Every week at our girls’ home, I post on our “Princess of the Week” board a new girl’s photo with a little info sheet she fills out about herself and there’s a sheet of blank paper with “You are a princess because…” written at the top where the other girls can write positive and encouraging things about that child.
I realized that I needed to do some additional explaining at first because the girls, and the staff, were thinking that this was somehow connected to the new star chart we implemented to help with behaviors. It was actually the exact opposite of the star chart. They were thinking that they needed to somehow earn being princess of the week. That the girl with the most stars got to be the next princess. The whole point of this was that they couldn’t earn it. They all deserve it, because it’s based on a truth that lies outside of behavior in the home.
My thought behind re-establishing this concept is based on the concept of being children of God. Many of our girls have no parents or have parents that have not exactly been exemplary, and so, if done sensitively, teaching our girls that they have a heavenly Father that will never leave them, that will never let them down, abuse them, abandon them, humiliate them, choose another over them, and loves them unconditionally, can be a powerful experience. They are wholly loved. They are co-heirs with Christ. They are the apple of His eye. They are daughter’s of the King, therefore they are princesses in the eyes of their Father.
This week put my concept to the test. The girl that came up this week to be princess has been having a very hard time with her behavior and her attitude, both in school and at home. She’s been very negative with the staff and has had a hard time being a good friend to the other girls. And yet, it was her turn, so I put up her picture and her interview sheet. Honestly I had my doubts that many of the girls would have anything nice to write about her since she had made quite a few enemies this week. But when I returned on Tuesday morning, the sheet was already full and I needed to put up a new one. I am encouraged to see that our girls are willing to put aside differences and see the positive aspects in a sometimes very difficult situation.
This Sunday is Orphan Sunday. Please take the time to pray for our girls this Sunday. While many of them are unavailable for adoption for various reasons, pray for them in the larger concept of adoption. Romans 8:15 says, “For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption by which we cry, Abba, Father!” Pray that our girls would not live in fear, that they would be set free from the hurts in their pasts and would eagerly and genuinely come to understand God as their father, their daddy who fully accepts them and loves them, adopts them fully as his daughters, his princesses, not just for a week, but for eternity.
Some of our previous “Princess of the Week” girls
Shalom,
Kimber
Kimber I love this post. Thank you… it's been a hard week for me too, I've felt really negative and impatient and then I see the love that this home is built out of and I need to see the kids with God's eyes. Thanks for starting Princesa de la Semana. xo