Our very first club in Fall of 2022 had four kids. One of those four kids was Lincoln. It has been a joy and honor to see the growth in him over these last three years. Check out Lincoln's story and the ways he has been impacted by Young Life:
Hi, my name is Lincoln, and I’m a Junior at East Kentwood High School. I’ve been part of Young Life since my freshman year, and it’s been an important part of my high school experience.
Going to Young Life helped me hear the gospel and allowed God to become a bigger part of my life, filling a space in my life that I hadn’t realized was empty. In addition to clubs and Bible studies, I found the camp experiences to be especially meaningful. This year, I was a camper at Castaway. I loved the time at camp so much, but until recently, I didn’t have the courage to take that next step in my faith. This changed when later in the summer, I decided to join the work crew at Timber Wolf Lake.
The Work Crew consists of high school students like me working behind the scenes, to help run the camp. I signed up for a three-week session as a server. At first, the work was tough and something I wasn’t used to. We had to wake up very early and report to the dining hall to prepare breakfast, serve the campers, clean up, and repeat the process for lunch and dinner. Those first few days were tiring, and it was hard to adjust to this new lifestyle.
A Story About Jenna
The first couple weeks in particular were especially challenging. I was tired; I was homesick; and I wasn’t really sure if I was making any impact. During the second week of camp, we had a group of WyldLife kids come through. The previous week had been quieter with YoungLives, so this week felt a lot more lively. On the last night, a friend of mine, Jenna, asked if we could switch tables for serving, and I agreed. As the night went on, Jenna came up to me and said the leader at the table asked where I was and why I couldn’t serve their table.
At that moment, she realized that maybe switching tables had been a mistake. Later, while we were grabbing more food for our tables, Jenna mentioned that the table I had been serving all week kept giving me shoutouts. Then, in the most endearing way, she looked at me and said, "You are so loved, Lincoln."
That’s when it hit me through Jenna’s kind words, I finally had this feeling—that I had the potential to influence others in meaningful ways, just as so many people have influenced me.
A Story About TC at Camp
Another impactful part of my Work Crew experience was during all-camp worship one evening, one of the head leaders, TC, spoke about using our gifts to open doors for ourselves and others, just as God intended. It reminded me of how Jenna had spoken to me and it made me realize that I want to do the same for others as well.
Later, I had the chance to talk with TC, and he shared that he had a great singing voice but had always been afraid to sing in front of others. That fear led to regrets in his life. I told him I would love to hear him sing on stage.
At the next all-camp worship, TC stepped up to the mic and started singing. The songs he chose were some of my favorite worship songs, and sure enough, he had an amazing voice. Afterward, TC told me that I was one of the reasons he finally got up there to sing. That moment taught me how much we can uplift others, and how good it feels when we encourage someone else to step into their calling.
My Castaway Story
One of the most important parts of my story happened a month earlier when I was a camper at Castaway Camp, where I had the chance to be called on stage and recognized for being a good friend to a fellow camper. I was so afraid of going up in front of everyone that I didn’t even care what the recognition was for and I just refused to go up there. Jake tried to encourage me, offering to go up with me, but I still said no because I was terrified of being judged or embarrassed. I thought I was hiding in the back of the crowd with my shades on, but in reality, everyone could see me, and I ended up embarrassing myself even more.
They went on with the rest of the club, and that’s when I realized they just wanted to affirm me on stage, which made me feel even worse that I hadn’t dared to go up. After club that night, we were given 10 minutes of quiet time to talk to God, but all I could think about was what had just happened. People would come up and ask if I was okay. Mario, who is on Young Life Staff, approached me after quiet time and shared part of his own story—how, when he first moved here from Togo, he struggled with speaking in front of people. Talking with him helped, but I still felt terrible.
Later, during cabin time, I allowed myself to be vulnerable. I shared the thought process that went through my mind, and I realized how important it is to recognize what you’re feeling and why. It was a moment of growth for me and I am appreciative to Young Life for providing the safe space and opportunity for me to grow.
I took this experience and many other little experiences with me when I became a part of the Timber Wolf work crew. The experiences had given me the confidence and courage to take small steps forward. I can’t thank the people I was surrounded by enough for helping me with that. I had so many meaningful conversations that I never would’ve had before. If I hadn’t gone to camp and had these experiences, I don’t think I would’ve had the courage to say yes when Jake later asked me to come up on stage. Without Kentwood Young Life, I can truly say I would never have seen myself as someone with a powerful story to tell.
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