Girls for HIS Glory

Girls Ministry 411 on BOUNDARIES by Renee Curry!

2012-05-15T15:25:00.001-04:00

Last month Mrs. Renee Curry lead our last High School Girls 411 of the school year! She did a GREAT job teaching on how to set up healthy, godly boundaries and I just had to have her share a recap with you here! This lesson was derived from Mary Kassians "Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild" book, which we have LOVED. Thank you Ms. Renee for your faithfulness to loving, serving, and teaching our Girls For HIS Glory girls!

At our last 411 we talked about boundaries. Boundaries are something that indicates bounds or limits.. God gives us boundaries because He loves us so much and wants to keep us from harm. If you were not able to be with us let me ask you to go to Youtube and watch “SlowFade” by Casting Crowns. It is a great song that we all need to take to heart. It is the small wrong decisions we make that lead us to the bigger mistakes! We need to have our boundaries in place now BEFORE we are faced with the situations.

Guard your life against the potential for sin and avoid being trapped by it. A fool is someone who doesn’t take precautions and thinks she won’t get hurt, someone who thinks they can handle it. As Proverbs 14:16 says, “A wise man fears the Lord and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.”

So how can we remain pure? By living according to God’s Word (Psalm 119:9). We must identify the pitfalls of sin and avoid and guard yourself from the traps of it.

A hedge is a protective method that lessens the risk of something negative happening. In business strategy it is used to minimize exposure to unwanted business risk. For us boundaries defend against loss, protects against sexual injury and loss, or it’s a personal rule that minimizes a woman’s exposure to an unwanted sexual risk. Hedges need to be clear, definitive and strong; if we disregard these we leave ourselves susceptible to the danger of sin. Just because something is allowed does not make it right. We must guard our lives so that we do not become slaves to sin (1 Corinthians 6:12).

Some of the hedges we need to hold fast to:

· Time hedge – Often we make excuses that we don’t have time when it comes to reading God’s Word, praying, or spending time and having a fellowship with him. When we don’t do these things we have given Satan a huge gap in our hedge! Read Proverbs. 7:2-5.
· Location hedge – avoid unhealthy environments! We cannot entertain, think on, or contemplate ideas that are wrong. It is not good for us to try to decide how far we can go without getting burned. Read Proverbs 6:27-28 and 1 Corinthians 15:33.
· Pairing hedge – The person you date should be a Christian – do not be unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14). The pairing hedge goes for friends as well. Read Proverbs 12:26.
· Seclusion hedge – Avoid party parties and secluded places! We will interact in places where we can be seen, and this helps to protect us and our decision to stay pure.
· Communication hedge – sin loves darkness because it loves to hide! Social networking and text has brought people to do and say things they normally would not have done!
· Contact hedge – limit contact! Do not be in a relationship that leads you to neglect your family, obligations, responsibilities, or opportunities God places in your path.
· Curfew hedge – follow your nighttime boundaries! There is a reason God gave us parents and your parents give you a time to be home! Too much time can lead to too many opportunities for things other than God’s desire for our lives.
· Encroachment/ Touching hedge: We must set up proper limits in our lives. Determine now what is right and wrong and set up your boundaries. Be modestly dressed and commit to standards such as no parts of your body will be touched except hands, arms, upper back and shoulders, or that you will not lay beside, under, or on top of someone, or mimic even in play anything that resembles a sexual posture.

Ask yourself this important question: What will my boundaries be? We must determine our boundaries ahead of time, before we are confronted with the situation. When you are faced with things that cross your boundaries, your heart and mind question it and send up a flag of warning.

Some other verses you might want to look at about setting and maintain Godly boundaries:

1. 2 Timothy 2:22

2. James 4:7-8

3. Proverbs 3:5

I am so thankful for the time I was allowed to spend with all the girls! You all mean so much to me and I am very thankful that God has allowed me to be with you during this time in your lives. Know that I am praying for all of you, that you would see all that God has for you that you would seek HIM in all that you do, in everything you would seek to share HIM with all who are around you. Jeremiah 29:11-14 – God has plans for you – seek HIM with all your heart and you will find HIM! Keep seeking!!!

- Ms. Renee

Check out more pictures from this 411 on our FBC Girls Ministry Page >> HERE << !!

Catalyst Leaders...Are Present

2012-05-03T16:52:00.000-04:00

Two weeks ago I had the awesome and unique opportunity to attend the Catalyst West Conference...yes, West, as in CALIFORNIA!! It was awesome! Because of some very great friends I had a lot of my expenses taken care of making a trip like this possible. Which also meant the bonus of seeing some of my very best friends, engaging in awesome, soul refreshing conversation in addition to an amazing conference under some of the country's best leaders.

The theme of the conference was "Be Present." They encouraged us to disconnect from social media and mobile devices while in each session and just be present. However, on the last day this theme really hit me hard after hearing Brenda Salter McNeil's talk on John 5 and the paralytic man that Jesus healed on the Sabbath. She focused on John 5:17-19 from the Contemporary English Version:

But Jesus said, “My Father has never stopped working, and that is why I keep on working.” Now the leaders wanted to kill Jesus for two reasons. First, he had broken the law of the Sabbath. But even worse, he had said that God was his Father, which made him equal with God.
Jesus told the people: “I tell you for certain that the Son cannot do anything on his own. He can do only what he sees the Father doing, and he does exactly what he sees the Father do.”

Two important things to remember: 1) God is at work NOW! He's always been at work and He'll continue to be at work but don't miss out on the work He's doing now. 2) Jesus did whatever he saw the Father DOING (again, present tense!). He didn't just do whatever he wanted to do, but He did what He saw the Father doing. What can we take from this?

Do what you see the Father doing now - Be Present! If He's at work IN you then there's work He wants done THROUGH you. Don't get so caught up in the future, in "what's next" that you miss out on right now. Often times you will never make it to "what's next" unless you are at work in the present.

I know I needed to hear that! And as my experience has proven, I am sure their are others that need it as well. In addition to Brenda, there were other great points that just hit me at my core through the week. Here are some of my favorite quotes that I jotted down:

"Always be doing for one what you wish you could do for everyone." - Andy Stanley (ie: as your ministry grows don't get overwhelmed by the numbers but be constantly investing in those that can expand your influence further) "When you can do - DO"
"Everything I do today is a result of those that went before me and invested in me." - Craig Groeschel
"Young people are not the church of the future, they are the church of today!!" - Craig Groeschel
"Delegate authority, not tasks. Authority creates leaders, tasks create followers." - Craig Groeschel
"Always show honor up. Honor publicly results in influence privately." - Craig Groeschel
"I had to learn to shift my balance while spinning." - Tony Hawk (yes, the pro skater :))
"Haters only get loud when you say/do something that matters." - Jon Acuff
"We tend to discount compliments and obsess on insults. 1000 compliments + 1 complaint = 1 complaint." - Jon Acuff
If you chase "enough" outside of Christ, you'll never get there." - Jon Acuff
"Take the risk to speak what you see God doing." - Brenda Salter NcNeil
"Being present is being there, at the right time, for the right length of time...and then testifying about it!" - Brenda Salter NcNeil
"Leadership in the Kingdom is the overflow of love from the King." - David Platt
"God hates sinners. Sin is not outside of us. Jesus went to the cross for us, sinners." - David Platt
"God knows every sin we have committed and will commit and yet He chooses to love us anyways." - David Platt
People in the US are lost, but not unreached. They have access....2 billion people in unreached areas don't." - David Platt
"You can't be who you were made to be if you are afraid. When we aren't afraid, others aren't afraid. So...Go Big! Stuff happens when we aren't afraid!" - Bob Goff
"Your challenge is to take what is unique about you and make it useful!" - Marcus Buckingham
"Great leaders catch moments of excellence and reflect it back." - Marcus Buckingham
"We aren't called to live in our city. We are called to be ALIVE here!" - Charles Jenkins
"Acts 19...Twelve people turned that city upside down. It doesn't take an army or lots of money!" - Dave Gibbons
"God created us and in His image, so we shouldn't be surprised that we are creative beings. Until you live a life of intention you will never know the satisfaction and joy of what you were created for." - Erwin McManus
"Environments change us. What environments are you choosing and what environments are you creating??" - Ervin McManus
"Choose your companions before you choose your road. It's not the terrain that will suck your energy, but the others around you." - Mark Burnett
"If you are only friends with people who agree with you in everything -- you will be extremely alone." Donald Miller
"Always be investing in someone that could one day replace you. Apprenticing: selecting, modeling, and coaching for the purpose of replacing yourself." - Andy Stanley
"You will never feel like you are adequately prepared to apprentice another leader. You are not responsible for knowing everything there is to know about your field or knowing more than everyone else. You ARE responsible for passing what you DO know to somebody else. Your responsibility it to EMPTY YOUR CUP! You might not fill theirs completely either, but you do have something to offer when you empty all you have." - Andy Stanley
"Always Model what you do, Explain why you do it, and Demonstrate how to do it!" - Andy Stanley
"Success is not measured by how capable you are of handling your responsibilities. Success is ultimately measured by whether or not you leave your responsibilities in capable hands." - Andy Stanley

I know that's a lot of gooooood stuff, but all stuff I couldn't NOT share. I hope in some way some of it encouraged you, challenged you, and/or lit a fire up under you like it did me! So thankful to First Baptist and my sweet friends that made this great experience possible! :)

Girls Ministry Questionnaire

2012-04-17T11:44:00.000-04:00

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*Make sure you hit the submit button at the end!...may have to scroll with your mouse to get to it! :) If for some reason you cannot get to the submit botton click HERE to resubmit form.
Thank you!!

A word from our Girls' Intern, Emily Lavender!

2012-04-09T11:02:00.000-04:00

I am excited to have our girls intern, Emily Lavender as this week's Guest Blogger! Emily is from Lexington, KY and is currently a freshman at Lee University. She is sharing about what God has been showing and teaching her through His Word and I am so honored to have her post and dor this great reminder of how constant our God is - especially within a very chaotic world! She is such a sweet servant of our King and I encourage all girls to get to know her as you can! :)

Hi Girls!! I wanted to take some time and share with you a little about what God has been teaching me.

There are two things I just love to do: Read books and talk to friends. I find great enjoyment in both of these. And, who knew the Lord could teach me something great through the things that I love.

Like I said, I love to read. I have been reading several books lately on nutrition (yes, I am a health freak!). Last week, I finally threw my hands up! I am so confused. I read one book that says wheat is good for you. I read another that says wheat is bad and terrible for our bodies. What in the world?! How can one source say one thing and another say something completely opposite? I find this to be really annoying.

I also love to talk with friends. There is nothing better than meeting a friend for lunch, catching up on life, and laughing our heads off! It is great. But, what’s not great is when you are chatting with your friend, they tell you something and the next day you hear something totally different than what your friend had previously told you.

Who do we believe? What do we believe? This makes me want to SCREAM! Yes, I like my nutrition books and I love my friends, but they are going to fail us at times.

After being beyond frustrated last week, I was reminded that the Lord is not like this at all. The Lord and His Word are constant, never-changing truth. At the end of the day we can set aside all of our worries, issues, and cares, open the Word of God and KNOW that it is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. God is the only firm foundation. We can rest in the arms of a God who will never leave us or forsake us. We can rely upon the gracious Lord and the promises and truths that He has for us. That brings so much relief, comfort, and joy!

Psalm 119:142 says, “Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true.” Hebrews 13:5 says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” ALL of these verses are TRUE, CONSTANT, and NEVER-CHANGING! Rest in these verses today and throughout this week, knowing that the Lord is our firm foundation. He will not fail us.

~Emily

Reflecting on Silence & Solitude

2012-04-04T11:30:00.000-04:00

At the end of our Silence and Solitude we took some time to share about our experience of praying for three straight hours. Today I was reading over some of the "nuggets" from that time and want to share them with you. Sonia's post last week along with these quotes should encourage you not only to join us next time an opportunity like this is presented, but just in the power of prayer in general! You don't need an organized time like this to just stop and meet with your Father. Write down some areas, people, struggles, questions, passions, etc. that have been on your heart and just go for it! You'll be surprised where this time will take you and for how long.

“God answered questions during the first 30 minutes. I loved the version of the first verse. I answered each question it asked. I learned that I need to stop doing it my way.”

“‘Live Freely’ stood out to me. I am so blessed to have great girls surrounded around me.”

“I loved the time in the room by yourself. It covered a lot of ground for me. It was a time of repentance and a time to lay down my pride. Also, I took that time to thank God for my family and friends. I loved the washing of the feet too! So humbling to have adult ladies in my life do that for me.”

“The first prayer time was good for me. I loved breaking down that verse and what it looks like in my own life. God takes the burden, I have to follow and stay true to Him.”

“I loved the first prayer time. I went into our Sunday School room and I was trying to see all the things that I am thankful for in my life. I sat by the window and looked at my favorite tree. The tree had blown away from a recent storm. It just reminded me that God still owns it. God owns it all and even in the midst of chaos. This reminded me of my own life and how much brokenness there is in it. The tree is never going to look the same- but it will be ok. Now the tree has a testimony.”

“I learned not to turn on a light where there is already light. I am not going to the dark places where I am called. I need to step it up.”

“I find myself putting my trust in other things or other people, not God. The 15 questions really challenged me. All I could do was sing the sweet hymn, “In Christ Alone”. God really challenged me with the question, “Are you putting your WHOLE trust in me or other things?” This was a great, refreshing, and challenging time spent with Lord that I needed so desperately.”

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

Matthew 11:28-30, MSG

Guest Blogger: Sonia Heming! - Silence & Solitude Experience

2012-03-21T16:58:00.000-04:00

I am SO excited to have 9th grader, Sonia Heming as this week's Guest Blogger! Sonia took advantage of our High School Girls Silence & Solitude opportunity last weekend and was so sweet and willing to share her experience here with you! I honestly couldn't have expressed the day better! Thank you, Sonia!! :)

"Whenever I first heard about Silence & Solitude, I already knew I didn’t, and probably wasn’t going to go to it. It didn’t seem like my cup of tea. I’m glad Ms. Suzanne asked me to sign up or else I would’ve missed out on a life changing experience. At first I was extremely nervous because I didn’t know what to expect. My first thought about it was kinda terrifying for me. For some reason I thought we would have to be praying in front of the group of girls. Which I get really nervous praying in front of people, and it is not my strong point…at all. I eventually got over that fear because I knew that my friend, Sara Riggle, was going with me and she was nervous as well.

Right off the bat, we discussed what we were going to be doing. We were not going to be praying in front of each other! The first thing we did was get our feet washed by all of the leaders, which was VERY humbling. The next thing on the To Do list was for each of us to find a quiet room by ourselves so we could talk out loud to the Lord. In those rooms we read the verse: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out of religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me- watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to love freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30). That was probably my favorite part of the day. After that we basically had 5 rooms we had to go in based on sight, smell, salt & light, and missions. Those rooms were really, really cool. I really felt closer to God. In the 5^th room there were many things to look at and read. In their, there were many things to think about, pray about, and ask God to reveal to you. One of the things that I read that stood out to me was: “How are you being an example of Christ to your siblings & schoolmates? Are there ways you can change? Ask God to reveal these to you. (Titus 2:7)

If I ever got another opportunity to do that again, I would most definitely go! I would invite lots of people to come with me as well. It would be very selfish of me to not share the experience I had at Silence & Solitude with my friends. Everybody should have a chance to go to something like that and just have time to be alone with God in quietness. God deserves that from you."

See more pictures from this day on our FBC Girls Ministry Facebook Page!

Silence & Solitude

2012-03-13T13:43:00.000-04:00

Prayer is a spiritual discipline we all know is important, I mean, it’s our time to talk to God! However, often times our prayer life is reduced to the 60 seconds before a meal, a couple minutes before bed or after a quiet time…and of course, surrounding a time of need whether it be for someone that is sick or before you take a calculus test! Rarely would I say that we take hours to pray and commune with God. In fact, for me, the very first time I ever spent more than an hour in prayer was during one of my first classes in Seminary. We were instructed to spend half a day alone with God, in silence and solitude. That meant at least six hours! I will admit, I was terrified about this time. What was I going to do? Where would I go? How was I going to literally spend SIX hours with God?

I tell you, it was the sweetest time ever. To be real, there were times throughout the six hours that I did struggle, I did get antsy, I did lose focus. But then I also would have times where I was literally lost in the comfort of His presence, captivated by thought of how awesome my Lord was, and deep in written conversation with Him over the most personal things. Indeed it was so sweet. Since then, I have tried to carve out a least a few consecutive hours a couple times a year to just stop and enjoy time with my Father.

This past October, I attended the LifeWay Girls Ministers Retreat. I went fully expecting a time full of laughter, tears, and most of all idea sharing! However, when I got there, I quickly found that wasn’t the plan…instead a guided prayer retreat had been set up for us. I was so tired, weary, and overwhelmed with the constant go, go, go of ministry that I realized I hadn’t stopped like this in a long while. I found myself terrified again about this lengthy time alone.

I’m sure you can guess, the Lord did what only He does best…He was faithful. What a fruitful, refreshing, sweet time. We all needed it. How had we let ourselves go so long without it?

I did come away with a new idea though! If my heart needed this, how much more do my girls need this? The their intense schedules and demands, how could I, their Girls Minister, deprive them of learning about and experiencing one of our most important spiritual disciplines? I was burdened for my girls and the closeness with the Lord that was so readily available. I began immediately to pray about what this would look like for us. I decided to offer this only to High School girls. I didn’t see this as an “event” but more as an opportunity. This is for girls that want and crave to go deeper. With that said, it couldn’t be about numbers. I will be perfectly happy if only five girls show up or 30 girls show up because again, this is not an event, it’s a designated time set aside to meet with God.

I am so excited about this day! Will you pray for our ministry and that girls will rise up and take advantage of this opportunity to retreat away from their crazy busy schedules and see their need for time like this. Will you pray that God blesses it immensely? That girls will hear from God. That they will feel His presence and they will see His hand at work in their lives. I pray that this shakes up our entire ministry for the glory of God!

Matthew 11:28-30, MSG

There's still time to sign-up! Deadline is March 14th

Guest Blogger! "Are You Toooo Needy?"

2012-03-07T15:15:00.000-05:00

This week, I am honored to have Mrs. Amy Pierce as a Guest Blogger on Girls for HIS Glory! Amy and her husband, Blake, head-up our Wednesday Night check-in and first-time guest experience. They do an awesome job of engaging with students and helping them get plugged it. Amy led our Middle School Girls 411 in January on the topic of "Neediness" as we have continued to work through Mary Kassian's book, "Girls Gone Wise - in a World Gone Wild". Amy did such an awesome job, I asked her to recap her lesson here. Enjoy!

"When you hear the word neediness what do you think about? Does it remind you of your friend who constantly wants all the attention, or maybe your sister who can’t stop texting long enough to listen to you? What about the girl down the street who’s always changing her hairstyle? Let’s face it. We are all needy for someone or something.

Where does this neediness come from? It comes from a desire to be satisfied. The Lord put this longing in us so that we would come to Him to be satisfied. If we are not spending time with the Lord we will look to other people or other things to fill us up. Galatians 1:10 states, "Am I trying to please people or God? If I were still trying to please people I would not be a servant of Christ." Let’s ask ourselves this question. Who’s approval am I looking for?

C.S. Lewis wrote, “What does not satisfy when we find it was not the thing we were desiring.” Suppose you have two water fountains in your school. One is brand new with crystal clear water flowing from it. The other fountain is old, rusted and as the water flows out it touches the dirty end of the spout. Which do you prefer to drink from, the new clean fountain or the dirty rusted one? The Lord is like the new fountain. He knows what is best for you and He wants to give you the desires of your heart. Our friends and all the things of this world are like the old fountain. They have been used over and over again. They have the same problems you have. They will never be able to fill your desires or satisfy your longings. Drink from the new fountain, the living water, our Precious Lord! He will fill you every time!

Sure Mrs. Amy, easier said than done, right. You‘re right! Easier said than done. However, it’s just like a bad habit. Replace it with a good habit and before you know it easier done than said.

Here are a few practical ways you can be satisfied by the Lord:

Spend time alone with God. Open your bibles. Pick out some scripture and talk to Him about it.

Pray. Tell the Lord about the things that are painful, or hurtful. Tell Him what you are excited about or what confuses you.

Guard your time. Don’t hand your precious time over to worldliness. Make sure you pay attention to the time you spend getting ready, talking and texting, sharing on the computer, athletics, or just staying busy.

Find an accountability partner. Someone several years older than you who you can trust. Someone who you know walks with the Lord. Someone who has already been through the things you are going through. Most importantly someone who tells you the truth and asks you the hard questions. Not someone who tells you what you want to hear.

Remember you are a child of God; drink from the New Fountain, the Living Water, our Precious, Precious Lord!"

Thanks Amy! Be sure to check out our FBC Girls Ministry Facebook Page for more pictures from this awesome 411 night!

Not Just Moved...but CHANGED for His Glory!

2012-03-01T11:45:00.002-05:00

This past weekend was our now annual LifeWay Girls Leadership Conference. Such an amazing time of growth and concentration on seeking Christ and His righteousness with 41 of our FBC girls and leaders! LifeWay really does SUCH a great job on this Christ-centered, exalting event. My absolute favorite time of each Girls Ministry Retreat that we do is the "share time" towards the end of the trip. We did this last year after this conference and the testimonies confirmed two major facts for me. 1) This conference was worth it and we will do it again. And most importantly this share times reaffirmed yet again that 2) Girls Ministry is essential. Girls act differently, focus differently, listen differently, share/open up differently, and are ultimately more receptive when it's just the girls. It was encouragement that those in ministry need to see from time to time and I am so thankful for yet another glimpse at this.

Like last year, I want to share with you some of the testimonies that were shared on the dark bus ride home on Saturday. With the whistling wind swooshing around the bus, each girls had to be so very girl in order to hear, and likewise the speak had to almost yell. But oh, was it worth it! Check out what was learned...how the Lord moved....be encouraged by this and pray with me that lives were not just moved by another conference but yet CHANGED for the glory fo God.

“God showed me how to deal with drama. The past few months have been hard at school. He reminded me He is always there for me and that I am never alone.” -7th grade girl

“I have been struggling for a few months. God showed me a new direction and opened my heart to missions this week.” -12th grade girl
“I got lost at the conference, so I went to the closest breakout session. It was on World View. God showed me how to trust Him and His plans, despite what I was expecting.” -7th grade girl

“I enjoyed the session on relationships. I learned that you should not teach the same way over and over again. Try to stick to one main thought. Try to give personal experience. The hands on exercises were powerful!” -Adult Leader

“I went to the 'Modest is Hottest' session. I learned about how we are hurting our brothers in Christ by not being modest.” -7th grade girl
“I loved Erin Davis’ breakout on 'how not to be a diva'.” -8th grade girl
“I re-accepted God in my heart. I was touched by God during the 'Obsessions' talk.” -7th grade girl

“My favorite breakout session was on social media! My second favorite was the 'Modest is Hottest' session. They both gave me lots of practical advice on keeping each other accountable.” -7th grade girl

“I realized how much I need God in my life. Being with friends helps so much. It is such a blessing. God spoke to me in all sessions. I am so thankful.” -12 grade girl
“I am a senior dealing with stress about being a college freshman and being away from family. I liked the 'Essentials for Life After High School' session. God has blessed me with godly friends. If you stay true to God, you won’t lose yourself as a freshman in college.” -12 grade girl
“Life is a hard ride. Some people don’t know what to do in spiritual life and are struggling. No matter what goes on, go to the Bible, pray, and never give up. It can change your life. God really spoke to me.” -10th grade girl
“I have had a hard year. I have felt so loved at First Baptist Church. Erin Davis’ talk on 'Sisterhood' was powerful. You need girlfriends!” -8th grade girl
“I liked Erin Davis’ talk on 'Sisterhood'. We all have mean friends. God told me to forgive friends and family.” -6th grade girl
“I enjoyed the session on drama. I didn’t think I had drama in my life. I checked three fourths of the page and was very convicted! I want to be a follower of Christ, not a drama filled teen girl.” -12th grade girl
“I liked the 'God Goes Shopping' session. There was a girl that looked familiar at that session. When they had to choose partners, I chose her. It turned out, I had met her last year at this same conference. I feel I am not as outspoken with my testimony as she was. I learned I need to not be afraid to share my story.” -10th grade girl
“I have been so disobedient in not getting up early for a quiet time. I know God wants me to do it. I am starting to understand missions more. I went to the 'Sweet Sleep' session. I wanted God to show me ways to help in missions and He did. Proverbs 3:24. Sleep will be sweet.” -Adult Leader
“I loved the music and worship. I did not grow up Baptist. I grew up in a very traditional Catholic Church. Erin Davis was so easy to understand. Thanks Suzanne for taking us on this trip.” -8th grade girl
“I enjoyed the 'Modest is Hottest' session. They talked about makeup and how society’s image of beauty is different from God’s. If you don’t fit it, you are not beautiful. But the King of King’s thinks you are beautiful and that is all we need.” -7th grade girl
“Share time is my favorite part of the trip. Such a blessing!” -Adult Leader
“I love hearing how God spoke to others during share time” -10th grade girl
“I am new to Cleveland. I am struggling to find new friends. God showed me to trust Him and lean on Him.” -12th grade girl
“I enjoyed the first workshop. We talked about being better teachers and not being so predictable because it causes disconnect. I was inspired to be more creative and make the lessons more exciting. The session on discipleship and mentoring inspired me. Maybe next year we can do discipling in the mornings. I learned that Satan wants to disqualify godly leaders. He wants to destroy faith and take a lot more with it. Never put your shield down.” -Adult Leader

As always, more pictures can be found on our Girls Ministry Facebook Page >>click here<

Sometimes We Need Audible Truth!

2012-02-21T11:23:00.000-05:00

God is good all the time! All the time God is good!

The Lord has been teaching me so much about trust lately, it's unreal. I am still very much on the journey in this but wanted to stop and reflect a bit on it because in this battle of seeking to cling to promises and flee from doubt, the Lord has used some pretty special people to speak His truth audibly to me. Yes, His word is enough, but how gracious is He who goes the extra mile to have someone also speak what is written so that I might hear it even clearer.

I cannot express how much the Lord has used mentors in my life for this very purpose. Sometimes it has been to hear hard things that I don't want to hear...maybe an area of sin in my life or a direction toward sin that I am heading in. But more often, it has been to hear the encouragement that I have been too hard-headed to hear for myself from His word. It has been to remind me of the Lord's promises and to encourage me to keep fighting the good fight. After all, is there any other fight worth fighting. No matter the difficulties any present moment might lend....still, I'd rather be fighting the GOOD fight of Christ than any that would instead promote my flesh.

This school year, I have been extra focused on the need for mentoring within the Girls Ministry. Every topic we have covered in Bible Study in some way has also pointed to the need for accountability from an older, wiser, godly woman. Last night, after hanging up the phone with one of my precious out-of-town mentors, I had one of those "ah-ha" moments of "YES! This is exactly what I have been stressing." Someone that listens, allows you to be real...and yes, cry...even the slobbery-messy cry, but then turns you away from the lies that you are allowing yourself to believe (even when it's painful to hear) and points you right smack into Scripture. This is godly mentoring.

No one is strong enough to battle all the lies alone. You will inevitably have blurred vision and yes, believe a lie(s)....unless you allow someone to come in your life. Someone to know you, your good times and your junk...and loves you anyway! And most importantly: Someone that will love your pursuit of righteousness more than your feelings!

I am so thankful that God has led different ladies to mentor me throughout my Christian walk so far. I have had several ladies in my life too. Some for just a season at a time, but wow, they have made a lifetime impact. As I reflect on how thankful I am, I can't help but tearfully pray to God to use me to be the same kind of impact in the lives of girls I come in contact with. I know God is glorified in relationships like that and I pray that my life is one that is bold for the sake of righteousness and pointing others to His word above all else...especially pride in the flesh.

"I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world, we do not wage way as the world does." ~ 2 Corinthians 10:2-3

I hope you will pray for me too! I also hope that when you pray you pray for your mentor, to strengthen her on her walk and to continue to have boldness in your life. If you don't have a mentor, I pray that you will not only pray about having one but that you will actively seek one out now!

PS - Be on the look out! I will be featuring some "Guest Bloggers" soon too! Great stuff in the works!

Thoughts From A Girls Minister...

2012-02-02T16:16:00.001-05:00

With this new year, I am excited to take this blog in some new directions. It has been on my heart for awhile to use this space in multiple ways and well, that is what I am going to do! I will still be updating with event recaps, pictures and promotion for upcoming events for our Girls Ministry. BUT! You'll also hear thoughts, funny moments, lessons learned, and just cool stuff God has been teaching this Girls Minister. :) I hope it will therefore be even more of an encouragement to you, as well as a more versatile outlet of sharing for me!

So, I thought I would transition with something that has really stood out to me and shaped my thoughts and prayers this past week as we (as a youth group) are reading through Mark in our Wednesday Night gatherings.
In Mark 1:40-42 we read:

"A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

I just love how this man asked for Jesus to cleanse him. We often quote from Mark 11:24 to just simply ask and you will receive and thus we repeatedly watch as that verse is misused and taken out of context. Also, you often hear people stressing over the will of God, how to find it, what to do, etc., etc. But this man got it, and I hope to get it too. I know that God's will is best and I know I don't want to be anywhere except in God's will, but the truth is, if I am seeking God, in His word, praying to Him, growing and sharing in Him, I won't be able to be anywhere BUT His will.

With that said, He asks us to come to Him...to bring our needs and our requests. He wants to grant the desires of our heart. And if we are seeking Him as we ought, our requests and His will are bound to line up. Amazing! "If you are willing, Lord?"... "I am willing," He says! He is so willing to bless His children. Oh, how He loves us!

This has changed the way I talk to God. I think I've asked of Him before in an almost hesitant, fearful way....like as to prepare myself for a big, resounding "NO." But asking "if you are willing..." changes the tone of my heart. I don't expect a NO anymore, I just expect that He will answer me in His perfect timing and in His perfect will. As I seek Him and grow in Him that perfect will, will be my hearts desire too. Oh, how I love Him!

2012 SPRING GIRLS MINISTRY CALENDAR

2012-01-12T09:55:00.002-05:00

Printed calendars are also available at the Student Info Table at church. Grab one to hang on your refrigerator today!

2011 Is In The Books!

2011-12-20T16:38:00.000-05:00

Wow!
What an AWESOME 2011 we have had in Girls Ministry at FBC Cleveland! It has been non-stop fun, non-stop discipleship, non-stop for His glory! Just as it should be! I've said it before and I'll shout it again, y'all just don't realize a fraction of how blessed we are! We have some of the BEST Adult leaders I've seen anywhere and I tell you the fun, the ministry, the teaching, the growing, the fellowship...it couldn't happen unless god-fearing ladies like the ones we have sacrificed their time and energy to pour in our girls! They LOVE you and they have an overwhelming, deep desire to see you grow in your walk with Christ and in your obedience and love for Him. Yes, we are blessed!

This year we have gone through FOUR awesome topics through our middle school and high school 411 events. We've delved into God's Word to learn about how to be more obedient in our Time Management, Speech, Attitude, and in having a Teachable Spirit. In addition, each 411 the girls enjoyed fellowship and craft time too! We've made "to-do" list plaques, flower bracelets, framed calendars, and tie-knot blankets for our nursing home friends!

Plus more! We took 43 lady leaders and girls to Nashville for a Girls Leadership Retreat (which we are heading to again February 2012 - Sign-up Now!). We had TWO Mother/Daughter Relationship-Building events, one in which we simulcasted Vicki Courtney, author of 5 Conversations to Have with Your Daughter which was awesome! And also hosted Sarah Bragg, author of Body. Beauty. Boys, who spoke on growing better communication skills during these adolescent years. Another huge adventure was our first Girls Ministry State-side Mission Trip. We took 30 girls to Athens, GA to help out Classic City Community Church, a church plant that is rockin' it in Athens! We handed out invitations to worship at CCCC at the UGA football game, planted flowers and panted the youth room, and also fed the homeless with the PB & J Ministry! It was a life changing weekend for many of our girls!

Also we have had three service days! Over 200 hours spent sewing curtains for the Haiti Mission Home, loving on girls at the TN Baptist Children's Home, and hugging our elderly friends at area Nursing Homes! It's been awesome watching our FBC girls focus on others and deepen their understanding on what it means to place Christ and others before themselves. In addition (and not included in those hours) MANY of our girls volunteered with the Pure In Heart Girls Conference sponsored by our FBC Children's Ministry! I love that our girls love to serve!

We finished this year in style with a Christmas Party at the YMCA. From enjoying "Tacos in a Bag" to our 3rd Annual Clothes & Accessories DIG, the girls had a blast! They also decorated cookies, wrapped presents, and made Christmas cards for our next day Nursing Home visits where we brought Christmas cheer, carols, crafts and games to our elderly friends. Check out our Girls Ministry Facebook Album for lots of picture fun!

Whew! Indeed, it's been an awesome year (and this is just a brief re-cap)! Awe-some in that we have been overwhelmed and "in awe" of our Lord and Savior. He has provided greatly, showered blessings unwaveringly, and I believe received great honor and glory in it all. All of this just makes me SO excited for 2012 and I hope you are just as excited!

Below is our 2012 Spring Calendar! I encourage you to stay connected through our Girls Ministry Facebook Page too!

See you in 2012!

Guest Blogger: Megan Simpson on Having a Teachable Spirit!

2011-12-08T09:47:00.010-05:00

Hi Girls!

Our last 411 of 2011 was on having a "Teachable" spirit, using Mary Kassian's book, "Girls Gone Wise and in a World Gone Wild". Mrs. Tammy Holt spoke to our Middle School Girls and Mrs. Megan Simpson spoke to our High School Girls! Quite honestly, I feel as this is one of the most vital characteristics a woman (of any age) can have. If you have a teachable spirit then you are able to grow in your walk with the Lord and well, in life in general. It's the prideful, stubborn, arrogant ones that will never reap the growth and fruit that is available if they will just open themselves to learning from God's Word, from godly mentors, and hearing and applying "tough love" sometimes. I asked Megan Simpson (who also teaches our Senior girls Sunday School and is our youth pastor, Derek Simpson's wife) to be our guest blogger this week! I LOVE the practical advice she gives here on what it means to have a teachable spirit and how to seek after one!

Thank you, Megan!

"It was such a privilege to be able to speak at the last 411. I appreciate all of you who took time out of your busy schedules to come fellowship with one another, learn from God’s word, and make some blankets for people in nursing homes! Suzanne does such a great job putting these events together, and I am glad that you are taking advantage of them!

I love God’s word and what it has to say to us about having a teachable heart. Proverbs has so much to say about being a wise woman! When it comes to teachability, a wise woman is eager to grow, and welcomes correction and training! A foolish woman thinks she knows it all and resists change. Proverbs 1 describes three people who refuse to be wise: the Simple, the Fool, and the Scoffer. I deeply desire to be a wise woman, and if you do too, it is important that we recognize tendencies in ourselves that are characteristic of these unwise individuals, and transform our minds and lives to line up with what God’s will is for our lives!

The Simple person is uninformed. She likes not having to think about serious things. She lacks sense, and doesn’t clearly understand the consequences of her actions. In Proverbs 14:15 the Bible says that she fails to give thought to her steps. She is simply content to stay where she is at, and does not have any motivation to grow or become wise. If she is not careful this kind of person can quickly become a fool. The Bible depicts the Fool as being someone who is unconcerned and opinionated. Her way is right in her own eyes. She despises instructions, especially from parents and authority figures. She is complacent. If she is not careful, she could quickly become a Scoffer. A Scoffer is proud and arrogant. She is her own god. She doesn’t care what wise people say, and hates those who say she’s wrong.

Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” This verse gives us two very practical principles of what a wise woman looks like. The first is that we must have a right view of God so that we can have a right view of ourselves. This needs to be our starting place when approaching the subject of teachability. Knowing who God is, and fearing Him is our appropriate response. Mary Kassian in her book Girls Gone Wise says, “The fear of God is a heart-pounding, knee-trembling, spine-tingling, shuddering recognition that God is infinitely more good, powerful, and important that I.” If we desire to grow in wisdom, we must obey and follow him because he is the ultimate source of wisdom. As a woman wanting to be wise, be determined to learn His ways. Eagerly study the Word! Meditate on it day and night. During sermons and other Bible teachings have a pen and notebook ready to take notes! Be intentional, and not complacent about growing in wisdom and knowledge of the Lord!

The second principle we can see from this verse is that because fools despise wisdom and instruction, if we want to be wise we will welcome and love wisdom and instruction. We must be willing to humble ourselves, listen, and seek out advice from others. As young women, seek out the advice of your parents, teachers, and wiser, older people who are in a different life stage than you. Surround yourselves with godly older women who love you and will help you grow. Seek out your Sunday school teacher or another godly mentor, and do life with them. Learn from the failure of others. Don’t be quick to give advice, and think you know it all. It is always better to err on the side of not saying something, rather than constantly running your mouth! Give special attention to people who are willing to make a special effort to lovingly correct you.

Having a teachable heart is something that we all have to work at, yet I think it is one of the most critical mindsets that will help us to turn from our simple, foolish ways to becoming wise. We must humble ourselves, and determine that we will be women who fear the Lord and love wisdom and instruction!"

Check out more 411 picture fun on our Girls Ministry Facebook page!

Ashley Heald, Guest Blogger: The Girls Ministry Service Day

2011-11-07T09:26:00.005-05:00

On October 29^th, 2011 we went to the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home in Chattanooga, Tennessee to minister to girls who live in foster homes. We set up different tables of activities such as cookie making, journal making, ornament making, and fingernail painting to keep us busy while we talked. When the girls got there, we mingled throughout the tables and got to know each other over sparkly cookie gel and orange fingernail paint. The girls were just as friendly as we were, and we all had a great time together. It wasn't long before it was time to leave, so we said our good-bye's and packed up.

I think the biggest thing we all learned was that kids who live in foster homes are just like us but need a little more love, and they shouldn't be treated any differently. In the end, we made a lot of friends, and I hope everyone had as much fun as I did.

- Ashley Heald, 11th grader

Check out more pictures from the Girls Ministry Service Day on our Girls Ministry Facebook Page!

As You Are Going...2011 Girls Missions Retreat Part 3, Final Post

2011-11-02T14:13:00.012-04:00

Hello! Hello!

I sure hope you have enjoyed this blog series and hopefully have been able to feel like you were apart of the weekend in a small way! It really was such a sweet time with our girls and proved yet again what can happen when girls get together, worship together, learn together, serve together, and fellowship together. Simply put, it’s just a different vibe and a lot more freedom to just be themselves rather than with the distraction of boys.

In the Part 1 and Part 2 of this series I’ve shared a lot about the growing that we did throughout the weekend through the messages that were brought by some pretty amazing women. In this post I want to tell you about the serving, sharing and loving that we did. Also, I am excited to share a few testimonials from girls that went!

Friday Night after our pizza party and message from Carla Sibley, the girls got right to work! Saturday we were planning to hand out informational ink pens and business card size invitations for Athens patrons to join us for church on Sunday at Classic City Community Church, the church plant we had come to serve. The girls stuffed all the cards up in the pens on Friday night and sorted them in to 4 groups. We were planning to hand out over 1300 pens/invitations and we did just that!

Saturday was great fun! The girls got to see the beauty of North Campus at UGA, the excitement of a football Saturday in Athens and be a light in what can be a spiritually dark day. This was a game changing activity for most of our girls. While it seemed simple to hand out a pen and business card to pedestrians, it really took the girls out of their comfort zone. This turned out to be a great skill building activity for our girls on how to talk to people you don’t know. How to step out on faith and how to start a conversation with a stranger. A great first step to also sharing the Gospel.

Once the game started (and a quick photo session at the UGA arch!) we headed back to the house, ate lunch, and prepped for an afternoon of yard work, cleaning, and painting. We really wanted to bless Classic City Community Church and their brand new facility. The girls planted flowers, cleaned the porches, dusted, and painted the youth area in the house attic! Such a great time working together for His glory!

That night we definitely kicked back and enjoyed fellowship with one another. We ate well at Allen’s (a landmark restaurant in Athens) and ended the night with games, an ice cream party and some sweet share time from each of the girls. Open, honest, and at times tearful share times like this was made possible because, well, it was just the girls.

Sunday we packed up and headed to Clark Central High School to help set up for church and then to worship as well. With 30 extra hands available we were able to reorganized their entire storage room, restock all the chair info pouches in the auditorium, and clean all of the kids and infant toys. After an awesome service and message from Lee Mason, we headed for our last project: Athens PB & J Ministry.

The Athen’s PB & J Ministry project was awesome! The girls made PB & J sandwiches and we packed lunches for 100 people (including ourselves) full of lots of goodies. After eating a quick bite ourselves we headed to downtown Athens and mingled with other volunteers and many folks that were homeless. The girls heard lots of stories that I know will impact them and their future ministry. There were two great takeaways from this project. One, it took our girls out of their comfort zone again. They had to initiate conversation and be intentional. sweetest thing was seeing our girls initiate prayer with some of the homeless. No one told them to do this, they just saw the need and did it!. Second, it was amazing to see college students leading and running a ministry on their own. College students often get a bad rap for being lazy or into partying, but here our girls got to see students for Christ that were living it out passionately. Something you might not have expected from a secular University, but something that definitely exists and amongst a lot of students!

While I know this post has gotten a bit long, I still really want to share a couple testimonials from a few of the girls that went...

“I think for me it was just a reminder for the need of constant fellowship with other girl believers. God is really doing a great work in our youth group amongst the girls. It was a true blessing to experience the camaraderie amongst our girls. We really need godly girls in our lives and I'm truly blessed by every one on the trip. I love you all and would be delighted to do anything I can for you!” – Jami Gibson, 12^th grader

"I learned how to dive deeper into His Word and do more than just read. It was incredible to see what God could do when us girls shared with each other in our debriefing session. That was probably one of the most eye-opening moments in my life. I loved learning from some of the older girls too. I will never forget that weekend! It was truly an amazing opportunity, and I am so thankful that you made it possible, Miss Suzanne.” – Mariah Voytik, 8^th grader

“I learned a lot about the power of when daughters of The Lord come together and how powerful it is doing what he calls us to do. I am so proud of all the pens we handed out, it got me out of my comfort zone and it was rewarding Sunday at church. It also gave girls who didn't know each other the opportunity to start a lasting friendship and to build on friendships that already existed. I loved that weekend!!! :)” – Sara Morgan, 12^th grader

"My favorite part of the mission trip was handing out pens because I got to see all of these people accept a card and maybe come to church. I also realized that you can be the youngest one there and still make a difference. If you have never been on a mission trip I would love for you to go on one because they are more fun than you think!!" - Carly Buckner, 6th grader

It's kinda hard to just write a few sentences... But I learned that God speaks through people in so many different situations. That was my first mission trip and it changed my life forever. I learned that our God is Forgiving and he wants us to trust Him through everything. I am so blessed to have an amazing mentor/chaplain in my life :) thanks Suzanne!” – Monica Patke, 12^th grader

“The 53 hours shared on the girls retreat completely exceeded my expectations. Although the service projects were important, my main takeaways came from the messages. The message Friday evening from Suzanne’s college mentor, Carla Sibley, challenged us to dig deeply into God’s Word and to find a faithful follower and follow her. Choosing wisely, seeking Godly mentors and pursuing them, while giving them grace to make mistakes resounded with me. Personally, it was a bonus to spend time with and minister to my dear Iowa college friend, Lisa Mason and her family this weekend. Lisa clearly spoke the truth that apart from God we can do nothing. Her passion for Jesus and love for all of our girls was absolutely amazing. The worship service at Classic City Community Church was filled with passion and authenticity. Lee Mason preached a powerful message on the internal nature of holiness, to get the boundaries in our soul to rule our hearts. Indeed, grace is the dirt that the beautiful fruitful plants grow out of. Taking the Lord’s Supper with our girls ministry team was deeply meaningful and inaugural for some. Our team was exposed to UGA college students who worshipped with their lives and stepped out to make a difference. We all caught a vision of a higher calling to pursue… as we are going.” – Gina Allison, Sunday School teacher and one of the trip chaperones

I’d love for you to add a comment too! Whether you went on the trip and want to add a testimony or you didn’t get to go but have learned something from this series, I would love to hear from you!

PS - Check out pictures from the entire weekend on our Girls Ministry Facebook Page!

As You Are Going...2011 Girls Missions Retreat Part 2

2011-10-25T14:54:00.013-04:00

Hello!

Welcome to Part 2 in this three part series covering our Girls Missions Retreat this month! As mentioned in the previous post the theme and purpose of this weekend was to stir up an understanding of Life Ministry…a mentality of doing ministry “as you are going” rather than through planned events or programs. It’s a mentality of understanding that your walk with the Lord is just that: yours! You, and only you, are responsible for your spiritual growth, for being obedient to the Lord’s calling on you to pray, meditate on His scripture, to share the Gospel, to serve others, to love. No one can do these things for you, nor should you want them to, as these are reactions only you can have to knowing your personal Savior and Lord. However, you aren’t alone! There are so many people and resources available to help you on your journey…and this weekend’s retreat reflected on those!

In Part 1 of this series I introduced two women of faith (Carla Sibley & Lisa Mason) that joined us through the weekend and shared Biblical Truth and life application on this very subject. Click Here to learn more about them. Carla Sibley, my college mentor and the senior pastor's wife at Watkinsville First Baptist Church, spoke on the responsibility (and privilege) as children of God to be growing ourselves spiritually and challenged us in two areas:

1) Dive Deeply into Divine Depths

a. An integral part of growing is studying and knowing the Word of God and passing on His Word to others.

b. Scripture to check out: Deuteronomy 6:4, 1 Peter 2:2, Matthew 5:7 & 6:16, Isaiah 45

c. When reading God Word, go beyond just skimming the words and ask yourself three questions:

1) What are the facts? What is the author saying?

2) What do these facts mean? Write it in your own words.

3) How can I apply this to my life? Is there sin to avoid? A promise to claim? An example to follow? A command to act on? (SPEC).

2) Find a Faithful Follower and Follow her

a. Choose who you follow wisely. Use the word to prove her not the world. Don’t be distracted just by style, popularity, smooth words. Find someone that passionate about God’s Word and who is still growing herself. Make sure she is at least a couple “seasons of life” ahead of you.

b. Follow Hard. Get to it! Don’t assume that you have all the time in the world with this person. Don’t waste your time, you may only have her for a season. (**This is so true! I only sat at Carla’s feet for the few years I was in college. While I made sure to find a new mentor during different seasons, my time with Carla was fairly brief and I wanted to soak up as much of her wisdom as I could!)

c. Give Grace! Remember that you are not following a perfect person (there is no such thing!). Be ready to extend her grace when needed and not so quick to run. You will learn far more if you stick around and learn how she also handles her mistakes.

Saturday morning, Lisa Mason, who was Gina Allison’s college mentor and the Director of Women's Ministry at Classic City Community Church, spoke on serving and loving others as we are going. She shared that we don’t need to have special event planned or sign up for a mission trip in order to serve others and share the Gospel. There are PLENTY of opportunities right now, right where we are…as we are living life. She has three great questions:

1) Who are you touching as you are going?

2) Where are you stopping along your journey and why are you stopping?

3) How are you moving forward?

Lisa also spoke some great truth, reminding the girls that:

1) It doesn’t matter where you are doing as long as you go with Christ

2) God is more concerned about who you are on the inside as that will what is expressed on the outside.

3) It is not about what we do or don’t do, it’s about who He is in you. Are you glorifying God or not?

Lisa really drove it home with this final charge: As believers we are to honor Christ by growing spiritually, living authentically, and participating in His purposes. It’s a choice we make but if we don’t make it we can’t expect to know Christ deeper and be used by Him.

So thankful for these precious ladies that shared such applicable truths with us this weekend. Truths we ALL need to look toward and apply to our life every single day. If we take away anything from this weekend, remember this: YOU are responsible for your spiritual growth (ie: putting yourself in position to grow). This means being obedient and faithful to personal time in the Word and prayer, showing up for opportunities to grow like Sunday School, Youth Group, and other events, it’s sharing the Gospel, serving others, and it's putting yourself at the feet of people who are spiritually more mature and can pour into you…just as Paul mentored Timothy.

Who is your Paul? Will you pray this week about seeking a godly, older woman out to mentor you?

Check back later this week for Part 3 in this series. I’ll be recapping some of the activities and service projects we did as well as sharing some thoughts about the weekend from the girls that attended! Don’t forget pictures from the weekend are on our Girls Ministry Facebook Page!

As You Are Going...2011 Girls Missions Retreat Part 1

2011-10-17T15:46:00.019-04:00

Hello, hello!

I am excited to finally begin recapping our Girls Missions Retreat Weekend in Athens, GA through a three-part blog series. In this post I want to give a little background on how the trip came about. In post two I want to recap the messages that were given by two amazing ladies of faith, and in the final post I want to share some amazing service opportunities we took part in. The entire weekend was centered around one central message from Christ…“As you are going make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). Not needing a special event to make this happen, but yet as you live each day, wherever you are, let your focus be on making disciples. Making disciples involves growing yourself (or equipping yourself), knowing and sharing the gospel, and loving/serving others…or in reality, living it all out!

As You Are Going…GROW. SHARE. LOVE.

This was such a special treat for me not only because it’s Athens, GA – home of the Georgia Bulldogs & my alma mater, but because this was a place that I not only accepted a call for a future in vocational ministry, but also this was where I sat at the feet of my first Christian mentor, Carla Sibley. Carla lead a college girls Bible Study in her home while I was in college and her husband, Carlos, pastored Watkinsville First Baptist Church, where I attended as well. To make things even wilder, Carlos and Carla lived in Cleveland for eight years prior to moving to Watkinsville, GA and pastored at Macedonia Baptist Church here! What a small world! They were (and are) loved by so many in Cleveland before I ever knew of them or even First Baptist Cleveland! Needless to say, I have wanted to create an opportunity for my FBC girls to hear from Carla for quite some time, so when it came time to pray through and plan a location for our Girls Missions Retreat, Athens was on the top of that list.

The Lord confirmed that by making me aware of another special woman, Lisa Mason, who was also serving in ministry in Athens. Lisa was influential in one of our FBC Youth Leaders, Gina Allison’s pilgrimage of faith throughout her college days in Iowa. So, to have BOTH of these ladies share wisdom and love and practical application for God’s word with our FBC girls, was priceless. I was so excited for our girls to hear from ladies that had poured into the lives of a couple of their leaders. What a sweet, tangible way to show what can happen when you are willing to have a teachable spirit and willing to let someone invest in you and mentor you. Leaders don’t just happen over night. It takes work, discipline, and obedience for us just as it did for Christ’s disciples. It is making sure others are investing in you and that you are investing in others. You can’t have one without the other. It is indeed a continual growing, serving, and loving that must happen while you are going.

Lisa is the Director of Women’s Ministry and the wife of Pastor Lee Mason at Classic City Community Church, a church plant in Athens. From the moment I first spoke to Lisa an immediate friendship and sisterhood was formed and her excitement for us to come serve their church and community never ceased to overflow. God’s leading in this weekend was evident in every detail that came together. Nothing in life is sweeter than knowing you are right where you need to be and doing exactly what you need to be doing to glorify God and make Him know. Lisa and her team never ceased praying over this weekend together, alone and with me and it was very evident that our plans weren’t really ours, they were the Lord’s.

Check back Thursday for part two on Growing. While we were only in Athens for two nights and two days, we capitalized on every moment as we were going. To be growing and equipping ourselves as well as serving, sharing and loving Classic City Community Church, Athens, GA, The University of Georgia, and the Athens area homeless.

PS – Want to see ALLL the fun pictures from the weekend? >> CLICK HERE << to for our Facebook page album!

October Fun in the Girls Ministry!

2011-10-11T16:39:00.003-04:00

Two GREAT ways to be involved in Girls Ministry this month!

Middle School Girls! Don't miss your last 411 of 2011! Come learn how to have a Teachable Spirit that will glorify God and grow you in your walk! 6-8 THIS Monday (10/17/2011) at The Pierce's Home!! Direction Cards available at Student Info Table!!

All High School & Middle School Girls are encouraged to come SERVE the TN Baptist Children's Home on Saturday, Oct. 29th! We will be hanging out with the girls, making crafts, playing games - having a blast! Be sure to bring an item to donate as well (household items like detergent or paper products and toletries are always needed!) Sign-up at the Student Info Table!

SO much going on - Don't Miss out!!

Check Ur Attitude!

2011-09-12T13:14:00.013-04:00

Hey Girls!

Over the past couple of weeks we have kicked off this new school year with both a Middle School Girls 411 and a High School Girls 411. They both had AWESOME attendance and everyone had such a great time! If you were there, I would LOVE for you to post a comment here stating something that really stuck out to you at you learned at your 411!

We are using Mary Kassian's book, Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild for our 411 Bible Studies. Vicki Patterson led our High School 411 and did such a great job relaying to the girls that while we cannot always control the situation, we CAN control our attitude about it! She shared so many great quotes that keep her motivated to have a godly attitude and will surely do the same for our girls if they focus on Truth.

Amy Tippens led a lively study and discussion for our Middle School 411. I asked her to recap the lesson for you and I am honored to have her as our "Guest Blogger" this week! Take note girls this is good stuff, not only is this what God desires for us, but we are offering some practical way to apply God's Word to your life and keep your attitude Christ-like!

from Amy...

“No matter what your age, I think we all suffer from sporting a bad attitude at times. The world comes at us hard, finding ways to beat us down and making us feel like our self worth is next to nothing. It’s hard to keep our attitude in check without God right by our side. Let’s take a look at 2 different girls that the Bible describes and find out what scripture tells us about the kind of attitude we need to have.

Proverbs 7 gives us a pretty clear description of the type of girl that lets her attitude control her every thought and action, in a bad way. The story goes that she is “loud and wayward.” So what exactly do those words mean? The Hebrew for loud is to growl or roar. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get into a bad mood and take on a personality that resembles a mama bear growling at something or someone that is after her cubs. I snap at people with a smart remark or I get annoyed at the simplest things. It’s easy to let your attitude become loud. The other word is wayward. The Hebrew word for wayward is rebellious or defiant. Ever feel like your parents or teachers are always telling you what to do and you finally get sick.and.tired.of.it so your reaction is to either not listen at all or do the exact opposite? The funny thing is that our culture sees this type of behavior as a compliment. Being loud and rebelling, well, God calls those that do just plain stupid. Proverbs 9:13 says “The foolish woman is loud, undisciplined, and knows nothing (WEB).” And Romans 1:22 says, “Although they claim to be wise, they became fools (NIV).” I think that God makes it pretty clear that this type of attitude is not what a Christian girl should have.

Now let’s take a look at 1 Peter 3:4-6. These scriptures give us a clear understanding of the kind of attitude God expects of us. Here, the girl is described as gentle (mild, friendly, kind, tender), calm (settled firm, peaceful), and amenable (lead able, cooperative, respectful). All beautiful words that teach us how our attitudes should be. Think of the fruits of the spirit “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” ( NIV Galatians 5:22-23). When we have these traits, we are girls that allow God to take control of our lives, walking with Him step by step, and following the path He has laid for us, regardless of what that may be. We have an unmistakable beauty about us that people can’t put their fingers on, but it radiates from our souls. Philippians 2:15 says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Satan is the father of all lies and he loves to put things in our minds when we get into a ‘mood’ or a ‘funk.’ Some of the lies he may try to tell us…

“No one likes me.”

“I’m not pretty,”

“My parents annoy me.”

All LIES! When these lies start to enter in your thoughts, there is a plan of attack that you can have to bring the TRUTH out. You can’t control any other person’s attitude but your own. Follow these 5 steps and you will be well on your way to being a girl with her attitude in check for God!

1) Recognize/Write out your feelings

2) Figure out the lie

3) Replace that lie with truth

4) Surround yourself with truth scriptures

5) Repeat!

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Ephesians 4:22-24

Check out our Girls Ministry Facebook Page >> HERE << with more pictures and upcoming events information!

GO TEAM! GO!

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I am a huge fan of sports...playing them, watching them, critiquing them, and cheering them on! (GO DAWGS! yes a shameless plug) Sports help keep you healthy, encourage disciple, and strengthen important skills like working with others, problem solving, and perseverance. As a Girls Minister, I LOVE cheering on our all our FBC girls in whatever the do from musical aspirations, art, theatrical performances to an array of sport activities. However, the past two years I have had a special, unique privilege of serving the Cleveland High School Volleyball Team as their team chaplain. What a sweet opportunity I have to lead the team in a devotion and pray with them right before they hit the court and put it all on the line. I have loved getting to know these girls better over the years, and I am excited at what the Lord has in store for them.

Stopped in a practice this week....yes, and they love icy-pops too! :)

Guest Blogger: Sarah Bragg || Mother/Daughter T.E.A.

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“I really enjoyed the opportunity to meet with ya'll. I kept hearing my own message in my head the following days as I would experience different difficulties with my own daughter. And even though she is only three, some lessons are timeless.

I wanted to a few minutes and recap what we talked about in case you missed it. We started saying that the greatest hope I could give you, if I could give you a formula for winning in your relationship it would be Philippians 2:3-4 “Don’t be selfish. Don’t live to make a good impression on others. Be humble thinking of others better than yourself. Don’t just think about your own affairs [your own stuff, what you’re into, who you are] but be interested in others and what they’re doing.

If you want to win in your relationship with each other, then you need to put the other first. Lose the "me first" mentality and pick up an "others' centered" mentality. To win in your relationship you need to see each other from the other's perspective. Develop a teachable spirit. There is a lot to learn from each other. Be authentic. Moms, Don't be afraid to reveal who you are and who you were. Girls, prove to your moms that you can be trusted.

Another way to cultivate your relationship is to choose your words wisely. Encourage each other with your words. You can choose either to TEAR DOWN and lose or can BUILD UP and win with your words. Proverbs 12:18, “Careless words stab like a sword, but wise words bring healing.” Your words can breath life into someone or they can wound.

Finally, girls, you are accountable to your mother. Moms, you are accountable to God. I think this is the hardest thing to build in a mother/daughter relationship. Your mom is your number one girls' minister. She is there for you. She wants to see if you win in your relationship with God and others.

The last words of advice in your relationship with each other is to fight for the heart.

Don't give up on your relationship. Don't wait until after college to talk to each other. Daughters, your moms are going to mess up. They aren’t going to know how to handle everything. Moms, your daughters are going to mess up. No one is perfect, and relationships take cultivating. If someone messes up, you don’t just stop trying at the relationship. Relationships take a lot of work but this relationship is worth fighting for.”

- Sarah Bragg, speaker at the Girls Ministry Mother/Daughter T.E.A. and author of Body. Beauty. Boys.

Check out more pictures from this event at http://www.facebook.com/FBCGirlsMinistry

FALL 2011 GIRLS MINISTRY CALENDAR

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Click on the image to enlarge. Printed Calendars are also available at the Student Info Table at church! Grab one to hang on your refrigerator today!

Mother/Daughter T.E.A. - August 21st!

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Hi Girls!

We will be kicking off our Girls Ministry for the Fall on Sunday, August 21st from 2-4 in the Youth Room at church! You don't want to miss this for serveral reasons:

1) We will be walking through our Fall Girls Ministry Calendar and discussing all the fun details of our Girls Missions Retreat in late September!

2) Sarah Bragg, author of "Body. Beauty. Boys." will be speaking on Teachability, Encouragement, and Accountability, three areas that will help build stronger communication and a deeper relationship between mom and daughter.

3) We will have a super fun, hands-on activity that you won't want to miss! Plus lots of yummy snacks...it's a Tea Party!

4) This a great time for fellowship and community building not only with your daughter but with other moms and girls!

So, like I said, you DON'T WANT TO MISS this afternoon tea with girls! This FREE event is for girls in 6th-12th grade and their Mom! If mom is unable to attend, then I encourage girls to attend with Step-mom, Grandma, Aunt, or even with a friend and her mom!

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at srowe@clevelandfbc.com.

See you Sunday at 2!

From NYC to Ethiopia!!

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Hi Girls!

It has been such a whirlwind of a summer...but a fabulous one indeed! Our youth group just got back from a week serving church planters in New York City and two days later I boarded a plane with 12 other FBC'ers for Ethiopia! I've been here for a night and one full day and it has been awesome! I can't wait to update more later...but for now I wanted to share some about all God did in NYC last week! Our girl summer intern, Payton Tipton, wrote this post and it's rockin' awesome just like her! Enjoy!!

When you think of New York City, you think lights, people, shows, Times Square, subways, and "the city that never sleeps." Although that is the truth, our group of 86 from FBC saw much, much more while there. Our quest started with about a 14 hour bus trip towards the Big Apple that turned into what seemed like 2 days. Nonetheless, we all made it safe and sound ready to get to work. Little did we know that the next week would be life-changing, not only for us, but for the people of a very big, dark, and lost city. Our one HUGE FBC group was split into four smaller groups and sent to these four respective areas of NYC: Brooklyn, Upper Manhattan, Queens, and Hoboken, NJ. We teamed up with church planters in each of those regions who were awesome! They all showed such a desire to share Truth with those around them, and were more than grateful for having us there to act as a catalyst for their churches. All the teams had different tasks for the week, some that would merely plant seeds and not see the harvest, while some would see many come to know Christ in just a few days. In Upper Manhattan, there was much trash to be picked up in local parks and around the streets, basketball to be played, homeless people to reach, and the Gospel to be shared. Brooklyn held a VBS, played some ball, and ran into some difficulty with the local Jewish Community. I think it turned out to be a very unique experience, though, for we all can learn how Jesus felt walking around His hometown. The Queens group held a VBS that EXPLODED with 19 children accepting Christ and 45 attending. They saw the fruits of their labor for sure. Finally we had the Hoboken crew who painted curbs along the road and passed out fliers to the community. They had a difficult task for they could not be open about their faith in Jesus Christ. It would have been offensive to the Hoboken locals. They may very well see the seeds they planted once they get to heaven. In every single group, though, GOD WAS SO FAITHFUL. I cannot express that enough. To wrap up our crazy fun week in NYC, we got to have a day of adventure exploring the city. On Saturday, some went to Battery Park, Yankee Stadium, Ground Zero, a Mets game, China Town, plus much more! The whole group grabbed a delcious dinner together and headed to the Empire State Building for some final sight-seeing. After that, it was to the buses to head home! We have been given such a special call on this earth as followers of Jesus Christ : to GO! What an honor....how sweet it was to go in the name of Jesus with such an awesome group. Keep NYC in your prayers as our new friends, the church planters, continue to minister to those around them. And the next chance you get to GO, don't hesitate. It will change your life. Much love, Payton