Fight For A Girl seeks to empower women globally to rise up into the calling of freedom on their lives. Our heart is to equip women to rise - both for themselves and also for the women around them. This is why Fight For A Girl is excited to be able to offer a grant for a single mom to attend The Crossing College and receive an Associates Degree in Church Leadership and Ministry*.

Fight For A Girl is looking for a single mom grant recipient who is able to attend The Crossing College for the 2017-2018 academic year, and who will use this opportunity and education to better herself, to better the world around her, and to encourage and equip the women around her to rise up into their own callings of freedom on their lives.

For more information, and to apply for the Fight For A Girl Grant, click here. 

Also, take a look at this video from last year's grant recipient, Melissa Dodge! 

*The FFG Grant covers tuition for the 2017-2018 academic year. The recipient is responsible for additional fees & books/ materials. 

You know what money is? 
It's a tool. 
It's a tool that can be used for good, or it can be used for evil.
I can use my money to buy good coffee to drink while I study my Bible in the morning.
I could use my money to fund a local drug dealer's enterprise.
Money itself is not good or evil. It's what we do with it that matters.

A. Satan wants to use our money for evil.
He want to keep us in debt and nervous about never having enough.
He wants us to argue with our spouse and live in fear about not being able to provide for our kids.
He wants our entire mentality about money to be centered around anything but using it for good.

B. God has the resources of the universe in His hands.
He is our Dad.
He wants to see us live in abundance and peace about our financial supply.
He wants to provide for our families and be unified in our marriages.
He wants our entire mentality about money to be centered around Him using it for good.

BUT. HOW?
How do we get from point A to point B?

Lisa Snyder, #FightForAGirl board member, author of Simple Generosity, and wise, faith-filled financial manager, is teaching a class for the next few weeks. It's called Grace-Based Budgeting, and she will give you inspiration, education, and homework to get victory in your finances.

I believe in Lisa and her message and her skills and her heart for you to live in abundance. Go take the class & watch your life change.

Click HERE for details.

--Kelly 

#FightForAGirl began with our effort to support anti-child-sex-trafficking efforts in Thailand. Our missionary family is Samm and Angie Platt. Angie is here right now, speaking about their ministry and raising money for their family to live, work, and school in Thailand for another year. Please go to this event to support them. You can get tickets through their website, www.andGodsaidGo.com. #FightForAGirl is one of the event sponsors. 

Have you ever planned a party and not known how many people would show up? Well that's where Angie is right now, so PLEASE GET YOUR TICKETS AHEAD OF TIME. LIKE NOW. Your heart might be planning to go, but she won't know until you act on it. :)

See you soon!

The process of learning to fight for... anything, really... is an interesting one. It begins with an idea that something could be worth fighting for, and then transforms from an "I could" to an "I should" until finally the compulsion bearing the words "I must..." begins to overwhelm our souls. 

It's a deeply painful and highly alienating process. Painful because God uses this process to carve a deep care and compassion into the depths of our hearts, and alienating because we often walk this journey alone. The thing that suddenly starts a fire in me doesn't necessarily start the same fire in the people around me, and our personal convictions are so strong that it becomes easier to fight with the people around us rather than fighting for the thing that's actually on our hearts. After all, it's easier to distance ourselves from people of differing opinions than it is to let our guards down and potentially have our hearts ignored. 

Over the last few years, I've walked through this process. I have a deep care about helping people understand money and generosity from God's perspective, because I wholeheartedly believe that if we truly trusted God with what He's given us, this world would look so much different. Instead, our finances are a battlefield in which we try our best to outmaneuver our debt and our fears. My heart aches for people living in their invisible bondage trapped from making the impact they could be making. The debt that bought them their lives has now stifled their hearts to the point where they've moved from caring deeply to survival instincts. Our God is abundant in every area, and yet so often His people don't reflect His true abundance. 

I began to care deeply for people struggling in many different aspects as God carved out a piece of my heart, and the process was painful. As people around me cared but not to the same extent, it became hard to explain what I was feeling and what I was going through. Every piece of me wanted to throw elbows to make space for my heart, but my brain knew that the fire I was feeling was a passion that hadn't yet matured. A fire can burn fast and hot, but to become beneficial to the world, it must become more subtle, much stronger, and very controlled. Throwing elbows makes short-term space. Developing a fire creates the potential for intentional change. 

I prayed and spoke, taught and wrote. I developed what I wanted to do "out there" but, more importantly, God developed my heart in the recesses of my bedroom on my knees while studying the Bible. You cannot understand the passion in your heart until you are willing to study God's heart. It's often easy to think that finding our passion means setting everything else down until we totally understand it within our own context. The reality, though, is that to really find our passion (and the purpose that goes along with that) means digging deep into what God is passionate about and letting Him be the One to tell you exactly what He created each of us for. 

Rather than throwing elbows, it's keeping your head bowed in prayer. 
Rather than telling people who you are, it's asking God who He made you to be. 
Rather than fighting for yourself out of fear that you won't be heard, it's about quietly whispering to the women around you who you can trust and allowing them to privilege of fighting for you in prayer. 
Rather than burning fast and burning out, it's cultivating diligence and patience as God brings you into your future and brings your future to you. 

I used to think that fighting for yourself meant standing your ground, speaking your mind, and being confident enough to do what you need to do. On this side of it, though, I understand fighting for yourself as learning to humbly walk the road of a developing purpose and passion, and being secure enough to let trusted women in to see your insecurities. 

With this, I have space to create and time to do. I also have patience for God's timing, endurance for small beginnings, and a group of women who will fight for me and with me whether or not I succeed or utterly fail. 

So my thought for you is this: While you may be asking God to develop a specific area of your life, be open to God developing a seemingly unrelated area. He knows what's coming and what you need, and the area He's asking you to work on right is probably the exact one you need in the future. I encourage you to let God be God in your life.

Stay connected. Stay engaged. And watch what God does to your heart as you focus on understanding His. 

xoxo, 
Lisa & the Fight For A Girl Team 

The Syrian Refugee Crisis is one the worst humanitarian disasters of this generation. Like you, I have seen horrifying news stories and social media posts and wondered, "What can I do to help?" Thankfully, CNN has compiled this list so we can give to charities providing food, shelter, and medical care to the thousands who deperately need it.

Today, I urge you to RESPOND to what you're seeing. 
Don't ignore it.
Don't push it away.
Don't turn a blind eye.
You CAN do something.

PRAY. Pray like you would for your very own family members. 

And GIVE. What has God already given you to share with someone else? Do it.

xoxo,
Tracy and the Fight For A Girl Team

If you know me at all, you might be able to guess that I think #GivingTuesday is pretty awesome. A day dedicated to generosity? Deal. 

Something weird happened this morning, though. As I scrolled through my Instagram feed and my email inbox, I had to fight an urge to feel like I wasn't caring enough - that not caring equally about every single issue and not wanting to support every single organization was somehow a reflection of a heart that is incapable of feeling. 

Now that might sound ridiculous as you're reading it in your head (believe me, I'm writing it and can't believe I'm going to post it), but here's my guess: I'm guessing that at some point in your life you've fallen into a similar vein of thinking. Either thinking that your gift just can't make a difference, that you don't care enough, or that you don't know what to care about. So today, I just want to encourage you through these thoughts, and remind you that God has something He has put within each of us to fight for. Whether it's your neighbor or a stranger on the other side of the world, we get to partner with Him as we choose to lean into the discomfort of a battle worth fighting. 

(Now I do feel the need to say that I always think the best organization to give to first is the local church. With that, I do believe that God puts specific issues on our hearts, and other issue-oriented non-profits can be a great option for additional giving. Ok, back to what I was saying...) 

"My gift can't make a difference..."
Your gift might feel small to you, but combined with every other person thinking the same thought, your gift can make a huge impact. And secondly, so what if it is small? Non-profits function on taking something small and doing something big. Find a non-profit that's doing the thing you want to see changed and enjoy the process and potential of giving! 

"I just don't care as much as other people..."
That might actually be true BUT those people didn't naturally care. Let's be clear: maybe something struck a chord in their hearts, but it was in choosing to lean into the discomfort of an issue that they learned to really care. If you know what you care about, look into a few different organizations. See different routes that they are taking and read the stories of how they got started. I bet your care will increase as you signal to your mind that you find value in knowing about a particular issue and giving money to fixing it. Then, keep leaning in over the next few weeks and months. Read articles, books, and blogs. Learn what you can and allow your heart time to grow in care. 

"I just don't know what to care about..."
The only way to figure this out is to figure this out (ha!). Seriously though, here is my recommendation for this: 
- Read through the following list (not exhaustive of the things we - the FFG board - care about, but my goal is to show you some issues and some of the reasons why we care about them)
- Pick the one that stirs your heart the most (even if it's just a little little little)
- Visit the website and learn a little more 
- GIVE something (it signals your mind and heart that this is something you value) 
- Commit to learning more and praying for about what it is God has put in your heart to fight for, and read ​Holy Discontent by Bill Hybels 

The List (of causes and organizations we care about): 
The Apparent Project - Keeping families together in Haiti while providing jobs, health insurance, and daycare. They are helping women thrive in a broken environment. 
Kiva - Providing micro-financing (loans) to people who wouldn't otherwise get them. Help women start business, get an education, and provide for their families. Money is paid back as their businesses grow, and can be re-lent to additional people. Also, donate to Kiva as a whole to keep the process going, and donate today for an additional bonus. 
Clean water - World Vision and The Water Project both offer ways to provide clean and safe water to communities in need. Care about kids having clean water to drink? Read more about the need around the world! 
Partner to end Sex Trafficking through Destiny Rescue and SheRescue. Donate generally, sponsor a rescue home, or provide medical care for girls who have been rescued from a life of forced prostitution. 
Support the Platts - Maybe your heart is less about the issue and more about supporting individuals and families who are on the front lines. Read this blog, follow this family from Minnesota, and help them through financial care and support. 

My hope and prayer is that today you would consider entering the battle. Specifically, I encourage you to GIVE and to open your heart to the joy of supporting change and the potential pain found in caring deeply. I encourage to you to take the step of bravery by entering the fight and choosing a side. I cannot promise that the journey will be easy, but I do whole-heartedly believe that the journey will be worth it. 

xoxo, 
Lisa & the Fight For A Girl team 

Her life is perfect.
That girl and her...
spouse
job
body
house
kids
car
family
hair
bone structure 
social life
...I could never be as great as her.
As popular. As happy. As loved.

This is a myth.

Today, as you're looking in the mirror, walking through the grocery store, sitting at your desk, parenting your kids, interacting with your friends, scrolling through your feed...
I want you to know this:

"It's God's own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference WHO you are or WHERE you're from - if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open..." 
​Acts 10:34-35 (The Message Bible - emphasis mine)

God plays no favorites.
He looks at each one of the girls He has created, and He smiles.
He wants to bless her.
He wants to be good to her.
He thinks she is beautiful. 
He has a great future for her. 
He wants her to walk in confidence and victory.

YOU ARE HER.
His daughter. His perfect, favorite, beloved, beautiful girl.
And the door is open for you, too.
​For your dreams. For your hopes. For your desires.
Embrace this. Own it.  Begin to believe it.  

Don't look at "that girl" and her life and decide you can't measure up. 
Give yourself a break.
Treat yourself fairly.
Give yourself grace.
Love yourself. 
Dearest sister, fight for the girl in you today.
​
xoxo,
​Tracy & the Fight For A Girl team 

Our #FightNight that was scheduled for Thursday, November 3 has been canceled. Pastor Kelly has been spending some time in the hospital with a herniated disk in her back (read her blog post about it here) and will be unable to attend. Check out her Instagram for updates, and please fight with us by joining us in prayer for healing!!

New fight gear (hoodies, water cups, hats, and more!) will be available this weekend at every campus of The Crossing Church.

Pastor Kelly and the #FightForAGirl Team would like to invite you to our first ever Fight Night on Thursday, November 3 at 7 pm at The Crossing Church Elk River Campus. 

​Join us for a conversation about being OK with not being OK.
Hey listen - we know life can be tough sometimes because, well, we're living it, too. We want to help you find a group of girls who will fight alongside you as you battle your way through the real challenges of life. Our heart is to help you find your authentic self and learn to embrace her. 

This women’s event is free, but you can bring some cash to enjoy some mocktails, get yourself some new fight gear, and do a little Christmas shopping. (Sorry, no childcare provided.)

If you haven't heard of Jen Hatmaker, she's pretty awesome. Today she launched a new line in which she partnered with Glory Haus to create beautiful jewelry (as well as a few other items) that are made by women in the US who have come from vulnerable situations. And here's why I'm excited about it. Jen has a platform, and she has chosen to use what she has to raise awareness and create jobs that allow women to rise out of their situations.

My hope for you is that as you begin to realize the platform you have and the resources that are yours to use, that your focus would be on raising up the women around you - whether they be mothers or daughters, or neighbors or strangers.

Now, I don't know what you're thinking, but I know what I used to think when I would read something like that. Literally, my thoughts would be "But I don't have... (that size of platform, that amount of money, that... you get it)." But here's what's cool. Luke 16:10 says “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities." Now the thing that I want to focus on is this: The way we act with whatever we have in our hand today will be how we would act if that amount was multiplied. That's huge. 

It's when our platform is small that we build our character for when it's large. It's when our finances are small that we build our habits for when they're big. It's the decisions that we make when we aren't sure if they'll make a difference that help set us up to make good decisions when we know they'll make a difference. 

So today, what decisions can you make in faith that will set you up for the type of person you want to be in the future? And for a little inspiration, take a look at this video from Jen Hatmaker's partnership with Glory Haus: 

And here's a link if you want to purchase some of these pieces! (CLICK HERE)

xoxo,
​Lisa & the Fight For A Girl team