Girls Bible Study and MVP (.1) (imported from myspace)

have to brag - on my girls that is. We have been at Cowarts nearly two years now, and NOTHING has given me the fulfillment that being involved with the youth has given me. And there is nothing that I have been in charge of personally that has given me greater pleasure than my girls bible study. I mean, "teenagehood" is difficult - anybody would agree with that. I think though, that girls have a different kind of difficulty during that time. Girls want to connect. To feel that they aren't alone. To be understood on a deeper level. And at 12, 13, 14 their very nature wages war against that occurring. They are best friends with someone, and then they hate them. Ask them why and you can get a brilliant answer like "cuz she was talking 'bout me to so-and-so." Of course this answer is coupled with crossed arms and a certain stance. Ask the person she is mad at and she will deny all allegations and be mad just because the other one is mad. GREAT COMMUNICATION. And guys -- they will ditch a friend in a heartbeat over a guy. Forget that the guy will come and go within two to four weeks and the friend is gone forever. Anyway - this is what is normal. We see it all the time in our group. Some of it will come regardless of how "spiritually mature" your group is. I went through it too. But our girls have really started to grow and I am SO proud. Last week we had a talk about group unity, lifting each other up, not gossiping, etc. We want to create a "drama-free zone" (a brilliant term coined by Jennifer). We had so much division prior to the talk. Tonight we were down in number because of other interfering activities, but the spirit of our study was strikingly different. The older ones included the younger. The younger were more respectful and WAY less moody. Overall, even though we didn't get as far in our study as I had hoped, we made progress.As always, I just want the girls to grow. Together, and with God. I really have to give them kudos - they are doing just that. What's funny is that you can watch them - the ones that think they have you fooled are so transparent. The ones that are really growing are easy to spot. And so, in honor of this achievement, I am going to start something in my blog - I am going to announce my MVP. I will not do this all the time, or even on a weekly basis. When I am struck by something that one of my youth have done, I am going to report it. Who knows who reads my musings (probably nobody), but at least maybe through word of mouth I can brag on someone specifically. Tonights MVP is . . . . (drum roll, please) . . . Jennifer! Already said that she started the drama-free zone - that was great in itself. But I sense in Jennifer a desire to grow, both spiritually and personally. She is faithful. She is honest. She is becoming a leader in our group. She prayed last week when nobody else would. Took courage for her - it was out of her comfort zone. But I believe that Jennifer can go far beyond where she is now. Oh, yes - she has great potential.