The Tower

If you've come into contact with me in the past 5 months or so, chances are I tried to push a green bracelet on you and told you about Tower Youth. I might have even physically restrained you until I could show you some pictures of the students or tell a story that you probably didn't care about that I thought was hilarious. Let's face it, I'm an 18-year old grandma. However, for the sake of blogging.

This summer my camp friend Whitney messaged me about helping with a youth group in the fall when I would move to McMurry. She said they were looking for more girl sponsors and that she thought of me, and I was honored. But at the time she asked, I had just gotten back from my last mission trip AS a youth, and quite frankly I thought I was burnt out. Even as a participant, I was weary of going right back to a youth group. And I certainly didn't want to do it just because "that's what you do when you're in college." I told her I'd think and pray about it, but my mind was pretty well made up.

The rest of the summer I wrestled with the idea. I'll admit that I thought a lot more than I intentionally prayed about it. I didn't want to miss out if that's what God was calling me to do, but at the same time I didn't think He was.

Okay, here's the cool God part.

That Sunday when I got to McMurry they had a special service at Aldersgate UMC across the street from campus. All the UMCs in Abilene had people there to support the students and to help connect them with a church. That morning I met Wanda, who hooked me up helping teach the Special People's Sunday School class (It's only two of my favorite things, Jesus and special needs people, no big deal. That's for another post.)

My friend and I walked in late for the service. There were probably 14 million people there. I know Abilene is bigger than Glen Rose, so I'm sure my estimate is logical. Out of those 14 million people, guess who we sit by? You guessed it, Jared, Jordan, and Ryan (aka Special K, Smelly, and Cheerleader,) three of the Wylie UMC Youth workers. They invited me to come to the back-to-school youth pool party, and from there I was hooked. There's no way I could fit everything that God has done through this youth group into one post, but hopefully now you'll be a little less confused now when I tweet that I'm "going towering."

By no will of my own did I end up at Wylie UMC, but I'm sure glad I did. God has a way of vomiting us out where we need to be.