The Spiritual Mother
Throughout the years, God has placed me under the tutelage of strong intercessors and gifted Christian women. These spiritual mothers challenged me and held me accountable until my will broke and I saw growth happen. I am forever grateful to Jewel, Ruth, Arlene, Lydia and Matilda.
Then as my own life flipped through the calendar decades, God gave me young women to disciple and mentor. These women challenged me and thrilled me as I watched them grow stronger in their personalities and in the abundant life. As we worked through accountability and the deeper questions of life, I saw these young women foreshadow the next generation of spiritual mothers.
I am so grateful for the opportunity to dip into a small piece of their lives. I honor them today and continue to pray for these my spiritual daughters: Cami, Laura, Eunja Kim, Libby, Kyeong Hwa, Shelley, April, Danya, Shanna, Patti, Naomi and whoever comes next.
Every Christian woman can mentor the young. These spiritual offspring are out there, hungry for the truth and wanting to be taught. They are confused and frustrated by the biblical pap they are sometimes fed, and they want to grow into the strong “ezer” warriors God made them to be.
On this Mother’s Day, we older women must commit to mentoring a younger woman. Mentoring represents the best way to carry on the traditions of the past; to teach our spiritual daughters how to study the Bible, how to practice intercessory prayer and how to trust the God who made them female.
How do we begin?
- Pray that God will initiate the process and bring to you a younger woman who wants to learn.
- Ask the women’s leadership in your church to match you with a younger woman who has expressed interest in the mentoring process.
- Be alert for any possibilities that come your way. She may be waiting for you at Starbucks, Panera or Target.
- Make sure that your own spiritual life is clean and dedicated to God.
- Give thanks in advance. God is about to do something miraculous through you.