"Rewind" blog post from March 12, 2010
"So i'm gonna try to make this blog short but thought I would share with you a pretty cool story about something God did in my life that pretty much gave me goosebumps. Well I was reading back on an old journal entry of mine back on October 27, 2009. I wrote to God saying this:
"Dear God,
Its so crazy how much of a calling I feel to help teen moms, so I'm gonna do it. This has always been one of my passions... but now its like it always comes up in my mind. I honestly do believe that ever since I've been single I've been able to hear your voice more loudly... but I didn't realize that it would be THIS loud! Jesus, i'm excited about the plans you have for this ministry!! Jesus, thank you for stretching my heart and also thank you for burdening my heart for teen moms.. so let's I will trust you in starting Younglives.."
I wrote that on October 27 (aka, last semester). Well get this...
This semester I decided to take on in starting younglives (if you're not aware this is, it is a ministry through younglife that specifically works with teen moms). Anyways, last week I talked to my first girl (on tuesday to be exact) and as we got talking, I asked her if she already had the baby or if she was expecting, and she responded & said that she was expecting. So I asked her how far along she was and she told me 17 weeks. Well, the convo ended and I ended up telling Gregg and Robyn about it that Thursday because I was so excited. WELL- Gregg was doing something on his phone and then was like "Christina, look at this. I did the math and exactly 17 weeks from now was the week of October 27, the day you said that you told God about working with teen moms". WHICH MEANS THAT THE DAY I WAS PRAYING FOR THIS WAS THE WEEK HER BABY WAS BEING CONCEIVED. I MEAN, OH EM FREAKING GEE! That's whack. I'm not gonna lie, I was completely blown away. The fact that God was so exact with the timing of this ministry and by burdening my heart for what burdens his. He is so accurate about ever detail and will lead me in the right direction ALWAYS as long as i'm obedient to His voice.
After this experience, it just brought things in a new light for me and showed me that I have no reason to doubt God and trust in his faithfulness. Even if I cannot understand every circumstance in my life and its purpose, it is at least comforting to know that there is a God who does have control and is going to guide me whenever I put my complete trust in Him.
I could probably go on for hours and hours talking about my passion & love for teen moms.. but then I may start creeping people out and may get kicked out of working with them because my area director might think it's a little unhealthy on how much I care about these girls lol. Not to mention it would probably annoy the crap out of people. Anyways- I can't wait to see where God has me a year from now. I can't wait until the summer of 2010 when I take girls to camp and see their lives changed. I can't wait until God continues unfolding the plans he has for me. Life is so exciting, I just can't get enough."
"Dear God,
Its so crazy how much of a calling I feel to help teen moms, so I'm gonna do it. This has always been one of my passions... but now its like it always comes up in my mind. I honestly do believe that ever since I've been single I've been able to hear your voice more loudly... but I didn't realize that it would be THIS loud! Jesus, i'm excited about the plans you have for this ministry!! Jesus, thank you for stretching my heart and also thank you for burdening my heart for teen moms.. so let's I will trust you in starting Younglives.."
I wrote that on October 27 (aka, last semester). Well get this...
This semester I decided to take on in starting younglives (if you're not aware this is, it is a ministry through younglife that specifically works with teen moms). Anyways, last week I talked to my first girl (on tuesday to be exact) and as we got talking, I asked her if she already had the baby or if she was expecting, and she responded & said that she was expecting. So I asked her how far along she was and she told me 17 weeks. Well, the convo ended and I ended up telling Gregg and Robyn about it that Thursday because I was so excited. WELL- Gregg was doing something on his phone and then was like "Christina, look at this. I did the math and exactly 17 weeks from now was the week of October 27, the day you said that you told God about working with teen moms". WHICH MEANS THAT THE DAY I WAS PRAYING FOR THIS WAS THE WEEK HER BABY WAS BEING CONCEIVED. I MEAN, OH EM FREAKING GEE! That's whack. I'm not gonna lie, I was completely blown away. The fact that God was so exact with the timing of this ministry and by burdening my heart for what burdens his. He is so accurate about ever detail and will lead me in the right direction ALWAYS as long as i'm obedient to His voice.
After this experience, it just brought things in a new light for me and showed me that I have no reason to doubt God and trust in his faithfulness. Even if I cannot understand every circumstance in my life and its purpose, it is at least comforting to know that there is a God who does have control and is going to guide me whenever I put my complete trust in Him.
I could probably go on for hours and hours talking about my passion & love for teen moms.. but then I may start creeping people out and may get kicked out of working with them because my area director might think it's a little unhealthy on how much I care about these girls lol. Not to mention it would probably annoy the crap out of people. Anyways- I can't wait to see where God has me a year from now. I can't wait until the summer of 2010 when I take girls to camp and see their lives changed. I can't wait until God continues unfolding the plans he has for me. Life is so exciting, I just can't get enough."
"Today" blog post on Nov. 5, 2012
The girl I mentioned above is named Emely and her baby girl is Maritza. She is one of our most involved girls. She was a COMPLETELY different person at club tonight than the person I met 2 years ago. This summer she went to camp for the second time and decided to accept having a relationship with Jesus. She used to be shy, isolated, and lacked confidence. Tonight, she led a game at club and handed out flyers all over Fayetteville for girls to join younglives. She has had a rough journey with extremely difficult hardships that I will not personally disclose, but God has done a miraculous work in her heart. As I drove her home, she told me "Remember when I used to be shy? Now I'm all younglifey and don't care! Do you think when I'm 18, I can be a younglives leader too?" and my heart just stopped. Emely, a girl who we had to BEG to come to club and BEG just to hang out with now wants to share the love of Jesus with other moms who are in her shoes. A girl who wouldn't even make eye-contact with me for months because her self-esteem was so low, is now wanting to lead other girls to Christ. On top of that, she has had difficult moments the past few weeks and told me "I just locked myself in my room, fell to the ground, and prayed that God would help me... and then suddenly, I just felt peaceful. That has never happened to me before, Christina."
This is younglives. A long process that requires God's patience to spend 2-and-a-half years pursuing a teen mom, Emely, and to finally see her gain your trust and WANT to have a daily relationship with Jesus. If God could melt Emely's heart, I believe he can melt any other teen mom's heart.... because trust me, I thought "there is no way this ministry will even reach her".. but that's the beauty of this ministry, reaching the "furthest kid out".
God spoke to me and said that Emely would be our first younglives girl, and now she may be the teen mom who takes on the leadership of this ministry. Her daughter is the tree marker of how long this ministry has been the Lord's, even as precise as to the DAY she was conceived.
Praise God. All the glory to Him.
Emely after her ceremony from graduating from 9th grade. [2010]
Emely right after she had baby Maritza. [2010]
Younglives photoshoot that Emely & Maritza attended. [2010]
Loving on Maritza at the younglives xmas party. [2010]
Emely and I at yl camp after doing the scariest ropes course of our life. [2011]
Emely and Maritza at dinner (younglives camp) [2011]
Lost Canyon younglives camp. [2011]
Tacky Christmas sweater club. [2011]
Emely & her Mentor mom, Lee, at camp for the second time.
[2012]
Adventures at walmart. [2012]
Emely, myself, and her mom and younglife banquet [2012]
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