My Story

Against every attempt from my mom to get me to not do this, I will be fundraising to participate in Brawl for a Cause’s Boxing Charity Event Feb. 17, 2018 in Mercedes Benz Stadium! Brawl for a Cause trains, equips and inspires everyday people to literally fight for what they believe in. (For more information on Brawl for a Cause, visit their website or check them out on Facebook)

The first time I heard about Brawl for a Cause was 2 years ago when a good friend of mine, Robert French, participated in the event. All I knew about it then was that he raised a lot of money and boxed. That was until I got to hear Matt Thomas, founder of Brawl for a Cause, speak about the organization and its purpose. After hearing Matt speak, I went up to him immediately after and told him I was in.

You may ask, why are you doing this? Do you have any boxing experience? Well, the answer to that is no, I do not have any boxing experience. The closest thing I have to boxing experience is middle school wrestling, and 13-year-old pre-pubescent Jake didn't fare too well out there. So why do this? Because, ultimately, I believe that if something is worth fighting for, then shouldn't I put my money where my mouth is and do just that: fight for it?

About Me and My Cause

Young Life is a ministry dedicated to inviting kids to follow Christ, caring for them regardless of their response, and changing lives in the process. It began with a few simple ideas about sharing the truth of God’s love with adolescents. Seven decades later, those simple ideas have become time-tested methods for reaching out to middle school, high school and college students in friendship and hope.

In high school, YoungLife was something I was fortunate enough to be a part of and I even got the chance to spend a week at Frontier Ranch, a YoungLife camp in Colorado, the summer after my sophomore year. When I went to college, my life radically changed when my walk with Christ became personal. After giving my life to Christ, I looked back on the people that played a key role in this process, and I saw the foundations of my faith that my YoungLife leaders had instilled in me. I wanted to give back and be a part of another student's story like my own. I am now a WyldLife leader at the school I graduated from, The Lovett School, actively leading middle school kids to see the beauty of Christ and walking through life with them.

Me as a high school sophomore at Frontier Ranch Summer Camp

My co-leader Alec (Right) and me (Left) with two of our WyldLife friends at our Christmas Club

This past summer, I got the amazing opportunity to work at two different YoungLife Camps: Crooked Creek Ranch and Trail West Lodge in Colorado. It was seven life-changing weeks serving alongside amazing people from all over the country who were also following Jesus and leading students to know Christ through Younglife back in their home towns. Together, we got to see hundreds of kids give their lives to Christ, which created a longing for all of us to get as many kids to camp as possible.

Since school started back, I have stayed in touch with my friends, and I have seen the financial struggles in sending kids to summer camp. These leaders have expressed their struggles and frustrations to fund their students who can’t afford to go to camp and experience something that they know would change their lives. This is a daily endeavor for them and they are desperately asking for help from anyone who will listen. They battle for these kids to be able to hear the good news, which pushes me to help in this fight.

This is my cause. I believe that every student involved in YoungLife should be given the opportunity to go to a Younglife camp. I believe in this ministry and its effectiveness in sharing the Gospel. With the help of many, I believe we can make a lasting impact on many students’ lives. Please consider donating to this cause to help send kids to YoungLife Camp!

Lastly, if you want to attend this year’s Brawl for a Cause, click here

Brawl to Send Kids to YoungLife Camp: Jake Fulwiler

By Jake Fulwiler

Brawl to Send Kids to YoungLife Camp: Jake Fulwiler