Well we wrapped up our last club in Santa Ana for the school year!!! Crazy right?! Time flies when you’re having a ton of fun!! I am going to try my best to recap the night for those of you that were not able to be there.

If I could describe the night in one word, that word would be “beautiful” from the moment those teen moms and babies walk into the room I see beauty, all the amazing volunteers that show up faithfully every month to pour into the kids and love on them month after month there is so much beauty in that! Even the dinner was beautiful, chicken & beef tacos, salad, nachos, rice,beans, fruit, and tres leeches cake!! I mean come on!!

After dinner was game time, we played “never have I ever” I love this game because you can really get to know each other quickly just through this game. You start by sitting in a giant circle with one person in the middle, that person has to yell out something they’ve never done like “never have I ever got stung by a bee!” and then everyone that has got stung by a bee has to get up and run to a new seat. It’s super fun and easy to learn!! We had the privilege of having Jasmine Henderson come share with us, what I loved was she had us all stay in the seated circle and she did most the talk sitting as well, it felt very laid back and intimate.

Let me tell you though, she blew it out of the water with her message on laying all your “mountains” or trials at Jesus’ feet. She shared her personal story of being a single mom and athlete and the struggles that come with that.

 

When she was done talking she had us all turn to our neighbors and share what our biggest “mountains” in our own lives were, she had us promise to each other that whatever was shared would not leave that place. This was a such a sweet time, I really believe there is healing when you can be vulnerable with someone knowing you can share anything and everything trusting that person is not going to tell anyone else.

 

At the end of this we prayed giving all these things to the Lord, then she did an alter call at the very end, I believe a couple of teens raised their hands. Praise God!! 

 

Later we did a quick craft of rose water body mist (great stuff)  thanks Tracy Sumner! Lastly, I think this was my favorite part, during the craft the guy leaders and teen dads came over and handed each girl a lotion set and necklace for Mothers Day. It made me tear up watching the girls receive them feeling so surprised by these gifts yet so loved and appreciated.

It made me think of the Father heart of God for these girls, some of them experienced hurt done by men and even their own fathers. It was so cool to watch them receive the gifts, I couldn’t help but think of their heavenly Father who loves them so much and thinks of them as precious rubies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I mean if ALL of that is not beautiful than I don’t know what is!! I think seeing these girls slowly open up and realize how Jesus sees them is the most beautiful thing in the world. How blessed we are to be able to play a small part in Gods BIG plan for these teens.

I hope I got everything, I could go on and on about this night because it truly was incredible but I will just leave you with this verse that I’m sure you all know but I think it is a great reminder.

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,^[a]
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
³     and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
    instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.

Isaiah 61:1-3.

-Kylie Bradley