November 21, 2024

GCH:decaf – Meet Mary Ruth!

January 16, 2013 by

 

Mary Ruth  is 14 years old, and she lives in Smyrna, TN.

Mary Ruth

Her favorite artist is Chris Tomlin.  While he is not my all-time favorite, his songwriting and worship leading has totally changed and introduced new things to worship in our churches today. If you have not already done so, you need to listen to his music!

Her favorite movie is “Flipped.” I’ve never seen it, but I typed it in Google and found all about the plot. It sounds like a great movie!

Like her sister, Michaela, who I interviewed last week, Mary Ruth’s favorite TV show is “Once Upon A Time.” I LOVE this show! Another one of her favorites is “Emily Owens M.D.” I have only seen one episode of this show and, from what I have seen, it is so funny!

I loved her response to my question about fashion and what her favorite article of clothing is. She said, “Anything…as long as it shows my personality.” She is all about comfort! She loves graphic t-shirts and sweatpants. What girl doesn’t love a good pair of sweatpants, right? Her favorite accessory is a necklace.

She loves to hang out with her friends during school and outside of school. They love to make jokes!

Her favorite restaurant is Cheddar’s. I have never been there, but I hear they have awesome sweet tea! She also loves green grapes. Grapes are one of those foods that I could snack on ALL day long.
I asked her what was something that had changed her life, and I loved her response. I had tears in my eyes when I read it. She said, “Moving in with Teresa Bolme and her family. She has taught me so much about life and God, and I’m so happy to have them in my life.”

Mary Ruth, you are a PRECIOUS woman of God!! I’m so blessed to have gotten to know you a little better.

~Jordan

If you are interested in sending a private message to Jordan, please email her at Jordan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

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GCH:decaf – Meet Miss Michaela!

January 9, 2013 by

Michaela Woolridge is 18 years old, which means she can vote! She lives in Smyrna, Tennessee.

Her favorite music artists are Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin (he is a lyrical GENIUS… AMAZED by the Church’s response to his songs), and Unhindered. I’ve never listened to Unhindered, but will have to check them out since they’re her favorite!

Her favorite movie of ALL time is Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”.  I LOVE this movie, and all Disney princess movies, for that matter. Her favorite TV show is “Once Upon A Time”. This show is all about the storybook characters, and Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” is one of them! She loves to watch this show with her family, and they watch episodes over and over. “Once Upon A Time” is one of those shows that I could watch a million times and never get tired of! Maybe one day we can all have a marathon.

Her style is business casual. Her favorite accessories are soft colored earrings; the perfect touch to a cute outfit! She loves stylish heels, and she is ALL for some natural beauty. Amen to that!

Michaela

Her exact words, when asked what her favorite foods were, “Bread, bread, and more bread. But since the Bible says she can’t live on bread alone, she likes chicken and cheesecake.” That answer definitely made me laugh out loud.

Michaela had a life-changing revelation the day she realized that her Heavenly Father wasn’t like her earthly father. Her Heavenly Father is FAITHFUL, GRACIOUS, and LOVES to spend time with her. She just got back from Passion Conference, and the Lord spoke to her about communicating with Him. She said, “I realized He wants me to talk to Him.”

What an awesome girl Michaela is! I was so excited when she answered these questions for me, and it was so fun getting to know a little bit about her, even if it was through Facebook messenger! I will be praying for you, Michaela, as you seek the Lord and His plan for your life. Bless you, sweet girl!

~Jordan

If you are interested in joining us in our GCH:decaf Teen Girls Ministry, please email GCH_Decaf@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information.

We’ll be starting our next online Bible study soon! So be sure to keep checking back for sign-up details to be posted soon!

If you are interested in sending Jordan a private message in regards to this blog, please email her at: Jordan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

 

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GCH:decaf — Meet Jordan’s Sister, Tristan

January 2, 2013 by

“Meet My Sister, Tristan”

I am SO excited that 2013 is here… I think every one has expectancy in their hearts when a new year comes. So much can happen in 365 days, and I can’t wait to see what the Lord does in my life!

I am so honored to be a blogger at GCH:decaf, but more so than that, I am so honored to be a part of what God is doing in YOUR lives.  I had the privilege of interviewing my younger sister, Tristan, for this blog post, and here is what we talked about.

Jordan and Tristan

Tristan is 17, and she lives in Pensacola Beach, FL. The house she (we) lives in isn’t directly on the beach, but you basically just cross a street and you’re there. It’s beautiful!

Her favorite artist is Taylor Swift. What girl doesn’t love some Taylor Swift? I know I do. It’s one of the only CDs I keep in my car to listen to at all times.

Her favorite Christian artist is Meredith Andrews. Her song “You’re Not Alone” is Tristan’s favorite! We both love the honesty in her lyrics.

Her answer to “What’s your favorite movie?” is probably shocking to some of you, considering her age… She loves “Despicable Me.” But I’m going to be honest, I could watch it 1000 times and never get tired of it. Could the minions be ANY cuter? I’ll answer that for all of us — Nope!

Her favorite TV show is “Gossip Girl”. She loves to see all of their clothes. The fashion in the show is amazing! And she loves to see all of their over the top houses/hotels/penthouses.

Tristan’s style is all about comfort. She LOVES a cute pair of skinny jeans – maybe in a fun color like red or royal blue. And she loves over-sized sweaters and anything grey, black, or white.

She loves to go to the beach with her friends. During the spring and summer, she and her friends will go out to the beach around noon and stay out all day.

Her favorite food is sushi… And even typing this right now, I could totally go for some sushi, too. YUM!

She didn’t get a chance to answer the bonus question, so I will just answer it for her! Something life-changing that has taken place was when we moved to Pensacola Beach from Jackson, MS. We moved there two years ago, and it has made such a different in Tristan’s life! She has been free to be herself, and she has had the opportunity to make friends based on her personality and hobbies.

I love you, Tris!

If you are interested in joining us in our GCH:decaf Teen Girls Ministry, please email GCH_Decaf@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information.  We’ll be starting our next online Bible study soon!  So be sure to keep checking back for sign-up details to be posted!

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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 12 / Day 3 – Receiving Happiness from God

December 19, 2012 by

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Today’s blog is brought to you by Jordan Spring:

“I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart!” Do y’all remember singing that song? I loved that song as a child, and there are times when I get it stuck in my head. Have you really thought of the words to that song? “And I’m so happy, so very happy… I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart.”

I’ve noticed lately that the majority of us view joy as an emotion. “Today I’m feeling joyful…” Joy is a state of being. It’s a constant resting in Jesus and a constant trusting that He is in control. And the coolest thing about joy– The Lord will give it to you! All you have to do is ask.

A lot of us, myself included, sometimes become attached to our grief. We become comfortable in our sadness, and the thought of getting out of it scares us. How messed up is that? The enemy deceives us into thinking that if we are happy or have joy, we have something to lose. But if your joy is found in JESUS, you don’t EVER have to worry about losing anything! He is faithful, and He promises to never leave us nor forsake us.

As believers we should be the most joyful people… We have a SAVIOR who loved us SO much that He died for us! So that we would have abundant life on this earth- free from the chains of sin, and so we could have eternal life in Heaven! That’s reason enough to be joyful…

Lets Pray:

Jesus, thank You for loving us. We are SO thankful that You are a God who wants to give us JOY! You don’t want us stuck in depression… Thank You for that! I pray that we would not cling to our grief, but that we would walk through it, and in Your timing, let it go. Help us to accept Your joy! In Your name, Amen.

May the Joy of the Lord fill Your Heart Today & Everyday,

Jordan

Galatians 5:22-23 says, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  You are promised these things with Jesus in your heart!

If you haven’t invited Jesus to become your Lord and Savior, and would like to, please pray with me know.

Lord Jesus, I need You.  I see that now.  I invite you today to be my Lord and Savior.  Lord, I’ve tried to find my own way, and I haven’t been able to.  I ask You to forgive me, Lord.  I ask You to cleanse me of all unrighteousness in my life, and to come be the Lord and Savior of my life today.  AMEN.

If you just prayed that prayer, we would like to hear from you.  This is a BIG day in your life, and we want to celebrate with you!  Please email us a GCH_Decaf@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.   May God richly bless you!!

 

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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 11 / Day 3 – Be Prepared to Wait on God

December 12, 2012 by
Today’s blog post is brought to you by Jordan Spring.
My jaw dropped when I saw that this is my topic for the week… The Lord KNEW that I was the one who needed to write about waiting on Him! I say that because I have been in a season over the last two-ish years, a season in which I have had to wait on Him.
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart. Wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14
I have known since I was 13 that I loved leading worship, but it wasn’t until I was 17 that I decided I wanted to go to ministry school to pursue it. I started researching ministry schools and Bible colleges that offered classes for worship leading. Meanwhile, my family started struggling with our finances. I found a Bible college in Texas that I was really interested in, but nothing seemed to work out for me to go there.
So I was back at square one, after spending what was supposed to be the first semester of my freshman year at home, asking the Lord where HE wanted me to be. I spent an entire day on my face, praying and reading the Word. I really felt peace in my heart that He was going to reveal to me where I was supposed to go.
The next day a friend of mine texted me and told me about this ministry school in Birmingham, Alabama. I immediately looked it up on the computer and requested more information. I got a phone call the next morning from a lady on staff and when I tell you I KNEW right then that I was supposed to be there, I am not lying. I had a PEACE and an EXCITEMENT in my heart that I had not felt about the other school. I found out about the school in February and made plans to go to school in August.
I made steps toward leaving home, but because of our financial situation, I was very limited to what I could do. I also needed a car, which I knew my parents could not afford. I continued to trust the Lord, and I trusted that He would send me to school when He knew it was the right time. July came around and I just knew that it was not possible for me to go to school the following month.  Thank goodness I listened to the Lord! He blessed me in the CRAZIEST ways for being obedient to Him.
During this semester there have definitely been times when I have wanted so desperately to be in school, learning more about my calling. But I trusted the Lord. And I would have never DREAMED that He would have GIVEN me a car through a precious friend!!! And that might have never happened if I had gone to school this past August.
I am still waiting on the Lord’s timing for me to go to school. I thought that all I needed was a car in order for me to get there, but the Lord has really revealed to me that I need Him to say, “okay, GO!” So I am waiting again this semester, not because I am lacking anything, but because I know that this is not when I am supposed to be there. And I know that when I do get there, it will have been SO worth the wait because it will have God’s BLESSING and His hand will be ALL over it!!
Pray with me~
Lord, thank You for loving us enough to keep us in “waiting room” seasons, because You know what is best for us. You know when we are not ready, and You open doors when we are. I pray we never stop trusting You just because we can’t see a way out of the waiting room. You are so good.
If you are interested in joining us in our GCH:decaf Teen Girls Ministry, please click the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage. Just follow the instructions on the form and hit submit. We’ll be happy to add you to one of our Online Bible Study Groups! Please email GCH_Decaf@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information.
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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 10 / Day 3: Continue to Grow

December 5, 2012 by
GodIsntFinishedWithMeYet
Today’s blog is brought to you by Jordan Spring!
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I was saved when I was 5 years old. FIVE. And to be honest, I don’t remember much about that day- other than what my mom has told me. From five years on, I had a real relationship with God. I trusted Him to provide my every need. I drew near to Him in the difficult days. I knew He was who He says He is.
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I continued to grow in my understanding of what it meant to be a believer, and as I grew in that, my relationship with Him grew. There were times when my relationship with Him felt dry and stagnant. Each time I was in that place, I would ask the Lord how to grow or what was standing in between us, and He would always reveal it to me. Sometimes the thing that stood between us was a person, a hobby, or a lie I had believed. Sometimes I found those things painful to let go of, but it is ALWAYS so much better to grow in my relationship with the Lord than to hold onto something that is harmful to it.
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“He who began a good work in you will be faithful to carry it on to completion.” Phil. 1:6 ~He is continuing the work He began in us by showing us the areas in which we need to grow!
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I have grown SO much over the past few years. The Lord has allowed me to experience circumstances where my need for Him was so great that I couldn’t even face the day without clinging with all of my strength to Him. I don’t EVER want to be in a place where I feel that there is no need for Him. Even when we discover what our purpose is, we need HIM to give us the strength to walk it out. Even when things look like they’re exactly how we want them, we should be praising Him and thanking Him. We need Him, in those times, to remind us not to set the good things above Him in our hearts. My prayer is that I would never stop learning. My prayer is that I would never stop falling in love with Him.
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Lord, thank You for wanting a relationship with us! And thank You for loving us enough to tell us when we need to lay things down. I pray that we would never stop growing. Lord, continue to teach us more about You and more about who You have created us to be. Amen.
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God’s Blessings,
Jordan
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For the A Daughter’s Worth Online Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button located at the top of our webpage.

If you are interested in joining us in our GCH: decaf Teen Girls Ministry, please click the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage. Just follow the instructions on the form and hit submit. We’ll be happy to add you to one of our Online Bible Study Groups! Please emailGCH_Decaf@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information.

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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 8 / Day 3 – You Can Go Too Far

November 21, 2012 by

I don’t think I could even begin to count how many times I have heard the question, “How far is too far?” And if I never have to hear that question again, it’ll be too soon. With that being said, that question has come out of my mouth. I have such a problem with this question because it is basically asking how much we can get away with. And how many times have we asked or heard someone say, “…well, the Bible only says that sex itself is wrong before marriage… It doesn’t say anything about the other stuff.” WRONG-O. Ephesians 5:3 says that the Lord wants there to be “not even a HINT of sexual immorality” in our lives.

I will be the first to admit that I did not value or protect my purity when I was in my teens. Did I have sex? No. Did I make allowances for the “other stuff”? Yes. I am being honest with you girls because I do not want you to be deceived like I was! I do not want you to think, “Well, it isn’t sex so it’s okay.” This is SO not true! It is NOT okay. Here’s why… When you start to bring the physical stuff into a relationship outside of marriage it BLINDS you and prevents you from seeing the reality of your relationship. That means that you can’t even tell if you really even like this guy! Another reason it’s not okay- The world tells you that only sex forms an attachment to a man. I can tell you first hand, that is false. You also, at some point, deal with shame and guilt.

If you’re like me and have had that “How did I get here?” moment, you know how disappointed you were. Disappointed in the boy for not stepping up and protecting your purity, but more often than not, you’re disappointed in yourself. The enemy LOVES when we have messed up and are grieving over our sin. He loves to come in and make us feel so much worse. Conviction and guilt are NOT the same thing. Conviction is from the Lord. When you are convicted about sexual purity, you know that God’s Word says to stay away from sexual immorality. And if you have taken part in sexual activity, you can repent, turn away from that sin, and run to the Lord. Guilt, on the other hand, makes you hyper-aware of your sin. You sit and you wallow in self-hatred for hours on end. And forgiving yourself? Ha! Yeah right. That never happens when we allow the enemy to make us feel guilty.

So where do we go from here if we have messed up? Or how do we prevent that from ever happening? We trust that God knows what’s best for us. He knows that it is not good for our hearts for us to take part in sexual activity outside of marriage. He knows that it will only end in heartbreak. If you’re currently having sex outside of marriage, please, please, please stop. Your Father in Heaven is not One to make rules to make us miserable. The guidelines He puts in place are to protect us, because He loves us, and He wants our future marriages to be AMAZING!! Girls, you HAVE to be intentional about setting boundaries in your dating relationships. Here are my new boundaries~ I am not going to kiss another guy until the day of my wedding. I can hear your gasps all the way from over here. I just know that I do not want the enemy to have ANY stronghold over my life, and I am not about to give him any opportunity. Set your boundaries TODAY, BEFORE you get in a relationship. Write them down. Tell them to the Lord. Tell them to a friend to hold you accountable. If a boy is pressuring you to do anything physical, I HIGHLY encourage you to get out of that relationship. You deserve to date guys who HONOR your boundaries and who have made decisions and set boundaries themselves.

Let’s pray~

Lord, Thank You for setting boundaries for us! We know that those boundaries are to protect us from heartbreak. Lord, set girls FREE who are reading this- free from sexual sin, free from the lies of the enemy! Give these girls the strength to make boundaries and stick to them. Give them armor around their hearts, that they would be guarded from any deception. Thank You for Your grace when we mess up. Thank You for freedom from sin! We praise You, Lord, for the GIFT of sex… A precious thing that is a gift if kept within the context of marriage. Give us discernment to know what is right and wrong, and give us discernment to know WHO is right and wrong for us. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

~Jordan

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For the A Daughter’s Worth Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

If you are interested in joining us in our GCH:decaf Teen Girls Ministry, please click the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage. Just follow the instructions on the form and hit submit. We’ll be happy to add you to one of our Online Bible Study Groups! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information

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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 7 / Day 3 – Parents Make Mistakes

November 14, 2012 by

“For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. Yep, this means our parents, too. Most of you teens are still at the age where your parents provide clothes, food, a house, etc. for you. This is part of their calling, but I think we place them on a pedestal because of it.

 

We have to remember that they are human, too. They were once children, dependent on their parents. This means that they may forget some things. It means they may not always react to your behavior in a kind way. It means you will not always see eye to eye. Parents make mistakes. You make mistakes, too.

 

How would it make you feel if your parents didn’t forgive you after you messed up? Your parents probably feel the same way when you don’t forgive them. Showing them grace, understanding that they are human, honoring their decisions will change your relationship with them.

 

Let’s pray-

Lord, thank You for our parents! Forgive us, Lord, when we do not show them the grace You have shown us. Remind us that they are human. Remind us that they are becoming more like You every day. Give us a pure heart that loves them unconditionally. Amen

 

~Jordan

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For the A Daughter’s Worth Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

If you are interested in joining us in our GCH:decaf Teen Girls Ministry, please click the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage. Just follow the instructions on the form and hit submit. We’ll be happy to add you to one of our Online Bible Study Groups! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information

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A Daughter’s Worth Week 6/ Day 3: A Good Friend Supports You

November 7, 2012 by


Supportive and encouraging are definitely how I would describe my friends. The day before my senior year of high school, I decided to be homeschooled. I just knew in my spirit that I was not supposed to go back to school. Of course my friends asked questions. They wanted to know why, which is totally expected. But the majority of them were so supportive and trusted me to know what was best for me. They knew I had a relationship with God, and they knew that I was making a wise decision for myself. As for the ones who weren’t supportive, I didn’t immediately shut them out or end our friendships, but over time, those friendships ended for various reasons.
We all have a specific calling, a specific purpose placed on our lives by God. If we are walking with Him, we should be taking steps in the direction of our destiny, asking Him where we should step.
Throughout this journey, we WILL need people to encourage us to pursue the dreams in our hearts. Proverbs 17:17 says “A friend loves at all times…” Part of loving someone is supporting them. All of our paths look different. Your friend may make a decision that you don’t necessarily agree with in regards to their future, but it is important that you support them. If you know that your friend has a relationship with Jesus and asks Him before he/she makes a decision, you should trust that they know what they’re about to do.
We will experience trials and struggle throughout our lives. If we are doing Kingdom work, the enemy will not like it and he will try to come against you. Yes, in those times, you must pray. But I believe the Lord wants us to have people in our lives who will pray with us and who will rebuke satan with us!
Lets pray-

Dear Lord, thank You for giving us such a perfect example of how to be a friend. You are a friend to us. I pray that we would give us discernment in our friendships, that we would know who we can trust and who will love us unconditionally. I pray that we would be supportive and encouraging to our friends, showing them You in every encounter we have with them. In Jesus’ name. Amen

~Jordan

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For the A Daughter’s Worth Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

If you are interested in joining us in our GCH:decaf Teen Girls Ministry, please click the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage. Just follow the instructions on the form and hit submit. We’ll be happy to add you to one of our Online Bible Study Groups! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information

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A Daughter’s Worth Week 5/ Day 3: God Helps You Squash Jealousy

October 31, 2012 by

 

Jealousy is a really dangerous thing. God knew it was so dangerous that He included it in the Ten Commandments! Sadly, I think this is one of the most commonly broken commandments.

Jealousy is always a result of an ungrateful heart. When we are not thankful for what we have, who we are, what we can do, we begin to compare ourselves to others and wish to have what they have, be who they are, and do what they do.

In order to be thankful, you have to make the decision to recognize what the Lord has done in your life. He gave Jesus, His only Son for you! He loves you and wants a relationship with you. Remembering that and knowing the weight of that will make you thankful, for sure!

Some think jealousy is harmless. The problem with jealousy is that we are not only hoping to gain something, but we are hoping to take something from someone else. If you struggle with jealousy, I would encourage you to ask Jesus to change your heart toward the people you are jealous of. Ask Him to help you LOVE them, really love them. Mark 12:31- “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

I would also encourage you to start a list today of things you are thankful for. It can be anything from warm coffee to pink roses to flannel pajama pants, etc. Make an effort to see the good in life. Make the effort to thank Jesus for every good thing. “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” James 1:7

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord, help me to be content and have joy for all the things you have so generously given to me. When I am struggling with wanting what I don’t have, Father, help me gain perspective and change my heart. I want to live every day with a grateful heart. Help me, Lord, because I know I can’t do it without You! I love you and  I thank you for this provision. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen <3
~Jordan

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For the A Daughter’s Worth Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

If you are interested in joining us in our GCH:decaf Teen Girls Ministry, please click the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage. Just follow the instructions on the form and hit submit. We’ll be happy to add you to one of our Online Bible Study Groups! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information

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