"No, I let my wife pick my nose for me."

What a weekend...

Running and yoga-ing with the cross country team

Learning from the volleyball girls because it was Fun Friday

Chiptopia with Kate and Megan

Cross Country with Maddie, running into Hools, Samone and puppy Jagger

Going back to cross country to hang out with Ellyn, Riley and Meredith

Cheering for Lulu, HSE, Kelsey Deemer, Olivia Benz, Jack and Kendrick

Chloe's SURPRISE bday party and going away party complete with a riff off

the YL banquet

After church brunch and heart to heart with Brooklyn

Cassidy's birthday WL leader party and real talk with the leaders

Saturday was our Annual Young Life Banquet for our 5th year of ministry in HSE. The Devoe's host the party at their barn and it is quite the event. Michelle and the rest of the team go all out as they decorate to make people feel welcome and tell them the story of Young Life.

Our committee has always done an amazing job of displaying pictures from the past year. As a YL and WL leader, these pictures tell the story of the last year in my life. Young Life camp at Timberwolf with 14 of the greatest girls I know in Gray Wolf...

Hiking in the Wilderness to Goose Lake with a crew of girls that braved the elements to meet God face to face...

Crossing the globe to do YL ministry and live life with our new friends in Ethiopia for a week...

These are my people. Young Life is all about relationships, about community, about walking side by side as we grow closer to Christ and point each other to Him.

It is pretty surreal to have all of these people together in one room. KCraig and I have been doing this together since the start 5 years ago. Johnna just joined this team but it feels like she has been here with us forever. Ellyn has been part of my life for nearly a decade but has just begun to be part of this HSE team.

p.s. There was a puppy auctioned off tonight at the banquet. How tight is that?

Haleigh is away at IU these days, but I helped her surprise everyone tonight when she showed up. She was my first YL kid in this town but we've been leading together for the past two summers.

KCraig, Darrin (Mojo Up) Brown and Ryan hosted tonight's conversation around the table. They were able to tell a room full of parents, leaders and community members about what we're doing and why it matters. They extend an invitation to be with us in this journey because we can't do it on our own.

We couldn't do all of this without our YL committee-- these adults show up again and again to be the foundation, the support of this cause. They believe in these leaders, want the best for these kids and partner with God to help make sure it keeps happening. I'm so thankful for their commitment, enthusiasm and dedication.

And of course the children--- a handful of YL and WL kids came to the event tonight as greeters. They get to represent the hundreds of 7th-12th graders who have been impacted by this ministry. Caperneum. Bible Studies. Campaigners. Coffee Dates. Club. Work Crew. Wilderness. Camp. A leader showing up at their event. Mission Trip. Lock Out. Amazing Race. Family Weekend. We're dreaming big around here because God can do infinitely more than we ask or imagine.