This past Sunday I actually taught our Sunday School class. I LOVE our class, but I'm not the best teacher, so I am usually just an added help for Carisa, who does most of the teaching. I usually think of the class as a way to continue to develop relationships with the girls, since I am much better at one on one stuff than groups. But, I really wanted to let the girls know about my upcoming trip to Africa, so I decided to teach.
It actually worked out as a really great tie in to one of the lessons in the Sunday School book we are going through. We read the passage in Luke when Jesus is 12 years old (the same age as the girls in my class) and he ends up teaching in the temple. I wanted to stress to them that they really do have a voice, and its an important one. They have things to say that people need to hear.
From there I asked them what they wanted to say to people that didn't know Christ. All of them admitted to being shy about sharing their faith because they are afraid of being rejected. So, I gave them the chance to do it in a safe environment, and their hearts were incredible. We also talked about God's Girls and the things that we had learned about ourselves a young women of God. I asked them to write a letter to some of the women in Africa that I am going to meet on my trip. I told them to write down whatever it was that they wanted these women to know about God and about their worth as women of God. I just got around to reading the letters, and they are beautiful. Here are some parts of the letters:
It actually worked out as a really great tie in to one of the lessons in the Sunday School book we are going through. We read the passage in Luke when Jesus is 12 years old (the same age as the girls in my class) and he ends up teaching in the temple. I wanted to stress to them that they really do have a voice, and its an important one. They have things to say that people need to hear.
From there I asked them what they wanted to say to people that didn't know Christ. All of them admitted to being shy about sharing their faith because they are afraid of being rejected. So, I gave them the chance to do it in a safe environment, and their hearts were incredible. We also talked about God's Girls and the things that we had learned about ourselves a young women of God. I asked them to write a letter to some of the women in Africa that I am going to meet on my trip. I told them to write down whatever it was that they wanted these women to know about God and about their worth as women of God. I just got around to reading the letters, and they are beautiful. Here are some parts of the letters:
"Dear Precious Little Girl, Though I don't know you, God does and He wants you to believe in Him You are beautiful whether you think you are or not....It doesn't matter if you make mistakes because God will forgive you.""Dear first girl that Trish meets, First I want you to know that God says that you are beautiful. The second thing I want you to know is what God did for you...hang on good girl because no one can stop you from going to God. I pray for you and I hope you think you are beautiful because I don't know who you are but I know you are beautiful."
"Dear person I don't know, I just wanted to say that God loves you no matter what you look like...you may not think you are beautiful but God thinks you are beautiful."
"Dear girl or woman, I don't know you but I know one thing; the Lord does and he thinks you are beautiful...beautiful in every single way...He loves you for who you are, a lot...He will always love you no matter what. God has a plan for you, just wait for it"
"Dear girl, I don't know if you think you are not beautiful, but you are. The Lord thinks you are beautiful, it says so in the bible. If you don't know what that is, ask Trish and she will tell you."
"Dear Mam, It says in the bible that God thinks you are beautiful and you are a princess...God will change your life if you let Him in your heart."
"Dear girl, Sometimes do you think that you are not beautiful? You are beautiful...God thinks you are beautiful and He says so in the bible."
Tell me these 12 year old girls don't have something important to say!!! I am so excited to take these letters and share them with the women that I meet. I am even more excited to come back and tell the girls all about the women that I met. The girls promised to pray for the women I am meeting while I am gone, so I can't wait to tell them how God heard and answered their prayers!
1 comment:
I just caught myself up on your writing...man I should have kept up daily!!! I just want to say thank you for loving people, mostly for being there for our girls. For writing the letter to *her*, for teaching our SS class, for praying for and loving so many people.
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