Mandy's Influence
by Jennifer DeGeus

I have heard so many stories about how Mandy has affected many adults, and her friend's lives. I have also heard about how she changed teen's lives too. Mine is one that was changed.

Mandy has always been connected to my family in many ways. My older sister Megan had Mandy as her leader in Lug (our middle school youth group at Northland), she goes to the same church as us, and she even lives in the same neighborhood as my family!

I have always heard so many good things about Mandy. I was introduced to her a few summers back, when my sister was in middle school. I can still remember; my sister was going to a youth aerobics class at Northland and I went along with my mom to take her there. When we got there I got to meet the "famous" Mandy, who I'd heard so much about! She called me "Megan's little sister" ( I saw her many times after that, whether it was at church, or around the neighborhood. Right from the start she was my role model.

I was very lucky to have Mandy as my Lug head a few summers later, when I was in middle school. I hadn't gone to Lug much in my 6th grade year, not because it was too wild or anything, but simply for the reason that I hardly knew anyone! I came with my one friend, Jenny Prieto, but she didn't enjoy Lug very much, so we didn't go very often.

Well, during the summer of 1999 (I was going into 7th grade) we decided to try Lug out again. It was the first week of summer Lug that year so everyone was getting their Lug heads for the summer. They had divided up the groups by which month your birthday was in. Jenny and I wanted to be together, so we decided that we would go in the group that had the leaders that we thought would be the best. As they called out each group I listened for any names that I recognized. I didn't hear very many familiar ones though. By the time they got close to the end, I was giving up hope that we would find a good Lug head. Then I heard one name I recognized right away. It was Mandy. I told Jenny that we had to go in Mandy's group. So we did.

That was the most awesome summer of my life! Mandy included me so much around Lug, and she helped me meet so many people! I never knew how much one person could influence my life! Mandy is exactly the kind of person I want to be. She is friendly, outgoing, always smiling, she sings, and most of all; she is an awesome Christian!

I was not a real Christian then.  I had the title Christian, but I didn't live it out. I didn't even realize my fault. Mandy showed me how a true Christian acts. She showed me unconditional love. Love that does not judge, does not keep a record of wrongs, and does not hold grudges! She lived out 1 Corinthians 13:4-8! It was amazing to see how everyone acted around her. I never heard a single mean or jealous word spoken about her!

As you can imagine, I like everyone else was devastated after the accident. I thought it was the worst thing that could ever happen to me! I was mad, I was confused, and I questioned God. That is where my growing started. I started realizing all that I had learned from Mandy. I realized that God was using her to teach me. It was not long after her accident at a Lug retreat, that I rededicated my life to Christ. I was finally on the right track. This was a lot for a young Christian or actually any Christian to go through. I kept wishing that God would give me something easier to test my faith in him, but no, this is the situation he was using.

It is still very hard for me to deal with this whole situation, but I know that through this all God is by my side. I just thank God that Mandy has had such a positive influence on me. Now I am in 8th grade, and I am using the leadership skills that God has taught me through Mandy to teach other young Christians through a program called LinC. Through LinC I get the chance to lead a group of 5th graders in the same way that Mandy lead me. Mandy will always be my biggest role model; she is now more then ever before! Mandy has touched my life and so many others, and I can only pray
that God will use my life in the same way.