"Where I Am Now" Wednesdays! feat. Cami Phillips
This year, Girl Talk Ministries is celebrating our 10th summer!
One whole decade. 12 grades. 21 cities. 4 missionary countries.
Thousands of girls. Thousands of moms. Thousands of families.
Our 8th grade Girl Talk girls who began Bible study with us in 2013 have now graduated from college, began jobs, moved across the country, gotten engaged, started graduate school and so much more taking Jesus with them in every place. Celebrating our tenth summer and leading up to our 10 Years celebration next Spring, we wanted to bring you the lives and stories of some of our "original gang" of "Girl Talk Girls." Here you will find testimonies of what God has done in their lives through Girl Talk and beyond and the ways they are living and serving Jesus with their lives where they are now!
Introducing our newest Girl Talk Blog series, "Where I Am Now" Wednesdays!
First in our "Where I Am Now" series is Cami Phillips. Cami just graduated from Mississippi College in Social Studies Education and will begin her first job this fall, teaching 7th grade and coaching volleyball in Starkville, Mississippi. (Hail State!) Cami is from Pike Road, Alabama and the daughter of Matt and Camille Phillips. She graduated from Eastwood Christian School in Montgomery, Alabama in 2018 where she attended from first grade. Cami's dad Dr. Matt Phillips is a well-known OBGYN in Montgomery and is now serving in full-time ministry as the Medical Director for Life on Wheels, providing free pregnancy services to women, including: free pregnancy tests, free ultrasounds, and free referral options. Cami has three siblings, Daniel (Hannah), John Luke and Gracie. Gracie (Girl Talk Girl '19) also attended Eastwood Christian School and now is a rising senior at Pike Road High School. Gracie has been involved with Girl Talk since her rising 6th grade year in 2016.
We have been so excited to bring you this first testimony in our "Where Am I Now" series and had to wait for Cami to be approved by the board (of course, she passed with flying colors) and give her time to announce her new job and move to her family and friends! Cami, we are so proud of you and we cannot wait to see how the Lord continues using you as you move to Starkville and the impact you will have on your students and players.
Girl Talk (GT)• Cami, you have been a part of Girl Talk since our very beginning in 2013! And we have loved watching the Lord use you in incredible ways throughout high school and as you moved to Mississippi for college. You were entering 8th grade when we started, and essentially we had no clue what we were actually doing and never knew we would still be going today. You stayed involved with us during your high school years and interned with us in college. How Girl Talk has impacted your life?
Cami (CP): Girl Talk introduced me to a life dedicated to God and people. Through Girl Talk, I learned how to study God’s word, and I created so many incredible relationships with other girls in Montgomery.
GT• Growing up, we all see Jesus in different ways throughout our lives and understand Him at different levels and pace as everyone around us. When did you receive Jesus into your life as your Savior and when did you really understand Jesus for the first time?
CP: I prayed to receive Jesus in my heart when I was six years old, but it wasn’t until I was 14 that I truly understood my need for God’s grace. The Gospel became a daily reminder for me, and it was necessary for me to remind myself of my need for Jesus’ sacrifice every day.
GT• It is easy to go through the "Christian life," especially in today's world of influencers, high light reels and seeing everyone's best days. What were some of the struggles you faced in middle school, high school, college as you walked out your relationship with Christ?
CP: Through middle and high school I struggled with being judgmental of others. I thought I had it all together, and it was hard for me to admit that I was a sinner to those around me. In college, I began to struggle with trusting God’s plan for my life, and I had to believe in my heart that God had a perfect plan for my life.
GT• Judging others is a huge thing we all must overcome as Christians. We are saved by grace and sometimes, especially when growing up with that understanding before others, our growth and maturity does not catch up with us for a while and we have a hard time understanding why others don't see it the way we see it.
Getting older, seeing our plans not always go the way we thought and trusting God on His Plans is something that the world does not talk about. Sometimes not even in our Christian communities. We are told to trust God always, but what happens when the image of what we thought life would like that does not happen?
As you walked with God daily and sought Him in these struggles of judgement and trust, how long was it before you saw any breakthrough in those struggles?
CP: Growth is a life long journey. I would say that I am still working through “breaking out” of those struggles. The best advice I received is that there is nothing you can do to make God love you more or make Him love you less. As long as you are relying on His daily grace and choosing to resist temptation, then you’re on the right track!
God’s Word does not return void, meaning that if you are reading His Word daily, you will see change happening. Stay in the Word and resist temptation! You can do nothing apart from the help of the Holy Spirit, so rely on Him for strength!
GT• Our incredible Jesus is absolutely faithful and promises us in Matthew 6:33, a verse we speak from in all things Girl Talk, when we seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness, He will provide every thing we need. We will have the victory in Christ because He has already won and overcome it all. As you have walked your growth journey with Jesus and replied on Him daily and stayed in His Word, what victories you have seen?
CP: I am much quicker to admit that I am a sinner in need of grace. It doesn’t matter how “big” your sin may be… Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We are all sinners in need of God’s grace. In the same way, Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death, but the FREE gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Again, we are ALL sinners, deserving of death, BUT God’s free gift to us is grace, forgiveness, and salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the grave.
GT• As you have walked the victory of God's Grace coming alive in your life throughout your college years and where you are today, how you have seen God work in your life?
CP: I see God working so evidently in my life every day. Even when it’s not so clear what He’s doing, I know He is working. Just recently, I graduated from college; I didn’t have a job lined up, and I was headed back to Montgomery for the summer. I applied for nearly 30 jobs, and interviewed for only a few. I felt like there was not a job out there for me. But I remained obedient. I kept applying and doing what I could do down here, but I really had to wait on the Lord. Then everything started to fall into place. I got a call from a School District that I hadn’t even applied for. I interviewed twice, and they offered me the job two days after my last interview. It really felt like God had lined up this job perfectly! During my time of waiting, I learned that God’s perfect plan for someone else is not His perfect plan for me. I want to shout that from the rooftops so that everyone can hear! GOD’S PERFECT PLAN FOR SOMEONE ELSE IS NOT GOD’S PERFECT PLAN FOR YOU!!!
GT• Yes!!! We will help you shout it! God's Perfect Plan for someone else is NOT God's Perfect Plan for you!! We have absolutely seen that through Girl Talk. Amy being a college freshman starting school in Nursing and quickly realizing I was chasing someone else's life, God has used a little Bible study started as something to do and has brought Girl Talk Ministries. Lindsey being a single mom of five children, knowing God has so much more for her life, and watching Him bring to life all the hopes and dreams when she placed them in His Hands, He took years of prayers from the closet floor and has brought Girl Talk Ministries. As you see this faithfulness in God's Plan for you, how is God is using you?
CP: Honestly, this question is hard to answer. Sometimes in your life, it won’t be clear how God is using you. You might not get to see the fruit of your labor on this side of Heaven. So how is God using me now? I’m not sure, but I am confident that my story and my obedience can impact someone’s life somewhere. My mission now is to be the hands and feet of Christ wherever I go, so in all honesty, I hope God is using me every place I go.
GT• You are definitely in a transition season, preparing to move to a brand new city, start a new job and everyone around you will be new faces. We can say personally that God has used you in so many girls' lives in Montgomery, through Girl Talk, and at Mississippi College. You have been the hands and feet of Jesus in every place He has positioned you and there will be no difference where He is sending you now as you continue to ground your faith in Him, trust His Ways, seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness and stay in His Word for your daily strength. As you prepare to move and start this next adventure on your journey with Jesus, how are you are serving now?
CP: My next step is a big one. I am moving to Starkville, Mississippi, which is a brand new city for me to explore! I have accepted a job, where I will be teaching 7th grade and coaching volleyball. There I hope to impact students academically, mentally, athletically, socially, and spiritually. I hope to be a light in the public school system, and I hope that people will see Jesus through me.
GT• We are so proud of you, Cami! And we are certain you will do just that! Keep Jesus first, and He will always do just what He is able to do.. the Girl Talk verse, ALL GLORY to God Who is able to do IMMEASURABLY MORE than we can ask, think or imagine! Is there anything else you would like to tell our girls, moms and anyone reading this?
CP: If you are struggling to trust God’s plan for your life, or if you are wondering what your purpose is, I encourage you to remain faithful. Keep reading God’s word, keep praying and talking to God, keep investing in the Church, and keep on finding ways to serve. God will make His plan clear to you, and you will learn so much in the waiting.r
CP: If you are struggling to trust God’s plan for your life, or if you are wondering what your purpose is, I encourage you to remain faithful. Keep reading God’s word, keep praying and talking to God, keep investing in the Church, and keep on finding ways to serve. God will make His plan clear to you, and you will learn so much in the waiting.
Here are a couple videos throughout on how God has used Girl Talk in her life: (first video, the summer after high school graduation at our Montgomery paint fight; second video, at the end of her freshman year at Mississippi College).
Check back each Wednesday for more stories of "Where I Am Now!" and see how the Lord is using Girl Talk Ministries and the girls and moms involved to build His Kingdom around the world.
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook and visit our GET INVOLVED tab to see how you can start or be a part of Girl Talk in your city!
See original blog post on our former site https://glensmithministries.wixsite.com/girltalkministries/post/where-i-am-now-wednesdays-pt1
