We DID it!!!

So, after much prayer, preparation, and heartburn (just kidding)... we will be launching our brand spankin' new ministry this Sunday. When I say "WE" -- I mean our church, myself, and my sister-in-law. The ministry is... Denim and Grace -- a Mentoring-based Ministry for high-school aged and "twenty-something" aged young women. I LOVE the name -- casual, inviting, and full of grace! I love it so much, I bought the domain, and have started the process fo getting it trademarked. I know... I know... I'm putting the cart before the horse.

Anyway, I can't tell you how excited I am about this ministry. As I mentioned before, I've been furiously working on this special project -- I've organized my thoughts, started planning lessons, and created a blog. God has really been moving, and I can't even begin to explain the many confirmations I received. But the added bonus is... there are so many wonderful young women in our church to work with!!! They are full of talent, love, and energy!

Here is an excerpt of an email I sent my Pastorman at the beginning of May:

"I have immersed myself in studying about this new generation and the type of connections they are looking for, the types of worship experiences they are craving, and the types of relationships they desire … and the more I study, the more I pray, the more I listen for the direction God wants this ministry to go in... the more it seems to be exploding into a real, dynamic, and exciting ministry!!! I’m getting goosebumps just typing those words!!! I know that God is planning something amazing, and I’m excited to see what he does with this!!! Even if it is just one girl that comes ... that one life will be touched, challenged and transformed. Go Holy Spirit!!!"

Yes, I'm just a little excited to see what God has in store for us.

As I mentioned above, I've been studying up on this new generation (Y or Millenials) and I'm learning so much about them ... They don't want to be entertained. They don't want to go to an "MTV style" of worship. They want to KNOW and EXPERIENCE God. They want to FEEL Him moving in their lives in a very real way. And yet, they struggle with real issues... low self esteem and self worth, issues with communication, struggling with transitioning into young adulthood, purity... some have already been touched by motherhood or divorce ... they struggle with painful things. They crave someone to listen to them (outside of their family), to value them, to treat them as a young adult.

Since December, I've been praying about where God wants me to be involved at church. In fact, I've been sensing that God has been preparing my heart to launch this new ministry for quite some time, but has been waiting on the right time to reveal everything to me, including my co-leader. I know that his hand is moving in this ministry, and I am so excited about launching it on Sunday!!!

Godly mentoring is Biblical, logical, and needs to begin stretching across the nation. Our young people have so much access to the internet, with a lot of dangerous information at their fingertips, and they are influenced by so many people on television and media. It frightens me to know about all the chat rooms and bulletin boards that explore all aspects of faith, which in turn, leads to the whole "a-little-bit-of-this and a-little-bit-of-that" mentality. Mentoring needs to span all ages, and needs to begin in our own churches. Y'all -- I would cherish it if you would keep it in your prayers!!!

Here are a couple more links to check out ... women who offer low-keyed mentoring to other women, girls and kids of all ages: Donnetta, Sandy, Amy, and others.

Feel free to visit us at the Denim and Grace website. We are just starting to put up some things, including our mission statement... so bear with us as we ... create.