Student Story: Ben

It's so easy to go about our busy lives and not realize that hurting people, hurting kids, are all around us here in Kingsport.  Young Life seeks out those hurting kids.  Here's another one of our Student Stories.

Ben’s Story

"My parents got divorced when I was seven years old. My dad was never around. My mom met a guy that I didn’t get along with very well. I got in a lot of trouble acting out because I wanted to get kicked out. Growing up, I went to church a lot, but never really understood what it means until 8th grade. Then, I went so I wasn’t at home. In high school, I was emotionally and spiritually disengaged. I wanted to “fit in” more than anything else. I was willing to do just about anything to do that. I began hanging out with friends who did drugs. When I was with them, I was getting high and getting into trouble. I was trying to fill the emptiness and brokenness that I felt.

I wanted to “fit in” more than anything else. I was willing to do just about anything to do that.

At the end of my sophomore year, I went to Young Life camp. It was good, but it didn’t seem to register. I used Young Life as an excuse my junior year to get our of the house, and then skipped Young Life to get high. I went to the last Young Life Club of the year. That night I heard about the parable of the soil. I was broken because I knew the soil of my heart was rocky.

I was broken because I knew the soil of my heart was rocky. 

Scottie told me that I needed to go to camp that summer. I worked my tail off raising money to go to camp. I heard the gospel and listened this time with not only my ears, but my heart as well. I realized that my life wasn’t right. I couldn’t change myself, but I realized that God could change me. I gave my life to Christ. I knew that He had redeemed me.

I couldn’t change myself, but I realized that God could change me.

After camp that year, I stayed involved with Young Life because they were my family. After I graduated, I had the chance to serve for a month at Southwind, a Young Life camp for middle school students. It was a great leaning experience where I learned a lot about myself. It was also a great opportunity to mentor people who were younger than me that were going through some of the same things that I had gone through in my life. It was amazing to see middle school students experience God’s love in a similar that I had experienced a year before. "

After camp that year, I stayed involved with Young Life because they were my family.