The Foundation That Saved Us
She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” –Genesis 16:13 (NIV)
“I work neurosurgery—long days, intense cases, trauma, scoliosis, and brain tumors. I don’t have any teaching experience, but God surprised me by calling me to lead a group of sixth-grade girls—the one age group I had specifically told Him I wasn’t interested in.
“My heart loves youth ministry because I know what it’s like to have a foundation, lose your way, and desperately need a place to come home to. When I was a teenager, my youth group leaders laid a biblical foundation for me that later lead me out of the wilderness—a dark world of drugs, promiscuity, and abuse. During my wilderness time, I never lost my belief in God. I just lost myself—my identity in Christ. But God mercifully rescued me … when I got pregnant.
“I wasn’t ready to be a mother, and my daughter arrived early at twenty-six weeks—a tiny baby girl, weighing less than three pounds. The doctors didn’t think either of us would make it because I was bleeding internally. But God saw us. He didn’t just save my baby—He saved me. He stopped me, redirected me, and retaught me who I was in Him. I didn’t know how to be a mom, how to survive, how to do anything except cling to God and raise my precious girl.
“Now, that tiny baby, my daughter Chilon, is seventeen and on fire for Christ! She started a Bible study at her high school, speaks at FCA huddles, and helps lead at Gateway Youth. But that wasn’t always her story. In middle school she struggled, so I prayed and cried out to God for her. I was relieved when she finally tried Gateway Youth. The leaders spoke life into her, and Chilon cried out to God for herself. The Lord saw her, gave her community, and turned her pain into purpose: to help and encourage her peers."
God Sees Us
“So when God started nudging me to serve in youth, I hesitated. That was Chilon’s space, her ministry. However, the desire to obey God kept pressing in. Then, Pastor Daniel taught on serving, so I finally said yes to God. After talking with the youth pastor at North Fort Worth, I shadowed at youth group and loved it. I told the Lord: ‘I’ll gladly serve anywhere, Lord—just not sixth-grade girls.’
“And guess which age group didn’t have a leader? Sixth-grade girls. I laughed, prayed, and argued: ‘God, I don’t know how to relate to twelve-year-old girls,’ and the Holy Spirit gently responded: ‘The girls don’t need you to be cool. They need to be seen. They need to be heard. They need to be loved.’ So, I said yes again and trusted the Lord.
“Every Wednesday, God shows up, and I watch what He does. Those sixth-grade girls run to me. They tell me about their grades, their fears, their prayers. I have them pray over each other, laying hands on each other and building a healthy community with each other. During worship, we dance together, and then I like to sit on the floor with them during the sermons, as if to say, ‘I see you. Come sit with me.’ It’s what Jesus is always saying to us: ‘I see you. I know you. Come be with Me.’
“To help the girls hide God’s Word in their hearts, I created a simple verse jar for them—color-coded by emotion—so when they feel angry, scared, joyful, or lonely, they can pull a Scripture that speaks to that emotion. They memorize the verses for buttons they can put on lanyards I got for them, holding the Scripture and buttons close to their hearts. It’s their armor. Every Wednesday I leave fuller than when I came—grateful for the joy and peace God gives me as I’m obedient to serve. Next year, I plan to go with the girls to events like YouthCAMP or YouthCON where they can grow and experience God in even more meaningful ways."
Serving in the Valley
“Right now, I’m walking through a valley. It’s heavy. It’s hard. But God knew I would need Wednesdays with the sixth-grade girls. He knew I’d need their joy, their faith, their hunger for Him to carry me through. Serving doesn’t drain me—it heals me. All I did was say yes. I didn’t know where I fit. I didn’t feel equipped. I didn’t feel ready. I just showed up, and God did everything.
“You may have no idea what God has for you on the other side of your yes. You may think serving is all about what you give, but really, you receive the greatest gift. You get to witness the kingdom growing. You get to see God move. You get to meet your church family. You get your faith rebuilt. All you have to do is say yes and then watch what God does.”
Recursos adicionales
Learn More About Serving at Gateway.
Learn More About the Youth Ministry at Gateway.