To know a high school girl is to love her

In my spare time, I attempt to mentor high school girls. Nine high school girls. Not eight...nine. I was so naively eager to begin this calling, as I had a less than perfect high school experience, and I was giddy at the opportunity to get my hands on these young women for 4 whole years. I had never before worked with this age group, but I am not that far removed from my own high school years. I was also a teacher in my previous life, therefore I was certain I could be relevant and offer something to these precious girls.

Here is what I have learned 2 1/2 years into this walk.

• I will ultimately learn much more from these relationships than they will ever learn from me.


• High school girls love drama. They will tell you they hate drama, it is a lie, they love it.


• They are quick to anger and also quick to forgive...not such a bad thing, I suppose.


• They love to laugh, and I love to laugh when I am with them.


• I often want to spank them. I mean a real spankin', wooden spoon and all.


• They are each radically different from the next.


• They desire love and romance and acceptance.


• They desire love and romance and acceptance.


• They desire love and romance and acceptance...three times was not a typo.


• Deep down, they still have the faith of a child and it is contagious.


• My current opinion is that they are the number one target of the enemy, and I am certain that he is not winning, nor will he ever.


• I want to be there on the front line when God reveals how he is using Genesis 50:20 for this generation..."You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." I can't wait to see all the good!


• They are adored by God.


• I believe that God often laughs at them, sometimes with them, but usually at them.


• They take loyalty very seriously.


• They love eating cookies and drinking all of my milk.


• They are gentle and soft hearted at their core.


• They are bossy and are know-it-alls.


• They desire to know God, and are too lazy to do anything about it.


• I wish that I could one day publish their journals entries that we right back and forth to one another, I could sell millions of copies.


• They cry a lot and they make me cry a lot...and I am not really a crier.


• They love fellowship.


• They love each other.


• They are wonderful babysitters.


• They will make mistakes that they will regret the rest of their lives, and they have no idea they are making them, even when I tell them.


• God is bigger than their mistakes, and will be quick and faithful to forgive if and when they ask.


• When I start crying, they get quiet.


• They desire to share their heart with someone.


• I wish I could pay them to listen and obey.


• They are smarter than we think they are and they catch on to more than we think they do.


• They are not as smart as we think they are and miss things we can't believe they miss.


• They are the fastest "texting" population of any generation alive.


• They can text while hiding their phone under a pillow and looking right at you in the face.


• They are beautiful.


• They make me sometimes wish my girls were boys.
• I can't make them make good choices.


• Fours years is not enough time.

As I scan over this list of nonsense, I wonder what in the world I am doing? Why enter into this ring of fire? It is hard. It consumes me at times. It is an emotional commitment that I was not prepared for. God has given me a heart for these young women, and sometimes I wish He had not. I have prayed before and asked God to tell me if was okay to quit, and He has not yet given me a yes. But then He goes beyond telling me to keep at it, and He fills me up with more love for them. Can I be honest for a minute...it's kind of annoying. I don't always want to love them more. I don't want to think about them while I am going to sleep. I don't want to have to carry around the knowledge of their private lives that I have to carry around in my brain...my brain is too full and tired already. But yet, I sense God smiles at me and says "Keep on Amy, this will bear much fruit." So I will keep on.

Last night before the girls left my house, one of them who has been hurting asked if she could read Psalm 13 for the group. What a bitter sweet moment, my heart broke a little for her as she read, "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and everyday have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O lord my God. Give light to my eyes or I will sleep in death. My enemy will say "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love, my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me." And that is why I can't help but love these girls.