From Project ME to Project Runway

Although it's been about two weeks since the event. I wanted to report that Project ME was a success! We had 80 girls and 40 leaders who showed up for the night. We all had a lot of fun, but only a little sleep. Here's a highlight video that Gayle put together for us.

After the lock-in I spent a couple of days on the couch catching up on some rest an a whole season of Project Runway.

I finished about 12 hours of Project Runway as I laid on the couch recovering from the lock-in and nursing a pretty intense backache. After a sleepless night of pain, a sick stomach, and a visit to the doctor, I was told that I probably had a muscle injury and needed to keep taking advil and using a heating pad. Two weeks later...I'm not 100%, but I'm tons better.



I'm back in the game and gearing up for BR 09! I've been processing applications all week long and finally made it to the bottom of the stack yesterday. We're planning to take 500 JH students and adults to Beach Retreat at South Padre Island on June 14th-19th. More to come about Beach Retreat...

Project ME

I'm so excited that Project ME is this Saturday night! It's a Junior High Girls Lock-in with a purpose in mind. The purpose is to help girls see that they were not only created, but specially designed by God. So many girls (and women for that matter) don't realize their worth...and a lot of the struggle with self-worth begins in Junior High. I wanted to plan a night that would help these girls see themselves as God sees them.

The planning for this event has been going on in my brain for quite some time. I wanted a way to incorporate our small group leaders and some of our high school girls into an all-girls event. And since we're talking about Junior High girls, what better way to pull this off than to host a sleepover, right?

The girls will be divided up into the same small groups that they meet in on Sunday mornings and any new students will be assigned to a group. All of the group names are design prints like zebra print, stripes, gingham, paisley, and polka dots.

During the lock-in, each girl will be designing a unique project of her own using fabric or paper with her groups' print. Some girls will be decoupaging and hot-gluing while others are painting and glittering. Then we'll take a look at what God's Word has to say about how He created us and what He has designed us for. Girls will be challenge to look at themselves and others in a different way. They will reflect on the projects they've created and think about themselves as God's special creation.

Following our small group time, we'll be creating another project: ice cream sundaes, individually hand-crafted by the girls. Then the girls will choose from a few free time activities like nail painting, hip hop dancing, or shooting some hoops. After they've burned off some energy and are coming down off of their sugar high, we'll settle down for a movie (and hopefully they will all fall asleep-I know this isn't reality, but I'm hoping).

Sunday morning, we'll wake up for some doughnuts and cereal (and coffee for the leaders). Project ME will conclude after Bible Study. This will give our new girls a chance to experience our Sunday morning program and allow our regulars to welcome them to the small group time.

If you're a 7th or 8th grade girl, or know a girl who would like to sign up for Project ME, it's not too late. Just download the form from our website. And bring it to Second Baptist West Campus with $15 on Saturday night. Check-in is at 8:00 pm...see you then!

Project ME

Project ME

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An Empty Spot in the Day

Normally at this time on Mondays, I'm running around making sure I have all the supplies I need for the 7th Grade Girls' Bible Study. I felt a little sad today realizing that I wasn't going to hang out with the girls because we wrapped up our study last week. Although we're done for the semester, we’re planning on picking this group back up next year.

On the last day I asked the girls to give me their feedback about the Bible Study. I asked them to let me know their favorite part, least favorite part, and if they'd do it again.

This is what some of them said:

"My favorite things was learning that boys aren't everything, and that God
is my one true love."

"I would definitely do this again because I'm not only learning more about
God...I'm doing it with my friends!"

"The Secret of Self-Worth was my favorite lesson because it taught me that
I am worth something."

"This was amazing and changed some parts of my life. I would LOVE to
do this again."

"I would so do it again, I would want to learn about getting friends to
come to know Christ."

God truly must have blessed anything that came out of my mouth, because I can assure you it was nothing profound when I was forming it. For the most part, their only complaints about the study were that they had to walk from school, that the lessons were too short, and that they were sad it was ending.

To be honest, any success of this study had very little to do with me. The girls created the buzz and brought their friends. I'm so proud of the way they committed to the study every week. We had a consistent group of about 18-26 girls over the 8 weeks, most of them brought their Bibles, and all of them participated in the conversations.

It touches my heart to know that this study made a difference in several of these girls' lives. I loved getting to know them and can't wait to do this again next year.

Still Unpacking...

Our Junior High Ministry went on a mission trip to Biloxi, Mississippi for Spring Break...it's two weeks later and I'm still unpacking.

Yesterday, as I was going through one of my bags, I found a list that I made on the bus ride home. We had each of the students on our bus share one word to sum up their favorite part of the trip. This is what they said:

• Acceptance
• Worship
• Roof
• Jesus
• Helping
• Mall
• Praising
• Growth
• Sleep
• Joy
• Shopping
• Snuggles
• Water
• Moose
• Michael
• Sprayed
• Everything
• Kenny
• Serving
• Changes
• Shrimp
• Basketball
• Hammering
• Patience
• Bus
• Friendship
• Food
• Work
• Tater-tots
• Laughter
• Teamwork

It's funny to see how each student took away something different from this trip. While some of these things were silly, a few of them were deep. Whether it's a fun memory that allows a student to feel like a part of the group, or a life changing moment that impacts them forever, it's worth it.

One thing I took away from this trip was the feeling of a "youth group" that is often missing in a large student ministry. It was nice to connect with a small group of students and see them interact with and encourage each other. I have so many memories of silly, embarrasing, and life changing moments from the trips that my youth group took together when I was their age. I'm happy to see them having the same kind of experiences.

So while I'm still unpacking my luggage, I hope that their still unpacking the memories and lessons they learned on Spring Break '09. And I'm off to do some more laundry!

Meet The Prices: Mom

She smells like coffee, Chloe', and Clorox.

Her hands are soft, but often cold. She studies her Bible pretty much every morning with rollers in her hair and a blow dryer in her hand. She comes up with her own way to say words which makes me laugh. She's always in the kitchen cooking something wonderful when I'm at home. She loves food the way I do and enjoys trying new recipes like me. She loves peanut butter on a spoon with a glass of milk on the side. She's tried her hand at quilting, piano, flute, and is now knitting (thanks to Teresa). She's made three scarves for me since Christmas. She's exactly like me or I'm exactly like her-the way that we think and feel and respond. She worries too much and doesn't give herself enough credit at times. She makes me laugh like no one else. She looks a little like Sally Field in a certain light, but she's always beautiful. She's my momma.

The older I get the more I realize I'm so much like her, but not enough like her. Although she probably doesn't realize it, my mom has been such a role model for me in many areas of life. I hope that someday I will be the kind of mother that she has been to me, have the kind of heart that she has for others, follow Jesus the way that she does, and love a husband the way she has loved my dad. She's more of a friend these days than ever before. I miss her often, but don't see her or talk to her nearly enough. Wish I could be there for her birthday on Sunday, but for now this will have to do. Happy Birthday Mom!

Meet the Prices: Teresa

Once again, I have neglected a family member's birthday. And if you know me, you know that this is pretty much how I do birthdays. I always try to play it off as a birthday celebration extension, but in all reality it's just what happens when life is too busy. So here's an apology and a happy birthday wish all wrapped up in one for my new sis-in-law. And here's the story of Teresa (from my perspective).


A little over a year ago, I found out that my brother had his eye on a "lady" and right away I knew she had to be something special. I say this because, of course, my brother is special, but also because he hadn't had his eye on anyone in quite some time. Over the next few months, I had the opportunity to hear my brother talk about someone in a way that I had really NEVER heard him talk about anyone. I heard excitement and even giddiness from the guy who once told me that most girls were too silly to waste his time on. (I don't know that those were his exact words, but that's the impression I got.)

Over the next few weeks, every time I talked to him I could tell that he was falling more and more in love with this girl...and I just couldn't keep up! And then it seemed like it was no time at all before he was ready to propose to her Obviously, she said yes. And in August he brought his new finance back to the states to meet the fam.
Honestly, I felt pretty nervous about meeting the girl who had stolen my brother's heart. But right away I liked her. She was cute. She was funny. She loved to laugh. And she just fit right in with the family.

Ryan and Teresa were married in October and started working on a family right away. (sorry...there's no better way to word that). When they came home at Christmas, they announced to the family that she was expecting. And just a few weeks ago we found out that "it's a girl". She's due the first week of July.

Because they live in Haiti, it's been difficult to be a part of their lives and get to know my sis-in-law. But the time that we have spent together has been fun...and I'm happy to have her as a part of the family. Happy Belated Birthday T!

You can read more about their story on Ryan's blog or Teresa's.