SPEAK LIFE

Middle school girls backpacking trip recap

By Kate Friar

            Looking back I remember middle school as both a difficult and defining time. Trying to figure out who you are, fit in, and not be teased too much were factors often faced in throughout those years. For our UMA middle school girls, those factors are no different, yet I believe THEY are different.

On our middle school girls backpacking trip this past weekend the girls got to be themselves, teasing and laughing with one another, staying up late talking about school, life, and (I’m sure) boys. Around the campfire the first night we all went around and share ways the God had changed our lives. One of the girls shared how God had calmed her, how she can be quick to fight, but she has been asking God for help to walk away and He has answered. Another girl shared how she can have an attitude and lack patience, especially with those younger than her, she shared that God has been helping her watch her tongue and treatment of others.

            In the morning after some campfire oatmeal and Poptarts, we gathered together and I passed out notebooks with each girl’s name on the cover. Inside the notebook, they each had four gifts that I had seen each girl exhibit over the past three years. Some of the gifts included helper, leader, encouragement, discernment, wisdom, hospitality, and mercy. Each girl had different gifts on their list. So I went through each of their gifts explaining what they were and how I’d seen them display their particular giftings. Impromptu, I asked if the other leaders and girls would share if they’d seen a particular gift displayed in one another. The girls began to tell one another how they agreed with the gifts listed, giving their own examples and even sharing other gifts they’d seen in each other that I hadn’t listed! It was so neat to see these girls humbly and unselfishly build one another up and grasp that we are all uniquely gifted. Watching these girls speak life into one another and believe what was said about them reminded me once again how they each are very special and unique middle school girls.