Raising Girls to Love, Cherish, Honor, and Serve While Upholding Life’s Sacred Value
The protection of human life is a recurring theme in Scripture. It has such importance to God that He included it in the Ten Commandments given to Moses for His people, “You shall not murder,” (Exodus 20:13.) David speaks of this in the Psalms: “For you created my inmost being you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well” (Psalms 139:13-14, NIV).
Life Begins At Conception
From the moment life begins at conception until its natural conclusion, every human life is sacred — a precious gift from our Creator. As believers, we are called to honor, protect and celebrate this divine gift. God, the ultimate Author of Life, alone holds the authority to determine the course and span of our existence. Because we are made in God’s image, we are different than His other creations — we have a soul. Only the Creator can destroy His creation. God gives life, and He alone should take it away.
This sacred truth lies at the heart of the Christian faith. God has created each of us uniquely on purpose for a purpose. We are created to fulfill God’s unique purpose for our individual lives Our value does not stem from what we do or achieve but from the One who created us, a truth that transcends the shifting cultural tides of today.
I promise to love God, cherish my family, honor my country, and serve in my community. This is the oath that an American Heritage Girl (AHG) recites at each Troop meeting and ceremony and has done so since our very beginning in 1995. These words, over time, become engraved on a girl’s heart and mind.
Love, Cherish, Honor
The concepts of love, cherish, honor and serve are integral to the AHG experience. They are rooted in the belief that there is a loving Creator who deserves our love in return. That loving Creator has provided a family for us to cherish, a country for us to honor and a community that desperately needs to know His love — demonstrated through selfless acts of kindness or service.
Every life is truly a gift from God and has an immense innate worth. After all, we are created in the image of our Creator! “So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27, NIV). John 1:3, ESV reiterates: “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”
In a world where opinions and norms are as fleeting as the wind, AHG remains steadfast in its commitment to the sanctity of life. We stand unapologetically for this foundational principle, anchored in the eternal truth that life is a divine gift deserving respect and protection.
Sanctity of Life
Our commitment to the sanctity of life goes beyond words; it is embodied in our actions. We celebrate life through service to pregnancy care centers and nursing homes. We stand for life through completing service projects and attending pro-life marches. We honor life through compassion, friendship and prayer. And we glorify the Giver of Life through humble submission to His Truths as found in His Holy Word.
May we steward the gifts of our Creator well. And may we love all His people, no matter the age or stage of life, as we love and glorify Him who is the source of all life. In a world where the sanctity of life is challenged, may our faith and unwavering commitment to the principles of life serve to inspire others to recognize the inherent worth and dignity of every individual. Together, let us be beacons of hope, standing for life and celebrating the divine gift of existence.
