What's in a Name?: An Open Letter to Moms

Dear Moms,
For a while now I have been wanting to write you something important that's been on my heart. Over the last number of years so many of you that I have grown up under (my friends mom's) or that I have met in various ministries like Bible Study Fellowship or Bright Lights have done something very flattering, and...peculiar...

You have asked me to call you by your first name.

Honestly, the most immediate reaction that is have to this request is "Oh no! Not again!" You see, this request, while I'm sure is meant genuinely and warmly, makes me highly uncomfortable. I have tried in many ways to explain myself and to not offend as I make my refusal but I don't know that I do a really good job of it and usually I'm left feeling rotten because I'm pretty sure I have confused- and offended you.

That's why I'm writing this letter.

I really want to explain myself and to share my reasons behind my refusal.

When I was a little girl my parents were very strict about their kids being respectful of their elders. Showing proper respect was important to them as it was an important element to cultivating and showing esteem for the person and the life that they had accomplished. Whether the person was married or not proper names and titles were always enforced- and woe be to the child who was disrespectful by using a non-sanctioned name! Now, before you go thinking my parents were a bit to harsh I want to share that there is always exceptions to the rules. For example, much of my younger growing up years was spent in a Southern Baptist church where (though there wasn't a lick of The South in 90% of the congregation) the preferred form of address was 'Miss insert-married-lady's-first-name-here'. It may not have been ideal to my parents but it was ok, and it worked. After all, the point of using formal address was upheld.
   
When I was a little older my family were annual attenders at Bible/homeschool conferences where  youth programs ran parallel to the adults. In those programs there were always friendly, young, small group leaders who again used the titles Mr. and Miss to distinguish themselves from the mass of grade school aged kids that they were serving. I loved using those titles- it felt so fancy, and old fashioned, and fun to be able to address someone like that, to show them honor and respect, and to be able to look up to them by using that title! It was sheer delight to me a few years down the road when I was one of those leaders getting called 'Miss Hannah' and having those kids look up to me! It communicated to me with every utterance that I wasn't just anyone but someone who was accountable to God for being a good example.

Just a few years ago as my grandparents were in declining health a new neighbor came into their lives. This middle aged woman thought nothing of addressing my nearly 90 year old grandparents in familiar terms and called my Gram by her first name. What's worse is that she called Gramps (Clifford) Cliffy.... Never in my 25+ years had I ever heard anyone call him that. It shocked my siblings and I, and to say the least, rubbed us the wrong way. Why? Well, in short, because of how incredibly disrespectful it was. If you knew my grandparents you would know of what value their lives were- and were to us.

Shakespeare famously asked if "a rose by any other name would still be as sweet". Scholars I'm sure have spent considerable amounts of time debating that small line and recognizing it for the great question it is. If a rose was called by another name would it be the same or would it loose something of what made it so unique? For me I think the answer is the former and not the latter. The beauty of the rose (or any other fine flower) is not solely in its character, but in the name we give to distinguish it. Anne Shirley bemoaned that surely a beautiful name like Cordelia could make her a better loved more beautiful person but we all know that 'just plain' Anne was a true treasure because her name fit her all on it's own with out her trying to be someone she was not.

So Mom's here is the point. I'm not doing it to be difficult, I'm doing it to be genuine.

When I look at you I see how wonderful you are, the beauty of your years, how much I look up to you, and how much I value you- and I want you to know that.
My best way of communicating that is to recognize you for everything you have become. I don't use Mrs. to remind you of your age, your laugh lines, or your mother-in-law. I do it because you have taken the name of the man who loves you and I am in awe of your representation of Godly marriage before me. (And if I'm being perfectly honest I envy you just a little bit for that.) I do it to show respect to my friends too because nothing is worse then hearing one of your peers informally address your mother without permission and feeling the sting of disbelief at how casually they value and respect the person who means the world to you. I do it for my grandparents because I take note that the age difference between them and 'that woman' is alike to age difference between you and I and I want to honor you.

So Mom's, the next time you consider asking me to call you by your first name would you stop a moment and reconsider? Would you take into account that I look at the world a little old fashionedly? That I mean no offence?
Would you allow me to honor you and our friendship by calling you Missus?

Thanks. It truly means the world to me.

With love,
Hannah

True Confessions of a Conference Leader

Intense is probably the best way to describe the last few weeks months of my life.

For better or worse- lots of things are changing in my life and lots of events have been occurring. For instance:

• My dear little sister is expecting her first child and I'm going to be an auntie again! 
• I almost took a mission trip.
• The friend I've partnered with for the past two years in Bright Lights is getting married and I've taken over leadership in that group as she moves away.
• For the first time in my life I'm searching for a 'real' job, one that brings in some real dough for the family.
• I planned a bridal shower and organized group gifts for my BL friend, Dani, in just a month's time.
• And, I took a trip and worked with the traveling team from Bright Lights headquarters!

That last thing is what I want to share with you now. I know my whole (BL) group, and many friends, were praying for me and for the Bright Lights Conferences and so I wanted to run through the five days that I spent in Pataskala.

The beginning of August had three big things on my calendar: Our regular BL meeting which was gong to be my first full time teaching day, Dani's shower that same day (!), and then the next morning leaving for the Conference! It was quite the busy, stressful week!

Before the trip even got going though it was on rocky ground! I had originally planned to be traveling and working along side Dani, the expert Bright Lights traveling team member! :) However, Dani had been a bit tied up with wedding plans and wasn't able to make the trip! So there was the need to make other plans. :) Additionally, I'm not the kind of person to be too keen on experiences that put me outside of my comfort zone! So I took the only sensible approach and put the whole thing out of my mind until the Friday morning of the trip when I began to pack for fear I'd call the whole thing off! :)  

Friday, I had a lovely trip to Pataskala with three of the four Thompsen ladies of Daughters of Decision! These wonderful sisters in Christ are also fellow BL leaders in the area and have been a great source of inspiration and encouragement for me.

 

We got to the host church mid afternoon and were welcomed by several of the girls from the team. For the five days we were teaching I would be staying alongside the group at the church- another new experience for me! (I've never slept...erm...I've never spent the night in a church before! :D) I quickly got to snag myself a spot to make camp for the weekend in the large youth room the girls were sharing and continued to meet new people most of which when I met them went "Oh, you're Dani's Hannah!" Even at the leader's cool-down meeting that night Sarah Mally (the BL head cheese) asked the group during her announcements "Has everybody met Dani's Hannah?" It seemed that a girl's reputation proceeded her.....!


Sarah teaching...

Sarah's sister Grace leading the singing...

Jumping right into the Conference I discovered I had been paired with a girl named Nickie and we would be working with a group of 16-17 year old girls for the Radiant Purity sessions that night and the next day. The girls were great! I was a little surprised at how intent they were and how obviously they were there for answers! I hope they were able to get some as we worked with them.

One of the best parts of the conferences are the skits the team uses to drive home the principles.

On Saturday afternoon as Sarah talked about waiting for God's choice in your life a familiar face popped up!

On Sunday our group was treated to a really special dinner prepared by a lady from the church. Everything was set out in high style and the plates that were set down before us were a real treat! 
They included a Cornish Game Hen, a foil swan wrapped baked potato, salad & rolls, a yummy cherry cream dessert, and raspberry iced tea! It was fantastic- and so was the lady, Miss Judy, who prepared it!

 

 

Later that afternoon the whole Bright Lights group was shipped out to a nearby park for 'relaxation'. For myself, I'm used to a nice quiet Sunday and being able to take a nap and do restful things like reading and movie watching. I'm not really up for sports and wasn't interested in conversation so I found a nice shady tree and parked myself under it for the rest of the afternoon/evening. I started a new book on my Kindle app (for my iPad) and indulged in my own brand of relaxation while everyone else tired themselves out playing ultimate Frisbee. :)

Monday morning brought a late start and some great leaders training led by the stalwart Bekah. I was thrilled to be pared with my friend Melanie and that we would be leading a group of 10-11 year old girls!  I took lead on the group this time around and we had a great afternoon of planning out the time we would have with our young charges. :) Here is a few photos of our little band:

 

Melanie!

The 'Candles' small group making prayer journals!

Nickie and Bekah

I was so thankful that Melanie (who has taught at conferences before) had planned ahead and brought little cards for each girl telling her how much we loved having her in our group and how to contact us if she wanted to! With most of the work done I just had to write in my own info and sign it! I'm really glad that especially with this (age) group of girls that I was able to make that contact with them, I have fond remembrances of getting notes from leaders of similar bible conferences that my family attended when I was that age- and it was the highlight of my week! I really looked up to those girls, they made me feel special and I hope that I will hear from some of the BL conference girls too!

It truly amazing that while time can drag on in your down moments that once you hit the beginning of a conference that period of time can wiz by! Once you have caught the momentum of the wave you are carried along through to the finish like riding on air! Before I knew it the conference was done and it was time to head home!

Sarah doing a 'chalk talk' presentation...

My experience at the Bright Lights Conferences is one that I will not soon forget. It was by turns exhilarating and overwhelming. I love teaching, the more I do it I find the more I love it! Call it the big sister in me but I love standing in front of a group of people, engaging their attention, and communicating a truth. It's a feeling of terror, and excitement, and pleasure all at the same time and locking eyes with another soul and seeing that you are inside their head is one of the best feelings I've ever experienced! I love knowing that expositing truth brings about a mental turning point and readjustment.
On the other hand, there can be downsides to putting yourself out there like that. A teacher has great responsibility and the knowledge that they must expend effort in knowing and in living the truth that they teach. What's perhaps larger in some ways is that to make the most impact on a person you teach you must be willing to pour yourself into that other person. Discipleship isn't for sissies. At one point in one of our lessons I used a reference from Paul (I think in Romans but I can't find it again tonight) where he is talking about being poured out like a drink offering on the alter of sacrifice to God. It struck me in that moment that during the conference that is exactly what I had been experiencing. That final afternoon I was drained. Now, yes, there was that wave I was riding- one of momentum- of going whether or not by choice- and being swept through the time. But under that there was an undercurrent of bone weary, mental, and Spiritual exhaustion. The teaching was hard work, yes, but all the 'new' and 'uncomfortable' was worse. It was a rough couple of days for me because it seems that I teetered on the edge of being a known and unknown person to the group I was working with. Have you ever been in that position? To be just familiar enough to someone that they feel beyond small talk with you, but not familiar enough to you that you want to delve deeper with them? That is where I found myself. Multiplied by 15+ people... So I spent a lot of time answering a lot of questions...

Going to the Bright Lights Conferences were a real experience. An experience where it was good to learn as well as to teach. And isn't it just like God to put us in those positions? We go for one thing- and as great as that turns out to be- we're there for something else too...

• Over those 5 days I learned what it was like to be the younger sibling. (You know, the one kid who has a phenomenally awesome older sibling that everyone loves?) I took away a greater sensitivity to my younger brothers and sister, and to those I serve where I'm dealing with ministering to both the older and younger from a family. Everyone deserves to be judged on their own merit and first hand character.
• I learned that God hears my fears...and complaints, and chooses to give me blessings anyway. (I think He likes to hear "You were right" from our lips :)) I took away that my plan is smaller than His plans and my trust is sometimes very small indeed... 
• I learned that laughter, and warmth, and common interest, and kindred spirits can be found in the most unexpected places! 

So that about wraps it up! For everyone who wanted to hear about my trip I hope you enjoyed hearing a bit of the behind-the-scenes of what a conference is like for a (or at least this) leader! Leave me a comment if I've forgotten anything!

Also, thought I know the next couple of weeks are going to be busy for me (starting BSF again!! woohoo!) I have several posts on my mind and several new 'blogger' books in my stack so be sure to check back with me soon for those reviews! :)        
 



  

Book Review: The One Year Devos for Teen Girls

First off I'd like to say how thrilled I am to now be reviewing books for Tyndale House Publishers! I'm excited to be getting into more non-fiction and to be able to hopefully give you some honest and helpful insight into what's out on the market today!

I chose to review "The One Year Devos for Teen Girls"  by Dannah Gresh and Suzy Weibel for a couple of reasons. First, I work with a pre-teen/teen girls discipleship group called Bright Lights. At the moment I am responsible for mentoring around 30 girls and I thought that I'd love to be able to recommend a good devotional to them. Though I have never read Dannah Gresh's work I know it is well recognized and praised within the Christian community and I wanted to see what she had to offer. Additionally, I hoped to be able to use this devo as a jumping off point or for illustrations in my BL lessons.

Each devotional is set up on a single page and includes a header, single scripture verse, and a large several paragraphed section of commentary followed by a small "Action Point" for the girl to put into practice what she learned that day. The format is easy to follow and is easily read and finished in 5-10 minutes depending on the reader. As stated in the title of the book this is a One Year devotional and thus there are entries for every day of the year (excluding leap year).

As I began reading through this book I soon grabbed a pad of sticky note flags and started marking up my book! I had pink flags for excellent, Biblically sound, entries; purple for ones that I would use with my BL girls; and yellow for ones that set off cautions in my mind. I did not mark every passage- just the ones that really stood out to me as I read. By the time I was done I took a look at what I had and thought it really was a mixed bag. In this devotional there are some really great spiritual insights, and entries that are great teaching tools. However, there are also some things that shocked me! Especially as this books is aimed at 12 years old and up! (Per Amazon).

Perhaps I shouldn't be shocked, after all the introduction does tell you that the topics were gleaned from 100 college girls that they contacted and asked what as younger teens did they most want/need to know or have addressed. The thing is that they have ended up with numerous entries discussing topics that I would never find appropriate to discuss with the girls I mentor. In these discussions I really felt like the authors missed the mark. I felt like they were trying to answer the World and throw and Christian 'spin' on something instead of showing from Scripture the Biblical standard and encouraging girls to rise to meet it. Some of the most objectionable entries are found in the May and July portions of the book and include topics on how much touching is ok in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, oral sex (!), pornography, and an entry on homosexuality that I found truly troubling as it begins- and immediately ends- the discussion with 'science' and not the Bible. Another entry I had trouble with is from March 22 and discusses "Is Eating Meat Okay?" the authors argument is misleading as she uses 1 Corinthians 8 (which speaks on meat offered to idols) to give vegetarianism preference. The Action Point for this entry encourages girls to try a vegetarian diet for a month or more! Maybe I'm old fashioned but it is my opinion that a child living in their parent's home should not be dictating the menu or placing financial strains on the family budget but be thankful for whatever is served.

On the flip side when the book is good it's really good! I enjoyed the entries on widows (3/15), where are the real men (7/24), lying in friendships (9/5), and even the entry on gendercide (9/25) that helps to expose the terrible and tragic realities of the world around us.

In the end, every parent is responsible for the discipleship of their own daughter. If you pick this book up and give it to you your girl as an easy check mark then you are doing your daughter a great disservice. If you pick it up and read every passage before hand and believe that the topics contained therein are good for your daughter- and discussion that you are willing to keep on top of- then go ahead. For me the standard has to be drawn at 'could I hand this out to the girls I mentor?'  For me the answer was an absolute no. While I can see myself using portions as lesson points, as a whole I know that it would not meet the standard of the parents that I partner with in the important task of drawing their girls to Christ.

Rating: 2

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and opinion of the product.

Resolved

Well, it is the first of February and officially one month into the new year (really?!) so I figured it was about time I posted my follow up post on what I decided to resolve for the new year. I never understood why people thought that trying to make yourself change huge things (literally) overnight was a good idea. I am happy to report that my theory on not starting full tilt on January first but easing into it and creating new habits is proving to be true! Over this past month I have periodically checked over the list I was keeping in my little notebook and tried to add in more things and keep myself on track. It's working well and I hope that by the end if the year I'll be able to say that I have something to show for my year and a list to measure some personal growth by. At least I hope so! I'm looking forward to sitting down and looking over things at the end of  the year!

I decided to take inspiration for my list from one I saw on Ree Drummond- Pioneer Woman's blog. (I love that gal!) Here is my list:

Resolutions

• R- Read and Review- My goal in this one is to do one book a month minimum and post a review of it here.
• E- Early to bed-  The thing is- when one gets in a habit- even one that you don't even like- it's hard to break! I always plan on going to bed at a decent hour like 11 PM but last year things got really out of hand and I was doing 2, 3, or 4 AM without blinking! This one is working out better than I hoped.
• S- Swim regularly- This one may take longer to get started then I had hoped. The reason being that the brand new rec center in town is not the old rec center at all. It makes me sad. I have been waiting to go back to swimming until they opened and now that all is said and done the Y is running the place and the fees are obscene. Looking for another place to go now! 
• O- Organize my days of the week- Are you a person that likes knowing what is going to be happening on a given day? Well, I am. Except that I could never get down just what I wanted to do without breaking my plans! But I need that structure or I'm never going to get anything done! Does any one remember in LHOP Ma Ingles having a set day for each thing/chore that needed to be accomplished? That's what I'm aiming for!
• L- Laugh more freely (but not so LOUDLY)- My family gives me conflicting messages. One minute they tell me to lighten up, and "oh, come on- that was funny!" The next they are telling me to shush as my laughter and talking have grown above the acceptable level! They confuse me. And remind me that I need to find a middle ground.   
• U-  Dairy is Unconsumable in the evening (if you don't want to be congested come morning)- I know this sounds like a really odd one, and well, it is. :) (Do you know how hard it is to match an 'U' word with your mental list?) However, since instating it and sticking with it I have been feeling so much better in the sinus department!
• T- Take time to write (both blogging and other)- This one is a bit obvious and hopefully progressing well as I've been able to do more blogging this month with other things that I've been cutting out. Now to just find to time to cover 'other'...
• I- I Can't worry about everyone- I wouldn't call myself a worrier. But sometimes I am. And sometimes, more often than not, I can't help but worrying. The good news is that I don't worry about things, the bad news is that I worry about people. Which I think is probably worse. Somewhere I've got to find the right side of the line between 'acceptable concern about family, friends, and morons of my aquaintance' and 'my give a darn's busted'.  
• O- Others can't tell your story- Scrapbook- I adore scrapbooking! Really, I do! Thing is that I have let other 'life' things get in the way of enjoying and documenting how I do spend my time. It is important to me to leave that record for my descendants, I don't want for them to have to guess about who I was or how important different things were or were not to me.  
• N- News is to be shared- but not my me- Coming to this one really makes me itch. You see it reveals one of my worse traits. ...Hi, my name is Hannah and I'm a blabber. (Hi, Hannah.)  I don't mean to be a big fat blabity-blabber but I love news and I love sharing it, and I love spreading it and before I know it I've ruined someone else's big announcement or spilled the beans on something important. (To clarify, I don't do this in a gossiping or malicious way- I'm just incurably excited!)  A while back I was teaching the BL girls on Humility and was convicted that in this case this problem is rooted in the lack of that quality. So...I'm learning to bite my tongue. Heaven help me!
• S- Study Scripture (outside BSF)- This one is both an easy one and a hard one. I love to study scripture but all to often I find myself ending up echoing Tevia's lament and saying Oh, "If I was a rich man"! This year, though, I want to be 'training' in a different way than just keeping up with my BSF lesson. I want to be going the extra mile and trust that it will prove beneficial at a later date. I have several devotional/study/theology books and I am going to start working to incorporate reading those on a daily basis.

So that's the list. Maybe it's too long or complicated or ...something. But it is what it is- and it is my goals for this year.
What did you end up resolving for the new year? What are your goals and hope-to-change things for 2013?


 

Year in Review 2012

Tonight is the eve of Christmas Eve and as I sit here tonight in front of the glowing giant of a Christmas tree in my living room and sit and watch the old classic film The Bishop's Wife, and read the holiday greetings of friends I am very much thinking about what has happened this year in my life and began to wonder if I too shouldn't sit a while and write a few words about the comings and goings of my year.

I think I shall. But I want to be quite transparent in my confessions and not just relate the high points of my year but some of the lowest points too. I think it's only right that in sharing our good blessings we share God's blessings in trials too.

The year began for me quite difficultly with a severe flair up of my Arthritis that lasted for weeks on end. My regular check up in March confirmed that my disease continues to progress slowly and has reached the point of osteoarthritis in my bad ankle. This means that in that ankle joint it is no longer an inflammation problem but a mechanical, degeneration problem that nothing can be done about. After experiencing 8 weeks solid of pain that word from the doctor was actually quite a relief as my imagination can, and had, run quite wild!
But the story really doesn't end there. I seems that in shutting me down God had something to teach me too.
   

"And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

It's a difficult lesson to keep re-learning but I'm trying to keep up! 

February brought a cool event in business and a new member to the family!
First, mom and I baked ourselves into a frenzy getting ready for a Chocolate Festival event sponsored by the local Red Cross.  We took all our dummie wedding cakes and plenty of samples of real cake and cookies too!

Also in February, David got a birthday buddy when his daughter, Isabella Rose, was born! Isabella quickly became our greatest joy and caring for her this year has been incredibly fulfilling!

As I have spent this (almost) first year with Isabella I have been reminded of the joy that comes by living life thorough the eyes of a child. They see everything differently and everything is new. To Isabella family means joy, music means kicking and bouncing and occasionally putting her ear against your mouth so she can hear the vibrations of singing, blankets and naps mean snuggling and looking trustingly into your eyes as she drifts off, and just about everything- from the first time I held her, right up to today- means laughter! She is without a doubt a bundle of joy in it's purest form!


Spring held new challenges for me as I was contacted by a woman in another state informing me that she owned the national trademark for (a variant) of my bakery name and as I was infringing on her rights she demanded I stop using the name! I was shocked to say the least and when legal paperwork began arriving at my door I must admit I was rather terrified.
Over the weeks that followed I again had quite a lot of thinking, and growing to do. You see the struggle over what to do wasn't just a legal one or a personal one but a spiritual one. As a professing child of God everything I am, and everything I have, is His.
Everything including my business.
And what God was clearly telling me through a series of circumstances and His distinctive, clear, small voice was to give it up. Next year, hopefully will bring a time of new beginnings and new frontiers in cake baking!

I took the summer off and focused on other, happier things! Some of my favorites were:

The Highland Games

 

 

 

Turning out to support Chick Fil A

Attending the grand opening of The Creation Museum's Stellar Observatory that now houses the Johnsonian telescope!

 

 

 

 I also continued my love of photography with the purchase of a new camera (a Canon PowerShot SX40) that I absolutely adore!! With it I have gotten some of the best shots of my life!

One of the best things about my year has been continuing to work with Bright Lights! Though the group started just last October our one year anniversary saw us with 26 girls in our group! Working with this ministry has challenged me in many ways and forced me to creatively look at challenges to find the good, the character opportunities, and the lessons out of them. Ministering in this group I have also gotten the very awesome opportunity to teach when my friend and leader Dani is out of town! I love teaching and it has made me dig deep into the Word to be able to communicate to the girls biblical principles!

Teaching on the Seder and it's relation to Christ

As we came into the fall I spent time volunteering with American's for Prosperity doing phone banking calls- yes, I was one of those annoying political callers! But it was fun and I felt I needed to get out there and work for a positive outcome in the upcoming election.

 

Despite disappointment in that department we found much to be thankful for and had a wonderful, delicious Thanksgiving dinner!



 



Rounding out the year has been participation in church choir, Bible Study Fellowship, gardening in the summer trying to nurture my tomatoes and herbs, scrapbooking, visiting Gran, volunteering at the local chapter of the National Bible Bee, teaching AIG's Demolishing Strongholds series to a group of my Bright Lights girls, Dog sitting, and making new friends like the ladies at Daughters of Decision!

All in all it has been a very full year!
A very hard year.
A very blessed year.

A dear friend has challenged me this year. Every day she has posted to her Facebook three things from her day that she was grateful to God for. Easy right? I tried it myself for a month- and failed miserably! It is so difficult to take my focus off of me and my problems and to find gifts from God in my day.
But this year I am going to change that.
I am going to journal one thing every day that God has blessed me with and given me and that I can be thankful for.
I hear it's revolutionary.

The journal I created to keep my thankful things in!

So here I sit, and it's rather late now. The family has all gone to bed and Christmas Eve has 'officially' arrived! Tomorrow (today), we will be off to celebrate with my Gran, and will be attending the candlelight service at church. It's something I love, and look forward to every year. But tonight, tonight I sit and bask in the glow of the first real live tree that we've ever had and I look at the glittering ornaments and my eye falls to the base of the tree where our newest nativity set stands regally and I smile.

Christmas is coming.
Christ mass is here.

Christ is here in my home, in my life, in my heart.
That is a daily challenge to live up to, a daily blessing to embrace.

And this year, with His presence, has been amazing!

A Cherry Blossom Journey

As many of you know since last fall I have been involved with a girls discipleship group called Bright Lights. An old childhood friend and I lead the group and in our bi-weekly meetings teach about eighteen 7-14 year old girls lessons in 'Being Radiant In Godliness, Holiness and Testimony'. The lessons range from Developing a Close Relationship with Your Parents to Having a Clear Conscience with many in between. These last number of lessons we have been studying about sharing the gospel and and decided we would have a little hands on in the field training for some of our older girls. We planned to take advantage of a local festival to do street witnessing in one of the roughest little towns in our area. This is the post event journaling that I posted on our Wadsworth Bright Lights website sharing my perspective on that day.

I thought you might enjoy it as well....

 

(Sorry Dani that it's taken me so long to get this up!)