The Girls of 518

Before we left Summer Beach Project, we were encouraged to reflect over all we learned this summer in the few weeks leading up to school starting back. As I began looking back over all the talks we had, the bible study and prayer trainings and even times I studied the Word on my own, I realized that nothing I learned this summer would leave an impact on me like the girls in room 518. Living with 4 other girls in a hotel room for 9 weeks had to have been one of the most frustrating challenges I’ve had to face. God revealed so much of my own personal sin, grew me in patience, kindness and humility, taught me how to hold my tongue and used each girl in a unique way to impact my relationship with the Lord. This blog post is dedicated to them because I want everyone else to know how awesome they are!

Cami Gresham

One of the first things I remember Cami saying to us was, “I am going to mess up. I am going to fail you as a leader.” That spoke volumes to me. Cami took on the challenge of leading four very self-motivated, hardheaded, goal oriented women. Cami did such a great job of challenging us in specific ways that were catered toward our personal walks. We weren’t just girls that she was supposed to talk to about “Bible stuff” but she genuinely wanted to know what we were struggling with and wanted to help us. The times that she did mess up, she took criticism humbly and thanked us for it. How many people do you know thank people when they are criticized? I could go on and on about Cami but the thing I learned the most from her was her genuine delight in the Word. Every time we began to read the Bible, she got so excited! There would be a joy on her face and she would just want to read more and more and more! I pray that I can continually delight in God’s Word like she does. Finally, have you heard this girl sing and play her ukulele? Ask her to play Bonnie Blue. You won’t regret it!

Aubrey (Baby Aubs) Danielson

First, I want to applaud Aubrey for being the least lazy of all the 518 girls. This girl not only did the usual SBP stuff but also consistently woke up at 6:30 to exercise for Athletes in Training, had a job selling fireworks, and had multiple internships during the summer. Her schedule made me tired! This just shows how driven Aubrey is. Aubrey also loves people. She shared toward the end of project that loving others is something she struggles with but you would never ever know that. Aubrey would always be the first to hug you after a long week, ask you how your day was going and bring you McDonalds fries on the way home from work when she knew you were craving them (Thanks love!). She was also my partner in crime in spontaneity this summer. Whether it was jumping from the pool to the hot tub to the ocean, fully clothed, 15 minutes before curfew, constructing a SBP bucket list, or convincing my room to drop what we were doing and go visit a lighthouse on the other side of Daytona, Aubrey was the ringleader and I love that about her. Aubrey plays soccer for USC Aiken and I’m so excited to see how God uses her this semester to lead the girls on the soccer team!

Everley (Bev) Perryman

I don’t think you could have two girls more similar than Everley Perryman and I. My first thoughts were, “Oh, we are so similar! We are going to get along great this summer!” HA! We slowly started to realize that we both like to be in charge, we both like things going our way and we are both incredibly passive aggressive.  This was NOT a good combination. God put us in a room together because we were mirrors of each other. When Everley and I interacted, our sin was revealed to us through the other person and then reflected back to us. We saw the sin in each other and at first that caused bitterness and tension but then once we were both able to talk about it and begin pealing back each other’s layers, I realized how much of a blessing and God-send she was for me. Once we finally got done comparing ourselves to each other, I learned that Everley is an incredibly strong woman. Seeing her begin to break down walls and slowly let us in on things she was struggling with was amazing and I literally saw God refine her over the summer. I was also so encouraged by her dedication to writing in her prayer journal every single night. No matter how late it was, Everley would not go to bed without writing in it and that definitely challenged me. Some other things the room learned from our sweet Bev: how to properly tuck in a shirt, to always go to the mirror when you need rebuke, encouragement, or simply someone to talk to and that you don’t need much talent to become an incredible song writer.

Rachel LeGear

If you want your mind blown, ask this girl to share her testimony with you. It is one of the most beautiful stories of redemption I have ever heard! Rachel was our room’s sweetheart. She is probably one of the most selfless people I’ve ever met, always putting others before herself. In the midst of frustration and anger in the room, Rachel was always the one who kept her head on straight, who never had any rude remarks and who I never once, the entire summer, saw get angry. While Rachel and I seem like we don’t have much in common, we found out towards the end of the summer that we are a lot more similar than we thought. We both struggle with seeking the approval of others. Both in very different ways, but it was something that bonded us and left us with a two hour conversation in the Laundromat about whether we are seeking God’s approval or man’s (Gal. 1:10).  I also saw God work in Rachel’s life this summer and He challenged her with an INCREDIBLE opportunity for the fall that I won’t share on here because I’m not sure who all she has told. (But I’m sure if you asked her she would love to share it with you!) I know God is going to do incredible things with her in her next three years at Georgia College. I get excited just thinking about it!

Cami-Cam, Aubs, Bev, and Rach: As you all know, I have a slight musical obsession. (Thank you for bearing with me on days that I needed to burst out in song and dance.) And I think there are some lyrics from the song “For Good” from Wicked that sums this up perfectly.

I've heard it said,

That people come into our lives

For a reason

Bringing something we must learn.

And we are lead to those

Who help us most to grow if we let them.

And we help them in return.

Well, I don't know if I believe that's true

But I know I'm who I am today

Because I knew you.