When I moved to the Washington, D.C. area for college, I thought I knew where I was headed. If I didn’t get married right after college, I would girlboss (in a conservative tone, of course) my way into a conservative advocacy organization or some D.C. politician’s office, fight for America in a way only a Christian woman can, and then get married to a driven, sharply dressed Christian politico. We would feed off of each other’s mutual love for Christ and for freedom in our work, and we’d become a power couple. Somehow, I’d also be a stay-at-home homeschool mom.
But three years, six internships, and one bachelor’s degree later, that path didn’t pan out. I was undeniably single and wanted to move back home to Florida—so I did, eventually winding up as a local news reporter instead.
My current job is honestly so fulfilling—far beyond what I could have imagined or expected from the Lord, and I am immeasurably thankful for that. But looking back on my college days, I remember wondering what my time at YWA—from starting a chapter to interning at CWA over the summer—would mean in the long run if I didn’t pursue that glamorous “government girlie” story I’d envisioned for myself.
Now that I’m on the other side of this story the Lord has given me, I’m beginning to see the answer, and I hope that by sharing what I’ve learned along the way, I may encourage those in the YWA community to discover just how much your involvement in this incredible network of women will shape you for the better, far beyond what your job title might be.
So, just in time for Christmas, here are three gifts Young Women for America has given to me, all of which, I am certain, will last for a lifetime.
- Hospitality
The semester I started my YWA chapter, I moved into a basement apartment with a dear friend—and I know that wasn’t a coincidence. Having this space allowed me the joy of hosting YWA events in my apartment. Through events like friendsgiving and a night of writing encouraging letters to those in the IDF, I learned just what it looks like to entrust all my possessions to the Lord. Even when my bank account felt small, I had a car, a living room, and a kitchen—things that many students lacked. Hosting and leading YWA meant offering those blessings back to the Lord again and again. As I did, the Lord blessed my leadership team and me with the ability to stretch our club money in ways I could not have predicted.
I also began to see how a hospitable spirit could bless others beyond my living room. When I hear “hospitality,” I usually think of inviting someone over to my place but, during our time leading and growing in this, I also saw a spirit of warm welcoming and acceptance in the girls who helped me host guest speakers on my campus, deliver a nice meal to a student who had just given birth, and lift the chapter in prayer. By the time I turned the tassel on my graduation cap, I knew that every time I felt like I didn’t have enough to bless others, I was called to give what I could—and the Lord would then reveal to me that I have so much more than I realize.
- Graceful Communication and Mentorship
YWA also gave me the opportunity to glean wisdom from older women in the faith. Ladies from CWA of Virginia attended a few of my chapter meetings and prayed for me as I started this new adventure, walking alongside me through it.
My connection with our Virginia State Director, in particular, showed me what it looked like to speak up for my faith with warmth and authenticity. She was not afraid to pray with a congressman’s staff during lobby day and believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. For example, she invited someone from the Virginia House of Delegates to several of the prayer nights I led—and I remember always being terrified that I’d slip up or be too weird for that government official to think highly of me. So I trusted my speeches and my prayers to the Lord. In the end, that government official and I got along really well, and his presence turned out to be a huge blessing.
As I had the opportunity to speak at CWA of Virginia’s annual leadership training conference, to contribute to YWA’s biblical femininity booklet, and to attend rallies, my state director was there cheering for me. Her belief in my young voice gave me the confidence I needed to use it for the Kingdom, no matter where I ended up—even when it felt like I was not serious enough or too bubbly for the job. As Paul encouraged Timothy to use his youth for good, so she spurred me on, reminding me that it is never too early to serve the Lord.
- Optimism for America’s Future
To be honest, the Christian conservative bubble can feel so small. Young people who testify to the supposed “brilliance” of feminism, abortion, and the LGBTQ+ agenda seem to outnumber us. Even as we watch politicians we support on TV, we find we disagree with them on something important—and if we dwell on that too much, our hearts may become bitter or even cynical.
YWA protected my heart from that temptation in countless ways. At the 2023 Lobby Day and on many other occasions, I had the opportunity to meet and hear from many powerful leaders of our nation, realizing that many of them are more down-to-earth and willing to work together on important issues than one would expect simply from watching them on YouTube. YWA also gave me some of my dearest friends, who daily astound me with their love for God and for liberty. Together, we were able to stand for truth in the public square.
In these settings, I realized that even those with whom we disagree on most issues have something in common with us. On one occasion, I attended a press conference where female college athletes spoke out against transgenderism. There, I met a woman from the Women’s Liberation Front, an ultra-feminist movement. Though our foundations differed greatly, she and I both stood firm on the idea that women’s sports should belong exclusively to biological women, and because of that, we left in camaraderie. Without Young Women for America, I would have never had the opportunity to experience this unity.
As I approach the United States Semiquincentennial, I know that the dream of America—based on the inalienable rights our Creator has endowed upon us and on the image we all share—has just begun. There is so much joy to be had and so much to protect. May the Lord bless all women, no matter where we work, with the grace and discernment to fight for His Kingdom here on earth in the most extraordinary country in the world.
Sarah Merly is a Young Women for America Ambassador in Florida.
