Who Is a Courageous Girl?
There is so much to learn about being a girl.
Each one of us is a daughter—a daughter of the King! We firmly believe that each girl has a unique purpose, and is equipped for that purpose. The root of this powerful truth is developed as we have relationship with God and with each other, learning ways to lean into God’s grace.
When we know we are loved, we can boldly offer that same love to those around us. We need one another to walk this journey called life. We loudly proclaim that Courageous Girls come in all shapes and sizes, but the core of who she is being transformed into can be described in the following acronym:
C. Confident in who God made her to be
She will grow in her understanding of who God made her to be. Every person is so unique and a CG girl is going to learn how to celebrate who she is and who others are, seeing how God uses each one of us for His greater purposes.
O. Open to those who are different than her
Our human nature is to connect with people who are similar to us and yet God’s design is so much more varied than we can imagine. From culture, to wirings, to social status, to ethnicity, we are going to grow in our understanding of God’s love for all of us and how we can have courage to learn from those who are different than we are.
U. Understands and applies God's Word
Over the years, we are going to use God’s Word to help us understand the concerns of being a girl and the issues we face in our culture. Learning how to open the Bible, read His Words and apply those Words to our lives is a primary goal of a CG girl.
R. Risks because her faith is in a big God
God is courageous and as we grow closer to Him, trusting His ways and His character, our own courage grows and we learn to do and experience life in ways we never would on our own. Even being in a CG group can be a big risk for many moms and daughters. Watch and see what God does with your courageous “yes” to His ways.
A. Asks for help willingly (both in prayer & within community)
Being a girl who can ask for help is a powerful position. This posture helps us grow in humility, our ability to recognize our needs, and to receive love and comfort from others. This life skill impacts every decision we make because ultimately, we cannot do this life alone. We will grow in recognizing our emotions, our needs, and using our voice to ask for help in order to receive care from God and others in our community.
G. Generous with her time and resources
What God has given us was not meant for us alone. Everything we are gifted is a resource to be received, nurtured and used for the greater good. Learning what God has given us (from our wiring to our material possessions) and how He wants us to use them is part of the journey of every CG mom and daughter.
E. Empathetic and loves well
We see the ultimate act of empathy when Jesus joined our world as a baby. God leaves His viewpoint and joins ours without even losing His sense of self as God. As we learn how to understand our emotions, listen well to one another, and practice healthy friendships, we will all grow in our capacity to care deeply for ourselves and others. We need to experience empathy before we can become empathetic people. The mom and daughter relationship is where we will practice this the most over the years.
O. Obedient to God
Our human struggle to meet our own needs in our own ways is at the root of every poor coping skill. As we grow in our understanding of God’s heart for us, we will grow in our desire to lean into God’s love, His ways, and His timing. A CG girl asks God and then boldly steps into His plans for her, regardless of the messages of her culture. Discerning His plans requires trusting God, knowing His Word, and being known in community.
U. Unique from the world around her
It’s easy to blend into our culture, even as followers of Jesus. However, God says we are set apart and we will learn what this means as we talk about His design for our bodies, our minds, our hearts, our words, our actions, our relationships and our talents. There is no topic that is off limits in our CG dialogues and with every safe discussion we have, we all grow (moms and daughters alike) in our courage to be who God made us to be. This will often feel and be different than those around us who are absorbing the messages of our world.
S. Servant heart
It’s just so human to want to serve ourselves first. Throughout the years we will watch God grow our hearts for the things that break His heart. We will expand our ability to consider others and their needs. Serving does not come naturally to most of us and yet, a servant leader is the most impactful kind of leader in God’s paradigm. CG girls will become change-agents in a world that tends to look after “me, myself and I”.
G. Good friend (even when it’s hard)
Girls, young and old, have a hard time doing friendship well. The comparison game kills the roots before anything can really bloom. CG groups practice again and again how to be a steady and trusted friend. This requires time and consistency in a relationship. Discussions on conflict resolution, boundaries, safe and unsafe people, social media, forgiveness, and more will help both moms and daughters grow in healthy relationships with other girls. Though friendship is not the primary focus of CG (the mom/daughter relationship is the foundational focus), themes of friendship are embedded into every aspect of CG rhythms.
I. Initiates with integrity
Learning how to use her voice in healthy and sustainable ways, every CG mom and daughter will grow in her ability to hear God’s voice in her life in order to move forward with confidence. Too often we wait for life to happen to us (friendships, passions, dreams, etc..). Instead, a CG girl learns how to be who she is made to be, unafraid to fail, learning from her mistakes and learning about who she is “not”. Initiation and integrity are foundational to every group discussion.
R. Real & honest with God and others
Girls, young and old, have learned to hide behind masks and be who others want them to be. Every CG girl will grow in her ability to appreciate honesty in the midst of real conversations. Mom and daughter relationships will strengthen as we practice journaling, talking openly with grace and safety, and encouraging one another to no longer hide, but let God and others into the spaces where we are most in need of love.
L. Leads and lives wholeheartedly
God does not just want just a piece of us. He wants all of us, but He waits until we are willing to let Him in. As moms and daughters take turns leading the intentional conversations each month, gaining deeper understanding of who God is and who we are, we all grow in leadership and experiencing life from a whole heart. The long-term committed rhythms of CG allow for a slow and steady growth for everyone in the group. This helps us shrink the gap between who we say we are and how we are actually living. Trust the process and then watch God do more than you could ask or imagine.
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