Until May I’d never been to Syracuse, New York. I guess, like most people, when I think of New York I think of New York City. I think of tall buildings, lots of people, traffic and honking cabs. Syracuse was the opposite of all the stereotypes I associate with New York.
Along with moms and girls from twelve states and Canada, around 600 of us joined together last Saturday for the You & Your Girl event with Vicki Courtney hosted by LifeWay and North Syracuse Baptist Church. It was an unusual day to be in New York, September 11th, nine-years after the 9/11 tragedies. (And a really eerie day to be flying.)But Saturday was anything but tragic!
It was an incredible weekend, full of memories for moms and girls at You & Your Girl. I love hearing the stories of moms and daughters, not only spending the day together on Saturday for the event, but also spending the entire weekend together. Some had gone shopping at the mall, others watched a movie, another pair spent time in a local park, and several stopped at the “Big Dip” a local soft-serve ice cream place.
However, some of the best testimonies of the weekend come from the girls who did not come with their mothers, but friends. Maybe the girls are growing up in a home of unbelievers, or other plans had already been made for the weekend with a different sibling and for whatever reason the mom could not come. But these girls sometimes glean just as much, if not more, from the weekend when they come with another woman who serves as their “mom for the day.”
It is also so exciting to watch moms and girls catch the vision for girls’ ministry for their churches and communities. I love hearing a high school junior or senior say she is going to return home and start a Bible study with some of the younger girls in her youth group. It is thrilling to watch a mom’s eyes when she realizes that she is ministering to girls every time she sits at the kitchen table with her daughter and her friends. She is taking the time to listen to them, to be in their world, and on the good and bad days, to be available as a voice to speak truth into their lives.
And it is a tender moment when a young girl, who is not from a Christian home, realizes there are actually several women in her life who are willing and wanting to spend time with her. They are not going to take the place of her mom, but they will be those spiritual moms and mentors that she desires to fill a missing piece in her life.
Thank you Syracuse, New York moms and girls at You & Your Girl for reminding me that the Titus 2 model for mentoring young women and girls is still the heart of girls’ ministry.
I am writing to ask for help. I lead a group of 10 middle school girls. I have been meeting with them for two years. I am discouraged because I cannot seem to make any headway with them (spiritually speaking). I just cannot seem to connect with them. I have been working with youth for about 15 years, so I am not new to this type of ministry. I try doing "fun" things, spiritual things, being involved in their lives...all the "things" that are supposed to work that don't. I guess I may be just venting, but if anyone could make suggestions, I would appreciate it.
Thanks,
firstbap13
Let's talk over email. I (Pam Gibbs, moderator of the blog) can be reached at pam.gibbs@lifeway.com.