Small.

Ugly.

Useless.

Not enough.

Negative names girls wrote about themselves and discarded on the ground.

Scattered on the ground of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Damascus, Md., these words were reminders of labels that plague young girls. With echoes of Matthew West’s song “Hello, My Name Is” slipping through the sanctuary and falling amongst the chatter, cries and laughter of middle and high school girls at FCA’s Remarkable Girls’ Conference, they had words they felt described themselves on nametags. By the end of the evening, labels ripped and new, lasting names were written on their hearts.

It’s hard hearing you never measure up. It’s even harder fighting the temptation to believe it. But the conference, held March 15, made certain girls realized how Christ accurately sees them:

Strong.

Beautiful.

Purposeful.

Enough.

Olympian great Madeline Manning Mims displayed her Olympic medals while reminding attendees that true achievements are received through Christ.

Last year, Denise Ginsburg, FCA Mid-Atlantic Women’s Director, attended Race 1:14, a similar event put together by Oklahoma FCA Women’s Ministry Coordinator Sarah Roberts. God then put it on her heart to start a version back home.

“Our goal for the event was to have an event that athletic girls can come to, to see who God created them to be and not who the world says they are, or their coaches or other athletes, or how culture says they should look or act; that they would just really look to Christ and see who He created them to be.”

Among the evening’s activities, highlights included speakers Courtney Ginsburg, Madeline Manning Mims, scribbling on nametags and wide eyed realization that opened girls’ hearts to accept themselves for who they truly are. Courtney, Denise’s daughter, shared her testimony in a real and resonating way that bridged the gap between ages to share similar stories.

“Courtney did just a wonderful job reaching out to those girls,” Kim Lenta, head women’s lacrosse coach at Urbana High School, shared. “She did a great job delivering a very realistic picture of what she went through in her sports life, but presented in such a way the girls could readily relate to her.”

Four-time Olympic medalist Madeline Manning Mims stepped onstage as the keynote speaker. “She really shared with the girls about how God has placed them, and them alone, in a place where He wants them to be to be able to share Christ with someone there, and how not to lose sight of winning a more important race,” Ginsburg commented.

“The one piece they’re both connected to is Christ and she really showed them where Christ uses you whether you’re going to be a high school ballplayer or you’re going to be in the Olympics,” she added.

Conference volunteer Liza Araujo-Rouse brought her daughter and niece. “She and her cousin talked about it incessantly for the rest of the night. They both went on and on about how wonderful it was and how they felt a sense of inspiration. When we got in the car she said, ‘Mom, that was just awesome.’”

“There is a lot of pressure on girls - you have to be this skinny or you have to be this tall or you have to be this, that or the other. In sports you have to be faster, stronger,” said Jill Durfee, FCA women’s board member. “Then these girls feel like they’re inadequate because everyone is pushing them to be better and better. Scripture tells them that’s not what matters. What matters is God’s plan for you and who God says you are, not what your coach says or your teammates say.”

Courtney Ginsburg spoke of her struggles as a female athlete and encouraged girls to believe in the identity Jesus has given them.

Durfee, whose daughter also attended the conference, intended on the evening being as open as possible. “It’s hard for high school and middle school girls to be bold and transparent about their faith, and we wanted a comfortable place for them to come with other girls that were athletes and teammates, where they could be together and worship God and realize they aren’t the only Christian athlete on the field or court.”

Araujo-Rouse affirmed the night’s results. “I think they did a wonderful job between creating a balance of who you are as an athlete, recognizing that as an athlete you have a gift God has given you with respect to how you perform on the field and with your team, and that you can use that gift to glorify Him.”

Worth came abundantly. “I just knew that if we just brought them together, God would do the work,” Ginsburg added.