If you’re a girl, chances are that you’ve spent hours and hours of your life in front of the mirror preparing yourself for the world. And if you’re a girl who has ever been on a girls’ trip, I bet you know what I mean when I say that something sacred happens when you all step into the bathroom to get ready together.

It’s there, grouping around the mirror, lining up along the length of a long counter, with naked faces and wet hair that something special starts to happen. The walls of makeup, magical hair and impressive outfits are nowhere to be found and now with nowhere to hide, we’re free to fully be ourselves. We’re safe to fully reveal ourselves. It’s just us girls. And once we realize all this, feel all this, the speech starts to flow.

We sing. We laugh. We share stories and silly voices over the buzz of hair dryers. There’s no pressure to be cool, there’s no desire to impress. We just are.

That’s what I felt this weekend as I took my spot in front of the mirror, one among many getting ready in that big cabin bathroom. This moment, it’s something sacred. It’s God-given.

Groups of girls can be catty threats, calling out for all kinds of comparison that will ultimately steal the joy that a group is actually meant to foster. But when they are brave and strong in who God created them to be, they are light, love and encouragement. They have open hearts along with hair and makeup tricks to share. They are compatriots, not competition. All standing in front of the mirror, they can be a glimmer of the glory of God and the glory of His gift of friendship.

 

Sometimes, I just really love being a girl.