On Monday, January 19, 2009, I wrote a blog post in honor of my wedding anniversary. I never dreamed anyone would care much about it but I enjoyed writing the story of how God brought my husband, Tim, and I together.
(You can read that post... HERE.)
I don’t know how but somehow the blog post started circling among college girls. I started getting emails… and emails… and emails. So many emails that I didn’t have time to respond to them all. There were emails from girls pouring out their hearts to me. They talked about their desire for a godly husband. Some wrote about how badly they had messed up and how a godly guy would never marry them now. Some wrote about coming from a divorced family and not having a clue what a godly marriage looks like. Some talked of how scary the idea of marriage was to them because they have never seen it last.
The emails kept coming. A few months later, I looked at Tim and said…
“honey, can we just open our home for these girls to come?”.
He said,
“sure, let’s do it”.
So, we announced that any girl who wanted to come to our home for the weekend, could come. That we would teach them everything we know about Jesus, dating, sex, and marriage that we possibly could in two days. About 40 girls from all over the country whom we had never met, showed up at our house. I borrowed mattresses from neighbors. Girls slept everywhere. They slept in my boys’ bunk room and on the floor. We taught them, fed them, prayed with them, worshiped with them, and watched God do a mighty work as He breathed life into a ministry before my eyes.
(You can see pictures of that weekend... HERE)
Girls gave their lives to Christ. They understood His love for them. They understood the call to be holy. They turned from their sin. They were changed by the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
Since then, we have done 4 other conferences. God has strengthened the ministry. He has brought amazing people to lead worship, teach, pray, design websites, and counsel the girls. I am telling you this whole thing has been put together by the Lord. I could have never done it in my own strength. I have been a spectator. This has nothing to do with me but all about God and His heart for the girls.
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness."Ps 115:1
Girls have flown in from as far as California. They drive here to hear the message. Why? Because they are hungry for truth. They want to live for Christ but they don’t know how. The enemy has lied to them and the consequences of sin has wounded them deeply. Yet, there is hope. There is forgiveness. There is LIFE. There is a God who redeems it ALL.
“put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is FULL redemption.”
Ps 130:7
“He redeems me from death and crowns me with love”
Ps 103:4
“Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story-- those he redeemed from the hand of the foe”
Ps 107:2
I have seen many miracles during the last 4 years. I have seen girls rescued from the dominion of darkness as God brings them into the kingdom of the Son He loves. There is hope. There is a God Who loves us so much that He refuses to give up on us until our last breath. He pursues us with love.
This is a ministry that is very dear to my heart because I AM the girl who has been redeemed and I love to tell my story.
God lifted me out of a slimy pit and set my feet on a rock.
Why?
Because of GRACE.
“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)”
Eph 2:4,5
Sweet girl, you are loved. God knows what you have done. It isn’t game over!!! It is game on because of the power of what Jesus Christ did on the cross to rescue you from your sin.
Come spend the weekend with us and see for yourself what God can do if you BELIEVE.
I didn't think I was going to be able to do a conference this year because I will be VERY pregnant with our 6th baby but when I saw the hunger in the girls, I knew the fields were ripe with harvest. I truly believe God is doing a great work in the hearts of the next generation and I don't want to miss it!
I am EXPECTANT (literally ;).
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
Eph 3:20
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