Where You Lead Me I Will Go

So second semester has started and I realize this semester is going to be a lot harder than last but I am excited about everything that is yet to come.  Something that comes with second semester is new classes which means meeting new people. Something, I totally used to hate but now I am learning to love. I am so excited to get to know a whole new group of people and this semester is going to be different. I want to be bolder. I want people to know that Jesus is my EVERYTHING.  My church is starting a college ministry that is not meant to be just for “our church” but everyone people from all different colleges and walks of life. It is for a body of believers to come together and worship the only thing that matters in this life. I am so excited to see where God leads this ministry and I know that God personally is calling me to invite people to this. College is when people who have kept the faith, lose it and they need this. So this is one of my challenges ahead: invite people to Engage College Ministry J

Also this week, God told me something He wants me to do this summer which I am really excited about.  In the last month, I have been prayerfully considering going to camp this summer to be with the junior high kids that God has given me such a love and passion for.  In high school, I would normally spend a week at a youth conference called C.I.Y but this year I am out of high school and know God wants me to spend a week somewhere serving for Him. Yesterday the Jr. High pastor Corey sent me a facebook message asking me to pray about going on the 7^th grade mission trip to the Appalachian Mountains in Tennessee. I have been hearing a lot about this trip from my seventh grade girls but never thought about actually being pushed to go on it as a leader.  After really thinking and praying about it, I know this is what God wants me to do. I have always wanted to go on mission trip but have never gotten to actually go on one. So God answered my prayer, He said no to camp and yes to Tennessee. So Appalachian Mountains here I come. I am so excited to spend a week with some awesome 7^th grade kids. I can’t wait to see how God challenges everyone, including me. I know God is going to do some amazing things and I am so glad He wants me to be a part of it!

1P33

“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” 1 Peter 3:3-4

Sunday night, January 9th, was a night I have been waiting awhile for. About three months ago, God called me to start a mentoring program for 7th and 8th grade girls. In the bible there are many verses about the older woman bringing up the younger but in our world today that is the last thing on young girl’s minds.

The past two Sundays I have been going back to Jr. High service to be around these girls, and sit in with the 7th grade girls during small group time. Honestly these past two Sundays I was intimated by these girls. The first Sunday I sat in the front row by myself and worshiped my heart out, just me and Jesus. I had this fear that built up inside of me that first Sunday and the enemy loved trying to use that against me. After sitting by myself, God opened my eyes to the fact that some girls feel this way every single time they walk in the gym on Sunday morning. Before I felt God leading me to Jr. High I would teach a five year old class on Sunday mornings. I realize that being with little kids was never scary; I could have conversations with these kids for hours and make them feel comfortable in the classroom. Jr. High girls are totally out of my comfort zone but I know this is where God is calling me to be. After only going for two Sundays so far, it breaks my heart to see the separations and cliques built up. I saw girls be excluded because they were different in the eyes of the other “Christians.” They look at each other and see the outward appearance, when I pray that they can eventually see the heart the way God does.

Sunday night we kicked off the 1P33 first event, praying that it isn’t just an event but a movement to build some life changing relationships. This is a program that will challenge the girls in their walk with God and also challenge them to unite as a body of believers. Before the event everyone was getting anxious and we had no idea what to expect. We all got together before, prayed, and gave everything to God. After I personally gave everything to Him, I had so much peace and I knew everything was going to go just the way He wanted it too. God calmed my heart and give me boldness to love on these girls with no fear. As the girls started to flood into the music room, they each received a name tag with a color on it. This color represented what small group they would be in and who their leaders would be. I knew that there would be a group of girls trying to persuade me to give them and their “best friend” the same color. I said no and told them tonight was a night to meet new people and branch out. After the small group time we had a panel of 9 high school and college age girls, besides me, that were willing to be open and honest with these girls. I asked the Jr. High girls to take an index card and right down any question that they wanted an answer to, and they could put them in the question box anonymously. Reading through some of these questions broke my heart. Most of the questions ended with “can you please help me?” It was a desperate call for help that hit something inside of me that wanted to do everything in my power to help. I think my favorite part of this night was afterwards, we ran out of time to answer all of the questions but when I dismissed the girls I told them that we were going to stick around afterwards and that they could talk with any of us more if they felt comfortable with it. I stood back and watched one by one, as the 7th and 8th graders sought out the leaders that they wanted to talk to. I saw them open up and ask the hard questions that they needed answers too. I couldn’t help but smile and thank God. They trusted us enough to spill their hearts and fears with a group of girls who were strangers an hour and half before. This is only one thing that God can do. God has given me such an unbelievable love for these girls, I told them that I don’t even know all of them yet but I love them and they have a story that needs to be heard. It turns out 22 young girls showed up on Sunday night and I know this is going to grow. I can’t wait to see where God takes this ministry, and these girls. This is going to challenge the leaders as much as the young girls but God’s got this. I know all of us are extremely excited for this journey.

I ask whoever is reading this to keep this ministry, and all of us, in your prayers because we can always use it.

WOW GOD MOMENT!

Sunday night I was sitting in my room journaling my prayers and spending some time with God. I was thinking about how far God has brought me and how thankful I am for that. I decided to look back in my journal to see what I wrote awhile back, that is when I had a WOW GOD MOMENT. At CIY over the summer we were told to write a letter to ourselves to read in December, I had totally forgotten about this letter.

The letter said:

Claire, don’t ever forget to love everyone no matter what! Remember the way Jesus loves people. Let down your walls and love people whole heartily. Remember that judgment is God’s job, not yours. Even though times might be tough, never forget how short time is on Earth is compared to Eternity. Watch your words, don’t talk about the people who annoy you, take the time to love them. Always remember that everyone has a story, some people just don’t stick around long enough to find out. Fight the good fight! I hope by this time you know where God wants to use you. I hope you have such a stronger passion for the younger girls that this week you have realized you have so much influence over. I know you aren’t perfect but I hope you remember to shine the Godliness of Jesus through your life no matter what is going on, stay strong!

Reading this blew my mind, I don’t ever remember writing any of these words. But in these past few months God has taught me more about all these things. What totally made me stop and smile at how God works is the part that talked about finding a place where God would use you and growing in your passion for young girls.  This passion has grown so much inside me and right now I am pursuing what  God wants with everything I am, but I know when I wrote this I wasn’t doing any of those things. It just blows my mind that on July 22, 2010, God gave me just the right words to say that I needed to hear on January 2, 2011, wow God You never cease to amaze me.