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Seriously Called: How Mentorship Shaped My Leadership as a Young Person in the Church
July 27, 2026
As a recently ordained minister, Rev. Beth Putney reflects on the confidence a mentor gave her to embrace her path. “I was 15 when Matt Overton was called as the Associate Pastor of Youth and Their Families at Columbia Presbyterian Church in Vancouver, Washington. I’d finished out my freshman year of high school much as it had begun—awkwardly. I went to a different high school than most of my friends and struggled to feel at home there. But I always felt welcome and safe at church, so I was there all the time.”
Holding the Image of God
July 13, 2026
A NICU Dietitian reflects on caring for some of our world’s most vulnerable people – premature babies. Her patients will never remember her name. But Gwyneth Hadasa hopes they’ll carry something deeper — the feeling of being loved and full of potential, even in their very first days of life. As a NICU dietitian, Gwyneth advocates daily for newborn babies, some of the most vulnerable patients imaginable. Her work is quiet, faithful, and deeply rooted in the kind of servant leadership Jesus modeled of putting others first, even when no one is watching.
How Medieval Women, My Appalachian Heritage, and Christian Faith Formed Me as a Young Writer and Leader
July 08, 2026
Emma Yeager reflects on the ways medieval women inspired her to value her unique perspective. The year was 2020. Quarantine was in full effect. And a 14th-century anchoress was helping me through this time of isolation. Julian of Norwich was a theologian, visionary, and woman who chose to withdraw from the world to live in a solitary dwelling to pursue a life of prayer and devotion to God. Her hallmark work is <i>Revelations of Divine Love</i>, in which she recounts 16 visions of Christ’s Passion where she was shown the incomprehensible love of God for the world.
Acts of Kindness and Moments of Safety
July 03, 2026
Emanuel “Boo” Milton struggled to find safe spaces growing up — now, as a young adult, he thrives on building them for others. Growing up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, — a city with 10 times the national homicide rate — Emanuel “Boo” Milton had to develop a hard exterior to protect his safety, even as his heart remained full of love and his relationship with God was a guiding light. An internship with the Interfaith Federation changed his trajectory: working with a children’s summer camp in a neighborhood like his own, he helped create a safe space filled with joy, kindness, and connection. That experience of faith in action inspired him to found Cure with Love Strategies, an organization focused on community…
Illuminating Faith and Leadership Series
In our ‘Polaris Stories: Illuminating Faith and Leadership” YouTube series, young adults tell stories of raw courage and deep faith from their own perspective. Have a story to share or want to learn more? Fill out the form below and we’ll follow-up to see how you can get connected to the Polaris Young Adult Leadership Network!
