Sharing their integrity

Young Chang

Karin Graves doesn’t know how else to put it. She knows it may sound

odd to the secular ear, but as a Christian, she said she had a vision

from God to speak specifically to a younger generation of women.

Women in their late teens through thirties. Women who could learn

about integrity in love, work and all of life’s corners.

Graves, a special events coordinator for the Newport Harbor Area

Chamber of Commerce, followed the divinely-inspired feeling she got about

a year ago and organized the Young Women’s Conference, to be held March

24 at the Newport Dunes Resort.

“The purpose is to show young girls what a relationship with Jesus

Christ is like,” she said. “I just feel like this generation -- our

generation -- just needs to be spoken to. I can only explain it by saying

it was just a burden on my heart to encourage these ages.”

Graves, 26, and a slew of committee members who organized the

conference expect about 500 visitors. The five-hour event will include a

morning and afternoon message titled “Desiring a Life of Integrity” given

by Graves, an afternoon panel discussion focusing on integrity in the

following areas -- athletics, business, fashion, motherhood, education

and extreme sports -- as well as musical performances.

After the discussion, the women will have a chance to share their

testimonies. It will be a time to honestly tell others about their

strengths and setbacks, Graves said.

“Let’s just get real,” she explained. “Yes, it’s our desire to live a

life of integrity, but we’re not perfect. It’s God’s grace that carries

us.”

Keri Olson, who grew up in Corona del Mar as did Graves, played

professional tennis for two years. She became a Christian during college

at UCLA and learned how to use the bible in her life both on and off the

courts.

“Instead of playing for my own glory or my coaches, I started playing

for the glory of God,” Olson said. “God just kinda took the throne in my

life.”

During her segment of the panel discussion on athletics, she will talk

about getting motivated by God.

“It’s easy to get burned out in doing what you’re doing everyday, but

if you have a sense of purpose and God is your motivation, then it kind

of changes your whole outlook and the way you do things,” she said.

For Olson and Graves, both of whom attend Calvary Chapel church in

Costa Mesa, teaching about integrity is important because people often

serve as role models for others. When it comes to fashion, there are

models and stars younger girls look up to. When it comes to business,

successful and strong women are admired.

“And there’s a lot of people, young kids especially, who look up to

athletes as role models,” Olson said. “If you walk in your integrity,

maybe we can turn that around and have kids looking up to role models who

are, in turn, looking up to God.”

FYI

WHAT: Young Women’s Conference

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 24

WHERE: Newport Dunes Resort

COST: $25

CALL: (949) 673-1614