Today's Letters "I started peeing my pants before the race even started. A good sign of a 20 minute straight urination."

Dear Wednesday Morning Girls,

Thank you for waking up so early to come hang out and read the bible together. I'm proud of you for not hitting that snooze button. I pray that the words will take root in your heart as God does his work. I've got such much faith in you and excitement for what God has in store for you. "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." Ephesians 4: 1-2

Dear Viv and Ellie Girl,
The two of you have never met, but I have no doubt that you'd be great friends. You both are consistently positive, always inclusive and on the search for ways to make people's days a little bit brighter. Thank you for friendship bracelets and letters in the mail and surprise hugs-- you made my day brighter today.

Dear Wyld Life fam,
There is nowhere else I would rather spend a Wednesday night than hanging out with all of you. I love that this is a mix of adults, HS leaders and Junior High kids. I love that we get to reunite with old friends and make new ones. I love that we're having real conversations about faith that aren't a bit boring. I love that we get to do this together all year long. I can't wait till next time.

"I hope it's custom-made fidget spinners for everyone!"

Highs of the Day:

1. Meeting with 4 of the 6 members of the wolf pack early this morning to get ready for WL Campaigners tomorrow

2. Visits from Ellie, Bailey and Taylor during passing periods

3. Two special deliveries that came in the mail today that I've been anxiously awaiting

4. Cheese crunchers in my school lunch-- you guys, they're the best. I was elated. 

5. Finishing Tell Us We're Home by Marina Budhos

6. CHIPOTLE Buy One Get One Free PARTY!

7. Cheering on JP at her Teacher's Night volleyball game

 Top 5 Things I'm Grateful For Today Because of Tecumseh:
1. That Smooney and I have never lived in the same place but we check in with each other almost daily and are always sharing things we know the other will love
2. How Liz Koch gets right into the heart of the issue and never fails to make me laugh
3. The way Kristin teaches me and so many others to be resilient and to love people exactly where they're at
4. Ellyn's ability to instantly befriend anyone and everyone and make them more comfortable with just being them
5. Connections at camp that later lead to messages like, "I just wanted to say that I went to my first Young Life meeting for my school last night and I loved it!"

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers." Galatians 6:9-10

What I wish everyone knew about Young Life

I've been part of Young Life for many years-- in three areas, with Wyld Life and Young Life, visiting 7 different camps and getting to know hundreds and kids and leaders. Through all of that I love Young Life more and more. But I know for people who have never seen this community in action might not have a full understanding of what we're about. These are some of the things I wish everyone could know.

There is room at the table for everyone and you are invited. We're going to be real with each other in this space. We're going to expect that no one is perfect-- I'm not, you're not and nobody else is either. If we ever get to a point where it seems like nobody is messing up and we're all completely comfortable then we're doing something wrong. Jesus came for everybody and loves them just as they are in the middle of their mess.

When we say that Young Life is for everyone, we really mean it. On a normal night you'll find kids not only from HSE and Fishers, but also from Lawrence North and Cathedral High School. The Barn will have kids from every grade of HS. And there's not one type of kid who comes to YL-- there is space for you here.

There really are guys at YL. It's harder to get pictures of them because HS boys don't like to pose and I think I've had exactly 0 boys ever ask me to take their picture in the last five years. But sure enough, these guys and their leaders show up every week. This past summer, Beesley and these guys climbed a mountain together and it impacted them in a profound way. When you see them all get together you can't deny that they've got a special bond.

Young Life can be your "thing." For so many kids who are part of our family, Young Life is shaping who they are and their time in HS. Just like your other passions and interests become a huge part of your life, being part of this community will shape how you spend your week and who you go to for support/fun/encouragement/adventure/prayer. Our hope is that YL will always be life-giving which means that you find peace here and that you're filled up with life that only Jesus can provide.

We're so excited to point you to Christ and to walk alongside you as you learn-- but this isn't church. Young Life is an awesome place to grow in your faith, ask questions and learn more about God. But Young Life is not a religion in itself. We want all of our kids and all of our leaders to be involved with the local church just like God has called us to do. We believe that being part of the greater church body is something that we should be doing right now and in every season of our lives.

God is at work in your story. Last night we shared Cardboard Testimonies-- brief stories of how God has taken the old and transformed us into a new creation. But the truth that I'm learning over and over again is that God's work is never done. We'll have so many different story lines woven through our life and it's beautiful to see how He is moving. "God is honored when we live & believe that He is present & active, even when the evidence of his activity is hard to find." -Andy Stanley

I'm so proud to be part of this community and want others to experience what I've found here. There is room at the table and you're invited.

"We could live inside this closet."

For the first time in many months, I was home for the entire weekend. I got serious about making plans with friends and scheduling in some time to sleep and just be by myself. It was a weekend of friendships and rest and to-do lists and just so good for my soul.

Highs of the weekend:

Continuing my recently re-discovered swimming career all weekend long

Having dinner with Ellyn, Emily and Arielle-- three friends who I'm enormously grateful live in Indianapolis

Cleaning my whole apartment and finding "less stuff" all over the place to donate/throw away/give away
Meeting Sarah B for lunch at Patachou-- I get nothing less than thrilled every time I remember that the Battaglia family now lives in Indianapolis
Getting to be part of Smelko's moving crew and helping her unpack (especially those built in book shelves) in her new apartment above the Dunham's house
Tackling a to-do list with a power day and having that feeling of checking everything off

Sunday morning church with my girl Cassidy and running into the Andritsch family
Getting back in the friendship grind like I mean it-- string is cut, five bracelets got made and I'm back in business
Hanging out with Justin when he got back from the Lake and finishing out the weekend together

"Woah, so all these people love Jesus?"

Tonight I got to do something I wish I could have done sooner. I was in Bloomington with Justin, hosting a dinner for the new tenants in his house down there, and realized that I could see some of my YL girls who just started their freshmen year.

I've know Olivia, Hannah and Anne since they were 7th graders in my class. I watched them play volleyball for more games than I can count. We went to a total of five different Young Life camps together. We spent an insane amounts of hours sitting together in Campaigners circles, beside each other at Club, across dinner tables and around cups of coffee. I love these girls and have seen them go deep in their faith and make it their own. 

The hope of Young Life is not that our kids will keep doing Young Life forever, the hope is that they will continue to follow Christ. We're intentional about having conversations, especially their Senior year, about how to stay plugged in to ministry and keep being fed spiritually in each season of life. Once these kids have left for school I check in on them and am eager to hear what church or small group or ministry they're finding.

But tonight was different. Tonight I got to walk up the front steps of CSF (Christian Student Fellowship) at IU with Kegley. We met Abigail, a smiling, welcoming sophomore who was making name tags, and immediately felt like this was the right place to be. I stood next to Anne as we sang "Oh How He Loves Us," and knew that even though we were in a new place, that God's love was still the same. 

Right now, I wish that I could drive to Ball State and go with Kaylee to a new church on Sunday. I wish I could be there with Julia as she checks out Bama Young Life for the first time. I wish I could give Erin and Genna a ride to Campus House this week. But I know that I can still encourage them to do those things from afar. 

I don't know if these girls will keep going back to CSF. Because after all, it's not about CSF. But if this is the place that will point them to Christ for the next four years and give them a community to love then I'm so excited for them. 

Morgan, a brilliant 7th grader with the best heart, told us something so wise at Campaginers on Wednesday. She said, "Outlets in the wall always have power, but unless you plug your phone in, it won't get charged. Jesus is like the outlet-- he is always powerful. But unless we plug ourselves into Him we won't get that power and he can't be at work in us." 

I'm so thankful for how God has already been at work in Olivia, Hannah and Anne's lives. I'm so excited for how he is already preparing a way for them to dive deeper in college. 

"We lost by a basket... oh wait, I mean a touchdown."

As I've been writing letters to my pen-pals lately, I've been reflecting on how the ordinary routines and rhythms of my week are my favorites. Today I got to live into two of those practices. 

Early this morning before school, I met Maddie, Cass, Line, Wash, Gidget and Maggie to read through Ephesians 2 and 3. We sat around table, coffee in hand, and took turns reading the verses aloud. We're making a routine of being in the Word and being together.

 "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:16-19

Tonight our Wyld Life family gathered at the Halkyard's house for the first Campaigners of the year. I love having a front row seat to see how this ministry has evolved, especially now as we're going into our 6th year. Tonight we had 7 of our adult leaders present, ready to serve and love on kids. There were 23 HS leaders who are full of energy, anticipation and hope for what this role will bring this year. Then we were joined by 22 Junior High kids who represented Fall Creek JH, HIJH, Fishers JH, Riverside JH, St. Simon and Horizon Christian-- they're hilarious, a little bit nervous, smart, and energetic.

I hung out with the stoop kids when we got into small groups-- a crew of girls who I really love. We talked about Jesus and weddings and miracles and what it must have been like to be a disciple. I loved getting to have Morgan be an official WL kid, getting to know Natalie more and meeting Haley and Alexia for the first time. I'm thrilled that I get to mentor Cass, Wash, Meric, Maddie and Liz this year in WL-- these girls and I have overlapped basically forever and they've got a huge chunk of my heart.

There is so much to look forward to in the future and so much to be thankful for in the present.

"Dang, your grocery bill must have been out of this world."

It's a beautiful day in Fishers, IN my friends. 

Highs of the Day:
1. Passing period visits from Ellie and Bailey
2. Smelko came to visit during lunch and brought a Chipotle Party with her!
3. My hip is still not doing great which means I can't run, but today I went and swam laps at LA Fitness on a visitor's pass
4. Hanging out with Brookie and Maddie
5. Going to my first volleyball game of the year and cheering on the girls on the court and seeing friends in the stands

"I've never seen so many cargo shorts in one room." Bring Your Dad To Club

The first Young Life Club of the year will go on my list of the best things we've ever done. After Siblings Club, Pet Club and Grandparents Club, it was time for Bring Your Dad To Club. 

Earlier this week we posted pictures of kids and their dads (that we found on their Instragrams) and invited them to all show up on Monday for Club. We had no idea how many dads to expect but we were hopeful. The dads showed up in droves and I couldn't have been more excited-- there were at least 45 dads at YL tonight with their sons and daughters. 

As I was greeting dads and kids as they came into the barn tonight it was a common theme that many of them had never been here before. YL is a regular part of their kid's routine and these people are a huge part of their world but these dads have never witnessed it. I was so excited that tonight they would not only get to see YL in action, but they would get to be part of the action. 

First we did a play on the Newlywed Game. Annie, Danny, Sydney and Eli had to answer questions about their dad before he revealed his answer. If they got it correct, they earned points for their team.

What shoe size does dad wear?

What does dad do at work?

What is dad's favorite restaurant?

What is dad's favorite TV show?

What is dad's favorite sport to play?

Tie breaker-- What is dad's birthday including the year?

Next we had 4 teams of father and daughter compete in Name That Tool. Dad was blind-folded and the daughter pulled out different tools and had to describe them to their dad. The team to name the most tools in 1 minute would win. We were shocked when all 4 teams got 3 tools correct.

Then all of the dads lined up for a competitive show down of free throws, fade away jumpers, lay ups and hook shots-- All Dad Knock-Out. You better believe these men wanted to win but Mr. Huston walked away victorious. 

We just couldn't resist singing Good, Good Father tonight-- there's no time that would be more appropriate.

Ryan gave the Club Talk tonight-- he spoke about being a dad, how our heavenly Father loves us, and how God sent Jesus to stand in the gap because of his love for us. It was such a cool moment to hear the gospel shared with all of our YL kids and so many fathers in the room tonight.

Thank you to all of the dads who showed up tonight. Thank you to all of the sons and daughters who invited them. Thank you to all of the kids and leaders who are part of this family. You are all so loved.

"Do you see that smokey stuff around the sun???" "Yeah... those are clouds."

Early, early Monday morning (like 4am early) we left Grandma's and drove back to Boston to catch our flight. It was another day of adventure...

-Stopping at the Flour Bakery and Coffee Shop when it opened at 6:30am for the best yogurt and granola I've ever eaten and sadly some sub-par coffee

-Getting on the one way flight back to Indy and getting to sit together while we read more of Scary Close by Donald Miller

-Discovering the card was dead in the parking lot of the airport but staying positive while we tried Plan A and Plan B to get it going

-A spontaneous surprise trip to Cataract Falls

-Meeting Johnda and Randy at the park who gave us two extra pairs of eclipse glasses so we could watch the eclipse which was actually so cool

-Climbing all the way down to the Falls, walking along the rocks and right up to the water

-Walking through the covered bridge

-A spontaneous surprise trip for me to Jim and Val's old house which was close by-- great mentors and friends of Justin while he was at the CSF house at IU
-Laughing almost all day long
-After several restaurants were closed or not serving fries, finally ending up at Steak n' Shake for a very late lunch

"What are you doing here?!"

I visited Grandma in NH a few weeks ago with my family, but this weekend was special because Justin got to meet my grandma for the first time and spend some time with her. 

Best parts of the visit to Kendal at Hanover:

-Surprising Grandma Saturday morning when Uncle J brought her out of her room, "What are you doing here?! Who is with you?!"

-Breakfasts in the cafe and starting the morning just sitting and talking together

-Looking at old pictures of Grandma and her family

-Showing Justin all the highlights of Kendal including the Attic and ping-pong at the end of the hall
-A mini Dartmouth tour, coffee at the Dirt Cowboy and a visit to all of our favorite shops on the Main Street of Hanover
-Westerns in the afternoon and getting to just be with Grandma

-Dinner in the dining room with a few of  Grandma's friends-- I love the pace of these meals and getting to sit and talk together
-Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy traditions

-A trip to Dan & Whit's and realizing that I had never fully experienced the grandeur and sheer depth of the place before
-Visiting Lui Lui's for the greatest pizza on the face of the earth and Justin seeing the grand tomato brick oven in person
-Spending time with my Uncle J who I hadn't seen in far too long

-Seeing Gram's friends like Carol Allen and Ruth Stanton
-Hearing Gram laugh, make jokes and be a bit sassy
-Sharing all of my memories of Kendal and Hanover over the past 25 years with Justin
-Spending time with Mary Keeley, the greatest Grandma of them all

Honorable Mention Blog Title:
"I have practice putting on lipstick from parking. You know, when you tell your parents you're going to the double feature at the drive in but then you only go to the first one and park the car somewhere with a boy."
"I once went to the US Open and there were all these rich folks there with alligators on their shirts."