Today's guest blog comes from Amy Pierson. Amy was girls' minister at Prestonwood Baptist Church for several years before God called her husband and her to work in NYC with international college students from unreached countries. And they are expecting their first child! To see stories and more of their daily journey check out: www.teampierson.com

More and more students are choosing to do a “gap year.” Translation: students are spending one year partnering with a missionary instead of going straight to college right out of high school. This really excites me. If Mormons can spend two years before or during college, why can’t evangelicals? While I love this generation’s heart to do crazy and courageous things, I am also convicted and convinced that all decisions--no matter your heart’s motivation--should be wise. I know several girls and guys who have left the “American dream” of their first year of college to go overseas and end up doing less ministry than they did in high school. I also know of several students who have become burned out or gotten involved with missionaries who do not believe the Bible is true. Some of these "missionaries" teach these impressionable girls "techniques" to evangelize that don’t include ever sharing the Gospel. (P.S.: You aren’t evangelizing if you don’t share the Gospel)

One of my precious girls I mentor is looking for gap year options. I’m thrilled and proud! But, I’m also helping her look at missionaries' core beliefs, leadership, goals, and daily schedule. If she partners and spends a year with a missions organization that never tells others about Christ, she will be more effective actively engaging non-believers on her college campus.

In Matthew 10:16, Jesus said, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” [emphasis added] Youth ministers, parents, and mentors can and should encourage students to live on mission and possibly even participate in a "gap year." But if a student chooses that option, encourage wisdom in every choice, no matter how good it sounds. Help girls research their options, because there are lots of options out there. One option that has been highly researched and recommended is http://thetask.org/fusion

I want to hold girls accountable to their potential and in their calling in Christ. I don’t want them miss out on God’s dream of making Himself known and loved among people who don’t know Him. If this is not the goal of the missions group a girl might partner with during a gap year, that girl needs to find a better partner in the mission of the gospel.

Reasons I Must Break My Commitment to Lead a Middle School Small Group

              1.     I have an allergy to Justin Beiber’s ‘Someday’ perfume.

2.     I am unable to squeal at pitches only dogs can hear.

3.    I’m not on Team Edward or Team Jacob.

4.    My mom doesn’t let me listen to Taylor Swift.

5.     I look really bad in Ugg boots.

You think I’m joking, don’t you? I’m not.

Okay… maybe a little.

Middle school ministry is tough. I’ve always heard people describe middle school as an “awkward stage.” If this is them at awkward, I must have been downright painful! To say I cannot relate would be an understatement. I do not understand their ‘abrevs’ and I ‘totes’ just figured out that ‘totes’ means totally. I for ‘realz’ didn’t get a cell phone until I was 16 when there was no such thing as a tweet or a wall post.

I have so much to learn.

They would probably giggle if they knew I was writing a post about them right now. I’m pretty sure they would beg for me to post pictures. They would then all argue over which pictures were the cutest of them making kissy faces and throwing up peace signs.

I joke, but the reality is that mentoring this age group is tough. I’ve prayed a dozen times for the Lord to release me from this group. I want out because the relationships aren’t coming easily. I want out because I only like mentoring when it’s easy, and that’s the honest truth. I’ve asked God if I could perhaps have a ‘transfer’ to children’s ministry. I think I would prefer wiping dirty noses instead of receiving dirty looks… 

But He hasn’t released me. I just can’t imagine that He would choose me to lead these girls.

Me, Lord? Are you sure?

I’m reminded of Moses in Exodus 3:11-12 and his feelings of inadequacy when God told him of His plans to send him to Pharaoh so that He would lead the Israelites out of Egypt. However, Moses was uncertain that he was the man for the job.

But Moses asked God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” He answered, “I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain.”

 I’m with you Moses. It is so tempting to ask, “Who am I that I should lead these girls? I am so ill-equipped!”

And somehow I know God must be saying “I will certainly be with you, Mickey, every step of the way”

Maybe He'll make me immune to Justin Beiber perfume.

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Today's blog post was written by Mickey McCloud, who works with middle school girls in her church. She has written blogs for us before. Who knows what stories she'll bring us next?

Today's blog come from Courtney Veasey. The definition of Courtney’s life can be summed up in one word…passion.  Whether Courtney is writing papers for school or hanging out with youth and college girls either teaching them the Bible or sliding down grassy hills on blocks of ice with them, she does it will full gusto. During the week Courtney is a minister to youth, college students and the homeless of the greater San Francisco Bay area, and on the weekends she often travels as an itinerant Bible teacher for girls’ and womens’ ministry events. You can check out her blog at courtneyveasey.com.

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Does God ever speak to you while you are driving? 

I have found that when I actually have the radio turned down low enough and am not giving a personal concert to others in traffic around me, that God does speak to me in the car. This recently happened to me during my visit home to Florida for Christmas. Santa had indeed visited our family, and with cars packed full of new gifts and old suitcases, I lead the brigade as my family caravanned back to my dad’s house from where we had spent the holidays. The road we were all traveling on was long and winding as it went through the backwoods of North Florida, and I had gotten far ahead of the pack. Suddenly I came upon every speed demon's nightmare… a state trooper, tucked sneakily behind the brush. Thankfully I was going the speed limit and he didn’t pull me over, but not wanting any of my other family members to get caught by the trap, I called those following to let them know what was ahead. 

As I continued on my drive that day, the Lord began to show me how this situation could easily relate to speaking truth into the lives of teen girls and younger women. All of us are on this journey down the long and winding roads of life, but I just happen to be in a place that is a little bit further down the road than younger girls, and I can see some of the traps and dangers that they could find themselves in if they are not aware. Sometimes we can make discipleship seem more difficult than it really is. We come up with excuses for not speaking truth into the lives of girls: “They won’t listen,” “I can’t relate to them,” and so on. But sometimes discipleship can be as easy as sharing stories of your experiences on life’s journey, helping girls to be aware of situations that they should both embrace and avoid along the way.

Never doubt how much they really need your human touch and life experiences shared with them. Sure, with a click of a button, today’s teen girls can learn how to style their hair in different ways or make culinary masterpieces. But there are just some truths about life and the faith that they can’t get from YouTube. They can only get it from YOU. 

Today's blog comes from Ali Claxton. She has served on the LifeWay Student Events Team for six years and is currently an Event Coordinator and Recreation Specialist. She has been involved in student ministry for over 15 years and is passionate about seeing teenagers discover their identity in Christ. Ali is a free-lance writer, small group leader, girls ministry mentor and avid coffee drinker.

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For one of our FUGE team devotions, we tried a little experiment using empty coffee cups. We talked about how the circumstances of life can empty us of our passion, our patience, our determination and our joy if we choose to dwell on the very things that drain us. OR we can opt for gratitude and acknowledge the goodness of God and all the benefits that come as the result of a personal relationship with the Giver of Hope.

The experiment: with colorful strips of paper and crayons on the table in front of us, we were given the opportunity to fill our coffee cup with written reminders of God’s blessing. Imagine pink and green strips of paper with words like:

REDEMPTION
GRACE
PEACE
JOY
WORD OF GOD
PRESENCE OF GOD
TANGIBLE EVIDENCE OF GOD’S FAVOR
GOD’S PROVISION
RELATIONSHIPS
FAMILY THAT MODELS FAITH
HEALTH
A SOUND MIND
MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES
A JOB I LOVE
LAUGHTER
TALENTS
ICED COFFEE FROM STARBUCKS (…don’t judge me)
A PLACE TO LIVE THAT FEELS LIKE HOME
STUDENTS I LOVE AND AM HONORED TO WALK ALONGSIDE
MY CHURCH

You get the picture. It didn’t take long for us to polish off all the little strips of paper and look up to find our cups just shy of overflowing. I carried my little object lesson to my desk and continued to fill it the rest of the day. As I walked out the door at the end of the day, I took one quick glance at the cup and smiled at the way God reminds us of His faithfulness.

I recommend this experiment for anyone in need of a little perspective…may your cup overflow.