Introducing the summer 2014 covergirl!

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I cry aloud to the Lord;
    I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.
I pour out before him my complaint;
    before him I tell my trouble.

When my spirit grows faint within me,
    it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
    people have hidden a snare for me.
Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
    no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;
    no one cares for my life.

I cry to you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my refuge,
    my portion in the land of the living.”

Listen to my cry,
    for I am in desperate need;
rescue me from those who pursue me,
    for they are too strong for me.
Set me free from my prison,
    that I may praise your name.
Then the righteous will gather about me
    because of your goodness to me.

           ~ Psalm 142

     Psalm 142 was written by David while he hid in a cave from people who were chasing after him because they wanted to kill him. What is interesting to me is how relevant it is for girls.

     This prayer – this psalm – is offered today in honor of our cover girl. For her story. For the challenges she faced and overcame.
     Her paths were hidden with snares…girls calling her names, pressuring her to do things she didn’t want to do and be who she wasn’t meant to be.
     She was taken off guard. She felt alone. She thought she could handle anything that came, but when it came, it was harder than she anticipated.
     But she sought God. She prayed, not just for herself but for her tormentors. She knew she couldn’t do it alone. 
     And God was faithful. He set her free from the prison, and she praises His name, even still, as the godly gather around her. She reaches and teaches other girls about the faith that got her through, that rescued her from the cave.
     I first met our cover girl when we had a fashion show over a year ago, and even though she wasn’t very familiar with Mighty Strong Girls, she eagerly grabbed a microphone at the event to share her thoughts on why the ministry is so important for all girls. She got it — the purpose, the vision, the NEED. She is truly an amazing Mighty Strong Girl.
     She is determined. She is intelligent. She is compassionate. She is courageous. She is strong – like really strong physically because she spends hours and hours training for the Olympics. She is Tyler Lackland. 
     CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SUMMER 2014 COVERGIRL, AND TO ALL THE INSPIRING GIRLS WHOSE STORIES, PHOTOS, IDEAS AND CREATIVITY HELPED SHAPED THIS ISSUE OF MIGHTY STRONG GIRLS! 
      The magazine is on sale now at http://www.mightystronggirls.com/the-magazine.html. Print copies are $7, and digital versions are $1.49. If you know a board member, see us for a copy if you don't want to pay for shipping. And if you'd like to buy the magazine in bulk copies for churches or organizations, they are $5 each. Just call us at 217.801.7464 for more information!

Payson reveals her real identity

     by Katie Basso
 First off, let me reintroduce myself. 
      My name, my REAL name, is Katie Basso. I am 16 years old, soon to be 17, and will be a senior at Athens High School next year. And, as I said when I was Payson, I have and still struggle with an eating disorder and a self-harm addiction. 
     The first thing I’d like to explain as my real self is how terrifying this whole thing is for me. Everyone is going to know my story. I have kept this a secret for 5 years. I desperately tried to hide this from my friends and family, and now it’s all coming out. 
     I know you’re probably asking, “Well if you’re so scared then why are you sharing it?” 
     Because I feel like God is calling me to. Because I feel like sharing my story could help someone who is going through what I went through. Because I am no longer ashamed of my mental illness, and I feel that no one should be ashamed of theirs. 
     A little over 2 years ago I met Amy, the founder of Mighty Strong Girls. She saw my posts on Facebook and she messaged me, sending me virtual hugs. That summer I went to a Christ In Youth conference that changed my life. That was the first time I really felt like God was calling me to share my story, although at the time, I was still really deep in my struggles. But I said yes anyway. 
      I talked to Amy about how I could share my story. She told me to write out my story while she searched. Eventually she told me that there was nothing out there. But, being the amazing person that she is, she came up with her own idea. Mighty Strong Girls. I was a little skeptical at first. But, soon it became this amazing thing with the help of so many amazing people. 
     So yeah, I guess you could say that I am the reason why Mighty Strong Girls is even a thing, but I don’t like to look at myself that way. I look at it as God bringing Amy and I together, and Him giving me the strength to even consider sharing my story, and Him giving Amy the idea of Mighty Strong Girls. 
      It was all God. So anyway, here I am. The real me. My story. I hope you all can bear with me as I share the part of me that I’ve had hidden for so long.

     You can read Katie's story in her own words in the summer issue of Mighty Strong Girls magazine. It is available for sale at http://www.mightystronggirls.com/the-magazine.html. 
 

Payson is bringing her secrets out of the dark...stay tuned!

by Payson

     Wow. It's been an entire year since I've written anything for this blog. That's ridiculous. 
     Hopefully I can write more regularly once this next issue of the magazine comes out. Why do I have to wait until the next issue comes out? Because I will be in the next issue. Like, the real me. So basically this will be my last anonymous blog post. Yeah. I said it. I'm revealing myself! You finally get to know who I really am, which is terrifying to me.
     Having to share secrets and share your struggles with anyone is a scary thing to do. Admitting that you mess up and you aren't perfect is scary. But sometimes it's just necessary.
     In my situation, if I didn't tell anyone about my struggles with anorexia, bulimia, and self harm, I probably would have died. At the time I didn't think that. I thought I was fine. Looking back I can see how messed up it was for me to think that I was okay.
     I've come a long way since then. But that doesn't mean I'm cured. I still struggle. Some days are better than others. But now I have a support system in place to help me through those hard days.
     The next step for me is to basically share who I am and what I've been through with the world. I want people to know that I'm not ashamed of what I've been through. That it's scary, but telling people is okay if it means you will get help. I don't want eating disorders and self harm to be something no one really ever talks about. It's a real thing and a lot of people are affected by it, and if me sharing my story helps people understand that, then that's what I want to do.
     I'm going to be honest. I'm absolutely terrified. But, I'm no longer ashamed. So the next time you'll hear from me, I'll really be me. The real me. With all my screw ups and all my imperfections. I hope you take it easy on me!