You’re going to try something new soon: You’ll be singing a solo for the first time EVER in your high school beauty pageant. The fear of this will paralyze you . . . but only for a moment. And once the solo is over, you’ll realize it was the most incredible feeling of your life! Your passion to sing on stage is going to explode through this experience, so embrace it. Someday you’ll be singing songs of hope to thousands.

About dating and fitting in: You’ll be pretty stressed in college, and your desperation to fit in will obscure your ability to trust in what you know to be TRUTH! My heart breaks to write this . . . but you’re going to compromise.

Leigh bird, you’ll meet a guy who won’t share your morality. He’ll be handsome and winsome, and he’ll steal your heart. Instead of keeping your standards where you know God has put them, you’ll date, and unfortunately, your relationship will become sexual.

Leigh, this will go against everything you stand for, but your ability to reason will have been compromised because of this guy. At the age of 19, you’ll become pregnant. Oh, Leigh, you’ll be so frightened and confused! You’re going to compromise even further by having an abortion. The shame and guilt from this choice will haunt you for years.

But, Leigh, during those years, God is going to work overtime to prove His love to you! Eventually, you’ll come to know His unconditional love in a way you’ve never experienced. You’ll rejoice that Christ’s death on the Cross was the payment required for all sin—every sin—even your sin!

You’ll undeniably acknowledge—to Jesus and to others— that what you did was WRONG . . . but thankfully not unforgivable. This knowledge of Christ’s forgiving love and mercy will empower you to share your story to thousands of teenage girls. Your words of hope will sound something like this: “I can’t change my past, but I encourage you not to make choices that will cause you to regret yours.”

Leigh, you’ll look back in awe at where God will place you: first, singing in a church quartet, then college ensembles, next a group called Truth that travels the globe. (And by the way, this is where you’ll meet the man of your dreams: Dana Cappillino, the band’s guitar player.) And you’ll have many more musical experiences, but around the age of 30-something, you’ll be singing with Point of Grace and sharing your story of God’s love and forgiving power!

You’ll encourage teen girls by reminding them, “God’s love and kindness brought me into a real relationship with Him. I know that He doesn’t hold anything against me. In fact, He has totally blessed my husband, Dana, and me with a marriage filled with honesty and a little girl we love and adore!”

Take a deep breath, Leigh; you’re going to need it. Your journey will be hard to carry alone—so DON’T! Let go . . . and let God! You’re special, Leigh bird.

You can meet Leigh Cappillino at Girls of Grace Nation on Feb. 23 in Houston! If you can’t be there in person, you can participate via satellite! Go to girlsofgrace.com or call (866) 440-7880 for information.