Gracie Girl Blog

In this season of “lasts”, there was a week in which both me and one of my best friends got to speak at our young life clubs. It was pretty special for a lot of reasons, so I’m writing about it!

First was senior club on a Monday for my current young life area. I was the only senior from my school and the others were from our sister/rival school.  Although I’ve only been a part of this area for 2 years, I’ve gotten to know a lot of the other seniors and they are some of the kindest and most genuine people ever!

Senior club, for those who don’t know, is a young life club completely run by seniors. So we did the introduction, the skits, the announcements, and at the end Ashley and I both shared our stories.

I write a lot about moving and all that, but it was super cool to stand up and talk about my story from beginning to end. About how I grew up in a wonderful and happy home, but also in a home that experienced loss and grief. About how my faith has always been there, but it took time for me to really believe my relationship with God was worth it when life got messy. About how even my senior year is ending in a different place then I thought it would, I thought Josh would be here but he’s not. Ultimately (and most importantly) I got to share about how despite all life has been and thrown at me, my relationship with God is the best and most constant thing in my life. I got to share that I haven’t always gotten what I wanted when I lean into God, but I’ve always found more of Him and that’s more than enough.

That Monday night my favorite memory may have been jumping up and down like a crazy person, screaming high school musical songs with my small group girls, all the other Westfield yl kids who I didn’t know a year ago, Emmy, Hannah, and even my brother (8th graders were invited) who is probably thankful I won’t be around next year to embarrass him.

That same week, on Wednesday night, I went to Fairfax’s last club of the year. One of the greatest blessings of my high school experience has been watching Fairfax’s club die out and then through lots and lots of prayer, come back to life.

Another one of the greatest blessings has been watching one of my best friends, Abby, start going to Fairfax’s young life and not only that, but helping lead it.  (lets be honest, she replaced me a little but I am not mad about it)

One of the best parts of that night was jumping around and singing songs with friends I’ve been to camp with, friends I invited to young life who started coming after I left, and people who had absolutely no idea who I was but I know they’re the people we prayed would come.

That club took me back to morning campaigners my sophomore year of high school. Where we met at Panera week after week, the leaders often out numbering the students who showed up. But we kept going, we made lists upon lists of names. We prayed over those names and for the people whose names we didn’t know yet. And here Fairfax club is now, 2 years strong and full of the people we prayed would come.

At the end of that club, Abby got up and shared her story and the Bible passage where Jesus rises from the dead. It was super cool to hear her story in her own words. I’ve been blessed to be a part of it and grow with her these last 6 years.

Listening to Abby’s talk that night gave a new meaning to us graduating from different high schools.

When I sat in the circle at campaigners my freshman and sophomore year, I thought we were praying for the farthest out kids. And we were, oh we were. But what I didn’t know was that we were praying also for a way. A way to be made for club to start and to grow and to stick.

Abby was on the list of names of people we wanted to come, but she knew the Lord so I wasn’t too worried about it. Little did I know she was the way we were praying for.

Y’all I thought it was gonna be me. I thought I was the one who was gonna invite everyone and get all the glory and give the talk at the last Fairfax club of my senior year. But God’s way was different than mine. God asked me to step out of the way. And I threw a fit. Heck I still throw fits about it from time to time.

But what I have now may be a bigger blessing than what I would have if I stayed. I get to be the name that’s forgotten. I get to sit in a room full of people I prayed for, none of them know my name, but they know the name of Jesus, and they know Abby, and that’s really all that matters. 

The LORD knew.

He knew Abby and I are way too similar (/competitive) and way too big of personalities to share a stage.

He knew there was a place I could go so that my new place and my old place would be ministered to. He knew he could give 2 different stages to us so more people would be reached.

It doesn’t matter who and what and where or under what circumstances. People are learning about Jesus and thats what matters. Here’s to making heaven a LOT more crowded.

“And surely I am with you always, to the ver end of the age.”

Matthew 28:20b