Girls of Grace

The most influential and critical season in life can be traced back to the teenage years, particularly in finding ones identity. Resting in a solid relationship with Christ is the foundation teens need to deal with the life-changing obstacles that they face every day. Growing up as a teen in this day and age isn’t easy, and the women of Point of Grace have a desire to give teenage girls a renewed sense of confidence, a refreshed spirit, and to see who they are by God’s design.

Enter in the Girls of Grace Conferences (www.girlsofgrace.com), an exciting one-day event for teenage girls focusing on common age-related issues with a positive Christian message. Founded by Point of Grace, the Girls of Grace Conferences began in 2002 out of a desire to bring teenage girls together, talk about the issues that affect them, and share that a relationship with Christ is the only true source of peace and assurance.

"After years of doing concerts and speaking to so many young girls after our shows, God started stirring in us a desire to do something more," shares Point of Grace’s Shelley Breen. "Every night at the autograph table, young teen girls would inevitably pull one of us aside and begin asking for advice on a particular issue she was facing or for prayer on that issue. The things we heard (and still hear) are problems that all of us girls, no matter how old we now are, have struggled with at one time or another in our lives: low self esteem, feeling like we don't belong, dating, sex, 'how far is too far,' my mom and I don't get along, eating disorders, and the list goes on.

"We wanted to do a conference for teenage girls that would address many of these topics as well as how to deal with them in a God-focused way. We wanted it to happen in a safe environment, where they could be encouraged, challenged, and also have a really good time in the process." Breen, along with fellow members, Denise Jones and Leigh Cappillino, hope that girls walk away from the conference knowing who they are in Christ and that they don’t have to walk through theses difficult issues alone.

“At times girls feel like they are the only ones who struggle with certain issues,” says Jones. “With a Girls of Grace Conference it gives them the opportunity to come together in a large group and realize that we all have our own struggles, and yet, we are in this together.” This year the conference is a Saturday only event. “We feel like this will allow girls to travel farther, allow youth groups, school friends, or Mom's and daughters to plan things around the event to build and develop relationships,” said Jones. “We also realize that life is busy and maybe this will help give more girls the opportunity to come.”

The cities that Girls of Grace will be visiting are: Murfreesboro, TN on February 19th; Greensboro, NC on March 5th; Allen, TX on April 9th; and Eden Prairie, MN on September 17th.

Another exciting development with Girls of Grace is that after a short hiatus, the conferences were re-launched in 2011 by WORD Entertainment and 25 Live in partnership with OneVerse. The companies involved saw the vast impact that the Girls of Grace Conferences made and felt called to re-launch this unique event.

“We consider it an honor to be working along side Point of Grace to not only continue the ministry that they started but to ensure that these events happen on a more frequent basis,” says David Breen, VP of Touring and Live Events for 25 Live. “Over the years, we have continued to receive phone calls, emails and letters from teen girls, mothers and youth pastors nationwide saying that they need this event for their girls and to please bring it to their communities. Our plan is to have 12-15 state-wide events each year in regions that touch each part of the country.”

While the specific messages vary from year to year, the Girls of Grace Conferences cover timely topics for teenage girls, like being content with who God made us to be, the importance of mentorship, sex, good choices, social networking, finding a healthy balance and eating disorders as well as cooking and fashion segments.

On board to cover this list of important topics is a distinguished line-up of guest speakers which include: Constance Rhodes, Founder of FindingBalance.com, who will talk about health and body image; Chris Wheeler, Program Director for Fellowship Student Outreach at Fellowship Bible Church in Brentwood, TN, will discuss healthy relationships; Amber Lehman, a renowned wardrobe stylist, will share fashion tips and coordinate a fashion show made up of girls from the audience, and Point of Grace will also share insight regarding love and relationships.

Rounding out the overall experience of a Girls of Grace Conference is an amazing concert by some of the biggest names in Christian music: Point of Grace, Jason Castro, Satellites and Sirens, Dara Maclean, and Meredith Andrews.

Even though the topics of a Girls of Grace Conference focus on teenage girls, the Mother's who attend also walk away with just as much as their daughter’s.

What we hear most from Mom's are 'I really think I got just as much out of this conference as my daughter did' and ‘what a bonding experience the day was for both of them.’

"That is a real compliment,” shares Breen. “But I think it speaks more to the fact that no matter how old we are, females in general deal with a lot of the same issues their entire lives. So, it never hurts to brush up.”

“We want to come alongside the youth ministers, parents, and pastors to reinforce those ideas that they are trying to instill in these young girls every single day,” says Breen. “I think it’s so hard in the day and age we live in to be a Godly teenage girl. And the only way you’re going to find real peace and comfort in your life is through a relationship with Christ and by using the Bible as your guideline for the choices that you make.”

Leigh Cappillino sums up the heart of the conference by saying, “The ultimate hope is that the girls take away an understanding and a knowledge of who Jesus Christ is as well as a relationship with Him.”