With a special guest post from Nicole (VanLoon) Bautista. If you’ve been around our region for a while, chances are you’ve heard of Nicole (VanLoon) Bautista. While her hometown is Saugatuck, she has spent the last 8+ years serving faithfully in the Caribbean Islands. Nicole has a heart for young Read more…
This morning, as the coffee brewed and the house slowly woke up, I found myself flipping through the latest edition of The Relationships Journal from Young Life. It’s one of those publications that always feels like a warm conversation—full of stories that remind us how much God is at work Read more…
When you look at the life of Jesus, one thing is unmistakably clear: He loved, valued, and uplifted women. In a time when society often pushed them to the margins, Jesus brought them to the center. He spoke with them, healed them, defended them, and invited them into His mission. Read more…
Grand Rapids All City Club was a huge success this February! At least 330 students gathered to sing songs, play games, share a meal, and hear about Jesus’s love for them! Schools in attendance include Byron Center, Kenowa Hills, Sparta, Caledonia, Calvin Christian, East Grand Rapids, East Kentwood, Forest Hills Read more…
A Guest Post by Annika Bajema from Kentwood Young Life A few weeks ago at our banquet, we asked for prayers for our Young Life fall weekend. We had bold prayers to fill our vehicles. Thanks to your prayers and the Lord’s faithfulness, we had to rent not one but Read more…
A picture is worth a thousand words! We hope you love this gallery, snapshots from some of the adventures that were taken by students and leaders throughout Western Great Lakes Region this Summer 2024! All glory to Christ our King!
Guest Post written by Jonah Pit, Mission Staff for Eastern Ottawa Young Life This summer I was blessed to be able to take 8 graduated seniors to Castaway Club to serve on work crew for a week. Over their high school career, this group has been to multiple winter weekends, Read more…
So much of the good stuff of relationships in Young Life centers around food! This applies to campaigner breakfasts, late night pizza runs, shared drive through dinners, big cookies at camp, and impromptu coffee or ice cream dates. Unsurprisingly, many of the stories of Jesus’s life and ministry involve food Read more…
Guest Post by Kyle Raak, Area Director for Greater Holland Young Life. During spring break Greater Holland Young Life sent a team of 17 down to the Dominican Republic. They spent the first few days doing homestays in Puerto Plata. Serving alongside local YL staff and volunteers, the team hosted Read more…
Guest Post by Melissa Bouma, Staff Associate for Eastern Ottawa Young Life, who served as Co-Camp Director for Fall Weekend in December 2023 WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET TO CAMP? It was last May as all the Camp Directors sat around a table with schedules and names and began Read more…