Making a difference

Have you ever felt like you have this great calling in life to make some kind of difference? Doesn't matter if it's big or small, you just want to make a difference

I used to teach Children's Church a couple of times a month to an awesome group of little kids. I absolutely adored them. They meant the world to me. I felt awesome after I'd leave church on Sundays. But, as time wore on and the years passed, I felt my heart wasn't in it anymore. I kept teaching because, to be honest, there was no one else that wanted to teach. I prayed and prayed that something would give. Finally, after almost a year (and a LONG year at that), I couldn't take it anymore and gave my notice that after the end of July, I wouldn't teach anymore. I continued to pray and encouraged those that were interested in teaching. I knew God would provide new help and new teachers. At the start of summer break, He did. The relief I felt was unexplainable. Teaching became a chore and I didn't enjoy it anymore. While I knew I was making a difference in the lives of these kids, I felt it wasn't the difference I felt I needed to make. Plus, it wasn't fair to the kids if this wasn't something I felt I wanted to do. I didn't want them to suffer because I wasn't happy teaching. There are no hard feelings and there are times where I will most likely help out. And the kids still get to see me because it's not like I changed to a different church or anything.

It's been nearly a month since I taught my last class and I feel like I've grown closer to God by being able to sit in church the whole service and not worry about who is teaching or why this little kid is screaming at the top of his lungs. It's crazy how just one month, heck, even ONE sermon can change your life and get you back on the path that you need to be on. God works in crazy, mysterious ways.

Which brings me to this: I want to start a girls bible study/ministry at my church. This WHOLE idea got started because of one girl. The stuff she has said to me and posted on FB just breaks my heart. No girl should ever think like that. Seriously. SO, I found a bible study I want to lead and I've cleared it with the people I need to. Just pray for me. Pray that God gives me the courage and the wisdom I need to do this thing. I have such a joy in my heart about this right now. I've never felt more right about anything than I do right now about this bible study. These girls need this.

Shame on us, as a society, for allowing girls to believe this crap. We live in a world where a size 12/14 is considered "plus size" and that everyone must be a size 4 and have fabulous boobs and a killer butt and that you must be pretty enough to model for Victoria's Secret. Not to mention, we all should be dating the quarterback of the greatest football team in the NFL and wear only the best clothes (read: Abercrombie, Hollister, BeBe, BCBG, and the list goes on and on). I'm sorry, but I don't think that's real life. Real life IS being a 12/14. Real life IS thinking you are beautiful no matter what. Real life is wearing what you can afford and not running up a huge debt trying to wear the best things out there. I know I'm not perfect because I like pricey things that I can't afford and I feel that I need them to make me look good. But I'm working on it. I know that I'm perfect in God's eyes. It's taken me FOREVER to realize that. And there are times when I struggle with this, especially if my acne flares up. Or if I think I don't look good in a pair of jeans. It happens but we shouldn't let it bring us down to thinking we have to be that size 4, anorexic model. We all need to ban together and keep telling each other that we ARE beautiful no matter what they say (thank you Christina Aguilera for those lyrics). Don't ever think you are anything less.

I challenge all of you to take part in Operation Beautiful (www.operationbeautiful.com). Even if you put up just ONE sticky note, do it!!! Pass it on!!! We all need to hear it EVERY DAY.

WE ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

So, again I ask, pray for me as I go on this journey to teach these young girls that they are beautiful creations of God.