Meet four of my friends.

Jackie.

Jackie teaches 6th grade at Fall Creek Intermediate. When I get new students in the Fall many of them talk about how much they loved Mrs. Renick. She is kind, sweet, patient, understanding, compassionate and so enthusiastic. When she talks to you, you know she's really listening. We've been leading YL together for a year now and I've loved seeing her talents shine and grow as she loves her girls. Because of Christ pursues her, Jackie is pursuing relationships with girls in 7th grade as well as the freshmen that she led at camp last summer. They know that Jackie is rooting for them.

Jesse.

This child is incredible. While sitting in our booth at Panera Jesse managed to put thirty stickers on his mom's back, line up chairs like a choo-choo train, climb over the wall, color with fifty crayons, devour half his PB and J, scream and laugh, and smile the whole time. We love this kid. He has a spark, a spirit, of joy and adventure and wildness that will not be tamed. 

KCraig. Kathy. KCraiginthehouse.

KCraig amazes me. While Jesse is going nuts beside her in the booth, her patience and focus never wavers. She is a prayer warrior and trusts that God is in control of everything going on in her life. After teaching with her for five years and leading YL beside her for three, I've seen over and over again that this woman doesn't claim to be perfect at anything but she always gives her best self to everything. This has been a year of transition for her as she has moved to doing Young Life full time and I've been so impressed with her creativity, efficiency, heart, dedication and love.

Jess.

One of the best things about YL is that it allows us to become friends we might never have otherwise. This is true for both kids and leaders. Jess is one of my new friends that I'm so excited about. She and her husband Conner have just started leading with us this year and we're better for knowing them. Jess is passionate about knowing what motivates people, what their heart is. She believes that your faith should spill over into your whole life. She lives with integrity, speaks with  kindness and leads by example. I'm so excited that our friendship will continue to grow.