It Was a Night for the Girls—And the Holy Spirit Showed Up

What started as a night of charm bracelets, Shirley Temples, and girl dinner quickly turned into something sacred—an encounter with the God who delights in His daughters. As 6th-12th grade girls showed up Sunday night for the CF Student Ministry Girl's Night event, they expected to have a fun evening filled with pizza, nail painting, charm bracelets, and a bounce house but the evening was much more than fun. The girls left with a deeper understanding of this truth: "The Lord doesn’t just love you—He delights in you."

The theme for the evening was Hephzibah, a name taken from Isaiah 62 which means “my delight is in her.” Andrea Martinez, Girls Minister at Champion Forest, said the team prayerfully landed on the theme before even choosing a speaker. When they invited Lacy Abercrombie to speak and told her about the topic, they were surprised when she said, “You’re not going to believe this—I have Hephzibah tattooed on my arm.” The name and passage are a big part of her testimony.

Lacy’s message was powerful, personal, and funny. She captured the girls’ attention and helped them see that their identity is not found in relationships, beauty, or performance—but in Christ.

During worship, girls responded with confession—honest, vulnerable confession. They brought their struggles into the light:

• Depression
• Suicidal thoughts
• Body image issues
• Pornography and lust
• Feeling like they aren’t enough

“They needed space to confess, and they did,” Andrea said. “Girls left encouraged by the truth that the Lord delights in them and that’s everything we hoped for. Many gave their lives to Christ for the first time. Others experienced freedom from sin, shame, and fear.”

It was a powerful night.

One of the most beautiful aspects of the night was the presence of women from every generation. There were older women praying over students, teenage girls encouraging each other, and a shared “girl dinner” of pizza and cake enjoyed picnic-style on blankets spread across the floor and the generations.

“There was no hierarchy,” Andrea said. “We were just girls who worshipped, broke bread, and prayed together. The older women stepped up to serve and invest in the next generation.”

When I asked Andrea to share a few "wins" from the evening, she had a hard time naming only a few, but shared these standouts:

Girls were reminded of the truth. They saw the lies they believe exposed against the backdrop of Scripture and were reminded they are not alone. “The things these girls are searching for—they already are: loved, cherished, delighted in.”

Girls stepped into new life. Some gave their lives to Jesus. Others began walking in freedom for the first time.

They saw what it looks like to be the Church. They prayed together, worshipped together, and confessed together—across generations.

A Challenge for All Women

If you're a woman reading this and wondering how to get involved, Andrea has a challenge for you: “You have a voice, and your story matters. God doesn’t just want older women to warn younger women—He invites them to walk with them. It’s not "don't do this" or “don’t do that” but “let’s do life together.” She also offered a few practical ways to get involved:

1. Say hello

Start small. Say hi to a student in the hallway. Ask a friend’s daughter how school is going. Then follow up.

2. Volunteer

Serve at an event. Help lead a small group. Just show up.

3. Disciple

Reach out to the student team about discipling a female student through a student version of Next Steps, a discipleship guide designed by Champion Forest to help you dig into God’s Word together.

This Night Was Just the Beginning

Girls Night was a joyful, sacred, life-changing night—but it was never meant to stand alone. It was only a glimpse of what God wants to build here at Champion Forest: a church where women of all ages pour into one another, walking together in truth, grace, and delight.

“The Lord delights in you,” Andrea said. “And He wants you to share that delight with someone else.”

So—who is God asking you to invest in?