Caylon's Story

Hi everyone! I’m Caylon, and some of you might remember me from four years ago, standing on this very stage while Annika interviewed me. If you remember that night, you probably remember how bad my stage fright was. I was so nervous that I spent most of the time staring at the ground while I talked.

Well, four years later, I’m back, and this time I can really share my story.

Freshman year, I really didn’t do much outside of school besides football. One of my closest friends, Malachi, told me about Young Life. I've always been someone who likes trying new things, so I decided to check it out. Looking back, that was probably one of the most life-changing decisions I’ve ever made.

Since that first night, I’ve met some of my closest friends and some incredible leaders and role models who have made a huge impact on my life.

This past summer me and some of the fellas went to Gatlinburg. It was such a fun trip. We did a lot of things there, but something that will always stick to me is when we wrote on records. We had three record players, one for the past which let me be vulnerable to the people around me about my past and how i would’ve done almost anything to fit in because of the fear of being alone, and seeing other people share and to see the differences and some connections really lets you open your heart for someone. Next record was the building blocks and how i see myself in 10 years, I want to still be close to the people that are around me and in the next 10 years i want to be proud of what i did in them years, and seeing what my friends want to accomplish in those years and the steps on how they are gonna do it and the actions they have to take to achieve what they want. 3rd record is legacy and this is the one that took the longest to finish because at the time i never thought about the question of legacy until that moment and after some really deep thought i knew that by the time my golden years are done i want people to be proud of me and that i impacted the world with more positives than negatives but most importantly i am proud with the things i did in my life. 

Talking about legacy, there are two leaders who really showed me what it means to leave a lasting impact on the people around them. Those two leaders are Zach and Jared.

When I first started coming to Young Life, Zach and Jared were helping start Young Life here in Kentwood. We were all at different points in our lives, but our journeys came together. While they were growing in their knowledge of the Lord, I was still working on finding Him for myself. Even though they had their own lives and responsibilities, they always made time to help us grow in our faith.

One thing that really stuck with me was our time together at camp, especially during cabin time. It wasn't one specific conversation or moment that stood out. It was the way Zach and Jared listened to us, guided us, and made us feel like what we had to say actually mattered. They didn't just talk at us. They listened, asked questions, and helped us work through things. They made us feel seen and heard.

I remember watching the way they led us and thinking, "In a couple of years, I want to be just like them."

I want to keep learning and growing in my faith, but while I'm learning, I also want to lift others up. I want to help people open up about the things they've been holding inside and let them know it's okay to talk to someone. I want to make people feel seen and heard, just like Zach and Jared did for me.

So, Zach and Jared, even though I joke around with you guys all the time, I really want to say thank you. Thank you for opening my eyes, helping me grow closer to the Lord, and inspiring me to keep learning and use what I've learned to make a difference in other people's lives.

You guys have left a legacy in my life, and I hope I can do the same for someone else.  So thank you for paving the way for people like me, Jalil, Aden, and Drew to be Wyldlife leaders now.

Young Life didn't just give me something to do after school. It changed the trajectory of my life.

And because of all of you, there are more kids like me who will get that same opportunity. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.