that builds meaningful relationships with teenagers and provides a supportive community where they can explore their faith and personal values. We want to share the Good News of the Gospel with every kid, everywhere - and we do this by meeting them where they are.

Young Life seeks to create a non-judgmental and inclusive environment where teenagers can feel accepted and supported, regardless of their background or beliefs. The ultimate goal is to help kids better understand their faith, values, and purpose in life.

My story with Young Life

Ever since I was a kid, I knew Young Life was something special - I just didn’t know why. Even though I grew up in a Christian home and watched my mom lead kids on Young Life staff and as a volunteer leader (she took me to summer camp when she was 7 months pregnant with me, so I quite literally have been in Young Life since before I was born!), Jesus wasn’t super relevant to me until the summer after my freshman year of college. Growing up, I thought I had to be this perfect Christian girl. I put so much pressure on myself to “perform” that I tried to have a relationship with Jesus for all the wrong reasons - which time and time again led me to fall further and further away from him. I was so hurt by the world, by other people, and even by myself. When I was at one of my lowest points, Young Life met me where I was and invited me in.

I always knew that I loved Young Life, and I told myself that I loved Jesus, but it wasn’t until Summer Staff in 2023 that I realized that I was tired of living in the same cycles over and over - I wanted to fully surrender my life to Him. When I was at Young Life camp, club, or campaigners, I felt like I could fully be myself. I realized that when I’m doing something with Young Life, I am at my happiest.

That “something special” about Young Life is Jesus.

Jesus changed my life through Young Life, even though it was in a bit of an unorthodox way. My Wyld Life and Young Life leaders met me where I was all through my life. Even though it took me until college to realize that Jesus was the answer I had been searching for, my intern and other leaders at Summer Staff walked with me in that decision and completely changed my life.

So why am I raising money?

I felt called to start a career with Young Life that summer. Currently, though, I am joining the Gainesville Young Life team as a Student Staffer! This means that I am raising money to be poured into by full-time staff, and sets me up well to pursue a full-time staff position upon graduation. As Young Life relies heavily on donor generosity, so do I as I embark on this new journey!

If you feel led to partner with me financially, first of all— THANK YOU! The mission of Young Life would not be what it is today without the generosity of donors like you.

If you cannot partner with me financially (and even if you can), please consider partnering with me in prayer. Prayer will truly be the most important part of this journey, not only in my fundraising journey but also during the school year. Entering into a broken world with the BEST news is a beautiful thing, but it's not an easy task. There are many people and things at work to prevent the Gospel from being spread, so prayer and reliance on the Lord is the only way to find any “success” in this ministry. Please consider joining me in praying for curious, receptive, and responsive hearts of my middle school friends.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for considering a financial partnership with me and Gainesville Young Life. Thank you for joining me in prayer. Thank you for supporting the mission of Young Life in Gainesville!!