Two Days is All it Took

A guest post by Taylor Johnson...

Two years ago I went to summer camp at Carolina Point-a Young Life Camp which lies on the border of North and South Carolina.  While I was a camper there the Area Director of Memphis Capernaum, Susan, was there as a head leader.  Susan knew my area director so at the end of the week she asked me and another girl if we would like to help her out at Memphis Capernaum's fall weekend camp.  Me and the other girl both said "Sure! Why not?" We both had no idea what we were getting ourselves into, but we were so stoked! 

September rolls around and we are finally on our way to camp!  At this time in my life I had had no prior experience with students with disabilities, so to say I was nervous would be a dramatic understatement.  Once we got there we got thrown right into it!  We were able to build relationships, love on them, and point them towards Jesus.  We only got to spend two days with them but two days is all it took for them to change my life.  

As a leader I get the privilege of knowing, befriending, and sharing my life with my friends with disabilities.  I get the chance to point them to Jesus not only at club every other week but also when I hang out with, Snapchat, Facebook message, and love on them.  I get to help them begin and continue to have a beautiful relationship with The One who made them in His image.  I get to help them discover new things and to be what Jesus has designed them to be, and how cool is that?  

Fast forward a few months, Young Life club season is rolling around and I get to experience my first ever Young Life Capernaum club!  That night, I fell in love with this beautiful, intentional, and joyful ministry that reaches into the world of students with disabilities. I kept going back because it filled my heart with so much joy.  The kids, the leaders, the parents, just everyone were all so incredible (and still are!).  Every other week I would look forward to Friday because I got to go to club!  I continued to go and I still continue to go.  

Last summer I got the incredible opportunity to go to summer camp with Memphis Capernaum.  After being with my friends for almost a year I thought that I had learned all that I could from them, but oh how I was wrong.  We got to camp and we hit the ground running!  Being able to spend times with friends for five days builds such a great bond; a bond between me and my Capernaum friends as well as with the other leaders.  That week I learned so much more about being in an authentic relationship with The Lord.  

Now, my favorite part, I  get to tell you about my friends and how they love Jesus! Each and everyone of my Capernaum friends love The Lord so authentically, it's beautiful.  They have taught me so much, how to love Jesus better, the true meaning of a relationship, and how to not be afraid to be yourself.  I, so often, get caught up in what people think of me and how they look at me; but not them!  They do their thing with no shame!  How incredible is that?  How they are at club is how they are everywhere,  They are truly them and that, to me, is the best quality someone can have and a true testament of Jesus.  They are so happy with how The Lord made them. 

Being a Capernaum leader has been the most fulfilling thing in my life thus far.  I am so thankful and filled with so much joy when I get to be with my friends.  They have taught me countless lessons, loved on me so well, and been the best friends someone could ask for.  Jesus knew exactly what He was doing when He designed them, fearfully and wonderfully.

Psalm 139:14

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

Taylor lives in Memphis, TN and has been involved with Young Life Capernaum for 2 years.  She loves how Capernaum provides an intentional environment for our friends to further their walk with The Lord while making life long friends with each other and their leaders as they go.