The Story Behind Whatever Girls
We’re so glad you’re here!
I started Whatever Girls for my daughter, Grace, right before she started middle school because I was concerned about how the culture and other outside influences might impact her. The issues we parents dealt with as teens had only magnified, and while I knew I wouldn’t be able to protect her from everything, I wanted to be proactive and face these threats head on.
As I contemplated what I might do, Philippians 4:8 was top of mind. The battle for our minds is real, and the culture is after our hearts and God-defined purposes, but God has given us weapons to fight with, and this Scripture became my weapon of choice: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent, and praiseworthy- think about such things”.
Grace and I decided to start a mother-daughter group in our home built upon the virtues of Philippians 4:8. We invited some girls from school and soccer, along with their moms, and began meeting that summer.
As girls and moms sipped lemonade in our living room at our first meeting, I explained my vision for our new group, Whatever Girls. I wanted to create a community of and for girls and moms that affirmed our values that could travel through the teen years together and swim upstream against the culture.
Because I experienced loneliness and lacked confidence as a teen, I knew the power of having even just one good friend. The fear of being alone or different can drive a girl to hang out with the wrong crowd and take part in activities she normally wouldn’t. Even though she knows she’s making unwise choices, it’s a price she’s willing to pay to feel accepted. Just knowing she has a solid, like-minded friend to sit with at lunch can elevate a girl’s sense of security and worth and give her a sense of belonging.
When I started Whatever Girls over twelve years ago, I was so focused on getting my own daughter through her teen years that it didn’t occur to me that God would use me and Whatever Girls to help other moms. Since then, we have walked alongside thousands of moms and girls around the world through our blog posts, online Bible studies, prayer groups, online community, podcast, events, and through our Whatever Girls groups.
Creating Community through Connections
We have never been more connected than we are today-our smart phones and social media allow us to talk to anyone, anywhere in the world in real time, in a matter of seconds. Yet, in our highly connected world, we have never been more disconnected and distracted. We are lacking meaningful connections with the people who matter the most, and our daughters are missing out on the benefits of being part of a multi-generational, relationship community that provides instruction and tools to navigate life through God’s Word.
We’re Here to Help You; Start a Whatever Girls Group
We would love to help you start a Whatever Girls Group for you and your daughter (or granddaughter, niece, or other important young lady in your life). Click below to find out more about our Groups, and please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.
The battle for our minds is real, and the culture is after our hearts and
Erin Bishop
God-defined purposes, but God has given us weapons to fight with.