Princess Power Training Kick-Off

Tonight was our first Princess Power Training meeting, where three groups of 6 mothers/8 daughters each became part of a sisterhood in Christ dedicated to teaching truth over six weeks, with a different theme each night: Be-YOU-ty, Honor, Kindness, Confidence, Courage, Radiance. I just had it on my heart (this IS my heart) to teach my daughter and other young girls some very important lessons, and when I shared the idea it took off--God put every detail in place, and it fell together with effortless ease (and a ton of help). God just surrounded PPT with capable women, provided the perfect space for us at Heartland (our church), and continues to delight us by showing us that this thing really does belong to Him.

Tonight's topic, the first of six, was on Be-YOU-ty.  The girls all had royal invitations placed upon their pillows this morning... (Manicures, pedicures, facials too... a night of Be-YOU-ty at the spa awaits you!)...

 ... and received their Princess Diaries, lovingly made by their mothers.

 (We met up last week and got crafty--this is my PPT small group.)

I put together a little PowerPoint presentation (thank goodness for my hubby, who hooked up all the technology for me, bless him).

We began with worship to a song called "No Matter What."  My dear friend Jennifer led music with me, and next week we'll have our friend Kristi leading dance.

I love that everyone sang along.

 Next, I introduced our guest speaker, Mikaela Carson.  As soon as I asked her to join us, she just had a big "yes!" on her heart.  And boy, was she ever phenomenal, articulate, be-you-tiful!  (And she must have loved these girls a lot, because SHE asked us if she could come back again May 1st!)

You should have seen the girls' faces when she walked through the door!

I asked Mikaela if she would talk on beauty and remove layers of tiara, earrings, big hair, heels, makeup... and ask the girls if she is still beautiful.  She kept asking, "So, now that I don't have my _____, does that change who I am?"  The message was powerful.  

 She even removed her gown, and it was great to see the girls really get the message that Mikaela was more than her accessories, and that her beauty was more than skin deep.

I think we moms were just as inspired as our daughters...

Talk about a tough act to follow.  Luckily, the PowerPoint had some pictures that caught the girls' attention.  Lots of before/afters of photo editing to show that the images that bombard us about beauty are fake and unattainable.

 Then I talked about God's idea of beauty, and how beautiful we are to our Father.

 Jade, one of the amazing small group leaders who made this whole thing happen and has been constantly contributing to the effort (the other, Katrina, is behind the camera--I love these ladies :o)

 Next we enjoyed the Pampered Princess Spa Experience as small groups.  The girls thought it was divine! The moms and daughters really bonded.

We began with "Mommy & Me Manicures."  In the girls' Princess Diary workbooks, we wrote down ten attributes that made them uniquely be-you-tiful.  Then we circled the first letter of each word, and painted it onto their nails. 

 I do this with Lorelei a lot and she loves it!

 Next came facials.  ALL the girls in our small group were game.  The other groups didn't have as much luck.  (The yogurt and oatmeal were really gooey--I get it.)

We had some warm washcloths in the crockpot to wipe their faces. Lorelei exclaimed, "Mommy, feel how soft my skin is!"

 Next we played the "Pass the Pedicure" game, in which each girl brought her nail polish to the circle, we played some Martina McBride (This One's For the Girls), and passed the polish until the music stopped.  Whatever color each girl had in her hand was the color she had to use to paint one toe.

 We kept passing colors until all ten toes were painted the colors of the rainbow.

 I just can't get over how much we bonded with our daughters tonight.  It was such a beautiful experience.

 My small group--I love these girls (we're missing three others who will join us next week)!
When we took this photo, I didn't even realize what the chalkboard said behind us.  I think God wanted to remind me... WITH GOD, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE :O)

 I can't wait to see what else God has in store for PPT.  What a blessing for these young girls, and what a joy it's been to plan it!
On the drive home, Lorelei and I talked about what she learned tonight, and she really "got it."  I was thrilled to hear her say that "beauty is what's inside you", and that "what's on the outside doesn't change who you are."
And just before bed, she called out to me, "Mom, I really did feel like a princess tonight at Princess Power Training."
And that's as good as it gets for me!

"A longing fulfilled is a tree of life."~Proverbs 13:12