[1]BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP)–New Scripture verses, a motto and pledge for Girls in Action were approved by Woman’s Missionary Union’s executive board during the national organization’s Jan. 11-14 meeting at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega, Ala.
Girls in Action (GA) is WMU’s missions organization for girls in grades one through six. GA members are actively involved in learning about missions, praying for and giving to missions and actually doing missions themselves.
With this missions focus, the new GA Scripture verse is Isaiah 12:4: “Give thanks to the Lord. Worship him. Tell the nations what he has done. Announce how honored he is.” Mitzi Gibbs, WMU children’s ministry consultant, said, “We chose this verse because it reflects worship and service to God.”
The GA lifestyle verse is Micah 6:8: “The Lord has shown you what is good. He has told you what he requires of you. You must treat people fairly. You must love others faithfully. And you must be very careful to live the way your God wants you to.” Gibbs said this verse was chosen because it challenges girls to live a missions lifestyle daily. Both verses are from the New International Reader’s Version, or NIrV, translation of the Bible.
Go Forward!, the approved motto for GA, dates back to 1888 when it served as the motto for WMU. Annie Armstrong related this phrase to the biblical account of God’s provision for the Israelites when they reached the Red Sea in their exodus from Egypt. From the King James Version of the Bible, Exodus 14:15 states: “And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.”
The new GA pledge is: “As a GA, I will do my best to live a missions lifestyle that honors God by learning about missions, praying for missions, giving to missions, doing missions and participating in the work of the church.”
[2]Gibbs said, “GA organizations are not merely surviving after 90 years, they are thriving in our churches. Since 1913, GA organizations around the world have bonded girls together for generations as they make friendships and enjoy discovering their world through missions education, awareness and involvement.”
For more information about Girls in Action, visit www.gapassport.com [3].
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