Whenever I tell anyone that I volunteer with middle school ministry at Southland, the response is typically “Wow, that’s a tough age.” Trust me, there are difficult moments, but this past Wednesday night made it all worth it.

It was an evening where I had to just step back in awe of what our students are capable of. We call the evening "8th grade takeover night," which basically means that we let the 8th grade class do everything from planning the night to the worship and speaking. In one word, it was amazing.

The theme of the night revolved around bravery. The two topics they discussed were the story of David and Goliath and then Jesus’ last days. I was impressed that the students chose this overall theme to speak to other middle schoolers about since they’re getting ready to transition to high school and put their words into action.

Everyone chose an area to help out and I know that the 8th grade class worked hard to put on the night. A group of (mostly) guys wrote and acted a short skit on the infamous battle between a little shepherd boy and a huge giant, complete with Chik-Fil-A and light sabers. (Remember, it was mostly guys.) There was a group of students that led us in worship, showcasing their god-given talents in front of the entire group. Talk about bravery!

I loved hearing from other students about how great they did and it was inspiring to see the participation. I’ve never seen our students so involved in worship! Hands were lifted to praise our Lord and Savior. Two students spoke and the wisdom they shared was nothing short of incredible. Speaking in front of your peers is brave in itself, and these two students were amazing as they spoke about bravery.

I was blown away by the entire night and, as a leader, I was so proud of all our students; proud of them for acting in bravery, for being leaders and for reminding me of what it means to be a Christ-follower. Although these 8th graders are leaving middle school, I know they will succeed in high school and beyond. And I speak for all us leaders when I say that we are blessed to be a part of this journey.

Brittany Clone, Volunteer Student Leader