This weekend I will be traveling to West Virginia to speak at an event for teenage girls. I have to say that I can hardly wait. There’s something about being in a room full of teenage girls with their laughter, boundless energy, and endless potential that excites me.  What a fun opportunity and what an awesome responsibility that I do not take lightly.

You see, somewhere in that group there may be a girl that needs to know that she is special and that God loves her and believes in her no matter what has happened in her life. Perhaps another girl needs to be reassured that despite the people who may have disappointed and abandoned her, God will always be there. And then there just might be a girl who needs a little encouragement to spread her wings and boldly live out the amazing dreams God has for her.

I don’t know all the details. I don’t even know their names, but God does. And as I sit here praying for each of them, I believe God is preparing their hearts and mine for a divine appointment with destiny. For even before time began, God knew I would have an hour with these precious girls—an hour that I will never have again with them to share my story and my heart.

Over the last few days, I have asked myself where do I even begin in addressing the key truths that these girls with diverse backgrounds and completely different stories so desperately need? And the thing that I keep coming back to is this: if I had one shot at imparting truth into my own daughter’s heart, what would I share? What would I want her to cling to through the triumphs and heartaches she will face on her journey? What would I want her to know that matters most in life?

Once I began pondering this, these 10 principles began to overflow from my heart:

1. Live for Jesus now. Don’t wait until you’re older (I Timothy 4:12). The Bible says our lives are a vapor and no one is promised tomorrow, so make today count. You can make a difference in the lives of those around you. If you will shine for Jesus and love people, you can make a HUGE impact. James 4:14
2. Don’t try to imitate others. Be the BEST version of YOU. A dear friend and I were just talking about this recently, and I have to pass it on. God created you so special and unique and no one else can be YOU.  Psalm 139, I Corinthians 12:12-27, Romans 12:4
3. Don’t look to a guy or a friendship to complete you. Only God can fill that space. Only He can fill the deepest longing of your soul. John 6:35
4. When you begin to date, only choose guys that have qualities of someone you would marry. Make sure they love Jesus with ALL their heart—not just with their words but with their actions. 2 Corinthians 6:14
5. When it comes to purity, YOU are the only one responsible for your body and your heart. Guard both of them carefully. I Corinthians 6:19-20, Proverbs 4:23
6. Find the purpose and dreams God created you for and passionately live them out.  Before the foundation of the earth was made, God chose you and had a special plan for your life. Philippians 1:6, Ephesians 1:4
7. Keep your eyes on Jesus. People will let you down, but He will ALWAYS be faithful and true.  Hebrews 13:6, Psalm 20:7
8. Choose to be BRAVE and BOLD. There is nothing attractive about insecurity. We can be confident because it is not about us but about the POWER that is within us when we know Jesus. Ephesians 3:20, Philippians 4:13
9. Never forget who you are. You were created in the image of God, and you are a DAUGHTER of the KING. Genesis 1:27, I Peter 2:9
10. Always know that no matter what happens in life, you are NEVER ALONE. God is WITH you, God is FOR you, and He will NEVER LEAVE YOU! Hebrews 13:5b

So in addition to sharing my story this weekend, these are some of the truths that I believe God is speaking into my heart. Would you join me in praying for these girls? Let’s ask God to do exceedingly, abundantly, and above ALL that we could ever ask or think this weekend. Let’s believe Him for lives to be ENCOURAGED, INSPIRED, and CHANGED for God’s glory.

Oh, and by the way, I will do my very best to give you all an update on Facebook right after the event on Saturday night, so we can celebrate together what God has done.

Many blessings to you all, Paula