I love working with teens

I love the fact that my job is working with teenagers. I have been in youth ministry since I graduated High School in 2000. I was one of the leaders of my church youth group for the four years I was in college. After graduating college I went into full time ministry with Long Island Youth for Christ, and have been working there ever since.

One of the things I love about working with teens is being able to give them an opportunity to be kids and be comfortable with who they are. So often kids get caught up with school work and other things that they don't get to have some time to just be "kids". It's great to be able to provide an outlet for them to be themselves and minister to them at the same time. It's so important to let each student be who God has made them to be and minister to them where they are at.

I find that my work with the kids always stretches my faith. I am constantly amazed by the faith of the students I work with, which in turn strengthens my own faith. I am especially blessed by the students who come to know Christ for the first time. It's so refreshing to experience the simple faith that they have. It encourages me to get back to the basics of my faith and not let things of the world define my relationship with Christ!

I really believe that it's all about pointing students toward Christ. I am just a tool that God uses to watch after the students for a short time each week. Whether it's through a talk that I give at a meeting or at McDonalds one afternoon, my goal is to love them like Jesus does and show them the way to Christ.

Stephanie Bambino
Long Island Youth for Christ

If you would like to correspond with Stephanie ... recently married Stephanie ... congratulations !!!, please write to: TimFerguson@christianyouthgroup.org.