This Summer....

This summer I have had the privilege of working with the College Bound 1 teenagers. There are countless memories and lessons that I have learned this summer, and trying to find a place to begin is difficult. I learned that you can sow hair onto your head, you should not get a weave wet, that a perm straightens your hair, and that you can wrap your hair with a scarf. Not to mention that most of my clothes are out of style, flares are really only for white people and it’s necessarily to bring at least 5 pairs of shoes for a week of camp. Clearly I had forgotten what it means to be a teenager. Not to mention the new phrases I learned like “bean head”, “finna”, “you be stressin’ me”, “yolo” and “you’re doin’ to much”. Needless to say there was never a dull moment. On a more serious note I learned the importance of having fun and being present with people. My beautiful teens daily reminded me about the importance of having fun and relaxing. Of just being in the same room together to paint nails, or coloring, or anything really, as long as we were together. We had some worked on some great projects: putting together a Lecrae picture puzzle, going into Chicago to feed the homeless and various other activities. We also had some intense card games going on. It was a joy to have devotionals and listen to their questions. To encourage them in their walk, and to be able to love them exactly where they are at. To watch them learn and to watch them grow. To share about life. To tell stories. To listen to stories. To pray together. To laugh together. Don’t get me wrong there were days that were hard. Days that we fought. Days that made it seem like the summer was going to drag on forever. But, we got through those days, and I believe that we will forever be stronger for them. I had no idea what to expect when I signed up for this job, but I couldn’t have imagined a more fulfilling summer than I had this summer.