“We have a surprise for you!” our parents said with excitement.
I, along with my six siblings, slowly filed into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep away from our eyes. I was a teenager at this point and not excited about “early morning” surprises.
At this point in time my siblings consisted of 3 boys and 4 girls.
“Well…” my mom said with a smile, taking a quick glance at my dad. “We have a little surprise for you!”
My early morning brain tried to guess what it was.
A vacation? A french toast for breakfast? Nope. Not a clue.
“Well…” our mom continued. “In seven months, you’re going to have a brand NEW sibling!”
Our tired eyes grew big as we erupted in cheers. We loved our big family, and one more sibling sounded like a fabulous idea to us.
“Is it a boy or girl?!” my little sister, Ellissa, shouted out.
“Well, we decided it’s going to be a surprise!” Our dad said while grinning. “We won’t know until your mom has the baby!”
This news was met with half cheers and half “boos.”
The next seven months flew by and before we knew it the moment of truth had arrived. We gathered together in anticipation of the big news. If our mom had a boy, our family would be even – 4 girls and 4 boys. But…if our mom had a girl, our house would be an estrogen powerhouse!
“It’s…it’s…” our dad said holding us in suspense. “It’s…a…GIRL!”
Highfives and big smiles were exchanged by the sisters. “Girls rule!” Bethany said smiling.
When Suzanna tipped the scales that August morning, she tipped them hard. She’s the girliest girl of us all. If she could wear tulle skirts and sparking shoes every day, she’d be in heaven.
As the years went on, and Suzanna grew older, the five of us sisters grew really close to one another. Slowly but surely, we grew to be best friends. When one sister was sad, the other sisters comforted. When one sister accomplished something big, the rest of us celebrated. When one sister needed support, we were there for her.
Without even realizing, we had formed a “sisterhood” of love, support, encouragement, and accountability.
Growing up with a built-in sisterhood has taught me something really important about life. I realized that having a “sisterhood” is essential for every Christian girl.
Whether they’re your siblings or not, having a group of “sisters” is extremely important in the Christian life. I like to call this group your “go-to girls.” These go-to girls are the Christian “sisters” who are THERE for you. They’re also the girls that you’re there for as well.
When life is hard, tough, or easy…you’re there for one another. When you have to stand alone in a tough situation, they stand with you. When your faith is put to the test, they encourage you. When you’re struggling in a certain area, they offer accountability for you.
In our new book, Girl Defined: God’s Radical Design for Beauty, Femininity, and Identity we dedicated an entire chapter on the value and need for sisterhoods. But for now, here’s some quick reasons why I believe it’s so helpful.
3 Reasons Every Christian Girl Needs a Sisterhood
1. Support
Let’s face it. Life can be really hard. And when it is, your sisterhood will be there for you. Whether it’s prayer, an encouraging text, or a shoulder to cry on, your sisterhood will offer the support you need.
As a Christian girl, you’re going to be constantly swimming against the current of pop-culture. Your sisterhood will be right there, swimming with you.
2. Encouragement
Sometimes it’s just plain hard to do the right thing. Your sisterhood will be there to encourage you when you don’t feel like pressing on. They’ll be the girls reminding you of why it’s so important to honor Christ with your life.
And when you’re doing great, and one of your friends is struggling, you’ll be the girl to offer encouragement to her.
3. Accountability
Wanting to honor Christ with your thoughts, actions, and words is great, but without accountability, it’s easy to let things slip between the cracks. And that’s where your sisterhood comes in. These are the girls who are willing to ask you the tough questions. “How has your personal devotional life been lately?” “How are you doing in keeping your thought life pure?” What areas are you struggling in the most right now?”
Accountability is huge for the Christian walk. Surrounding yourself with strong Christian girls who are willing to ask you the tough questions is key.
And there you have it! 3 reasons YOU need a sisterhood.
Now I know what some of you are thinking. “Yeah, I’d love to have a sisterhood, but there aren’t any girls like that in my community!”
I’m glad you asked.
Start by doing this: Pray everyday and ask God to bring strong Christian friends into your life. Next, be open and willing to reach out to new friends. Whether it’s a long-distance friendship or someone who lives nearby, take the first step and initiate a friendship. Be intentional and express your desire to have a Christ-centered, mutually encouraging friendship.
Intentionally surrounding yourself with a small sisterhood is one of the key elements to standing strong in your Christian walk. I have experienced this first hand.
As Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
What can you do this week to intentionally start building a sisterhood?
For more details on how to build a strong sisterhood, grab a copy of our new book, and check out chapter 14.
I would also like to personally invite you to join our online sisterhood THIS summer! Girl Defined Ministries is hosting an 8 week LIVE online webinar study starting June 8th. Come be a part of an amazing online sisterhood of girls from around the world and learn more about God’s amazing design for your life! Click here for details.
Let’s chat below!
- Do you have a sisterhood in your life right now? If so, what does it look like for you?
- What additional benefits do you see in having a strong sisterhood?
