The Long Slow Road

What we do in Young Life is often something that requires a great deal of patience. We don't set out to invade kids' lives and change their minds about Jesus and/or make them more obedient or better behaved. We go where they are, ask to be invited into their lives, and then love them in the Name of Jesus.

This is no quick job.

Sometimes I ask myself if what I am doing is making a difference, or if I am doing anything worth doing. I wonder if all I am doing is providing kids with "fun" experiences and nothing more. I am tempted to think that I must create something with dramatic and fast results. Something that shows that kids are meeting Jesus and that their lives are being changed.

Sometimes this does happen fast in Young Life, but, more often than not, it takes a LONG time, and us leaders may not ever get to see it happen. We might just be the ones planting seeds for someone else to harvest... but we stay in there. We love kids, and we do our best to walk with them, showing them the love of Jesus. It's a long and often trying journey. Fast results are intoxicating. Watching Jesus grab a kid's life and turn it around is one of the greatest things ever... but it's not my job, it's Jesus'. 

So please continue to pray for us over in Ladera Ranch. Pray that God would gift us with patience, desire, and discernment. Pray that we would find fulfillment in simply loving kids, and trust that he will do the rest. 

Marco club at Oakbridge Younglife camp!

What an amazing week!!! Our Wyldlife crew just got back from 6 amazing days at Younglife's Oakbridge camp tucked away in the hills of Ramona California. This camp is such an amazing place! There are tons of activities to do every day and Games and skits through out the day. Most importantly every night at Club we here from one of our Younglife speakers about who Jesus is and what he did for us while he was on this earth and what he did for us on the cross. Amidst all the craziness and games and fun Jesus is what's at the core of Younglife camp. Our crew had some super fun times and created great memories but we all learned more and grew closer to God at this camp and it was such a joy to be a part of. Attached are just a few pictures. hope you enjoy!

Dustin Martnick

Wyldlife south county 

Oakbridge!

Last week we took 15 kids from Ladera Ranch to Oakbridge, a Young Life camp outside of Ramona CA.

It was amazing!

For most of these kids this was their first camp experience, and for all of them it was one of the best weeks of their lives. From the food, to the rides, to the funny skits and games, the kids were totally overwhelmed in the best ways.

This was also a chance for these kids to connect with us leaders, and more important, Jesus. The speaker did such an amazing job making the Gospel accessible to middle schoolers, and had illustrations that really let them see how much the Creator of the universe loves them. 

Welcoming Summer

Welcoming Summer  

      The last few weeks of the school year are filled with anxiousness, excitement, and endless waiting. Walk into any San Juan Hills classroom in June and you will find plenty of kids stealing glances at the clock, the smell of sunscreen filling the room. With finals approaching and freedom close at hand, plans are made for camping, surfing, traveling, and even for sleeping.

       When we considered how to finish off our year of club, the Dana Hills and San Juan Hills leaders decided to do the ultimate Summer Welcome Party - the beach barbeque night. It was a great way to have kids show up and enjoy the first fruits of the season; hot dogs, watermelon, and ice cold sodas. We had over 35 kids come and enjoy games, food, and the sunset over Salt Creek Beach for our celebration of the end of school and the beginning of summer.

       It was a great time to congratulate these kids. They had made it through another year, and there was a sense of victory for all of us. Several of the students thanked their leaders for the encouragement and the investment that we made in their lives this school year. I was amazed at just how much my own life has been impacted by sharing time with these kids. Their struggles, successes and their questions of faith have enabled me to see how God is working in their lives and my own. As the sun went down on our beach barbeque, and I realized that this summer was going to be where I would be continuing to share my life with these kids. I have never been more excited to work over the summer months.

End of the Season

When I first visited the San Juan Hills High School Campus, it was odd.  I didn’t know anyone, yet I was setting out to build friendships here.  I was only allowed on campus because it was after school, but I was supposed start up conversations with tons of kids.  Most of all, I had no idea what I was doing, or even why God had called me to San Juan Capistrano.  It seemed like a bad plan to just show up to an empty school, but here I was walking around empty classrooms praying for people I hadn’t even seen yet.

Fast forward a few months, and I can’t walk from parking lot to the office without being stopped three or four times.  Some kids want to say hello, some want to hang out later.  Some coach wants to meet after class, some staff person wants to shake hands.  The principal waves from within his office and the custodian gives me a salute.  You’d think that I had done something quite amazing to earn all of this respect and to meet all of these people.  In fact, all I ever did was show up.  My ability to be present for kids is extremely important for them, and therefore it is also important to their teachers, coaches, parents and friends.  

I once told someone that if I could choose to do anything and have it be my “job”, I would be a friend.  Just that.  Young Life is enables me to be exactly that for these high schoolers.  If they need a ride, if they want someone to listen, if they need to vent, if they want encouragement; I get to give it to them.  Of course, I’m not their only friend, but I can be there for them if they would like.  I invite them to things - weekly Club, laser tag, pool parties - and I continue to invite them even if they never come.  I want these students to feel wanted, and I want them to see Jesus who loves them more than anyone ever could.

My main reason for being on campus is that I help coach Track & Field.  Our season was ending and the question I kept hearing was, “Will you still be around?”  That means a lot to me, that these teenagers even care whether or not I will see them multiple times a week.  It means that these kids want what God has given me to offer.  It means that I get to keep showing up.  Most of all, it means that I can continue to witness Christ at work in the lives of my friends each day.

All In

A simple rule of thumb that I use when working with people: don’t ask anyone to do something that you are not willing to do yourself.  There are many reasons for this, but the main one is simply that leading by example is the best way to get people to stop hesitating.  We all build up walls between ourselves and pain.  We avoid embarrassment, discomfort, and being the focus of negative attention.  But what if we could be free of these worries, and simply act out of a desire to be ourselves, to have fun?  What if we did things because they were enjoyable rather than for the applause?  

Choice is a huge deal for high school students.  As they hit their teenage years, they begin to step away from their parents and move out into the world.  School, work, social life, sports, driving, and leisure time are suddenly their choice to make.  This gives them a chance to try new things, become responsible, and begin to mature.  It also gives them a chance to hurt themselves, get involved with any number of conflicts, and to fail.  We all fear failure, and we all try to avoid it, but high schoolers are especially fearful of being exposed with their vulnerabilities shown to everyone else.  So, many kids do the same thing I did in high school, they wear a mask.  No matter what it is, a mask is safer than showing your heart to others.  It could be filling a stereotype, it could be adopting new (cooler) interests, it could be “faking it” through whatever commitments they have in a given day.  The point is, there are very few safe moments for a teenager to be free from these pressures, to be themselves, to be a kid.  

So, recognizing these things, we do crazy things at Young Life Club - including diving face first into chocolate pudding.  We socialize, play games, and sing silly songs with one main purpose - to show these students that it’s safe here.  They can be themselves, they can be goofy and imperfect, and they can fail.  No matter how small that failure is, that’s a significant departure from their daily life.  Grades, athletic achievement, work, even time with family often come with expectations of success.  One failed test, one missed catch, one late timecard, one messed up argument can lead to many consequences.  The ability to fail and be human for one evening a week is a precious thing.  

This time of vulnerability leads directly into the talk where kids hear about Jesus, a Savior and God who lowered Himself and spoke to people as they were - broken, sinful, diseased individuals.  Yet, He loved them, touched them, healed them, forgave them, and died for them.  He gives His grace to even the biggest failure.  Suddenly, this adolescent realizes that maybe unattainable perfection isn’t the goal in life after all.  Maybe this Jesus has some answers.  Maybe He will love me too.  

Capernaum American Idol Club

As part of out March Madness we do with the Capernaum clubs, we always end the month with a bang! American Idol Night is always a good time and the students LOVE performing. 

We started March Madness with a typical club. The 2nd week, we got to go see a movie about a blind man who learns to surf and overcome his disability. The 3rd week we went Ice Skating. And finally we ended the month with American Idol Club.

Here is the highlight reel.


A BIG shoutout to Mike Cannavo @ Akros Media

American Idol Night

-Dave