Halls Has It

Y'all. I am on the BEST team ever.
First of all, I am beyond blessed to be called to do YoungLife ministry at Halls High School. I am obsessed with this place. But most of all with my team. Let me back up a little bit first.

Two years ago I started going through this process here at UT to become a YoungLife leader called Quest. We got to visit a couple other clubs. And I visited a school named Carter. And I just knew it. THAT'S where I wanted to be a leader. I was positive. My mom was a leader there. And that's where I wanted to be.

My Quest class buddies. We're stuck together :)

While we were waiting to find out where we got placed my roommate and I would spend days saying, "What if you got placed at... fill in the blank." And whenever it ended in "Halls" we would say, "No way. I would NOT lead there." Of course we didn't mean it... that much. We really didn't even have a reason not to like it. So when the day came where I find out I was a leader at Halls. From the moment they told me that's where I was, I was beyond pumped. It was hands down the exact fit for me from the very beginning. Granted, Halls is a VERY difficult place to be a leader. YoungLife is not a prestigious as it is a Bearden, where I grew up in the YL world. It's an "East Side"< school which literally means it is on the east side of Knoxville, but all has a tag of YoungLife not being as well established, or frankly as strong. (I have to admit that after tonight, I do have a lot of momentum because our club was incredible. But our club was strong. So strong. It was huge. There were tons of kids there. Overfilling the room (which is really unusual for springtime as you other leaders know). It was funny and full of energy and full of laughter and kids and joy and best of all, the presence of God. Unbelievable. I am so thankful for this night.) Anyway, my team is set to break this stereotype. The team has changed a bit over the years. Okay, more than a bit. A lot. And at first I was hesitant. But I'm in love with this team. We are so young. And such good friends. We are close. We talk. A lot. And pray for each other. And vent about the hard times. And celebrate the good ones. There is absolutely no way it gets better than this. Halls is kinda

Literally couldn't do minstry without this girl

forgotten. Or at least that's what it seems like. Which is so wonderful because it makes us count on each other even more. And really we are the only ones who can truly understand Halls. And what it's like. I, we, are so in love with the kids that go to school at HHS. Sometimes they are not so easy to love. And really, it's hard to imagine anyone other than my teammates loving them with me. But these kids, I am so thankful that I know them. Really know them. Girls and guys both. Gotta love it. This has turned into a rambling. I wanna kinda spotlight all my teammates. Just because they mean so much to me. But there's not time now. Too late. I'm too tired. But I am just so full of joy and thankfulness. And love.

How can you resist that?! Loves.

Kirby isn't in these pics. And it makes me so sad. I am too exhausted to look through all of Iphoto to find one of her (I really should organized them better). Love her just as much as the rest of 'em.

Kelsey. T.J. Brittany. Spenser. Mandy. Molly. Matt. Josh. and Kirby. and Nic too.

"Thankful" really doesn't convey it good enough.

Halls. Has. It.