The WOGs of Smallgroup

This past year at CNU, I was blessed to lead a smallgroup through Campus Crusade for Christ (or CRU). I got involved with this amazing Christian ministry during my second semester of Freshman year. God has used Campus Crusade in so many ways to grow my faith and challenge me to take risks for the sake of magnifying His name, making less of me and more of Him. Within CRU I have formed some of my closest friendships at school. I love this ministry, love what God's doing through us on campus, and am SO excited to see how God continues to work in CRU these next 2 years of my college life.

As I said, this past year I led a smallgroup through CRU. My co-leader was Sarah Clementson, a Junior at CNU and an incredible WOG (Woman Of God). I hardly knew Sarah at ALL before we were placed to co-lead together, but her transparency and honesty made it so easy to get to know her -- and before long, I felt like we'd been friends for years. We met once a week (usually on Sunday afternoons) to plan for our Tuesday night smallgroup, and though we'd try to keep our planning time from running too long (since Sundays were usually busy homework days), we'd almost always spend an hour more together than the amount we'd planned for! It was worth it though. Those Sundays talking to Sarah -- getting to plan for Tuesday nights and then just share what's on our hearts, the struggles and joys we were facing that week, and challenging and encouraging one another -- fall into some of my greatest memories from Sophomore year. Sarah is so easy to talk to, so quick to point me to Scripture (that girl knows her Bible!), and never once made me feel judged for what I was telling her. She was an excellent smallgroup leader, always asking good questions within the group, being relatable and understandable, and dissecting Scripture in a way that causes everything to point back to Christ. I learned (and still learn) so much from Sarah, and I hope that even though we're no longer leading together that we can still find some time to chat every once in a while! I love you so much, Sarah, and praise God for the means of grace you've been to me this past year! :)

And Tuesday nights themselves? Ohh I don't know where to begin! In my meager 8 Merritt living room, 7-12 girls faithfully showed up every week to read from God's Word and talk about life (and eat ;)) and learn together about who Jesus is and how His Word influences our daily lives. Talk about highlight of my week! God blew me away every single week at smallgroup, no lie. I love the verse in Ephesians 3 that says, "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen!" When I think about smallgroup and all that God did within our group this past year, I am reminded of these verses from Ephesians, and how God did SO much more than Sarah and I had ever imagined. I feel so blessed that God gave me the opportunity to be a teeny tiny part of the girls' lives each week, and for letting me watch Him work, week in and week out. To each of you girls, I love you all so much. Thanks for teaching ME so much this year. Thanks for putting up with me and for letting me take your photos... Ya'll are babes! Such WOGs, such beautiful, humble, growing Women of God! 334 Selden Rd is always open next year to any of you who want to come eat some of my brownies! ;)

 

I looooove my co-leader!

During our last smallgroup of the year, we did a short little photoshoot...

Sarah (on the right) and her roommate Rachel (whom I always call RayRay)... these two crack me uppppp...

Kaitlyn and Sarah... such beauties :)

Chelsea, you are too stinkin cute... 

Beautiful Jen :) (Watch out... this girl trains little kids to be ninjas)

Hey RayRay? I love you...

Don't I have THE most gorgeous co-leader ever???

Into the house because the sun was going down and the bugs were getting bad...

"Quick! Uhh...everyone grab a household object!" (not sure what I was thinking, but hey! they're great models ;))

Lovelovelove these two (tiff and chels!)....

Emily, such a beeeeauuuty...

Same phones, hollaaa...

Quick story time! (Sarah, I'm sorry I can't resist telling it!) At one point during the night -- probably about 15 minutes into our discussion on the Scripture passage we were reading -- Sarah baaaasically fainted. She got dizzy, really hot, and just kinda leaned over on top of me (I was sitting next to her). After laying down and having the rest of us run around and get wet paper towels and fan her, she ended up being fine (honestly, it was more strange/funny than scary). It made for quite a story to tell of our unusually eventful last smallgroup!

 

Holding our "sick one," as we called her the rest of the night... ;)

Girls, I love you all more than this blog post can convey! I hope all your summers are going amazingly and you'll not be a stranger next year. Love you all and praying for you often! :)