Jersey Girls! (kind of)

Going into this summer I had hoped for two things: To grow in confidence leading women in Bible study and discipleship, and glean from the people around me. Knowing I would be around 30+CCC staff and 115 students, there would be a lot of wisdom and life experience I could learn from. I highly underestimated how God would use the students to grow me.

Each of the staff were entrusted with a group of students we would meet with individually and as a group for the summer. Above is Meredith, Maggie, Amanda, and Emily. Four girls I knew nothing about May 18th, and who are near and dear to my heart today. I'm really not just saying that. (If you know me, I don't just say stuff like that. In fact I don't really ever say things I don't mean). I love them!

These girls live together in the smallest room of an old boarding house in New Jersey with no air conditioning and 80 other students. They work jobs they might not be working normally, because their purpose for the summer isn't to make money, it's to fall more in love with God and experience healthy community with each other. Now that Ben and I are back in Milwaukee, and all of the other staff have left-the students are in charge of the rest of the summer project. They are leading each other, having big outreaches on the beach, giving weekly talks, and Amanda is cooking for everyone! (With the help of Nick).

The hours I spent with these girls each week made my summer a blast, and taught me about God's grace above all else. God allowed the pressure to be taken off of me to teach them, as I relied on Him to help me plan, and reminded myself that I am just one person coming alongside them in their journey with God.

Having been off campus for 7 months, it was SUCH a joy to meet with them and hear about their passions, how God has loved them each specifically through different seasons of life, and be able to go with them to share with others about the freedom Christ offers to those who believe in Him.

We laughed, sunbathed, painted pottery, ate crepes (and sand) together this summer. They might think our time together was primarily for their benefit, but I want them to know it was for mine just as much!

"Let no one look down on you because of your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12