I cringe when I hear her stories.  Mama bear wants to come out and take action.  I want to protect this precious heart and tell her she is beautiful and adored.  I want her to know she is the daughter of King, she has the power of the Holy Spirit, and she has been knit together with gifts and talents to be used for God’s glory.  She is valuable and priceless.

As I tucked my daughter in tonight, she shared with me what she is feeling about her Monday.  She is at an age where some girls are marking territory while others are wrapping themselves in insecurity.  It is an age where girls won’t make a move unless their friends are in agreement.  They need approval, and when they don’t sense approval, they move into insecurity.  It’s an age where a young girl is trying to define herself and is frequently misunderstood.  They look for trusted friends….and  feel betrayed.

Trust and betrayal: Grace is learning what these words mean.  It’s a difficult lesson that we all have experienced.

Grace and I have been talking about what a true friend look like.  Every middle school girl has her flaws, just like the rest of us, but deep in the heart of a girl, there is a character. Our character is not what is on the surface.  Our character is what is underneath.

She will trust someone’s words only to find out later they were not true.  I will ask her “Should you continue to trust this person?”

She reveals her heart and will learn she has been betrayed by gossip. I will ask, “Should you continue to tell them your secrets?”

They will see her flaws.  Will they help her with them or hurt her with them?

As we talked tonight, I sensed she would be ok.  She has some good friends in school  but she is dealing with an environment where the ways of the world can take its toll on the heart of an 8^th grader.  Also, one of her best friends is moving; a wonderful trusted friend who shares her faith.   These are difficult things to deal with.

So tonight I pray for her.

Lord, take care of my Gracie.  I trust you with her.  I trust you will surround her with the right people.  Give her wisdom and discernment.  Help her make good decisions.  Heal her heart when it is broken.  Protect her heart from those who are wicked.  Help her know how valuable she is to you.  Help her see you daily.  Give her the boldness she needs to walk this path.

And when she does feel lonely, let her know you stand with her, beside her, faithful forever.  Thank you God for my sweet Grace.  Amen