Commercial Story: Campbell Youth Theological Institute

If you follow me on social media (Facebook, Insta), you've probably seen me talk about how in the last year I keep getting asked to do things that "scare me in a good way." Generally, this means that I am being asked to share my story and my heart with people in a way that I have not done in a long time. It means I make choices about what parts of my story I choose to be vulnerable about and share, and what parts I keep private and close. It also means that I am talking about what God is doing in my life, which is something that I took a little break from for awhile.I was honored when Brian Foreman invited me out to speak about how your story informs your calling to a group of amazing students attending the Campbell Youth Theological Institute this summer. I was a little extra "scared" going in because I haven't done anything like this with high school students in YEARS, but my goodness, was this group impressive. I spoke in the afternoon, so I was sure there would be at least one kid taking a nap -- but they were so engaged and actively listening. I left some time for questions, fully expecting that there might not be a single question asked, but they were awesome and asked so many really good questions. I mean, REALLY good questions. After that, I gave them the assignment to grab their phones and first, engage with someone else and photograph them in a way that helps them feel authentically them, and then second, to take a selfie that helps them mark what they were feeling right then. I also offered to take pictures of any students that might be interested while we were outside. I really had such a good time with these sweet kids and am thankful for the chance to connect with them.