Boys, Makeup and Christ: How Faith Fits Into the Lives of Adolescent Females

Abstract

While working with the middle school students at my church, I began to understand what a difficult period the ages of eleven through fourteen were for adolescents. Then if ou throw faith and church in with developing emotions, social norms and physical changes, you have a perfect example of a difficult teenager. Through working with the middle school youth group, I began to see what role faith development plays in the lives of adolescent females by working individually with one who allowed me to see into and observe her adolescent life. It was the absence of Christianity in this period in my life that persuaded me to study Christianity during this time in the lives of others. This paper is a synthesis and reflection of my time spent with the middle school youth group at Calvary Baptist Church this summer and, in particular, the time I was able to spend with Elizabeth* getting to know what I may have experienced had I come to faith earlier.