Editor’s Note: Today Karen Leslie shares about her “behind-the-scenes” role as she and her husband Glenn minister with Youth for Christ/Campus Life. They live in Creswell and attend UFC, where Karen has been a cheerleader for and encourager of young mamas. It’s a joy to have her share with us a bit more about their ministry.
My name is Karen Leslie. My husband Glenn and I have been married for 46 years and have been in ministry with Youth for Christ (high school)/Campus Life (middle school) for 34 years. The ministry “reaches young people everywhere, working together with the local church and other likeminded partners to raise up lifelong followers of Jesus who lead by their godliness in lifestyle, devotion to the Word of God and prayer, passion for sharing the love of Christ and commitment to social involvement.”
Glenn is the “front” person, and I am the “behind the scenes” support person. Most of those years have been spent in the Lane County area with a short stint spent in LaGrande, where we jump started a ministry there. Glenn has a passion and vision to have programs in as many middle and high schools in the county as possible. He loves to do training of staff, start ministries in new schools, and then turn them loose with oversight. He currently is restarting the ministry in Creswell and training/overseeing five full-time staff members in the Lane County area. I help coordinate Glenn and keep him headed in the right direction, host yard parties for 50 to 100 students, have Bible studies in our home, cook meals for 50 to 75 students at a time or fill in where needed.
We have five grown children and seven grandkids who I get to love on. I love to garden and have about 3/4 of an acre of our 5 acre farm in perennial flower beds I enjoy reading historical fiction or mysteries, hiking, biking, anything homeschool related and gathering with friends. We have been attending University Fellowship for 12 years.
My current favorite Bible verse is Ecclesiastes 4:9-12: “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” I see this proving so true in ours and others lives. Whenever we try to walk alone and forsake the use of God’s strength or our Christian brothers’ and sisters’ partnering, we fall.
We could use prayer for the community’s prayer and financial support as we start the Creswell ministry again and help finding a building that will hold 50 to 75 rowdy teens. Also, I took a fall from a ladder last summer and am having some ongoing issues. Prayer for complete healing and wisdom as to what course of treatments should be pursed would be appreciated.
I love visitors to my home and garden. Feel free to invite yourselves over.