Inspiration List - Impact Your World

So last night I made the mistake of going on Facebook before I went to bed. And of course my feed is full of pictures from your going away dinner last night. Which I actually didn't have any idea about until 7pm and I also didn't realize you were actually moving back East. Huge curve ball right in my face. Anyways the reason going on Facebook was a mistake is because I couldn't stop crying. Probably for a good hour. I was going to write this post then but I was really tired and thought this wouldn't help me falling asleep. 

Side note - this post doesn't follow the order I was going in but it needs to be shared now so I will resume with my regular order after this post. 

Last time our youth pastor left I was absolutely devastated. So devastated that I refused to meet our new one for a few months. I didn't want anyone to replace Jared and I didn't think anyone could live up to my expectations. (Jared if you're reading this don't worry there is going to be one about you soon!)

One night my parents decided to have our new youth pastor and his wife over for dinner, and that night I decided I wanted him to be my new best friend. 

This happened some time in the Summer of 2010. And little did I know at that time - he was going to become one of the most influential people in my life. 

Theres a statistic like 80% of all high school graduates that attend church stop attending church once they graduate. And if it wasn't for you I would be part of that 80%. 

I believe in God today because of what you have taught me. 

I don't know that I've ever been able to look at someone and say "you can see how much love they have for this," with just about everything they do. But with you its there. 100% - everything you do there is love pouring out of your heart and soul and it inspires me so much. Whenever you talk about your students I feel renewed in my love for helping them. I want to be  just like you in those moment - I want people to see how much love I radiate for the people around me. 

And how you are with Laura make my heart sing. You love her so much. And everyone knows it. The other day I got an email from you and one of the recipients was "Sweet Cheeks." It might be silly to some people but its just another example of you radiating love. One day I hope that I can be in a relationship where the love is that apparent. 

And to Laura - I have been so excited to start spending more time with you. I feel like I'm finally starting to get to know you better and I love the person that you are. I know it took some time for you to get used to being the pastors wife and having it be the super outgoing youth pastors wife probably didn't make it much easier. But I love watching you interact with your girls. You are such an amazing role model and they all have such an amazing time with you.  

I love that our youth group was called Impact. It fits you perfectly. You impacted us all so much. You told us to impact the world around us - to inspire people to be the best that they can be and to show love in everything they do. And now more than ever I can see how perfectly you lived that out. 

I have gone through many "life" moments that make you want to just give up on everything and stop having faith. But you have been there for me in all of those moments ready with the perfect advise to help me persevere and keep my chin up. 

My freshman year of college was so hard for me but coming to Impact on Sundays helped me remember how many people cared about me and how much love I was surrounded with. I was ready to give up on God, but you kept that from happening. 

I said it before in one of my posts. But I credit the church for who I am today. Without MMCC I wouldn't be someone that I'd want to be around. And right now, I can say I love who I am. And most of that is because of you. You have helped me learn to surround myself with people who are loving and inspirational. And these people are around because of you. You have so many leaders for your students and we all are there because we believe in you and your mission. You helped me become a leader and you've shown me that I too can impact the world around me by doing everything with love. 

At our most recent beach camp we talked about Mother Teresa's quote - doing small things with great love. And I believe with all my heart you did more than that. You did great things with great love. And because of that you have changed so many peoples lives. 

I told my girls at camp that they could be there during the leader meetings so they could hear you talk about your students. And how much love he has for each and every one of them. I think its incredible how much I can see love just pouring out of you when you talk about them. 

I think I could make this post go on forever. Thats how many things are going through my mind about how much you have done in my life. 

I was heart broken when our last youth pastor left. And I should've known that my heart would be broken this time as well. 

So 

Ryan Chaisson 

This one is for you. 

Ive been blessed to have experienced so many things with you. From your first dinner at an Arizona family's house to you meeting your sponsor child. 

And besides you being this amazing loving person, you also happen to be one of the funniest people I know. 

When I first met you I didn't consider you an adult. Over the years you have grown so much and even though you will always be a kid at heart, I now can see that you in-fact are an adult (you're welcome you are now officially an adult in the eyes of a 20 year old - incase you weren't aware of the fact that you were in fact an adult.)

I know you already know this but just incase you have forgotten - God has huge plans for you. Even though you have already accomplished so much in your life, you have so many more incredible journeys ahead of you. I know you have had your fair share of curve balls thrown at you. And you have taken them with a smile on your face and faith in your heart and thrived in every way. 

Everything Jesus did was traced to the root of love and with all my heart I believe the same can be said for you. 

Ryan's first beach camp - Summer 2010

I pray that you never forget how wonderful you are. 

Regardless of circumstance - you are so loved 

BEACH CAMP!

Hi guys. Sorry I have been really lazy about posting lately. I feel like I just got back from Beach Camp and I'm going to be leaving for the Dominican on Saturday at 5:45am. 

I had such a great time. I got to bond so much with so many new people. So much love grows in the short time we get to spend together. 

All three of the interns are absolutely amazing. I got to see how they love and lead and really just enjoy life. They are all really silly and I love silly. Silly is one of my fortes. Nate (the one to my right in the second big picture below these words… he is going to the Dominican as well so I'm excited to share that experience with him.)

This was their first time to the Pacific Ocean!!!
 

Buck Buck on the beach. We had everyone on the boardwalk watching us (: I'm the one in the front of the girls line!

This is where we get to worship. The most beautiful worship I think I will ever experience. 

Dance party on the 4th of July. My friend Nick on the top right and my girl Madi on bottom left. Hardcore photo bomb by Adam on the borrow right!!! 

The J-pod. All the girls I was with/leading for the week

  

Olivia! The top one in the middle is when I first met her in 2010 and the rest are from this past trip to beach camp!!!

The whole group

Beach Camp 2013!

Where I'm going to be until the 5th!

Yay. I am so excited. Like so so so so excited. 

I am always excited for beach camp but this year I am extra excited for a few reasons. 

First reason - I was told that I wasn't going to be able to go because there were too many leaders signed up for the girls. And that made me really sad. Cause like I have been going to beach camp since 2009 and I love beach camp. And I have been waiting all summer for this. And now I get to go and it made me so so happy when I found out I was back on as a leader. I may or may not have cried a little when they told me I couldn't go so ya. I love this camp.

Secondly - The interns that are going to be on the trip. This year we have a girl intern at our church. And she is 19 too. And she is kind of perfect and I think we are going to be really good friends by the time we get back from Cali. 

Thirdly - Worshiping on the bluffs at Point Loma is possibly one of the most beautiful things I have experienced in my life. And the past two years we didn't go to Point Loma so I'm so excited to go back. 

This is our view while worshiping + our youth pastor 

What is beach camp? It's my church's high school summer camp. We go to a Christian college in California and we spend the week growing closer to each other and to God. And it is a total life changing experience every time I go. 

2009 

2010

2011

Me and sissy 

2012

The leaders 

Last year we didn't go to beach camp. We went to IYC instead and OMG it was so amazing. We are going again next year and it will be in Nashville and I am so excited to go there. 

Last year was also my first year as a leader and a lot of learning was done. Mainly learning that its hard for the students to see me as a leader because I had gone through youth group with them. And hopefully I can be seen as a leader soonly. 

2013 

The Worship Project

I am so ready for whatever the week is going to bring to me. I know amazing things are going to happen. 

I can't believe how much I have grown in the span of these pictures. I didn't realize before how much older I actually look now. But I must say I am an entirely different person from the first camp to the most recent camp. And even from 2012-2013 I feel like I am a different person.