Young women gathered at All Peoples Church Oct. 24-25 for The Real Movement’s women’s event, focusing on honesty, authenticity and healing.
Led by Samantha Miller, The Real Movement’s goal is to help young women heal and find freedom in Christ.
“It’s the love of God that changes us,” Miller said.
She hopes young women understand that God’s love is not dependent on their works and that God’s love surrounds them even in their mistakes.
“But to help girls see that — there really is help for them,” Miller said.
The two-day event sought to cover difficult or uncomfortable topics that are often avoided. The Real Movement brings these topics to the surface, discussing things like sexuality, mental health and body image.
The Real Movement hopes to facilitate a space where young women can be honest.
“They need a safe place to come and heal and recover,” Miller said.
She believes that creating a safe space where women can be authentic is what helps them heal.
Attendees came with many hopes for the weekend, and their desires seemed to align with what The Real Movement wanted to accomplish. One attendee, Lanea Rivera-Perez, shared her appreciation for the event.
“I was just trying to find a church that would be accepting of all people — like, I can dress however I want,” Rivera-Perez said. “I come here, and everyone seems so accepting and sweet. I love it — I just love the come-as-you-are kind of vibe.”
The event kicked off at 7 p.m. on Friday with snacks and fellowship before an all-female worship team took the stage. Miller recognizes that having an all-female staff makes the event a safe place for young women.
“So many young adult women have, unfortunately, trauma from sexual assault or abuse in the church, so we are very careful to provide (all-female staff) so that girls would be able to feel free to share,” Miller said.
Following worship, Miller prayed over the evening and introduced the speaker of the night, Nirva Ready. Ready, an assistant professor of commercial music and voice at Liberty University, spoke on Christ’s vision, focusing on Judges 6:11-18 where Gideon doubts the plan the Lord has for him. Ready encouraged women to live confidently in the plan that God has for them.
The session closed with a response time of worship and prayer, as Ready stayed at the front to pray individually with anyone who needed it. Many young women came forward while others continued in worship.
Attendee Levy Jackson said the experience encouraged her to renew her walk with God.
“I’ll be really good and intentional with God for a minute and then I’ll kind of fall off — so I’m trying to get back in my wave of him,” Jackson said.
Since its start, The Real Movement has helped women encounter the Lord in a safe, authentic way. The organization has continued to grow, recently starting a podcast called “Real Chats,” available on Spotify. Miller and her team are also developing curriculum to make their message even more accessible to young women everywhere.
For more information about The Real Movement, visit their Instagram @the.real.movement or visit their website at www.therealmovement.org.
Farwell is a news reporter.