That Old Van
The year was 1995. As a new follower of Christ, I began attending a church that hosted a Wednesday after-school program called Team Kids. Every Wednesday, the pastor or youth leaders would pick me and a few other students up from school in a late-1980s, two-toned brown church van. At the time, I had no idea what adventures awaited us in that old van, or how deeply the people I shared those adventures with would shape the spiritual foundation being built within me. The youth group I belonged to was incredibly close-knit. For the most part, we were all deeply involved in one another’s lives. There was a bond between us that couldn’t be broken. We were a family, and we knew it. Whether we were at church or not, it seemed like some—if not all—of us were together, constantly making memories. Life felt so much simpler then. No internet, no cell phones, no social media—just living fully in the moment with zero distractions. When you were with your people, you were with them. Everyone wa...