Sarah Ristow, Support Ministry Coach

Stories - archive

Page Photo January 2008
WHY ARE YOU HERE?

It was a typical Monday Night at Oak Harbor YD. They had played some games, goofed off, and the speaker had talked about God. Miranda, one of the Oak Harbor staff, noticed that Natalie* was there again this week. Sitting down to talk with her, Miranda asked Natalie, "Why are you here?"
Day in and day out our YD Communities staff are working hard to build dynamic relationships with the teenagers in their communities. They may go out to coffee with students, go skateboarding with students, each lunch in the school cafeteria with students, have weekly Monday Night gatherings for students or plan trips and fun outings for students. The heart behind all of this is to share Christ. To reach out to students who don't know Him and tangibly show them the love of Christ. To notice students who no one else notices.
Miranda had noticed that Natalie kept coming to Monday Night. A few weeks prior Miranda had asked Natalie if she had a bible, she didn't, so Miranda gave her one. This week Miranda asked what kept drawing her back each week. Was it just to have fun or was she interested in learning more about God? Natalie honestly replied that she did want to know more about God, but didn't know how. She believed that Jesus was the Son of God and that having a relationship with Him was important, but didn't know what to do with that. Because of the relationship Miranda had built with Natalie they felt comfortable talking about these things. Miranda was able to explain what prayer was and what a relationship with Jesus looked like. Natalie decided that this was what she wanted and her and Miranda prayed together. Both were very excited at this new step in Natalie's life!
"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'" Romans 10:13-15

*name has been changed


November 2007
A RAPPEL, A PICNIC TABLE, AND A BROKEN HEART

Rachel* was almost to the edge of the rappel when she started crying. She was more than just scared, she was panicked. The YD Adventures' staff calmly helped her walk away from the edge. Still crying, Rachel walked away, and I followed. As I sat with her she told me parts of her story. I learned about some of the pain she had walked through and why she was so panicked on the edge. She also shared about her new found faith in God, a faith she still had many questions about. As I sat talking with Rachel, my heart broke for her. I wondered who would be there after this weekend trip to walk alongside her, encourage her, and help her grow in her faith?
That night back at camp, while the rest of us were playing games around the campfire Rachel and Joanna (one of the leaders that came with the group) sat down at a picnic table and talked...for hours. They made a significant connection and as I watched them my heart broke even more.
This trip was with our YD Community in Republic, WA. The Communities branch of YD works to build long term, dynamic relationships with un-churched teens. Through these relationships they share Christ with students; once a student makes that decision, the staff help ground them in their faith and transition them into a local church. Joanna was not from Republic, but she was on this trip along with her husband Jake to see if Republic YD was where God was calling them in ministry. If they decided to join our staff, Joanna would be there to walk alongside Rachel.
So why did seeing Joanna and Rachel talking break my heart? Because Jake and Joanna were afraid of raising support in order to come on staff. The burden on my heart was wondering if they let support ministry stand in the way of what God was calling them to do, who would walk alongside Rachel?
Now let me tell you some exciting news! God took the burden on my heart and matched it with the leadership of YD. I am now YD's new Support Ministry Coach! As new staff are hired I will be coaching them through their fund raising process: a scary, challenging, awe-inspiring, growing, amazing, stretching process. I will be helping them so they can quickly get to ministering to students fully funded. This also means that I have moved back across the mountains to work out of our administrative office in Burlington, WA. I will still lead some adventure trips in the summer, but the office side of my job has radically changed.
Want to know some more exciting news? Jake and Joanna did decide to come on staff! I am currently walking alongside them as they raise their funds so they can be walking alongside Rachel and the other students in Republic. Thank you for your continued prayers and support which is making a difference in the life of Rachel and teens all over the Northwest!
"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
* name has been changed


September 2007
LOOKING OVER THE EDGE

"Something I am looking forward to on this trip is challenging myself." Most students are looking forward to the rock climbing, or hanging out with friends, or big rapids, but Nichole* (name has been changed) was looking forward to challenging herself over the 4 day trip involving challenge course, rock climbing, and rafting. She had been on this trip before with her youth group and allowed her fears to keep her from experiencing new things. This time she was determined to step out and grow.
Nichole was rather nervous about our rock climbing day as she was especially afraid of heights. After lunch we taught the students how to rappel (lowering yourself backwards off a cliff). As the group watched our demonstration, she sat the farthest back, as much away from the edge as she could. After watching several of her friends rappel she agreed to clip in and belay (manage the backup rope). Now she was tied into an anchor 10 feet from the edge.
Several more students went down and Mikey, one of our summer staff, invited Nichole to try for herself. He suggested that she tie into the system and step back the 10 feet to the edge and from there decide if she wanted to continue. She agreed and walked to the edge, trembling, with Mikey. Looking over she decided to come back and not go down, but she continued to belay.
Before the afternoon was over she once again tied in and went and looked over the edge. It was a journey of 10 feet, but represented huge growth. She didn't think it was possible for herself to come that close, yet here she stood on the edge twice in one day. Although she did not go over the edge, her journey took her farther than those students who traveled all the way down. The entire group was incredibly proud of Nichole, she had met her goal and challenged herself and gone farther than she thought possible.
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." (1 Timothy 1:7)


January 2007
"NOW BE CAREFUL, THESE ARE REAL MOUSETRAPS."

It was a beautiful September day and I was setting mousetraps within a rope circle with a group of middle school students. Once all the traps were set the students broke up into pairs. It was then that their leaders joined us and 1 leader grouped up with each pair of students. It was then I explained that each student pair was going to talk their leader across the circle of mousetraps, with the leader not only blindfolded, but also barefoot.
The energy level was noticeably high. The students were making sure their leader could hear them and understand them and how they would communicate before the blindfold was put on. The leaders were taking off their shoes, standing on the edge of the circle and ensuring they understood where they would be going.
Slowly each leader inched their way across the circle under the guidance of their students. Hugs, cheers, and high-fives were given as each leader successfully made it across the circle without any snapped toes.
"I was so afraid I would give a wrong direction." "I think I better understand what it's like to be in their (the student's) shoes listening to me share with them how I think they should go in life." "Part of me just wanted to figure it out on my own and not listen." "I think they were more worried about my toes than I was." "It was easy to hear the instructions because it was my daughter and I know her voice."
What an incredible experience of trust, listening, following, instructing, and caring. The students and leaders both grew in their understanding of each other's roll in their lives. They grew in their trust of each other, and in their willingness to listen to each other. All because of a few mousetraps.
"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." (Ephesians 5:21)


September 2006
"I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS TRIP..."

On Thursday morning, Aug 11th, 2006, 16 high school students from Sitka, AL embarked on a 6-day rafting trip with us down the Salmon River. I could tell you what an incredible trip it was, but instead here is what some of them had to say.
"This week was exhilarating with a lot of fun. The fact that this was my first time river rafting, it was great. I got to water fight with others, cliff jump, and high side! This week has given me a lot more understanding of Jesus."
"My week was amazing, it was fun being with friends and cliff jumping, but also being with God and seeing his beautiful creation. I had an awesome time and I would definitely do this again. This week was awesome."
"This trip showed me a lot of new things about God. Many of the stuff spoken gave me a larger and better view of God."
"This week I know will be unforgettable. For me it was an epic adventure. I've never actually rafted before so a lot was new for me. Before this trip I had little or no relationship at all with Jesus. Today I feel a great bind with God."
"When I started I had no expectations and did not have a clue what I was doing. As the week went on I started to really love what we were doing. The trip was great and I learned a lot about myself and God. I have not quite accepted God because I have to learn more but I know that I am on the road."
"This week meant so much to me. To open up and tell people my feelings and share what I have to say. I feel as if God is right behind me."


May 2006
"HE LET ME BORROW HIS WOOL SOCKS FOR SKIING"

This past weekend I had the unique opportunity to guide a group of adult women through rock climbing and rafting. It was unique because we mostly work with teenagers. I came to discover that this was not the first time some of these ladies had been on a trip with YD.
As a teenager, on invitation of a friend, one of these women went on a YD winter ski retreat. She was mad to find out that it was a Christian retreat, being anti-Christian at the time. The first night, though, the speaker, instead of giving a "hellfire and brimstone" message, told stories from his life that were engaging and funny and eventually related back to Christ. She decided to give these Christians a weekend to see what they were about. She had more fun than she imagined possible that weekend, but what made the biggest impact on her were the YD leaders. They were genuine, they were fun, and they cared for her. One of them lent her his wool socks for skiing, which to her was huge. They had something she wanted and that something was Christ. As a result of that weekend she made the decision to follow Christ!
The amazing thing is that this is not the end of the story. Over the next couple months she continued to be involved in other YD activities and got involved with a church. Her sister thought she had joined a cult. Come spring she was headed off to a weekend of rock climbing and rafting fun with YD, of which her sister was jealous because she also wanted to try these new fun things. So her sister came along, but only for the activities, she wanted nothing to do with Christianity. The weekend was a blast, they had a great time rafting, rock climbing, and doing all sorts of other fun things. More than fun happened that weekend, though. The YD staff invested in and cared for her sister. Because of the relationship one of the leaders built with her sister, she also decided to follow Christ!
Both are now members of a local church and continuing in their relationships with Christ that began as teenagers. How amazing that God can use wool socks and white water rafting to woo hearts to Himself!
"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:8-10)


Winter 2006
"TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT"
It was the 3rd night of a 5 day backpack trip and we had been having an amazing time. The views had been incredible, the weather had been great, and the students had good attitudes and were really enjoying themselves and each other.
Even away from TV, internet, cell phones, the mall, etc, it's still easy to stay distracted, though. Distracted by filtering water, hiking, cooking, talking, etc, all of which are good things, but can still distract. We wanted the students to experience the stillness, the greatness, and the personal-ness of God in a way unique to the outdoors. Time with simply them, their God, and His creation.
After dinner my co-leader and I explained that we would be doing an overnight solo. We then set them each in their own spot, away from each other, with just their tarp, sleeping bag, bible, journal, and flashlight. They were scared to sleep alone, but ended up loving the time to think, pray, and reveal in God's creation. One student said that "the stars and solo time" were what impacted him the most. One of the girls commented that "the devotions were amazing. You could really feel the presence of God."
"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him." (Psalm 62:1)


Fall 2005
"I THINK GOD CREATED BIG ROCKS LIKE THIS FOR SITTING ON."
It was the third day of our six day rafting trip down the Salmon River. We were having a blast; rafting though rapids, swimming, water-fighting, cliff jumping, and just hanging out together on the river. We had been talking about "Story": what is your story? what place does God play in your story? After dinner that evening we had the students find a place on the beach to themselves. They then spent an hour with their journals, bible, and God. Afterwards we went to check in with each of the students one-on-one, to see how they were doing and how we could pray for them.
I went to talk with Tara, who was sitting atop a big flat rock. Tara was a fun, outgoing, 15 year old girl who, as I came to find out that night, had some deep hurts, had made some poor choices, but wanted now to pursue God, even though she didn't really know how. As we talked I marveled at the gift I was being given. I was allowed a glimpse into this young woman's heart; into the pain, hurt, and desires. I was given the awesome opportunity of sharing God's truth and my heart with her. I was given the privilege of praying with her that night.
What an amazing spot to be in, that after having only met 3 days ago, someone would be willing to be so authentic and vulnerable. Part of the joy of this gift is the burden that comes with it. We cannot see someone else's heart and walk away uncaring without killing a part of our own heart. I knew walking over to that big flat rock that I was opening myself up to caring for Tara in a way I didn't before. And even now, 2 months later, the burden is still there and I am glad for it.
So was I able to take away the hurt, change what had happened, or promise a rosier future? No. But what I could do was offer hope. Hope that God was fighting for her, hope that He would give her strength, hope that He had a plan and purpose for her future. And after talking and sharing with Tara, I was able to pray for her and release her back into the hands of a loving God, who I knew cared more deeply for her then even I did in that moment.
"Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, though the living and enduring word of God." (1 Peter 1:22-23)


Summer 2005
THEY WANT TO MOVE THE TRIP TO WHEN?!
It was Monday morning and it was looking to be a busy week. We were still in the midst of training our summer staff, while also running trips, and continuing to book trips for later in the summer. It was a week where their was more to do than time to do it. It was then we received the phone call from the group that was scheduled to raft with us on Friday. We had all the guides and logistics arranged for the trip, it was good to go. Their call on Monday morning, though, was to ask if they could move the trip to Wednesday, this Wednesday, in just 2 days.
The group was 40 high school students in a drug and alcohol rehab program. They had been on a backpack trip which ended 2 days early due to some injuries. So now, instead of sitting around for 2 days they wanted to move the rafting trip. What a logistical nightmare! We spent the rest of the day changing things around in order to make this happen.
I went into the trip not very excited. I was overwhelmed with the stress of all the logistics plus knowing all the things I "needed" to be doing that day instead. Once I met the students, though, it made all the hassle more than worth it.
These were hard students. They used language in abundance that I won't repeat here. They were supposed to have been sober for at least the past 6 months, but as I talked to the students in my boat, some of them had only been sober the past 12 days they were backpacking. They talked about such things as who their drug dealers were. And as we went down the river my heart broke for these students.
What happened that day? We had a fun time on the river going through rapids and water fighting. We forgot about all the hassle and all the things we could have been doing instead. We got to know these students and share our lives with them and the truth of Christ's love for them. We had a student accept Christ into his heart for the first time. Praise God for this day!
"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are; yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:15-16)