{"id":6927,"date":"2020-08-04T14:25:33","date_gmt":"2020-08-04T19:25:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/?p=6927"},"modified":"2020-08-07T09:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-08-07T14:00:00","slug":"stand-equipping-girls-for-when-things-get-tough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/2020\/08\/04\/stand-equipping-girls-for-when-things-get-tough\/","title":{"rendered":"Stand: Equipping Girls For When Things Get Tough"},"content":{"rendered":"
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I picked up the phone, ready to hear the usual joke about me taking forever to answer\u2026instead, I was met with silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello?\u201d
\n\u201cHey\u201d
\n\u201cAre you okay? What\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

The next questions\/statements punched me in the stomach as I sat speechless.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did God not help her or save her?\u201d
\n\u201cShe was only a baby.\u201d
\n\u201cShe didn\u2019t even sin.\u201d
\n\u201cHow do we know heaven is real?\u201d
\n\u201cWhat if this is all fake\u2026the Bible might just be a made-up book.\u201d<\/p>\n

As she told me about the tragedy her family was walking through, confusion and pain dripped off each word. All I could do at that moment was silently pray that God would give me His words to comfort her.<\/p>\n

This is real life. This is Girls\u2019 Ministries. <\/p>\n

When it comes to the difficult things in life, how are we equipping our girls to stand when their world is crumbling?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Word of God:<\/strong>
\nIn everything we do and say, our words should point them back to the source\u2014God and His Word. The Bible is the most powerful weapon we can give a girl. Hebrews 4:12 says, \u201cFor the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.\u201d The Word of God is able to distinguish good from bad. It brings clarity to a confused mind.<\/p>\n

When a girl is in the midst of chaos, His Word brings peace. When a girl is celebrating her biggest accomplishment, His Word brings encouragement and reassurance. When a girl is buried deep in sin, His Word frees her from her bondage. \u201cYour Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. The darkness is driven out by light\u201d (Psalm 119:105). Darkness cannot live in the presence of light.<\/p>\n

When I was younger, I often heard this statement: \u201cRead your Bible and pray.\u201d This made sense in my mind, but when it came to actually reading and praying, I felt overwhelmed. The questions I struggled with sounded like: \u201cWhere do I start?\u201d and \u201cThese stories were written for people thousands of years ago\u2026How do they apply to me?\u201d Be mindful of taking time to teach girls how<\/em> to read the Bible as you point them towards it. Don\u2019t just assume she already knows this skill. There are many devotionals\/resources to help girls walk through Bible reading. Here is an article I found helpful from LifeWay Girls that outlines tips when teaching girls how to study the Bible: Click for link<\/a><\/p>\n

Support:<\/strong>
\nHurt hurts. When a girl is walking through difficulties, it is sometimes hard to see through that pain to make sense of anything. Her action of reaching out and asking for help could indicate you are doing something right, even if it\u2019s in the form of anger or hostility! Recognized or not, you are now a support person in her life, and she trusts you enough to tell you about the pain she\u2019s experiencing.<\/p>\n

She may come to you seeking advice. She may need you to simply listen. She may need a hug and encouragement. Whatever it is, be present. Be authentic and sit with her in those moments. Take time; sit in the pain, not being too quick to jump to problem-solving. Most importantly, pray and ask the Holy Spirit for direction as you begin conversations. Listen and be obedient as you feel Him leading you. One of the most impactful things we can do as leaders is to be present and walk beside girls in their journey of life.<\/p>\n

Prayer:<\/strong>
\nJames 5:13 says, \u201cIs anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.\u201d In joy and sorrow, prayer is the answer. Let your own life serve as an example that prayer is the first response in tough situations. Take opportunities to teach your girls how to pray. Give them opportunities to practice talking to God so they feel confident when they are on their own. While you encourage them to cultivate a relationship with God, pray for their prayer life to become natural and second nature.<\/p>\n

One cannot predict when difficult things in life will happen; however, we can engage, enlighten, encourage, and equip our girls to meet these challenges. We can allow them to see our genuine love for God, our faithfulness to read and study His Word, and our eagerness to talk to Him about everything! With our lives, we enlighten girls by helping them learn about who God is and what He has done. We pray for them as the Holy Spirit draws them and illuminates the Word to their hearts and minds. We pray that our girls desire to seek and KNOW GOD, too. By supporting them on their journey, and being quick to pray, we are modeling a relationship of trust and love. When those difficult moments come that we can\u2019t understand or control, we acknowledge that we do not have all of the answers, but the God who knew us before we were ever born loves us, is with us, and is working all things out in His time. With Him, we stand!<\/p>\n

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength an ever-present help in trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Meredith Light currently serves as the Coordinator of Girls' Ministries. She was born and raised in Southwest Kansas. She is a 2017 graduate of Southwestern Christian University and has served in IPHC Discipleship Ministries since 2016. Meredith loves spending time with her family, making others laugh, and collecting random miniature figurines\/squirrels. Fake squirrels, not real ones.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"excerpt","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":6929,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,1,27],"tags":[1260,1280,1051,251,962,48,1279,1281],"class_list":{"0":"post-6927","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-discipleship-ministries","8":"category-general","9":"category-girls-ministries-childrens-ministries","10":"tag-1260","11":"tag-bible-reading","12":"tag-iphc-discipleship-ministries","13":"tag-girls-ministries","14":"tag-meredith-light","15":"tag-prayer","16":"tag-stand","17":"tag-support","18":"entry"},"title_es":"Stand: equipando a las chicas para cuando las cosas se ponen dif\u00edciles","content_es":"Descolgu\u00e9 el tel\u00e9fono, lista para escuchar el chiste habitual sobre que me tomaba una eternidad responder ... en cambio, me encontr\u00e9 con el silencio. "\u00bfHola?" "Hey" "\u00bfEst\u00e1s bien? \u00bfQu\u00e9 pasa? Las siguientes preguntas \/ declaraciones me golpearon en el est\u00f3mago cuando me qued\u00e9 sin palabras. "\u00bfPor qu\u00e9 Dios no la ayud\u00f3 ni la salv\u00f3?" "Ella era s\u00f3lo un beb\u00e9". "Ella ni siquiera pec\u00f3". "\u00bfC\u00f3mo sabemos que el cielo es real?" "\u00bfQu\u00e9 pasa si todo esto es falso? ... La Biblia podr\u00eda ser un libro inventado". Cuando me cont\u00f3 sobre la tragedia que atravesaba su familia, la confusi\u00f3n y el dolor gotearon de cada palabra. Todo lo que pod\u00eda hacer en ese momento era rezar en silencio para que Dios me diera Sus palabras para consolarla. Esto es la vida real. Este es el Ministerio de las Ni\u00f1as. Cuando se trata de las cosas dif\u00edciles de la vida, \u00bfc\u00f3mo estamos equipando a nuestras ni\u00f1as para que se pongan de pie cuando su mundo se desmorona?<\/strong> La Palabra de Dios:<\/strong> en todo lo que hacemos y decimos, nuestras palabras deben se\u00f1alarlos de nuevo a la fuente: Dios y Su Palabra. La Biblia es el arma m\u00e1s poderosa que podemos darle a una ni\u00f1a. Hebreos 4:12 dice: \u201cPorque la Palabra de Dios es viva y activa, m\u00e1s afilada que cualquier espada de dos filos, penetrando en la divisi\u00f3n del alma y del esp\u00edritu, de las articulaciones y de la m\u00e9dula, y discerniendo los pensamientos e intenciones del coraz\u00f3n. . " La Palabra de Dios es capaz de distinguir lo bueno de lo malo. Aporta claridad a una mente confundida. Cuando una ni\u00f1a est\u00e1 en medio del caos, Su Palabra trae paz. Cuando una ni\u00f1a celebra su mayor logro, Su Palabra trae aliento y tranquilidad. Cuando una ni\u00f1a es enterrada profundamente en pecado, Su Palabra la libera de su esclavitud. \u201cTu palabra es una l\u00e1mpara para mis pies y una luz para mi camino. La oscuridad es expulsada por la luz \u201d(Salmo 119: 105). La oscuridad no puede vivir en presencia de la luz. Cuando era m\u00e1s joven, a menudo escuchaba esta declaraci\u00f3n: "Lee tu Biblia y ora". Esto ten\u00eda sentido en mi mente, pero cuando se trataba de leer y orar, me sent\u00ed abrumado. Las preguntas con las que luch\u00e9 sonaron como: "\u00bfD\u00f3nde empiezo?" y "Estas historias fueron escritas para personas hace miles de a\u00f1os ... \u00bfC\u00f3mo se aplican a m\u00ed?" Tenga cuidado de tomarse el tiempo para ense\u00f1arles a las ni\u00f1as c\u00f3mo<\/em> leer la Biblia a medida que las se\u00f1ala. No asuma que ella ya conoce esta habilidad. Hay muchos devocionales \/ recursos para ayudar a las ni\u00f1as a leer la Biblia. Aqu\u00ed hay un art\u00edculo que encontr\u00e9 \u00fatil de LifeWay Girls que describe consejos al ense\u00f1arles a las ni\u00f1as c\u00f3mo estudiar la Biblia: Haga clic para obtener un enlace<\/a> Apoyo:<\/strong> duele duele. Cuando una ni\u00f1a atraviesa dificultades, a veces es dif\u00edcil ver a trav\u00e9s de ese dolor dar sentido a algo. \u00a1Su acci\u00f3n de acercarse y pedir ayuda podr\u00eda indicar que est\u00e1 haciendo algo bien, incluso si es en forma de ira u hostilidad! Reconocido o no, ahora eres una persona de apoyo en su vida, y ella conf\u00eda en ti lo suficiente como para contarte sobre el dolor que est\u00e1 experimentando. Ella puede acudir a ti en busca de consejo. Ella puede necesitar que simplemente escuches. Ella puede necesitar un abrazo y aliento. Sea lo que sea, est\u00e9 presente. S\u00e9 aut\u00e9ntico y si\u00e9ntate con ella en esos momentos. Tomar tiempo; sentarse en el dolor, no ser demasiado r\u00e1pido para saltar a la resoluci\u00f3n de problemas. Lo m\u00e1s importante, ora y pide al Esp\u00edritu Santo que te gu\u00ede mientras comienzas las conversaciones. Escucha y s\u00e9 obediente cuando sientas que \u00c9l te gu\u00eda. Una de las cosas m\u00e1s impactantes que podemos hacer como l\u00edderes es estar presentes y caminar al lado de las ni\u00f1as en su viaje de la vida. Oraci\u00f3n:<\/strong> Santiago 5:13 dice: \u201c\u00bfAlguien sufre entre ustedes? D\u00e9jalo rezar. \u00bfAlguien es alegre? D\u00e9jalo cantar alabanzas. En alegr\u00eda y tristeza, la oraci\u00f3n es la respuesta. Deje que su propia vida sirva como ejemplo de que la oraci\u00f3n es la primera respuesta en situaciones dif\u00edciles. Aproveche las oportunidades para ense\u00f1ar a sus hijas a rezar. Dales oportunidades de practicar hablar con Dios para que se sientan seguros cuando est\u00e9n solos. Mientras los alienta a cultivar una relaci\u00f3n con Dios, ore para que su vida de oraci\u00f3n se convierta en algo natural y natural. Uno no puede predecir cu\u00e1ndo suceder\u00e1n cosas dif\u00edciles en la vida; sin embargo, podemos involucrar, iluminar, alentar y equipar a nuestras ni\u00f1as para enfrentar estos desaf\u00edos. \u00a1Podemos permitirles que vean nuestro amor genuino por Dios, nuestra fidelidad para leer y estudiar Su Palabra, y nuestro af\u00e1n de hablarle acerca de todo! Con nuestras vidas, iluminamos a las ni\u00f1as ayud\u00e1ndolas a aprender sobre qui\u00e9n es Dios y lo que ha hecho. Oramos por ellos mientras el Esp\u00edritu Santo los atrae e ilumina la Palabra en sus corazones y mentes. Oramos para que nuestras ni\u00f1as tambi\u00e9n deseen buscar y CONOCER A DIOS. Al apoyarlos en su viaje y ser r\u00e1pidos para orar, estamos modelando una relaci\u00f3n de confianza y amor. Cuando llegan esos momentos dif\u00edciles que no podemos entender o controlar, reconocemos que no tenemos todas las respuestas, pero el Dios que nos conoci\u00f3 antes de nacer nos ama, est\u00e1 con nosotros y est\u00e1 trabajando en todo. en su tiempo. \u00a1Con \u00e9l, nos ponemos de pie!

Salmo 46: 1 Dios es nuestro refugio y nuestra fuerza, una ayuda siempre presente en los problemas \u201d. <\/p>","author_name":"Meredith Light","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/08\/Stand-Graphic.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4T9u2-1NJ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6927","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6927"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6927\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6927"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6927"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6927"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}