Our Mind Blowing Week at Malibu

Our 19 campers we took from North Spokane to Malibu reminded us that most of teenagers are not just ‘doing fine.’ It is so apparent that kids are wrestling with very adult things like anxiety, depression, abandonment by parents, struggling to find faith when life is so wrecked, feeling insanely lonely, getting sucked into the soul-sucking wreckage of the Internet and ‘apps’, suffering while being subject to a narcissistic parent and even having a sibling murdered. This is what we walked with these kids we’ve known all year or longer. The beautiful headline though, is not the wreckage but the transformation that only God can do.

Of our group; 9 of our HS kids stood up on the last day to indicate they had made a major life and faith decision. And most others still had significant movement of healing and a do-over in their faith.

One our our guys, who was adopted from a drug abuser birth family, had been through a deeply, painful journey these past years. His sister ran away from home; one completely changed every aspect of their identity, and the other ran away from home with a bad-news boyfriends who allegedly murdered her in April. Dietrich and Jeff attended the funeral and have walked with him through this valley of the shadow of death. Jeff’s first one-on-one with the campers was with him, and it mostly comprised of his intentions to exact revenge on people responsible for the hurt he an nd his family experienced. A dark conversation indeed. All week, anger spewed, cabin times were high jacked by this angry teenager who badgered other kids as they shared. This week seemed to be on a fast track to no where.

After the camp speaker shared about what Jesus accomplished for us all on the cross, forgiveness, grace, love and justice, we were all given 15 minutes of silence to consider Gods love and even pray perhaps for the first time. We regathered after this 15 mins for cabin time. In fact, we split the cabin time for me to take him and 2 others in a separate cabin time to allow the other 7 kids to be more safe and free to share without being overwhelmed by this one angry, hurting, prickly young man.

As we started cabin time, we asked ‘what did you hear from the cross or during the 15 mins of quiet?’ Our hurting camper went first. “I felt God speak to me. He told me to forgive the murderer of my sister. To trust that vengeance is HIS not mine.’  And that a seal popped its head up and looked at him where he was sitting by the Oceanside. And God gave him A peaceful assurance that his sister is with God, that her profession of faith was accepted by God even though she had run away and made bad decisions’. He was a completely different kid, expressing a peace he’d never felt before.

The next night, after the resurrection message and 2nd 15 min quiet time, he came back and sense God’s presence and voice inviting him to trust God and forgive his other sister and his birth parents who abandoned him. What!? Then felt prompted to pray for his friend who was in our cabin time, who was full of anger and unforgiveness for his father who has deeply hurt him and contributes to his horrific mental health, to forgive his father too. Then THAT kid perked up and said reported that likely at that very moment he was being prayed for, he heard God speak to him to forgive his father and be filled with Gods peace. They were both blown away with how God moved in these past days. Two kids full of rage and empty of faith had been transformed before our very eyes.

When we split into two cabin times to create safety and room for all the kids to (hopefully!) open up, my co-leader and I agreed to let Mathias Nordstrom, a senior in HS, my first even ‘second generation YL kid’ (I led HIS dad Jeff at Everett HS 22 years ago) to lead the other 7 guys along with Dietrich as his backup. All the kids who had not felt safe to share authentically, totally opened up and fully engaged with each other. They shared about their real thoughts, doubts and desires. It was a breakthrough for each, as well as the whole group of Mead HS kids with each other.

As a bonus, helping lead cabin time was the highlight of Mathias’ (and Dietrich’s) faith journey. He had never had to lean on God like he did in leading these 2 cabin times. God moves in leaders sometimes just as much in those being led!

One girl came in with her guard up. She had a lifetime of experiences with her family, with parents who've left a sour taste in her mouth for what a life of faith is. One parent is completely relationally absent and another is fully immersed in alcohol abuse. She listened to the messages at Malibu and was blown away by what she heard and saw. Getting a clearer view of Jesus was a massive eye opener for her, that faith is not about maintaining a judgy, hypocritical religion, but about a life-giving relationship with God— this was so freeing. Before, prayer and reading the Bible and church was all so confusing because of all the hypocrisy she experienced. After a one on one with Tanya, she determined that she wanted a ‘re-do’ with God and committed to start over fresh. Such a joy to see!

Another kid had been through so much pain of unanswered prayers for an ailing parent all year and feeling incredibly lonely and isolated from having any friends. In a one-on-one conversation by the pool overlooking the Malibu rapids, a combination of attentive listening and timely words from the Lord helped him find hope. The Lord spoke into the conversation that he had been living in fear rather than knowing how to live into Gods live. I 1John 4, we learn that ‘there is no fear in love…perfect love casts out fear.’ That the constant patching himself out from growing closer to others, including God, could be approached by learning to love and receive love from God is a direction to go rather than live in fear of others, in fear of everything failing and being completely alone. He had a fresh, new outlook on enduring a challenging season of dire family health and a lack of having close friends. Continuing to pray for him and the others this week, especially the 9 kids who stood up to proclaim that God had done major transformation in their lives!

We meet this Sunday to begin following up all the steps of faith for them, and the kids who were not able to come. We will read 1 chapter of Philippians per week for the next 4 week; give them a chance to share and spur each other on in faith and create a ‘list’ of peers to begin praying for to encounter God this year and next summer too. We invite your prayers as we are in the midst of the Lord moving mountains in kids lives amidst all the have to wrestle through. God is good, am I right?! 

Thank you for listening. Praying. Partnering. And finding ways in your life to bring life to others stuck in messes, tossed by storms and in need of a fresh introduction to wipe away the misconceptions of God's amazing love. You are loved; thanks for loving us.

-Jeff and Tanya-

WEEK 4: Chains breaking!

Friends-

Such a great last week! Dietrich (pictured) was on the 'Real Life' panel of work crew kids, sharing elements of his life, to help the campers introspect their own lives by sharing elements of their 'story' including family, friends, etc.) He did great. We are still pinching ourselves, dumbfounded that OUR KID, Dietrich Huber, signed up for work crew, hasn't asked to go home, has been knocking the ball out of the park, has campers cheer for him every week, and volunteered to share about his life for 350+ campers.

God was was at work this week from the moment campers arrived. When one of the Cle Elum/Roslyn leaders arrived, she had a message to call home from one of the camper's families.  The camper's father had passed away that morning of a drug overdose. The leader and camper's family worked with the Head Leader and Camp Director to plan a face-to-face visit where the family could deliver the news to the camper, Mackenzie.  Mackenzie's grandparents drove al the way to the property. As non-christians who had no Young Life experience in a town that had just started in 'Upper Kittitas County' this Spring. Delivery of the news was handled with such care and tenderness that the camper's family wanted to offer for Mackenzie to stay at camp if she decided to. The grandparents were offered a stay for the day and overnight if needed by the property. They elected to stay the day. Mackenzie decided that camp was the best place for her to stay with a loving group of friends who cared for her very well. As the club messages Tanya gave unfolded, Mackenzie was particularly touched by Tanya's own personal story about the painful life and loss of her father.  The assignment team would watch as the girls would exchange glances with Mackenzie as Tanya would share different details about her dad.  Mackenzie had a powerful week, and we were so happy that she was surrounded with her leader and friends during this tender time, and messages spoke to her story.

One leader invited me to join her and a camper for a one-on-one.  The camper had been struggling to 'take control' of her own life (using the 'chair' visual) because of some past family trauma.  I sat and listened to this camper tell about her grandmother who suffered from mental illness, who had begun to mistreat her. This was particularly confusing as the grandmother was the spiritual leader of the family. After working through talking about the nature of sin and the purpose God has for each of his children. I was out of ideas. She just couldn’t imagine turning her chair to God. She said she felt like her chair was CHAINED, because of this dysfunctional person.  I had nothing to say to convince her. I felt like we had talked through everything I could think of.  I prayed.  Then the Holy Spirit revealed to me the answer… I reminded her that the she seems to have great boundaries in place with her grandmother-- her parents have a restraining order, she is not allowed to pick her up from school, she is not allowed to talk to her, etc.  She has great boundaries in her day-to day life, and I suggested that she use those same boundaries with her spiritual life- that protecting her ‘chair’/spiritual decisions could be done with the same care and boundaries as the rest of her life. This made perfect sense to her. When I left the table, she said that she was closer to turning her chair to begin a relationship with Jesus. The next morning this camper went to the new believer’s celebration and stood up at the ‘stand so’ of our last club. Praise the LORD for breaking these chains!

CHAINS release!

During the message on sin and the cross, Tanya used 'chains' as a visual for how choosing sin (turning away from life with God) itt leads to the opposite of freedom and joy. It leads to being stuck, heaviness and not getting the joy and full life that we were created to desire and receive when living face to face with God.

At Tanya's night 3 explanation of what Jesus did on the cross to set us free from sin, she unlocked heavy chains, which hold our 'chairs' in the turned away position. When she did this, the room FULL of 350+ campers ERUPTED in applause. This only happened 1 week, but it felt appropriate to cheer for God's act of grace to release us from the consequences of our choice to leave Him out of our lives, and receive us fully to do life together as He created us to do. This is amazing, cheer worthy grace!

The medical team was particularly present for every proclamation activity.  During club, cabin time and quiet times, we noticed the children of the camp doctor were enthusiastically participating-- having their own discussions for cabin time.    For the all camp quiet, all of the children read their own letters from God and wrote a response to to God on the back, just as the campers were invited to.  After all camp quiet, one of the children told her mother that she was ready to 'turn her chair to God'.  Her mother responded, "You don't have to unless you are ready". The daughter responded, "but God wants me to do it now!" So she began a relationship with Jesus and came to the new believer's celebration where we gave her her own bible and she put a tile in the sluice box with her name on it to mark the occasion.  I forget that there is also a ministry to the medical team families!

 

Serving alongside a great team was a joy. None of us serve alone, we are the body of Christ. A speaker, techs, MCs and leaders who set the stage for kids to be ready to hear the gospel, head leaders who support the leaders, prayers and supporters like you who fuel the ministry to keep moving ahead. Thank you for being a teammate in sharing the good news with around 2000 kids this past month, and 17,000 kids this year in the Mountain West Region! 

Creekside Week 3: Hardest Nuts to Crack, Kids standing UP to say YES!

Week 3 highlights!

This week we had 2 campers who were from the juvenile detention system. They were from 2 different areas. One of these campers, Joy, looked rough on the exterior. She yelled most of her communication, used profanities, had a number of tattoos on her 14 year old body--- and we were ready to love her as long as she was willing to stay with us at camp. We were told that every day she stayed and didn't get sent home would be a win. She became fast friends with a-team members and property staff as she refused to sit through club because she became anxious with the high energy songs/games. This provided an opportunity for us to care for her and give her positive attention. She would sit through REAL LIFE, but refused to go to cabin time because she lacked trust and "hated" those girls. In spite of all of the challenges, the love of Christ demonstrated through our actions penetrated her hurting heart. We found a sweet kid underneath who sat at all camp quiet and read the 'letter from God' I pass out to kids. She remained quiet for the 10 minutes-- a real miracle. And on her way back to her cabin-- by this time she was participating in cabin time, she handed me her pencil and her letter from God. I told her she could keep it, but she insisted on giving it back. You could imagine my surprise when I flipped the letter from God over to see that she wrote a response, "I love U too God. Love Joy". Joy woke up early to go to the new believer celebration, received her first bible and put her tile in the sluice box to symbolize the new change that had taken place. She will face a sentence of 2-3 years soon after she returns, but she does say she'd like to come to Creekside to work. :) I'm glad we made room for Joy, flexing the traditional model of a hyped up camp experience so that Joy could experience the love of Christ this week.

Always a JOY to see kids respond. Here is a 1 min video of the celebration moment of kids standing to say YES that they started a new relationship with God! video here ---> https://youtu.be/N25lumMF4vc

We saw multiple leaders and work crew who were here in 2018 five years ago when Jeff spoke here at Creekside. Taien, Pablo and 5 others. Pablo reminded me (Jeff) that I spoke his name out loud when personalizing who Jesus had in mind when he gave his life for us on the cross. Such a joy to visibly see the trajectory of kids’ transformed lives. We don't always get to see the fruit of faithfulness. Its a bonus!

Jeff is engaging with mini-sessions, which are groups of volunteers who come to serve, to shore up the shortage of young adults who come to serve on summer staff. We have 5 Spokane folks here, 3 Royal City, 3 Yakima and more. This week, Jeff is taking over for 3 days from Kent McDonald as the Director for mini-sessions at Canyon while he attends an event.

Pray for Tanya and for kids for this last week! Campers from Lake Stevens (including Kaden Schwenke!) and Zillah in Yakima Valley, Tri-Cities, Olympia and Cle Elum/Roslyn and more will be here these last 5 days we are here!

-jeff and tanya-

Creekside wk2: Kids Responded, 510 Campers, Belonging Speaks.

Overall, a GREAT week #2. We had 510 campers, the largest # of kids that Creekside has ever had. It was very difficult to calm kids down when gathering them each night for club. Tanya give her best shot as presenting the good news to kids in a way that clear, authentic to her and her story. God was faithful. Kids responded. 180 came to the new believer experience. 180, 145 bibles were given out and around 100 stood up at the very end to indicate their 'yes' to Jesus.

'Saygetta', a girl from Newburg, Oregon has also been to camp twice. I met her early in the week and we shared a love for Taylor Swift. She felt connected to the messages from the beginning feeling like I was talking right to her in all of the messages. The cabin times helped her to open up.  Her life is complicated. Her parents divorced and her mother married a woman. She lives with her dad and step mom. At the end of the week she put a tile with her name in the 'sluice box' to mark the beginning of a new relationship with Jesus. She had done that before and was CONFIDENT that this year would be different, with a strong sense that things are REAL about the relationship this time.  She was extra teary when leaving the last club, feeling both relieved and scared about starting a new life with Jesus. When she arrived home, she began to ‘come clean’ about her life and the stresses of living in two households with her father.  He was so thankful for having caring adults—leaders and speaker (me!) in his daughter’s life—and space for his daughter to process what it means to be new in Christ. He thanked the staff people in the area who relayed the last part of the story to us.  We are glad this young lady could be reunited with her heavenly father and her earthly father!  (* - sagetta is an alias)

 There was a theme of gratitude that Tanya kept hearing from kids and from leaders who were appreciative of her story groeing of being a mixed/multi-race kid growing up, not being Mexican enough (didn't speak Spanish) nor white enough (people constantly commented on her being brown.)

A kid from Puyallup, a student of color, came to camp as a 2^nd timer. Last summer he did not say 'yes' to a relationship God, with the reason being a lot of hurt from a church where he struggled to feel seen and belong as a young black man.  This week our messages about Jesus caring for and valuing ALL PEOPLE, and diversity of voices from up front (work crew kids from Yakima and Royal City, and me, and Azzy on program) spoke to his heart. From up front I speak a lot about belonging---and that we belong to GOD! which reinforced the message and helped inspire him to give his life to Jesus for the first time!

  Kids from North Idaho (in our region) were varied in story. Half of the kids grew up in strong families with deep faith roots. The other half were from broken homes, and having zero faith background. When Tanya spoke, and read words from Jesus straight from the bible, they had never heard that before. Some leaders described it this way: "my kids came in on a scale from -3 to +3, as -3's. They hated everything the first 2 days. Then, they began asking questions, their pride softened from the vulnerability of Tanya and those who shared and served. By the end, the kids were more like '-.5' -- like 'almost there' for wanting to start a relationship with God, but there was SO MUCH GROUND to cover in 5 days, which is why Young Life leaders keep meeting with kids after camp and helping them unpack faith and process through life's questions. We don't just celebrate kids saying 'YES' to God, we celebrate small steps and movement! 

Jeff is doing great. He loved cheering Tanya on, and  seeing his friends from college, Chris and Lisa Kaiser (pictured), who he interned with for 2 1/2 years in Bellingham at 'Cornwall' church before going on YL staff. Something special about long history with people and seeing how God's faithfulness has been so present in our lives over time, we hadn't seen each other in 25 years.

Dietrich is working hard, doing great, making friends. Growing as a person. We are amazed at his toughness and lack of complaints. He smiles, works seemingly tirelessly in the dining hall and has meaningful conversations daily with fellow work crew kids. And campers each week end up cheering for him, showing his 'charm.'

On to week #3 now. We have 460 campers here and are mid-week, pray for God to move, kids hearts to be open, and for health for our work crew, summer staff and strength for Tanya. :)  

-JEFF AND TANYA-

Tanya narrating Jesus inviting Zaccheus down from the tree to do dinner together! (relationship first!) 

WFR Creekside Camp 2023, week 1 stories!

This first week was electrifying. Tanya preparing for and delivering messages each day for 435+ campers was an opportunity to rely on Jesus, and finally get to clearly share the message of 'invitation to relationship with God' that has been welling up for 7+ months. At the end of the week, 170 kids came to the new believer's experience (<----1 minute highlight video here!) to learn first steps of faith and put a 'tile' with their name and date in the 'sluice box' to express their 'yes' to Jesus, and over 60 kids (it's fuzzy math, friends!) had the courage to stand up at the end.

A cabin of girls shared that really resonated with Tanya's illustration of chairs facing each other, representing God creating us to know and do life with Him (see pic to the right). The girls creatively answered to their leader, Emily Jamieson, that their upbringing kind of arranged them to face God, but they treat their chair like a swivel chair where they twist away and turn their heads away from God. But this week, they truly fell in love with Jesus and turned towards him because they want to and finally understand God's love and goodness.

Dietrich is serving on work crew- flourishing in his faith and relationally too. One of his 'fast friends' Mike, is a joyful kid, full of humor and 'rizz.' He shared his faith story with Dietrich and some boys, then volunteered to share at their first work crew presentation to the entire camp. He had never done it before, and felt God close to him as he shared. Here is a video clip of it, which includes Dietrich's intro and Yakima's "Alán" who is referred to below too.

Next door to Creekside, at WFR Canyon, one the YL staff Tanya trains, Jason Jordan, from Connell WA, on Day 3, had a powerful cabin time where kids said YES to Jesus (Day 3 is pretty early in the week for that, but, YOLO!) Then after cabin time, he proceeded to baptize 5 of these kids in the pond at WFR canyon. This is generally discouraged to do at YL camps (better done in a local church) but he insisted that ‘they were ready now.' Well...OKAY! PTL, right? 

Also at Canyon, our Omak staff, Jeffrey Chambers, shared about kids lives transforming before his eyes. It started night 4, when one kid, at 1am woke Jeffrey up and insisted on talking NOW. He was really disturbed. They talked until 3am, and then, now day 4, he was ready to say YES to relationship with God. As well as 3 native kids from the 'res' in Okanogan/Omak did too. So GOOD...and thank God for coffee

3 kids from Gig Harbor had never heard sin spoken of, in terms of being a broken 'relationship with God'. They even grew up going to a Christian school yet had not heard sin in a relationship sort of way. They had never heard the accounts of Jesus of the bleeding woman or Zacchaeus, and how relationship is actually God's top priority. All the pieces finally clicked for them, which is often the case for kids who grow up 'around' God. A relationship with God begins by a 'yes' to Him. They each 'turned their chairs' to God, saying yes to a relationship with Jesus! The leader shared this report with tears streaming down.

This story reminds me of Dr Mike Valente's son, 'little Mike' who went to Creekside 3 weeks ago. Mike Valente, a beloved friend and influence to many, Jeff's chiropractor in Spokane, man of God, and force of nature, who passed away suddenly one year ago. Little Mike was here with Spokane Valley at Wyldlife camp, hearing the gospel, having growing up in a Jesus-centered family with Jesus-loving people all around, but said yes for the first time, when it was his own decision to make. He shared that starting a relationship with Jesus. He shared that this joyful, personal decision made him feel closer to his dad. How SWEET that is!

Connecting with people here has been unbelievable and special: Heather Hopkins-Ruetschle, who was Apple Blossom Queen in '94, the year before Tanya was Princess, came to serve as mini-session work crew, and listened to two talks, and was a huge encouragement. Chris and Lisa Kaiser, who Jeff interned with in Bellingham at Cornwall Church of God during college in '96-'98 are here with all 3 sons (SS, WC and camper.) Royall City's Brea Diaz led this week. Then our friends' kids! Meghann Zenonian. Casey and Melanie Price's son. Jay Rinne's daughter. Gig Harbor friends' kids. Tanya's former teen mom YoungLives 'kid', Braelyn's, daughter Taylee. Jim and Michelle Robertson's kid. Ryan Prothero the longtime YL-er in Ellensburg and Kelso. Joel Boyer's step-son. Former Marysville YL 'kid' Priscillia's daughter from Mill Creek. And on and on. We feel both BLESSED...and OLD!

3 boys from Yakima are serving on work crew in the dining hall with Dietrich- Diego, Diego and Alán, each of whom their YL leader Gerardo Mendoza brought with him. All week, kids went wild cheering for them, especially Alán. They began to chant his name every time every time he carried food to tables, and during the work crew presentation (in the video link above.) As that week of campers left, TJ, our work crew coordinator, asked Alán and the Diegos how they will feel, if these new campers do not cheer for them and chant their name. They shrugged their shoulders, recognizing that it was just a special experience to be praised this way by others. TJ leaned in and invited them to now learn to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit cheering their name, "Alan! Alan! Diego! Diego!" as His beloved sons, every day as they serve. "Listen for the voice of God this week!" Wow. 

What a great reminder for each of us in our everyday grind, to listen to the voice of God to us as His beloved sons and daughters! (insert your name here x3!!!) "You are my beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

Join us in praying for week 2. Kids from Everett/Mill Creek, North Idaho, Boise, Tri-Valley in Cali, West Sound, Belllingham, Kirkland/Redmond, Snoqualmie, Puyallup and more.