Familiar

"I am so excited, Diana!" Rachel said to me across the small table in the cafe.
I bit into my sandwich and nodded. "Me too."
But really excitement was not the emotion at the forefront of my mind. Beginning a new Bible study brings in such a wave of feelings. Nervousness, apprehension, honor, humility, indecisiveness...I could go on.
This is my third year with this group, and now they are all in high school. I remember when they came into the classroom three years ago, some so excited to be hanging out with older girls, some with arms crossed and looks of defiance across their faces. They hardly knew each other, much less me, and yet I was responsible for communicating the Word of God to them in a manner that they would understand. No easy task.
This year is different, however. I am not in a full-out youth group commitment (which basically means the Bible study is one of the few interactions I will have with the girls this year. Before I had time to take them out often throughout the week.) I have a co-leader. And the girls are old enough, in my opinion, to study something a little more controversial and nitty gritty.
I have wanted to teach a study on purity and relationships for a very long time, but held off for several reasons. The girls were too young to get much out of it. I was too immature to have any real wisdom on the subject (I still may not be wise, but at least I am married now, which means I am done with pre-marital relationships). I was still feeling too convicted in my own mistakes to feel that I was qualified to teach someone else. But now, I feel it is time, and my co-leader (also married) agrees.
An hour after our dinner conversation, we sat around a round table and conversed with the girls. With every second, any nervousness fled. I could call to mind individual memories and moments with each of these girls. We have had individual relationships, bits, trials and good times. This Bible study is going to be something special. Where leadership and mentoring was prominent, now fellowship and friendship join in. I am so blessed to have had the same girls for three years.
For the most part, they were into studying the "purity book" (Rebecca St. James' Wait For Me.) Now comes the hard part: teaching it. Please pray that Rachel and I would have great wisdom and discernment as we approach a topic that is so real and so hard for teenagers today. I have full confidence that if we focus on God's words, rather than our own, the Spirit will do the rest in their hearts. But please pray that we would be willing tools.
I love my girls so much!!