Being a kid in Young Life is probably hands down the best thing ever. Your leaders are continuously loving on you and showing you Jesus. When I first entered into Young Life, it was called "WyldLife" because that's what we call it for seventh and eighth-graders. I thought that the organization was going to be about legit wildlife, like deer and other animals. I was so so so wrong.

See also: You Hate YoungLife

I went to camp at Timberwolf Lake the summer after seventh grade and it's safe to say that week changed my life. I grew up in a Catholic home and never fully understood church. I went through the motions and believed in God but never had a true relationship with him. That week at camp was the first time I felt known and loved by the Lord. I realized that I could come as I am. I finally was understanding scripture and could relate it to life on Earth. All while being beside my best friends.

When we came home from camp, we started Young Life in our area. It continued to grow and grow, by the day it seemed like. We went to Michindoh the next summer and were introduced to actual Young Life because we were finally high schoolers, which is technically who Young Life is made for. We went to Young Life camp every following summer, and every year it seemed to exceed my expectations. I was constantly learning new things about myself. That's not to say that there weren't hardships. I can remember going through a dark time in my life the summer after my freshman year. My friends got concerned and told our young life leader. She sat me down and brought me back to reality and the Lord real quick. I cried to her on rocking chairs at Sharptop Cove while looking at the mountains for what seemed like two hours. I think it's safe to say that Sarah Wright is the reason that I got back on track that summer, so thank you, Sarah.

I then went to Wilderness the summer after my junior year which was the experience of a lifetime, but that's a whole other story. My junior year, I began to be a WyldLife Leader. One of my first WyldLife girls ever, Mer, showed me how to be compassionate and has so much fire in her soul. I knew that this was the start of something big.

This past summer, after my sophomore year at college, I led my girls at Castaway Camp. I was a little nervous about what they would think of me. I knew some of them through family, but most of them I did not know well, if at all. Our first night in the cabin I'm pretty sure they thought I was a freak when I asked if anyone wanted to snuggle. When Ally Elsbury and Lucy Hahn took me up on the offer so quickly, I knew this group of girls were little versions of me.

Genna Thomas

That week was life-changing for us all. Not only was I leading them, but they were teaching me. They taught me hard things, they asked hard questions, and it broke my heart when I didn't have all the answers. But I had to tell them, I am not supposed to have all the answers. These sweet girls are at a prime time in their lives, figuring out who they are and who they want to be. I am so blessed to watch them grow and to be a part of their lives. Being a leader, in general, taught me all the work that my leaders had put into me. They always showed up when I asked and even when I didn't. They were crazy and made me uncomfortable and that's exactly what I was going to do for my girls, it's safe to say it worked.

To Stern: you guys have the whole world in your hands. Remember that there is always room for growth. Your walk with Christ will probably have some hardships and some frustration because you don't understand everything, but we are not meant to. I would climb mountains for any of you, and plan on doing that in two summers (Wilderness wooo!) So when you are in a hard place, remember that there is so much more to come. Keep climbing and walking and I will be right next to you the whole time. Thank you for making this experience so rewarding for me.

Genna Thomas

So thank you for Kathy Craig and Abby Robertson for being my first leaders. For loving me so unconditionally. For inviting yourselves to my eighth-grade party. To Sarah Wright for giving me the best insight and showing up. For Molly for being just as psycho as I am. For Trulock for making me do handstands in the school hallway to 'boost my mood.' You put me out of my comfort zone and shaped who I am today. You guys are what I strive to be!