Coming of Age

Every year, my daughter, Rachel has always started planning her summer birthday in January. She would pick the theme, location, date of celebration, and agenda; that is until this year. She didn't have any interest in having a party at all. She was turning 14 and maybe parties had become too "little girl" for her.

While listening to the radio one day, I heard a man talk about how he had made an event of each of his son's thirteenth birthday. He called it a "Coming of Age Ceremony" and invited other men who had had an influence on his son's life to take part of the event.


My ears perked and my heart jumped, I wanted to do something for my daughter. I searched the Internet for ideas but could only find the Bat Mitzvah and Quinceanera, which did not fit our heritage or culture.

I decided to take the idea and tailor it to a girl. I asked Rachel to pick some women who had impacted her life that we could invite to this celebration. She was super excited and in her eyes it became a celebration of these 10 women she named (two are not pictured).

                             
       
She made a special gift for each one of them and shared to each of them individually how they made a difference in her life. In return, they gave her a gift and shared words of encouragement and wisdom for her journey forward into the next stage of her life.

                              

One of Rachel's favorite stories in the Bible is Esther, so we used the theme: "For Such A Time As This" and hosted a tea party in a friend's home. We had special tea mugs made with the theme printed on them to give to each woman.

                          

My heart swelled with joy as I listened to Rachel share her heart to some amazing women. Some of them shared in her life as a young girl, while others were recent relationships. I was filled with overwhelming gratefulness that God had placed these amazing women in my daughters life at the very moment she needed them the most (for such a time as this).

                          

This was an amazing event; the best "birthday party" I have ever plannned. I thought this would be great to repeat when she graduates High School and takes the next step into adulthood. I know there will be new women she will meet over the next few years and she will have grown closer to these women as well.

I hope this will inspire you to celebrate your little girl as she turns into a young lady.