It's been forever since I've blogged, but I have good intentions! Since the end of summer, life has been so incredibly busy what with cross-country (more on that later), senior year studies and such, and now yet another year of Bright Lights!
I remember fondly back to the day when I kicked off my first class, a plucky, hopeful thirteen-year-old child with an armload of supplies and a heart for my younger friends.
After months of listening to all the Bright Light leadership training CD's at night while I took copious notes with a freshly sharpened pencil and a flashlight, and many hours of earnest prayer, I was finally walking into the empty church building on the icy winter afternoon in late January, ready to begin.
Bright Lights is a girl's Bible study/discipleship group geared towards the ages 10-13. These important years are just before the fork in the road when young people make choices about which direction they will go. The goal of Bright Lights is to give young ladies the training and preparation they need so that they can make it through their teenage years strong for the Lord without rebellion or failure.
I had been to one-too-many "youth groups" where the purpose was to draw in unbelievers and make church seem like a fun and cool place where they would be accepted and have a great time. While this is all good and well in its place, there were far too few fellowship groups where teens and pre-teens could come to actually learn more about the Bible, truly delving into the scriptures and seeking God with a passion.
That is why I, a terrible public speaker and quite the self-conscious young teen, was so intent on sharing with my friends the Bright (Being Radiant In Godliness, Holiness, and Testimony) Light's program. For a year we met every Monday at the GK chapel on base and shared character-building lessons and tea for an hour and a half before they rushed off to ballet and I returned home for pre-algebra.
After moving back to Texas, I was hesitant about starting a new group. After all, I didn't know any of the girls in our homeschool group and missed the close-knit atmosphere of my Bright Light's group in Germany. But never wanting to pass up an opportunity to minister to others, my mother opened up our home for yet another Bright Lights group--one of five girls, only two of which came regularly.
I remember the disheartening Tuesday afternoons that Hannah and I pressed our faces against the window ten minutes after start time, hoping someone would show up. Our small group struggled at first, and then began to bloom, slowly but surely, with what could have only been the hand of the Lord. By the second semester of that school year, there were seven girls attending regularly, showing up like clockwork every other Tuesday, Bibles in hand.
Encouraged, we offered the group again the following year--this time the turn-out was about twelve, girls which we split into two groups. But while the numbers grew, so did the spiritual attacks.
The devil was absolutely adamant about bringing us down last year. Everything that could go wrong, would. Instead of a quiet, godly bible study where training in Christlike maturity was key, there was just inattention, loud outbursts of goofy singing, anime drawing contests, hurt feelings, and catty middle school girl drama drama drama.
There were days when my mother and I would close the door behind the final leaving girl and just stare at each other in exasperated silence. This was not what we had envisioned for a young ladies' Bible study! Despite what we were teaching them, many of the girls were still trying to live as close to the world's standards as possible, and were thus being a distraction to the ones who came earnestly searching after Jesus.
For months we were on our knees praying before the Bright Lights girls came on Tuesday, sometimes wondering if it were worth the effort we put into it for the girls to come, draw and interrupt the entire lesson, and then be silly and squabble while they downed tea so saturated with sugar that Miss Manners would have been utterly horrified.
It was by far the hardest season of Bright Lights, but the darkness came before the dawn. We never quit praying, never stopped teaching, and despite the fact that girl drama is one of my hugest pet peeves--never stopped loving them, even on days when they made me want to rip out my hair and take an aspirin simultaneously.
Was I like that in seventh grade? I seriously hope not!
This year, we offered--albeit tentatively--the Bible study once again. This time the outpouring of interest was overwhelming, as we had roughly thirty-five girls sign up, so many that we split into four groups and had to make a waiting list! I also started teaching again this year, although I was extremely nervous about how doing this in front of girls I barely knew.
After several weeks of lesson planning, I finally had my kick-off devotion ready, following the theme of standing strong for the Lord in your youth, which is the very core of the Bright Light's program. After a lot of prayer and sweat, I found myself in front eight girls on the front lawn, bibles open and ready to listen.
And that's when my old archenemy the devil started talkin': You're only a few years older than they are, what gives you the right to teach them? They probably know more than you do! They don't really care...they're just here to see their friends. You a Bible Study leader? Please! Give me a break! You're hardly worthy of their respect.
I blinked down at my notes several times for support, but my mouth was dry and I couldn't think of anything to say that sounded intelligent or pious. And that's when it hit me. I didn't have to be something wise and righteous and self-confident to be their mentor.
It wasn't my words that mattered anyhow, but what God spoke through me. I'm not here to be "Miss-Andrea-the-spiritual-leader" but a vessel to be continually shaped by God and used for His greater purpose and plan. Bottom line: it was never about me and how I appeared. It's all about God, and always will be!
I relaxed a little, breathed a silent prayer, and despite my sweaty palms and closed throat, shared genuinely the basis of my devotion, with a few personal stories and examples from scripture of young people who stood strong for the Lord while young--David, Daniel, Naaman's servant girl, Joseph, Mary the mother of Jesus, and most importantly Jesus Himself.
One of the main messages I tried to convey was that the years of their youth were some of the most important in their lives! They would make decisions now that will influence the rest of their life. A common assumption is that the teenage years are a time to just have fun before the impending responsibilities of adulthood set in, and to live basically for themselves. However, in reality, they can use that energy that would normally go to pursuing their own happiness and truly work for the Lord.
The opportunities young people have to be witnesses for Christ are enormous, but the enemy tries to rob them of their chance by nudging them down the path of typical teenagers--a few years spent living in their own little box of me-me-me. Jesus has called them--us--me for so much more than that!
I clipped a rose from our bush in the front yard as an illustration. The rose represents our youth and all the incredible potential God has placed inside of us to grown and serve Him. He has made us beautiful, and by maintaining that beauty by not going the world's route of self-centered living and through serving Him we are a witness to those around us!
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