middle school.

Last night was Chaos Day with the middle school youth group at Rockford Reformed Church! I had never experienced Chaos Day before but boy, am I glad I experienced it last night. What an awesome and fun relational way to allow for a safe place for students to be themselves! (If you saw how the leaders were dressed...let's just say that no one could feel out of place!)

As small groups we competed in a bunch of crazy games. Just imagine a 2-hour long combination of Trix yogurt, a hoola-hoop, saltine crackers, a sardine, string cheese, a pair of pantyhose, Cheetos and a bottle of Mountain Dew. AWESOME.

It is inspiring to watch leaders interact with students, exciting to watch students encourage and cheer for one another, and so refreshing to laugh and laugh and laugh. I'm so glad to be back with youth group this year.

Here's a picture of (most) my small group from last night in our chaos gear. We're missing one person but she left before I had a chance to grab my camera. Can't wait to spend the year investing in these awesome girls!

And here is a more accurate depiction of our night...and hopefully a perfect foreshadow to the year ahead!

I know there are people out there who think we're crazy for loving to spend time with middle schoolers. To that I will say: "How do you look at those faces and not want to spend time with middle schoolers?"

The last two weeks as I drove home after youth group, the song below came on the radio. There is no better feeling than to have seen God actively at work in the lives of students and then jump in your car, roll the windows down, and drive down the highway with these words blaring through your speakers...Christ is risen from the dead, that's what this really comes down to anyways, right?