Paper Plates v. Fine China

It is that time of year where I find myself with many an opportunity to talk with sweet middle school and high school girls about their value and great worth as the daughter of the Most High.

Just for the sake of knowing- let me give you a run-down of these events:

1. No Regrets-
This is an event that our pre-teen ministry at HSBC puts on for 5th grade boys and girls to basically share with them what the biblical side of sex is. This was my second year to be apart of it and I loved it even more this year. Basically- parents and students come to the church and we break out into student small groups. I just assisted in the teaching this year but more than anything I just LOVED observing the girl's faces when words like- "sex" and "kissing" would send their sweet littles faces into a wash of bright red. They don't like boys yet. The thought of being even slightly tempted to touch a boy sends them into giggles and gags of all sorts. Oh, sometimes I wish some of my high school girls still felt this way....

2. Chick Chat-
This is an event we put on in our student ministry for our upcoming 7th grade girls. We do girly things- crafts, make hot pink cupcakes, do a "what not to wear" fashion show- it is a blast...but Most importantly we talk with these girls about Jesus and who is in their lives. This year it is split up into 4 segments- He is our: Savior. Protector. Shepherd. Abba Father.
We will cover areas ranging from gossip, how to handle conflict, staying pure, and making the right friend choices. As simple as the evening sounds- it is always something where the Lord shows up in such a sweet way.

3. "And the Bride Wore White"
This semester I am going through the book, "And the Bride Wore White" by Dannah Gresh with a group of 9th grade girls. Let me tell you- this is just a hysterical group of girls. So different. So diverse. I went through this book with an incredible and Godly woman when I was in 9th grade with a group of my best friends- and it truly was a wonderful tool as we have grown and learned about what it means to flee for things that are worldly and strive evermore to seek the face of Christ.


Why am I telling you all of this? What is my point?

After talking with many of these girls- I have realized how loud the world is yelling into their lives in middle school and high school- especially in the areas of purity, relationships, and dating.

I heard an analogy that I really loved regarding worldly-views vs. biblical views of what it is to be a girl...

PAPER PLATE:
The world is teaching them such shallow and superficial things about what it means to be a woman. The world is growing them up to see themselves as a paper plate. ( Follow me on this one.) They are treated as if they are just the same as everyone else. Standard. Cheap. A thousand just like 'em. These girls have a foundation that is built on false and emotional things- things that do not hold up well in times of great distress. The world tells them that they are replaceable. In some cases, the world causes them to even seem disposable.If you could see the eyes of the girls that come to me telling me that they made mistakes physically with their boyfriends- the shallow looks in their eyes is enough to send me into a pit. I hurt for these girls who are made to feel like they are not good enough. I cry for the girls who are brought up being taught that they are only as good as their makeup looks and their outfits match.

What about pure and beautiful women? What about strong, planted and noble women of God?
These things- purity, nobility, strength, and worth- are only found in one who is in the presence of the Lord.

FINE CHINA:
May I introduce you to the Fine China. This woman is one who has true value and worth. This woman knows that the things of the world are empty and of no value- and therefore spend time and efforts seeking the Lord in heart, soul, and mind. They realize that they were bought with a high-price and live accordingly. These women are breakable, fragile, and no replacement if available for this women who was molded and fashioned for a purpose.


I want so badly to be able to sit down with each and every girl and remind her of her worth. I wish I look into the eyes of each and every one of these girls and remind them that that are dearly loved by a Heavenly Father who will never leave or forsake.


My prayer is that these girls and myself will hold tight to the words found in Titus Chapter 2- verses 12-13

"training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ".



Heavenly Father, Teach us to flee from the things of this world and to fall at the foot of your cross placing before you our days, our desires, and our burdens. We beg you to arm us up to fight the enemy with each new day. Be near, sweet Jesus.
Amen.

early ramblings

Blogging to me sounds like a wonderful sort of therapy- I get to sit down and freely type out my thoughts and empty my brain into a box on a webpage and with the simple click of a button-boom- without saying a word my heart sits on the world wide web.

What an exciting concept! Do you ever have those days that you have so much on your mind and heart that you just need to vent- however the thought of calling someone up and trying to explain everything seems like too much work so you just move on...those days are often for me.

As I am typing this I cannot help but think of "You've Got Mail" when Meg Ryan states as she is typing an email... she acts as if she is "writing to the oldest and dearest of friends". That is a pretty neat way to go about this...so I will run with that for now until I come up with my own corny & cliche phrase.

There is no purpose or specific goal for the words that will be placed on this page. I simply want to share my heart with each of you- whomever "you" may be. I have found that so often the Lord whispers to me through the words of others and my prayer is that He will do the same through me.

I find myself right now in this season of life to be anxious about the future, thrilled about where I am in the present, and more confident than I ever have been that the Lord has made a way for me. I get the joy of working in a ministry where I get to pour into students, specifically teenage girls ages 13-18. I am learning more about myself in this year than I feel I have ever learned, the good, bad, and the quirky! :)

I hope that as days and months go by I allow myself the time to spend here to put into the words the burdens the Lord has placed on my heart, the things I am learning, the random ideas that I have about ministry & life in general, and the random ramblings as the days seems to rush right on by- this could be a very exciting journey.

Soon I would like to document a full day of traveling in Nashville & the incredible ministries that we were able to visit yesterday...coming soon :)

Be ever blessed-

-Ames