on mondays in the past i've written about the message that Luke has preached the night before at youth group. but today that's not what i will do.... instead last night we ended the year with some amazing games and with a night of worship led by my man (yes, he's multi-talented):):).
last night was the last night that 'my girls' were part of the youth group. i've been with them for 3 years... many of them at least and then we had a few that have joined along the way. looking at a picture from sophomore year could show you that they are a different group of girls... more secure, more beautiful, more confident in who God has made them to be. if you looked at them you would of course say that they are beautiful on the outside, because they truly are... but i can tell you that these girls have beauty beaming from the inside as well.
the journey's been long. week after week, sunday after sunday I have dropped my children off or gotten my preggo self there and have worshipped with these girls, listened to more messages than i can count and we've talked... lots. we've seen each other through weeks and weekends at camp, we've seen the ugly cry from one another and we've turned the pages on the calendar trying to do life together in a way that honors the Lord... for high school students that mean first days back at school, homecoming week... powder puff games, dealing with relationships, dances, breaks, etc etc etc.... don't you remember how rough high school can be?!
i could describe each of these girls in thorough detail but i don't think that's necessary here nor do i want to share personal details that would forgo my confidence. i will say though that these girls are marked by the love of Christ. At times they felt like living for Christ might not be worth it, they had doubts that they could while attending public high school, and they all have gone through peaks where God showed up in their lives and knew that there was no other way that had 'greener grass' than God's way.
what i think is especially unique though about this group of girls is that they are open and honest. not a week that went by that i had to doubt of them sharing their struggles or their desires to do better or 'you name it...' that's special. usually especially in girl's groups there's an insecurity and a desire to appear more spiritual than you really are. i don't think i shaped that community, i think that by being open and honest from day one they determined that that was the community they wanted... and the byproduct was huge gains. glory be to God.
Last night we said goodbye to the 'normal' we've known for too long. meeting in the green room, worshipping in the front row, and sharing the semi-cold food after youth group because we've gone too long... and today we say hello to our 'new' normal where we're more like peers than a leader-student relationship. this summer i couldn't be more excited about the fact that i'm meeting with them weekly to study God's Word through a book study and to come alongside them for one more solid push toward growing in Christ before they head out to college.
As of yet i've only birthed male children. wah wah wah.... lol:) and although i'd love to have a girl to call my own i know that God has a great plan for me regardless if there's a 'luke macdonald' that's a girl. so at this point, these are truly my spiritual children... if they're upset, k-mama's upset... if they're hurting, i'm hurting, if they're rejoicing, i can't help but rejoice. i think of the verse that says they'res no greater joy than to see your children walking in the Lord... and i can honestly say that seeing these girls walk in the Lord, knowing His truth reigns surpreme is the best joy that i could desire for today.
yes, tears were shed and yes, i'm a tad bit sad. but, i have great joy!
thankfully blessed and excited for my girls,
kg:)
No comments:
Post a Comment