Woman To Woman

God created woman to be relational beings. We value our marriages, our relationships with our children, and our friendships. God placed inside us a strong desire to bond with others. It's truly a gift from above. And God never creates anyone without a purpose.

I love my girls

We often hear about the Proverbs 31 woman. But what about the Titus 2 woman?

The Titus 2 woman is one of noble character that also mentors other women. Titus 2 gives us a guide on how we should live our lives and what we should be teaching the younger woman.

We have an important responsibility as women.

"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. They can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God." Titus 2:3-5 (NIV)

Being a mentor means taking an influential role in another person's life. It's more than just self-improvement or personal development. It's about helping another woman become more like Jesus.

What does this mean for us? It's simple. Live the life God called you to live and teach other women to do the same. It's about connecting with other women, sharing your experiences and your heart with each other, and encouraging one another to be the best version of themselves according to the Word of God.

I am the woman I am today because of the many women God placed along my path. Most were those who walked along side of me, encouraging me and influencing my life without even realizing it. They were just living their lives for Jesus.

During my bible college years, I volunteered in our church nursery. Oh, the lessons I learned...just by listening to the women around me as they discussed marriage, pregnancy, homeschooling, recipes, and motherhood. Their conversations sparked a longing in me to be a wife and mother. It's where I heard about teaching my own children at home. I listened intently as they spoke of time management, living on a budget, and the joys of loving one's husband. I doubt those women had any idea how much I gleaned from them.

Attending our church small group, as a newly married woman, allowed me to spend time with women of all ages. I loved how the "older" women encouraged the younger women. They never spoke badly about their husbands, but rather spoke as if marriage was the best thing that happened to them. They gave childrearing secrets through stories, not through criticism. They shared homemaking secrets, while sharing some incredible recipes. Those weekly home meetings were a life- line to me.

Early in our marriage, during a time that we were having some difficulty communicated with one another, we were blessed to stay in the home of Larry and Wanda Jamison. During that time Sister Wanda taught me to make her famous pickles, all the while giving words of wisdom. Today, my husband still laughs about the fishing trip Brother Larry took him on... and told him to straighten up. Yes, it saved our marriage!

Walter, Wanda, and me

Mentoring another woman doesn't have to be formal, Actually, I believe that the best form of mentoring is a non-formal approach. It works best when we take another woman along- side us as we walk through life, sharing ourselves with each other.

Gina Crandall has spoken volumes into my life.

Mentoring is intentional. We must learn to carve out time in our busy schedule to listen and learn from others. We also need to be vulnerable and willing to share our experiences to encourage the younger women.

Richard and Susan have been such a blessing in our lives.

So, ladies, let the mentoring begin! Invite that busy mom (and her kiddos) over for lunch. Give a word of encouragement to the mama with the toddler who is thrashing around on the floor...in the middle of Walmart. Make a meal for the family of a young mom suffering from morning sickness. Invite a couple over for dinner, send a text message to a friend who is struggling, and take time to pray for one another.

We are the strongest when we cheer each other on!