When Girl World meets God’s World
| 2016-11-18 00:00:00 -0500
The power of allowing God’s love to turn potential rivals into spiritual family can create a beautiful story of redemption and light over darkness.
I always knew I had a problem with “Girl World.” I refer to Girl World as society’s way of keeping women in competition, insecurity, and judgement. Despite knowing Girl World wasn’t exactly God’s world, I struggled with the classic lies and comparisons by which a lot of women live.
God shattered my insecurities and gave me one of my most precious friendships
By the summer of 2013, I had been walking with Jesus for 6 months and was tirelessly trying to fight against my insecurities with other women. At a summer Christian leadership program called Leadership Training (LT) in the mountains of Estes Park, Colorado, God revealed the importance of winning the battle against society’s Girl World.
I knew of Alexa. She was blonde and beautiful and her personality was contagious. Girl World told me to hate her, judge her, and live in jealousy. Thankfully God is too good to let me cave to my insecurities.
I remember hiking with Alexa one afternoon. I distinctly remember my heart breaking for her. She told me small bits of her life, shared glimpses of her heart. It was clear to me that she wasn’t walking in freedom, that her past controlled her, and she hadn’t claimed the gospel. A few days later, I found myself sitting in the uncomfortable Adirondack chairs that litter the YMCA of the Rockies, Alexa and another LTer, Morgan, on either side of me. Morgan and I teamed up to share the gospel with Alexa, the truth that she could be free and redeemed. It’s funny because I never dreamed I would sit across from a girl I so hopelessly envied, praying for her and dreaming of a day when she would know hope.
When we left Colorado, my heart continued to be burdened for her. Alexa and I joke about how I chased her around campus, speaking into her life and challenging her. I shared scripture with her and prayed for her. Over the course of a few years, Alexa became the first woman I discipled and baptized, and she eventually became my teammate in ministry. God shattered my insecurities and gave me one of my most precious friendships.
God generously let me live life with a girl the world told me to judge. He let me see her heart, know her life, and ultimately walk with her toward the freedom she now experiences.
God generously let me live life with a girl the world told me to judge. He let me see her heart, know her life, and ultimately walk with her toward the freedom she now experiences. I went on staff with Reliant and H2O church in February 2015 and just a year and a half later, in June 2016, Alexa joined me. Not only did Alexa stand by me in my wedding, together we disciple and mentor women who are currently trapped in Girl World — women who live in insecurity and jealousy. He’s so good to allow us to speak into the lives of women who are trapped in the competition that we once faced. God has used our friendship as a testament of how invaluable authenticity and humility is.
God is so good and gracious. Through His generosity, He’s given me a friendship that allows me to see more of Him. He’s given me a teammate and someone who knows my life deeply. God’s kingdom is one of unity, which is so much better than Girl World.
