Girls Girls Girls

This weekend was our annual girl's getaway/retreat. I don't really know what it was, but it was powerful and fun.
It amazes me that I sit down to talk to a group of girls several time over two days and I learn so much myself, both about myself and about God. I 'knew' going in that I was the same as they are... that I've been there... I've felt that way... I've been wounded. I found out though, that I still have areas in my own life where those "wounds" affect me. It was nice to be able to teach a lesson and to have one of the girls say, "Hey, you're supposed to accept that compliment," which is what I had taught them previously.
A girl's struggle with self esteem and self image run so deep, it changes everything. It effects who she is and who she can become... it effects her decisions, her relationship with others, her relationship with Christ. It is vital, and though no where do I believe we should be cocky and arrogant, we should completely be satisfied and confident with who we are in Christ and who He is molding us into.
I can't stress enough, I really feel that as the weekend went on the girls were walking with more poise, they were laughing more, interacting more with people they didn't know... loving each other more... all because they were loving themselves a little more. It's amazing the difference it makes to love yourself. There is a reason Jesus said to love God and then to love people as you do yourself. You sure can't love others very well if you can't love yourself very well.
All in all, I loved it, it was wonderful! The girls all got along, laughed together, there was very little drama... I really do just love them dearly! And to think, all these girls are from such different walks of life, such different friend groups... it really did just rock my world!
-a