My Girls!

Tonight was one of my favorite nights - Wednesday night. I teach GA's (Girls in Action), which is a missions focused, service learning class. We learn about missionaries all over the world, and the work they do, and then the girls put what they've learned into action (thus the name!) and do different projects - whether it's an activity to learn more (like a craft or cooking activity) or a service project (like having a can food drive or selling crafts to purchase Bibles). It is soooo much fun, and the girls are always so eager to learn about the new missionaries, and ways that they can serve too.

Teaching GA's is such a special thing to me. I was a GA myself, and then an Acteen in middle/high school - and, so much of who I am today and the love I have for missions is due to being apart of this group.

This is a picture of my girls, and yes, they are "mine". Not only do I call them mine, but they will be quick to tell you that I am theirs! I love them, worry about them, cry with them, laugh with them, hope for them, and pray for them. These girls mean the world to me, and I look forward to teaching them every single week.

They each are individually unique...

Abby is the leader.She is super creative, & is always making something unique & beautiful. I hear myself in her words when she says, "I want it to be really funky!"

Amelia, or "Milly", is incredibly intelligent, & people that don't know her very well say she is shy and quiet. But, on contrare! She is very funny, always with a bright idea or story to tell.

Kyla is sweet, shy, and always cautious...she loves to help, & I can see her years from now being the one behind the scenes doing the work that no one ever sees.

~And, last but not least, is Courtney. Courtney is incredibly mature for her age, and is always polite, respectful, and a little lady. Courtney started coming to GA's when Abby decided to be a "missionary" at school, and persistently invited Courtney to come to church. After only one week, Courtney was hooked on our Wednesday night fun. Last week, she accepted Christ in Bible School! I'm so proud of her, and her new commitment to the Lord!

I have a very special bond with these girls. Each of them have traits that I see in myself and I have a connection with each of them in different ways. But, our connection is not just in our personalities clicking. We are united as daughters of our Heavenly Father, and He put a calling on my life to minister to these girls. Thank you, Father, for such an amazing blessing! No matter what my week has been like at work, I so look forward to being with my girls - I leave with my mind and spirit renewed, and feeling like I just left a party with my best gal pals! Isn't it awesome that when we follow God's plan, and do the work He has laid out for us, in the end WE are the ones who receive a blessing??!!??

The year is quickly coming to an end for our Wednesday night classes at Mt. Vernon, and I will only have one more year left with these girls. I'm gonna miss my girls when they move up to Acteens...but, I know there will be another eager group of girls waiting for me...and, they too will be my girls!