Speak Out - Who Knew

This past summer is one that I know I will never forget. Going into it, I had lost the best friend I’d ever had. I was devastated from losing Amber, but made it appear as if I could care less. One day in August, while I was on my fifteen minute break at the Gap, I got a text from Amber asking me if I wanted to go to Malibu in 2 days. I was in shock! I knew there was no way it would work, it was literally 2 days before. I had no paperwork, no payment, and I’d never even been to Younglife before! God clearly had something else in mind for me, “For I know the plans I have for you, declared the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11. I ended up being given the opportunity to attend a one week trip in this paradise called Malibu. I didn’t even have a relationship with God at the time, but like it says in Romans 8:28, “In all things, God works for the good of those who love him.” And he loved me enough to send me on the 12 hour trip to one amazing Younglife camp.

Wow! Never would I have expected for it to change me as much as it did. The week I spent at Malibu was by far the most incredible and life changing week of my entire life. My 7 days there changed me for the rest of my life. I renewed a lost friendship. I made memories that I know I will never forget. I’d grown closer with people I barely knew at all before and I met people who are a ridiculously huge part of my life now, people who I can’t imagine my life without.

Above all else, I committed my life to Jesus Christ. This was hands down the best and most important decision I’ve ever made. My life has changed 1000%, for the better. I plan on living every single day of my life for Jesus Christ, and I am not afraid to tell you about it. I pray that my relationship with God gets stronger and stronger every day. The more I get to know Christ, the more I excited I am to get to know him even better. I thank him so much for pursuing me long enough, and for finally making me realize that choosing to have a relationship with him is the best choice that I could ever possibly make. I also thank him for Younglife. It honestly is an incredible organization, that completely changed my life. While at Malibu, I met my best friend Jordan. As our friendship grows stronger, our faith does as well. I know that there will be some trials along the way, I’ve already experienced a few, but I have absolutely no doubt that it is completely worth it. Like it says in Philippians 4:13, “I can do everything through him, who gives me strength.”

Going in to the summer of 2008 I was a high school girl, living through her friends, with no idea of what her plans are after graduation. Coming out of it I am a Christian, completely on fire for God, and a Younglife student leader, who is hoping to attend Bible School in the fall. My Christianity changed every aspect of my life. I’ve never been happier than I am as of now. Never have I felt so lucky, content, and blessed. I know that God has something great in store for me, and I am so eager to find out what it is.

There was a superb Christian singer, Mark Wagner, at camp, and his lyrics are a perfect summary of my testimony, “Cause I’ve never been loved, never been loved like this. It must be some kind of love, love only you can give. And now I live, for the way that you love me.”

by Jade Hoiby
originally posted February 2009