It was through a previous dating relationship that God began to speak to Megan Tresenriter. “God put something on my heart — the message of purity. I really felt impressed that this was a relevant topic.”

She shared her thoughts with friend Lauren Bailey. Students at Central Valley Christian Academy (formerly Modesto Adventist Academy), both had attended the fall conference-sponsored Youth Prayer Conference hosted by Monterey Bay Academy. They’d heard the presentation “Keeping the Chastity Belt On” by Stephanie Barr and Lindsay Pratt, two of the eight Youth Evangelism Team members who led the prayer weekend.

When they shared their idea with religion teacher Jennifer Pettingill and their Youth Ministry Team members, the decision was unanimous — go for it! Pettingill thinks this is an essential issue. “This is something we don’t talk about a lot, but this is real. God desires healthy relationships and wants to be a part of it,” she says.

More than 30 girls rolled out their sleeping bags for the weekend experience. Friday night’s “What Not to Wear” fashion show, coordinated and moderated by Bailey, was a big hit and led into the discussion on modesty. “As a teenager, I know from experience you are very influenced by what’s around you,” she says.

Then Tresenriter shared her personal testimony, setting the tone for honest and open dialogue for the next two days.

“Healing is a journey — not a destination. It’s a direction with God that we take,” Carol Davidson, MCA’s music teacher, told the girls during her Sabbath morning presentation titled “The Woman at the Well.” The afternoon focus was education. Three public health nurses talked about STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), pregnancy and the emotional part of relationships.

The highlight was the Saturday night commitment and/or re-commitment ceremony when girls signed a contract, promising to give God their whole selves. “Sometimes when we’ve done something, it creates a barrier with others, especially God,” Bailey explains. “It’s better to stay pure because you don’t feel the gap.”

Students planned and led the weekend. “God really worked powerfully,” Tresenriter says. “I can see that a lot of people got a clearer understanding of dating and where God comes into everything.”