It’s been a while since I’ve sat down specifically to write a post for ylcf.org. That probably has something to do with being in the “new mommy” season of life, the season of spring in more ways than one! And now our calendar tells me summer is here, and the strawberries we picked yesterday tasted like summer. Another season is upon us.
The YLCF has been part of a lot of different seasons of my life. When I look at the amazing articles on the website now, it’s hard to believe it all started as a little “girls-only club” 16 years ago, with a hand-written newsletter I photocopied on my grandma’s copy machine. In a lot of ways, the YLCF has grown up with me, or we’ve grown up with it. As I faced questions about purity and love, I wrote about what I was learning. When I was immersed in politics, my blog posts read like an op-ed for a newspaper. As I was falling in love, my writing couldn’t help sounding like it.
The seasons of my life kept changing. And as I prepared to marry my farmer, I handed over the YLCF’s reins, as it were, to my best girlfriend Natalie. She brought new life and a standard of stellar writing to ylcf.org. She brought variety and depth, discussing the serious issues along with the light. I’ve been so grateful for her help in keeping up the YLCF over the past two and a half years.
Now Natalie is finding herself in a new season of life, and handing me back those reins. I’m in a different season of life, and busier than ever as a wife and mom, but I still crave the encouragement and edification I’ve always found in the fellowship with those of the YLCF. And I think a lot of you share that feeling. Yes, like me, the YLCF is in a different season, but I couldn’t bear to think of bringing ylcf.org to a premature winter.
So we’re brainstorming about a new look, coming up with ideas to simplify the site and layout, and focusing on bringing you at least three posts each week–sometimes more, sometimes less. I’m hoping to bring on another full-time YLCF team member. And continue to streamline the site so this busy farmer’s wife can sort of keep up with it. I’d welcome your ideas (what’s your favorite part of the site? what should we keep, what could be eliminated? how could we make it more organized, easier to navigate?) and I covet your prayers. You probably won’t notice too many changes at first, but please be patient with the speed of comment moderation and any post problems–I still have a “fast” internet connection, remember.
As I transition back into my role of “editor in chief”, I want you to know that your posts and topic ideas are welcome. The YLCF has always been by young women, for young women–and that means you! So please keep those articles coming. I can’t respond to every email, nor comment on every submission. But know each one is read!
And as you write and comment, keep in mind that the YLCF has always been about encouragement and edification. It is for that reason that we moderate the comments on ylcf.org. There is a time and place for healthy debate, but it’s not here. Nor do private questions need to be asked in public places. And while the YLCF Team Members share glimpses into their hearts and lives with us here in their posts, it does not entitle every blog reader to know every detail of their personal lives. The team who moderates comments are actively protective of each other, so the inflammatory, rude, and/or anonymous comments are deleted before they can be seen by those they might hurt. But your uplifting comments are rays of sunshine in our day!
If I could choose one perpetual season for ylcf.org, it would always be the time for encouragement–”a time to build up,” Solomon calls it in Ecclesiastes. There is enough of the negative out there, let us seek out the beauty! With that in mind, please respect Natalie’s wish for a season of rest and refreshment. I know she will be back someday to share with you the seasons this journey is taking her through. Meanwhile, let’s keep focused here at ylcf.org on spurring each other on towards love and good deeds. I’m looking forward to seeing what God has in store for us…
Thanks for all that you do and have done, both you and Natalie, as well as the other teams members. God bless you!
Ooooh, Natalie we’ll miss you! May God grant you a season of perfect rest and peace.
Please please please don’t let YLCF find its winter anytime soon!
I just love stopping by for all the encouraging posts and stories; it is entirely wonderful to see the tangible rewards of faith that are exhibited in the lives of the authors and contributors.
amen.
Oh my Gretchen, you gave the the biggest scare. I know you don’t know me, but I have been faithfully reading your site for over a year and at the begining of this post I thought you were going to say that y’all were not going to keep it up.I cannot imagine how I would get on without your encouraging words. I have been going through a hardship this last week and really looked forward to reading your posts. Please do not scare me again.
Thanks to all who write and uplift me so much. You are a blessing. May God bless you each richly,
“God’s girl”
your site means so much to many of us. know that you are covered in prayers.
lisa
I know what you mean by different seasons of life…I’ve been going through quite a few. Yet I can say with all sincerity, YLCF has been such an encouragement throughout every stage, course of my life. I’ve watched you and Natalie fall in love, get married, start a family and even though I don’t know you – I have been blessed by your excellent example. Lanier’s beautiful outlook on life. Chantal’s poetry. Elisabeth’s inspiration. Jeannie’s persceptive. All of this has meant a great deal to a young girl who desires to live for God, yet sometimes feels so alone. Thank you…
I really appreciate the efforts of all the YLCF staff and contributors that keep this place going. Thank-you so much for figuring out ways to keep writing! I’ll miss Natalie’s posts but will be glad to hear from Gretchen more.
The things I like best about this site are the blog articles and the updates to the courtship stories. I also like the little pages about red hair, curls, Anne of Green Gables, etc, because it adds a personal touch.
Thanks again for all your hard work! I’m so relieved to see that YLCF will still be here for awhile.
I just wanted you all to know that I have been reading your blog for over a year and I love you all. You are so encouraging and your love for Christ and purity shines bright. Thank you all so much. You are in my prayers!
Although I rarely say much on this website, I read almost every entry, and I love each and every one.
Thank you, to everyone who has contributed.
We do serve an awesome God!
Natasha
I would like to echo all that has been said so far. Although usually silent, I have been thoroughly enjoying YLCF’s journey for over 10 years now, and I can’t begin to tell you how much it has blessed and encouraged me in so many ways. I so love the posts about God, life, love, struggles and triumphs. It is hard to find many like-minded young women, and so this has been a way to feel linked with others from all over and many walks of life. I would truly hate to see it go. Thank you to Gretchen and Natalie and all the other contributors for being so faithful in keeping YLCF going. I truly appreciate each one of you!
YLCF has been – and continues to be – SUCH an encouragement to me … and to my family, because whenever I print an article, my parents and/or my sisters read it too!
Thank you everyone – Gretchen, Natalie, Lanier and Chantel especially – for all the hours of time and love you’ve poured into YLCF! I understand YLCF is entering a new season, but hope and pray it’ll be around – one way or t’other for a long time to come! 
I think my favourite things about YLCF are the new articles – and the archives. I love to read the new material and view the new pictures, but I also love to browse through the archives. I’d be VERY sorry if the archives stopped being a part of YLCF!
God bless!
Welcome back as editor in chief Gretchen from a huge fan of YLCF!
I am so thankful for you, Natalie, Lanier, and all the other team members here. You’ve helped me so much on my journey with Christ and I’m more glad than I can say that you’re still keeping on with the site and with all the encouragement you pour out on your readers. Be assured that I’ll be praying hard for you all – and thanking God so much that your readers have you!
I hope Natalie’s season of rest is full of blessings and encouragement. I’ll miss her posts – but hey, that just means I get to re-read all the older ones again.
God Bless to you all!
Katy
Nothing seems to be constant. In the midst of this is God’s faithfulness and encouragement from sisters in Christ. Thank you for being a haven in all the “negative out there.” Thank you for being a place I can go to be refreshed, reminded to choose the right way, and spurred on to higher ground. Please keep it up!
Very well put, Gretchen. “To everything there is a season, a time for every activity under Heaven.” The Lord has been teaching me a lot about seasons, how things are for a time and then they are gone (yet they leave marks we will have forever) I hope that Our Heavenly Father guides and leads you all at YLCF into what needs to be done!
I couldn’t agree with all the girls more! I will certainly miss Natalie’s posts, but I understand her decision to step off for a while. I’ll keep praying for her…I’m already amazed at how the Lord comforts and sustains her…
Please don’t change the ‘look’ of the site, it’s lovely as it is and so familiar! As for the content, I think that more posts from dear Lanier would be wonderful in addition to the kind of stuff usually posted. I also think that links are ok- when you’re out of ideas, just share some good article with us. The one about the monastic/domestic, for instance, I found timely and challenging.
YLCF has been such a blessing to me during the past year, thank you all!
Gretchen, thank you so much for being willing to keep ylcf going for us readers, even though without it your hands are very full. I have been visiting for several years and have found this website such an inspiration; the posts have truly touched my day-to-day life. May God bless you!
And Natalie, may God shower His tender mercies over you during this season of your life. We love you!
Both of you!
p.s. I think in the beginning the courtship stories were the draw for me —
– the blog is what I now visit on a regular basis. Although the “curly girl” section changed the way I look at hair care, too.
Love love love this site..I’ve been reading it for years. Welcome back to your old role, Gretchen – blessings!
I’ve been a long-time reader of YLCF and I really enjoy reading about other girls who are either in my current season of life (single) or where I’d like to be (wife and/or mother). I love people, so for me, reading about life as a new mom, tips for curly hair, etc. are what I enjoy most. And of course, Anne of Green Gables as a previous commentor mentioned.
I’m glad that YLCF will continue. It has been such a blessing to me. It is so wonderful to have such kindred spirits! Natalie, your presence will be sorely missed. I look forward to reading the remainder of your posts.
I came to YLCF for the Homeschool Humor and then enjoyed New Attitude, the Curly Girl Page, the Courtship Story page and of course the Blog. In short, I enjoy the whole site! Please don’t change it too much maybe just make some pages really low maintenance.
YLCF has been such a blessing and encouragment! I know it takes much loving effort to keep it going, and thus I am so grateful for Natalie, Gretchen, Lanier (and the many others) who continue to invest their time. Please know dear sisters that your labor is not in vain! You are encouraging many of us in our day to day journey. In a world were true fellowship is rare, this ministry is a priceless jewel. Thank you!
(Additional note: On a more personal level, I especially enjoy the blog posts and courtship stories.) ~ A YLCF Reader
Natalie, I pray that in this season you find rest and encouragement! Know that there are sisters in the Lord standing behind you!
Keep up the good work is what I say. I love the sight and visit it everyday. One suggestion, it would be nice in the courtship section where you list the new courtship stories if you could just click on their name and it would take you to their story. But it truly is fine the way it is though. Have a great day and God bless. . . . and Jane don’t apologize for your long comments, I get much encouragement from them.
— a fellow sister in Christ
I’m so glad that you are continuing to keep YLCF going well and strong.
I can’t possibly thank you enough for the blessing it has been in my life.
You girls are wonderful, encouraging and amaazing.
Thank you especially Gretchen for starting it such a long time ago. Wow, has it
really been 16 years???
I’m glad that Natalie will get a time of rest and refreshment; I know she needs it
and deserves it!
((Hugs)) and Prayers,
Joyfully His,
Samantha