"And I mean, she's a Christian, like she's deep in this Christian sauce." #grindlikekegs

Spring is officially here which means summer is right around the corner. We've got 1.5 weeks till Spring Break, a month till I'm at camp for training, 10 weeks till summer camp. So when I hear, "Do what you love every day" I want to do things that make me celebrate the friendships and connections that Tecumseh made me value. Friendship bracelets, hand written letters in the mail, notes in lockers, painted canvases, adventures with YL girls, coffee dates with friends. Are you doing something you really love every day?

Usually we start Campaigners by singing together, but when you don't have Ryan or his guitar you go to Plan B: games! We whipped out a game that we didn't end up using a couple Wyld Life Clubs ago and split into 5 teams. 

There was a rope the width of the gym with about 200 clothespins pinched on. One at a time, each team sent a person running to bite off a clothespin, run back and bite it again to clip it on their team captain's shirt. Soon we were biting two or three clothespins at a time.

It's a silly game-- but we're into unconventional, weird, teamwork and enthusiasm around here.

I got to lead the Junior and Freshmen girls tonight with Emily in the cubby room. I've been with both groups of girls since they were 7th graders, been their leader at YL camp and sat with them in bible study before school. These are my people and I care so much about each of them. Tonight they picked which verses we talked about on the sheet because we wouldn't get to all of them. I'm so thankful for their enthusiasm and how they're eager to know more, excited to listen to one another and always such an encouraging group.

I wanted to do something different tonight too. I got a letter earlier today from one of my Camp T girls. She's a freshmen at a new HS and having a really difficult time finding friends. In the letter she said that she doesn't want to go to YL at her school because the girls are cliquey and mean. It broke my heart.

I think it's not that uncommon for groups like YL to be labeled "cliquey and mean" by people who haven't been. Partly because they're not actually experiencing the community or giving it a chance and party because the group might have some people who are cliquey and mean. So what do we do about that?

I reminded these Freshmen and Junior girls tonight that as much as Emily, other leaders and I love YL, it's them, the HS kids, who ultimately create the culture here. It's their interactions with people in and outside of this group that determine what we're about.

We talked about our YL dream for area and what we want to be about:

We want to be about:

welcoming new people
genuine
vulnerable
feel connected to people and God
no judging
mixing of ages
friendships
it's for everyone
best start of the week (Club and Campaigners)
safe environment 
real
closer relationships
every stage of life and faith
accepting
social status doesn't matter
inviting new people
intentional love
community
comfortable
"How have you been?" instead of "Where have you been?"

That's a community I can invest my life in.