So, we’re getting ready to go “out” to support Young Life. Last night, the Cimarrone Missional Community gathered.   We ate. We worshiped.  I taught briefly on our Kingdom responsibilities as God’s children.  Then Valerie Frank and Pat Thomas told us about their work with Young Life.   Valarie and Pat are on staff with Young Life in our area.  We invited them so we could learn what God is doing through Young Life in our area and how we could help.   I couldn’t have asked for a better illustration of what Kingdom responsibility looks like.  Simply put, kingdom responsibility looks very much like letting Jesus love people through us – and that is exactly what Young Life does.

As you might already know, our Missional Communities work to develop a rhythm of life that imitates the life of Jesus.  We get a little help using the terms “Up, In, and Out.”   Up – we worship, pray, and learn from the Bible.  In – we spend time together, usually over good food.  Out – we look for ways to express God’s love and grace in the broken places in our world.

So Young Life is doing just that.  They are working to extend God’s love and grace to kids at Nease and Bartram Trail High Schools.  They are connecting with middle school kids through “Wyld Life” at Fruit Cove, LPA, and Pacetti Bay Middle Schools.  The fastest growing area of Young Life is called “Caparnaum”.  It’s a program that brings together special needs kids.  “Young Lives” is an amazing ministry for teen moms who learn about this Savior, Jesus, who loves them and cares about them and their babies.  God is changing lives through Young Life – and reaching kids that church based youth groups often struggle to reach.

And we get the privilege of supporting them in their work.  They have a 5K run coming up in Nocatee on March 29 called “Race For Kids” and are looking for volunteers.  Valerie shared that they need another dozen volunteers to pull the race together well. From our Missional Community, several folks have already said they will help.  I know at least a couple of people who will run/walk/crawl the 5k.  Want to take part?

Contact Valerie at valeriefrankyl@gmail.com or use the contact form below.  Let her know you want to volunteer and when you are available.  By the way, you get a tee-shirt…   I hope you can find a way to help “out”.