“A picture I have of the African women … is that she’s carrying the continent on her shoulders.” —Dyan Larmey
Today, stories of redemption, hope, and empowerment from Africa’s ministry to women.
Links:
Karama Collection
Young Life Africa’s Website
“Supervision is an underutilized avenue to care for and develop people in ministry." John Evans (Sr. Dir. of Advanced Training) has made a career of creating safe spaces for people to learn how to grieve their losses. In Part I of our conversation, he spoke about being a healthy and congruent person. Today, how to lead others from a place of health and emotional maturity. We're @YoungLifePod.
John Evans (Sr. Dir. of Advanced Training) has made a career of creating safe spaces for people to learn how to grieve their losses. This week, he teaches us how to be congruent (Part I) and to lead others from a place of health and emotional maturity (Part II, coming this Thursday). Conversation topics for today include his perspective on ministry motivation, emotional health, grieving, technology, anxiety, depression, and much more.
Questions to Ponder:
Rites of passage are effective ways to bless young people as they complete formative experiences and move onto the next chapter of their lives. Today, we drop in on one of Young Life’s most revolutionary training programs, Latino Student Staff, to explore how it's is changing lives, sending people, and helping to transform the city of Houston. If your club or area has a rite of passage you’d love to share, hit us up @younglifepod.
Music by James Tutson & Podington Bear (from the free music archive)
Our #songofsummer series features a camp musician(s) breaking down the music and message of their favorite song to play at camp. Today, Kel Taylor and Emma Harvey of Sawyer (@thebandSawyer) share about their song, ‘Easy Now’. Tomorrow, they fly to Malibu to play it.
Are we missing a camp musician who played the songs of your summers past? Tag them and us (@younglifepod)— we’d love to help tell the story!
Most of our Young Life staff, leaders, and stakeholders serve on teams. So, what makes them great? Today, an example of a caught up & compelled team: The Young Life Chicagoland Junior Board. Between Jon Houghton (Regional Director, Chicagoland Region) and Dana Kritsas (Chair, Jr. Board), we’ll drop in on a meeting to hear how this team is effectively engaging Young Life alumni to make a difference in the city, and beyond.
*Words/Music by artist (& Jr. Board's Spiritual Director) CW Allen! (iTunes|Spotify)
Since Young Life is in ‘his blood,’ Drew and Ellie Holcomb have felt right at home sharing their songs over nine summers of camp, lifting up themes like solidarity, romance, and honesty, alongside the message of Gods’ love for young people. Today, a piece of Drew’s musical history, and the story behind his #1 song of summer, ‘Live Forever’.
If there's another camp musician you'd like to hear featured in our songs of summer series, tweet/DM us @YoungLifePod.
Young Life is moving forward by going deeper into an authentic relationship with Jesus. Tracey Meeks (Young Life Staff, Towson, MD) has modeled how to choose depth. Today, her journey.
Today, in our first bonus episode, we bring you two stories of monumental prayer walks to accompany Young Life's Missionwide Day of Prayer on April 21st, 2018. Use the hashtag #YLPray as you move.
He sensed God saying, "Build it here."
Voices:
Alex Lewis (Digital Marketing Specialist)
Micah Salazar (Camp Manager, Trail West)
Steve Larmey (SVP, Young Life Africa/Middle East)
Music by James Tutson, and Podington Bear, from the FMA
This Saturday (4/21) is 'Move Forward', a global prayer walk for all of Young Life. Today, check out how Chad walks and prays, and listen for how you can join in this Saturday, and pray the Forward movement into reality. #YLPray
In 41-month long summer assignments, Steve Chesney (Senior Reginal Director, Tennessee) has picked up a few nuts and bolts, some beautiful stories, as well as some timely advice for those embarking on 'the best week/month of their life'. In 60 days, the symphony plays again, with the beginning of the 2018 season.
“Do not lose hope. Do not give up. Do not do this alone.” Luma Haddad (Area Director, South Bay Young Life) brings her wonderful perspective on thriving in an under-resourced area for 17 years. Her thoughts on ministry, rest, training, and leadership apply to all leaders — inside and outside of Young Life. Luma develops her best people by giving her best away, and today is no different. Hit us up @younglifepod with your takeaways!
Today, a journey to the heart of Northern Ireland, a place with a legacy of sending it's best leaders out to change the world. Craig Mawhinney (Northern Ireland's Country Developer) helps us discover how they did it in the past, and how we can do it today.
Embracing true kingdom diversity in mission requires growth in cultural intelligence. Dr. David Livermore runs The Cultural Intelligence Center (culturalq.com), and today he leads us in a discussion about achieving and sustaining kingdom diversity at all levels. Look for the surprise @YLAfrica intro — "Pamoja Pamoja" — to frame our discussion today! We’re @younglifepod on social media.
Young Life in Africa/Middle East has grown tremendously since it launched less than 20 years ago in one country with a single high school ministry. Today, we explore how this movement has grown so fast, when the leaders of it intentionally move slow. Here's a copy of the Leadership Tree.
It's important to have a "constellation of Yodas" as you prepare for college. Today, a panel of College Directors discuss how YOU can crush your freshmen year, or prepare people you lead to eventually do so. Topics include pressure, relationships, faith, and much more. Our panel, in order of appearance, is Sarah Foster (Boise State University), Brad Akin (University of Mississippi), Shanay Scott (Temple University), Cat Ryden (University of North Texas), and Pete Hardesty (Eastern Divisional Coordinator). KEEP PIONEERING, and stay away from food trucks and hipster coffee.
Today, an exploration into the world of Young Life College/University and the lives of a few of those who have been drastically impacted by the ministry. With different ages and perspectives, our guests have one thing in common — no one told them in high school. Special thanks to Mike and Shari Gaffney (VP of Young Life College and University; Executive Admin of YLC/U). We’re @younglife — hit us up with your YLC/U experience!
Does your leadership include building a culture where people are comfortable to learn? Do most leaders think of themselves as followers and learners — in addition to being leaders? Lyn Ten Brink (@lyn10brink) certainly does. Her beliefs about leadership, deeply rooted in scripture and experience, produce culture builders unafraid to ask questions. Where most lead to influence, Lyn also leads to learn. She discusses all that, YL Forward, training, and more. Follow along @younglifepod!
Annie Udell joins for a short look back at some favorite moments from our first fall of shows, including an update on #2 and #11. Then, we kick off a momentous 2018 with our first call-in show, featuring pioneers from around the world! Finally, Sean McGever (Area Director — Paradise Valley, Arizona) is the first guest on "Why'd You Say It That Way?", a new recurring segment that will take us into the mind of great leader’s to break down the messages they craft and deliver. We're @younglifepod if you have ideas on future speaker's you'd like to hear featured.
Aswan Morris (Regional Director — Manhattan) is on the show to finish a conversation about building Young Life's future by looking closely at three pages from the past. The second installment of this episode includes a new special (surprise) guest of honor — someone who made history in Young Life and honored God in a way you do not want to miss. This episode concludes our investigation of Jeff Chesemore's Made For This, a book about Young Life. Here's to the next chapter in 2018, written by you. We're @younglifepod.
Jeff Chesemore’s (Senior Editor) book Made For This is packed with the radical history of Young Life. Today, Aswan Morris (Regional Director — Manhattan) joins the show to discuss how the past helps us build the future, including a drop in with a very special (surprise) guest of honor, straight from the pages of history. We’re @younglifepod.
Instead of seeking balance, Kristy Fox (Regional Director — South Coast Region) creates margins in her life. Her experiences as a leader, a woman, and a mother in ministry allow us to hear a perspective becoming an organization where men and women are 'better together', and presents the opportunity to discuss how we might accomplish that goal mission-wide. We’re @younglifepod on your favorite social media channel.
Whose responsibility is it to start Young Life in places it doesn't exist? Upon investigating, we found the answer in an unexpected place. Join us in a conversation with Scott Berg (Regional Director — Moutain State Region) and a few special guests, as Young Life tackles what some call 'forgotten places' — we're @younglifepod, and we have a short newsletter. Keep pioneering!
Andre went to camp, but remembers nothing about it. This week, we explore why by diving into the generational effect of YoungLives with Veroinca Tutaj (YoungLives Divisional Coordinator, South Central), and some very special guests. We're @younglifepod if your tweeting/instagramming. Sign up here for more info. PS — Lebron or Jordan?
Did you enjoy your middle school years? For most, this time period gets a bad rap. Julie Clapp (Mission Director of WyldLife), however, has a different vision for what comes after elementary school and before high school. She has hope, and so can you. We're @younglifepod if your tweeting/instagramming. Sign up here for more info.