Delight Ministries to hold all-girl event to talk relationships
“Shame is something that a lot of women struggle with. People feel alone in their struggles,” junior biological sciences major Becca Pereira said. “With the way Delight is structured, you know that someone else has been there with you. It alleviates the pressure of bringing up a tough topic on your own.”
Courtesy of Delight Ministries
When it comes to relationships, college is a hub of people in all different phases. A newly-wed wife, flashing her diamond ring and moving into Carroll Courts, can sit next to a girl who has never had a boyfriend her whole life.
Women in all different stages of life will have the chance to discuss how to pursue a healthy relationship with a man—and with God—at “For the Girl Tour” held at Lee University for the first time next week.
“For the Girl Tour” is run by Delight Ministries, a women's-led organization that has chapters at individual colleges throughout the country.
Junior elementary education major Sydney Crumley initiated a Delight chapter on Lee’s campus in fall of 2017.
“We, as a Delight chapter, are so excited and humbled to be able to host the ‘For the Girl Tour’ here at Lee University,” Crumley said. “This ministry has already impacted hundreds of women on this campus, and I believe this is just the start of what God can do when we lay this ministry down at His feet.”
Crumley started the chapter at Lee as a sophomore after praying for a ministry to pour herself into. She explained that she discovered Delight through Instagram and fell in love with the idea of an organization that nurtures college-aged women spiritually.
From there, she reached out to like-minded friends to help start the adventure.
Junior biological sciences major Becca Pereira and junior elementary education major Kenady Kilgore both felt called to be a part of Delight’s vision for aiding young women.
“We provide a safe place for girls to be vulnerable and talk about the things they’re going through,” Kilgore said. “The point is for girls to know they’re not alone.”
Delight’s campus chapters meet weekly to discuss topics that girls commonly grapple with. Through raw testimonies and candid conversations, Delight’s curriculum—both in weekly meetings and on tour—use relatable stories to give a voice to those who are struggling.
“Shame is something that a lot of women struggle with. People feel alone in their struggles,” Pereira said. “With the way Delight is structured, you know that someone else has been there with you; it alleviates the pressure of bringing up a tough topic on your own.”
The second annual tour is based off Delight's book “For the Girl,” a devotional that features relationship stories from female college students.
The evening will consist of worship, a message from Delight’s founders and a panel of women sharing relationship advice.
According to Crumley, this event is not the solution to your man-hunt. Rather, it’s a guide for actively pursuing God in whatever season of life you’re in, single or otherwise.
“This won't be a ‘how to find your man’ conversation,” Crumley said. “The tagline for the tour is ‘how to prepare for your future love story.’ The night will focus on what we can each be doing in the season we are in to grow into the women God has called and equipped us to be.”
According to Kilgore, “For the Girl” seeks to provide support for friendships in addition to romantic relationships. She explained thriving relationships, no matter what kind, stem from a foundation rooted in Christ.
“It’s not so specific to one kind of relationship,” Kilgore said. “It’s more about being a well-rounded person and applying concepts to your personal life.”
The speakers will address the importance of mirroring Christ rather than storing your identity in your relationship status.
“In today's society, we see many ways to improve ourselves to find the one,” Crumley said. “But I don't believe we spend enough time discussing how we best understand ourselves when we understand the One who created us in His image.”
The tour will discuss Delight’s dating personality quiz, which aims to provide insight into which kind of dater you tend to be. By identifying yourself as one of six profiles integrated into the quiz, you may better understand how you operate within a relationship.
The Delight team hopes the tour will connect and unify neighboring chapters from different schools, allowing girls to hear different perspectives on these topics.
According to Crumley, her goal for the night is not achieving specific numbers but, through the power of honest testimony, allowing girls to better grasp the truth of who they are.
“Our focus should be on pouring into the girls who do show up and ensuring the night is one that is glorifying to God,” Crumley said. “You just have to be a girl with a story, and every girl has a story that's worthy of being heard.”
“For the Girl Tour” is open to all women. It will be held Friday, Feb. 8, at 7 p.m. in Pangle Hall.
To pre-order tickets, visit Delight Ministries’ website.
To take the For the Girl dating quiz, visit https://www.delightministries.com/ftgquiz.
