women

Cheering for the Young

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VF01Last weekend, I attended graduation receptions for two young women. I have followed these girls through the lives and prayers of their mothers – two of my friends. And when I see these girls on Facebook or at my church, I smile – even though I know they probably don’t realize who I am or that I have an interest in their lives.

But now they are embarking into the future, armed with one of the greatest treasures we all hope to possess: passion.

Each of these young women are passionate about who they are and what they want to accomplish. Each of them is unique with giftings that show how incredibly smart they are and how much potential they possess.

On one hand, I want to protect them from what is out there. I know they will experience losses and resulting griefs. That is just life. They will also be tempted to abandon their passions for lesser goals. I hope and pray that does not happen.

Generations of women have abandoned their passions for lesser goals. That is a travesty. Many women have even forgotten what it felt like to have a dream and feel energized to make that dream happen. So many women believe they are not enough and try to find artificial ways to make themselves measure up.

And so…within this blog platform…I wish to give you female graduates some advice. As an older woman, I’ve earned the right to do that and as a woman who has prayed for you, I believe it is my duty to share insights learned from long years on my knees and long hours trying to find the restorative keys to my own passion.

Dear Ones, please listen and heed this advice:

Always keep your passion alive. Whether you long to become an editor of an international publication or you yearn to join the Philharmonic Orchestra or you hope to run the Boston Marathon and beat the guys – keep your passion secure and alive. Without your passion, your soul will become stale and you will lose the energy and zest for life that is so necessary to not only survive, but also to thrive.

Never settle for what is merely good – whether in jobs, possessions or love. Instead, wait for and strive for what is best. Fifty years from now, you will look back and be glad that you waited for the best because that gives your life significance without regret. God created you as unique, and he wants the best for you. So never settle for only the good.

Be authentic. If you don’t want to join the crowd, if you don’t want to be part of the sorority, if you hate broccoli – just be yourself and stay authentic. Wearing a mask is more tiring than being yourself. And trust me on this – you are already incredible. You are beautiful and you are a treasure. You are already enough.

When life gets hard, remember that your parents raised you to embrace your passion. They have sacrificed much so that you could run toward your goals and every day, they think of you and pray for you.

Then also know this…if you listen very carefully, somewhere in the atmosphere you will hear the rest of us women who have gone before you. We are cheering for you and hoping that you will be the ones to break the barriers of gender abuse, so that all women everywhere will be embraced as the incredible creatures we are.

I love you both. I continue to pray for you. I believe in you.

©2014 RJ Thesman – “Intermission for Reverend G” – http://amzn.to/1l4oGoo

5 Ways to Approach Mother’s Day – Part 4

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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.