Girls’ Night promotes self-worth

Pink and gold balloons, streamers and bows lined the walls of Woodburn Hall 100. Decorative lights and lamps surrounded a patterned rug in the front of the room where Marian Jordan stood.

It was girls’ night.

Jordan, an international speaker and author, spoke for the first time at IU on Wednesday to a full house. Topics included relationships, the party scene and a woman’s worth.

Senior Kelsey Lawrence, a target movement leader for IU CRU, said she wanted to bring Jordan to campus after reading Jordan’s book, “Sex and the City Uncovered.”
 
“I just really loved it and decided to check her out,” Lawrence said. “She made me see myself in a completely different way. I really needed to bring this woman to IU.”

Jordan speaks at college campuses nationwide through her organization, Redeemed Girl Ministries.

According to the RGM website, “through events, resources and Internet teachings, RGM desires to equip girls of all ages to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.”
 
Jordan began with the opening clip from the “Sex and the City” movie, followed by an interactive conversation about “The Bachelor.”

She then started to tell her story. Citing “Sex and the City,” she talked about her search for “the two ‘L’s,” labels and love.

“We want to feel like we’re cherished,” she said. “And in that search we end up looking for a label.”

During her freshman year of college, Jordan said she pursued and eventually dated a man others saw as “unattainable.” She said as the relationship grew more serious, she knew sex was expected.

“Of course I was going to do whatever,” she said. “My soul became bonded to this guy.”

The relationship didn’t last long, she said.

“I didn’t know how to play the game,” she said. “I felt used.”

She said she then turned to alcohol and casual hookups to fulfill a need to be wanted and loved. Yet, something was missing, she said.

“It was like my soul was dying inside,” she said. “I felt less and less lovable every day.”

Sometime after college, Jordan said a woman she knew convinced her to join her at church, where a speaker talked about a search for love, fulfillment, identity and security.

Jordan said she then realized that only God could fill the feeling of emptiness.

“No guy was ever going to fill that place in my soul,” she said.

Now, she said she no longer feels the need to party and engage in casual hookups to feel satisfied.

Junior Abby Miller, a greek CRU leader, said the event was very important for
women.

“Girls are often looking for love and satisfaction in a lot of different places that don’t last,” Miller said. “I hope women will look at themselves differently, as her own person.”