6/05/2009

Well, another week has come and gone and the weekend is here!! YEA!! My daughters, Emilee, who is 17, and Megan , barely 14,  just got home from Impact Camp in Toccoa, Georgia. They had an awesome time and made lots of new friends. I love to hear the camp stories and am always amazed at how they have matured in just one week away from home. I am so glad that they had the opportunity to experience a camp that grew them spiritually and connected them with other believers from all over the state of Georgia. What a fantastic time to make new friends. Friends, if chosen wisely, can be a catalyst for growth and spiritual maturity. It is so important for young girls to have a good group of godly friends that they can walk side by side with in their teen years. Why is it so hard sometimes for girls to make good friends like that and how can we help them? A survey completed by The Barna Group found that 42% of the parents of teens find that the biggest pressure their children face is that of peer pressure. How do we, as moms, keep our daughters afloat while maintaining a connection of trust with them that will last throughout these tumultuous years? I honestly believe that accountability groups, aka small groups, are one of the most important venues to help young girls connect and make lifelong friends. Such an accountability group should be started at an early age to help our daughters paddle through the ebbing tides of peer pressure. Starting an accountability group before middle school is imperative, in my opinion, to the success of such a group. An accountability group should be a venue for spiritual growth and maturity but should by no means become a "clique".  The longer a group is together the more each member will grow and mature in His love. They will, in turn, be able to show that love to others who may not know it and will be better able to discern right from wrong when faced with the pressures of everyday life. Peer pressure will show it's mighty force, tugging and pulling like the wave of the sea. How great to know that your daughter will have an accountability group beside her, ready to throw out the lifeline and pull her back into the safety of calm waters.