My heart

is filled with memories of people. Certain young people invade my mind time to time. I attribute this to the past. The prayer I invested in them. Some kids don’t know how much I value their presence. The first group I advised was OIC. I’d hear them share their struggles and triumphs. I’d keep their names penciled on a sticky note in my car. Or a picture. To help me remember to pray for them. Helen, Chris, Shoshee, Stephanie, Warren, Julie, and JY were names I’d go back to often. They are all doing their own thing now, but I catch myself thinking about them once in a while. Sometimes, I’ll say a quick prayer. Sometimes, I’ll laugh as I remember a funny moment we shared. When I hear of their progress and success, I’m filled with so much joy.

Later, I advised Common Ground briefly. Yvonne, Kelly, and Samantha were the heartbeat of that group for some time. Kelly stuck with me. I saw her grow up and mature. Served alongside her in summer camp. It’s awesome to see children mature into young women of the Lord. I catch myself smiling all the time just thinking about these girls. Yvonne’s head tilt, Kelly’s laugh, Sam’s excited voice.

Then, there was junior high. Oh Lord. No one could have foretold the impact this group would have on my life. Their energy, enthusiasm, laziness, and innocence hit me all at once. I laughed so much at those meetings. Those kids touched my heart in a way the other groups could not. I’d remember my own youth group. Back in the day at Calvary Chapel. I’d remember our SR1’s and kickbacks on Fridays. Our retreats. At HOC praise nights I’d just watch the youth. Watch them interact. Watch them lead. I felt led to join the junior high ministry after teaching at HOC’s summer camp. I like a challenge. My class was all boys after Naomi moved to another class. I had such a great time with them. They made me want to pull my hair out, scream, laugh, and hug them all at the same time with their incessant shenanigans.

Apart from serving at HOC, Irvine has the other piece of my heart. I’d always favor the younger ones. Whether it be in spiritual maturity or age. I just liked talking and listening to them. People that stuck out to me early on were Emily and Annie. Then Jenn, Kevin, and Cat. I always liked spending time with them. Finding small ways to minister to them and show them I care. Those friendships grew me a lot in college. I became a better person just knowing those people. I could write pages about each person, that’s how profoundly they touched my life. Those friendships started in ‘06. Crazy how much time has passed. How many baptisms I’ve witnessed. How many good times we’ve shared.

Each generation produces new fruit, but the old fruit remains. It’s everlasting. Witnessing the growth and change at Irvine and HOC is nothing short of spectacular. This life is about relationships right? Praise God I got to be a witness to some amazing relationships between God and man.