Kelsey's first Joy Prom {guest post}

In Kelsey's own words from 2010 (and, after this, you can read three posts from her from this year here, here, and here)...

I had my heart set on going to prom this year.

I hold it in a high place in my heart. 

Looking my best and being with people I adore, partying like tomorrow will never come.

I guess you could say I had definite motivation to go in the first place.

I figured…yeah sure why not. All the kids at my school are going to be flipping out about their own prom, I need something to do, and community service is great.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to this until the special needs class came parading through my Sunday school classroom.

Laughing and jumping and smiling. This night meant the world to them. They look forward to it all year.

God basically kicked my butt into going. I was worried. I thought I was overdressed and taking this way too seriously.

I wasn’t.

I watched hundreds of adorable people with special needs get out of their cars. My heart broke.

Jesus loves these people so much and no one gives them any credit.

They’re brilliant. They just have problems communicating it.

They are so filled with joy in everything. They don’t feel sorry for themselves. They don’t complain.

And yet I complain so so much about my AP class. I am so privileged to take it.

To be accepted into an excellent school and to be able to apply my knowledge in a classroom setting..

When people like my friend pictured above can’t even speak or walk and are dependent on other people for the rest of their lives.

I loved loved loved being able to dance with these people. For a moment everyone was acting the same and no one was being judgemental. There was so much joy, I couldn’t stand to think of anything sad, or even of myself.

I’m pretty sure that working intensively with people that have special needs, like my friend in the picture, is my calling.

But I’m pretty sure that dedicating one night a year to making him feel incredibly loved is something I can handle.

I live for meeting new people, and people who don’t judge me for my extroversion are the greatest.

I dunno. We’ll see.

I’m so glad Jesus has some big plans for me