Featured in The Message – Year-End 2024 Edition!
We met Tony when he was in 6th grade at Le Mars Middle School Campus Life Club. Initially drawn in by his friends, he became a regular on his own terms, keeping to himself and avoiding male leaders due to a deep-seated distrust stemming from past wounds.
God worked in Tony’s life, and he developed a Christ-sharing relationship with a YFC leader through hours of NASCAR video game sessions. Although he knew the Teen Center focused on Jesus, his leader never pressured him about Jesus, which allowed trust to grow.
Tony struggled with anger, often getting into fights and struggling through frequent placements in detention facilities. When his YFC leader visited Tony during his stays in a detention facility, he never received lectures or shame—just unconditional love and care. Instead of hearing disappointment about his behavior, he learned he was deeply loved.
By age 16, God softened Tony’s heart, and for the first time, he felt loved for who he was. Open to change, he allowed his YFC leader to introduce him to Jesus in the gospel. One night on a camping trip, Tony awkwardly prayed to receive Christ in his tent, marking a life-changing moment.
Now an adult, Tony is a devoted man of God, as well as a husband and a father. He started ministry at the very middle school where he once fought, eventually becoming the Campus Life leader and working with youth at his church. Later, he completed his education and transitioned into a career in business management. Reflecting on his past, Tony recognized that, as a teenager, he was headed toward prison or death. He credits YFC for showing him a different path, saying, “The grit the YFC leaders went through to love me is why I am alive today.” God is moving in Campus Life and City Life, and through your generous giving, you can give the gift of hope and new life in Jesus to a teen like Tony.