YL Update: A Chronicle of Weekends

I have not been in Chicago for the past 8 weekends. That means that I have a lot of updating to do! The first couple weekends were Guatemala, the next couple New Staff Training, and the last four I spent doing some pretty great things with Young Life.

Weekend One: The day after I returned from NST I took a group of high school juniors and seniors on a WyldLife Leader overnight. The goal of the night: spend time in community and grow in the Lord. I focused the weekend on a message entitled "Story" by Donald Miller. Miller outlines that followers in Christ all have a climactice scene before them: to stand before the Lord and hear the words "well done my good and faithful servant." The question is, how will we get there? What story will we write? We studied the life stories of some of the greats from the Bible--their highs and their lows; we shared our life stories; we rejoiced in a God who works in and through our weaknesses.

Weekend Two: The great humor of Young Life in Chicago is our college leadership weekend. It's called the Leader/Staff Development weekend, aka, LSD. Yes, we go on a yearly LSD trip and can imagine all the jokes that follow. During this weekend the speaker spent his sessions focused on the common denominator between all Christian faiths: the Apostle's Creed. We spent time talking on the beautiful paradox of a triune God and looking at how that nature impacts ministry. Another great weekend.

Weekend Three: 7 to7 on the 7th. That was the catchy name of the 2009 YL All Nighter. The Dark Knight on IMAX at Navy Pier, Young Life club and a dance party at a barn, 2 hours of all access gaming at Game Works in Schaumburg, cosmic bowling, and breakfast. A months worth of fun in one night and I'm still recovering. Actually, any opportunity we have to show kids what fun without alcohol looks like is a really positive experience. And it was that.

Weekend Four: That's this weekend. This weekend I had the privelage of attending my niece Kiersten's first birthday party. She's sweet and it was fun to celebrate her. Noah had his hand in everything, but the day was really Kiersten's. It's amazing to see how much (or little depending on how you look at it) she's grown in the past year, to see her personality show, and to watch how those sibling relationships develop so young!

It's nice to look ahead and NOT have to be gone next weekend. Hopefully will provide some time to rest up after the non stop grind that has characterized 2009.