Through weekly gatherings and small groups, Point Loma Nazarene University’s Young Life (YL) offers students a Jesus Christ-centered space where they can grow in faith while walking alongside others on similar journeys. They meet on Tuesdays at 7:45 p.m. at 834 Temple St.
Liberti Cornell, a third-year dietetics major and one of the small group’s leaders, shared what initially drew her to the ministry.
“I was looking for a Christ-centered community, and Young Life looked like a really fun way to get to know other Christians,” she said. “The leaders were also so intentional about reaching out to me and personally inviting me to the events, which I really valued.”
Skylar Ambrose, a second-year nutrition major and small group leader, said that building community at PLNU wasn’t as easy as she had expected, and she wanted to find something to get involved with.
“What I thought would be easy to find at a small Christian school actually turned out to be a lot more difficult,” she said. “I wanted to surround myself with like-minded individuals who could push me further in my faith.”
That desire led her to YL, where she eventually became a leader herself.
“Once I started attending a small group regularly, I realized I not only wanted to continue this, I wanted to help lead so that others who were in a similar situation to me felt as though they had a place,” Ambrose said.
The impact of YL extends far beyond Tuesday night meetings, Madeira Lang, a second-year kinesiology major and YL attendee, said.
“Young Life sparked and grew a desire and way of life where getting to know people, having fun and learning to grow in the uncomfortable have become a norm,” Lang said. “It also gave me such an amazing community and tools to cultivate community wherever I go.”
Ambrose said that the group’s dynamic creates a place that feels like home.
“It’s like one really big family,” she said. “It’s so fun and energetic but also full of people that truly know you. I’m constantly being reminded that there are so many people who care about me and are willing to just pray for anything and everything.”
Cornell said that some of her most intentional, fulfilling experiences at PLNU have been through YL. She said that if students are hesitant about attending a meeting, they should reach out to a leader or the Instagram page, @ylplnu, for encouragement.
“It has been the biggest blessing to be a part of spreading the gospel of Jesus [Christ] and just creating a space for students to have fun,” Cornell said.
While her time as a leader has been fulfilling, she said the role comes with responsibility and sacrifice that she didn’t expect.
“Young Life leadership comes with a lot of intentionality regarding other people’s lives, and we all have the desire to meet with others personally to get to know them better,” Cornell said. “That does come with a bit of sacrifice, though. The responsibility of Young Life leadership was a hard adjustment for me at first because it was a bit more than I expected, but the Lord fully transformed my heart to genuinely love what I get to do now.”
One of YL’s most recent events was a spring break camping trip to San Onofre. Ambrose described it as the perfect mix of fun and deep conversations.
“A lot of us YL leaders brought friends, which ended up being so fun as we had a group that didn’t know each other at first but by the end of the camping trip, were best friends,” she said. “There is something so special about being out in nature, away from distractions, and with a group of people that truly just want to get to know you.”
YL has provided the intentional and welcoming community Ambrose was searching for.
“The best decision I’ve made while at Loma was to get plugged into different clubs, one of which was Young Life,” she said. “It gives you the best group of people, so many fun han-outs, a perfect opportunity to further your faith and also a place to bring your worries, your fears and your struggles so that others can help walk alongside you.”
Tessa Balc