Wildflowers Book Review: 'This is Girls Ministry' by Amanda Mejias

'This is Girls Ministry' by Amanda Mejias explores the importance of relational ministry to effectively engage with and empower girls. This book is intended to provide practical advice to professionals and volunteers. The author utilises a conversational writing style and shares anecdotes from her experiences working full-time in student ministry. Wildflowers Youth gifted a copy of 'This is Girls Ministry' to the amazing team at Inspiring Hope last year.

"Teen girls need to hear the truth, but they also need to watch how other Jesus followers live faithfully and love others well. They need safe places to be vulnerable and wrestle with hard questions. They need to know that you don't just want to preach at them or "change them", but that you love them unconditionally and truly want them to know and experience God's love. You can give one-hundred lectures or teach the best sermons of your life, but if you miss the relational aspect of discipleship, you will not reach the teen girls in your life". (Page 11).

Amanda Mejias discusses strategies for building genuine connections with girls over time. Amanda Mejias espouses creating space for conversations, laughter and sitting down to eat together. The author advises listening to how girls are feeling, encouraging open questions and discussion, and developing activities for the specific girls involved.

Amanda Mejias advocates for respecting girls as individuals with their own special interests, skills and experiences. The author also recommends that professionals and volunteers role-model kindness, humility and responsibility in their actions.

The author works with teen girls and their parents at Lifeway. Amanda Mejias has also co-written another book with Corinne Allen titled 'This is Friendship: God's Very Good Gift of Community' which is a Bible study for girls.

You can order your own copy of 'This is Girls Ministry' from Lifeway here. This site also provides a training guide, conversation cards, promotional material and a sample chapter - for free!