Speak to me inside of her. That was the word the Lord whispered into my heart the day I hit my knees in prayer for a friend.I had struggled in our relationship. We were in a Bible study together and it seemed that no matter how I tried to encourage her in her walk with the Lord, my words were ... read more
Why Life Is Not Meant to Be Lived Alone
I was surrounded by ladies yet had never felt so alone. The new girl, I assumed loneliness was my new normal. I never went back to that women's ministry event. Instead, I chose aloneness. Making friends, being vulnerable, living in community felt too hard.Last week, I went back to the same ... read more
Do You Need A Mentor-In-A-Box?
You will always hear me advocating for a real-life mentor: someone who knows you, who sees you on a regular basis, who can cheer you on in your struggles, and call you out on your sins. A mentorship is a relationship, and a good one takes time and trust to develop. I have been blessed to have ... read more
Where to Start When You Want a Mentor (Or Want to Be One)
Her name was Lynne. She had shoulder-length, wavy hair that was a blend of red and brown hues which framed her soft, pale face and infectious smile. Her titles were many: pastor’s wife, mother, homeschool mama, Sunday school teacher, puppet team coach, friend, and more. But I called her Mama ... read more
Why Experience Is Not a Qualification for Mentoring
“It’s so wonderful to see you! How are you?” We talked a mile a minute as we began to catch up. Old friends from our high school homeschool group, we hadn’t seen each other in years. We were so much the same, and yet so different.“What do you want to be doing?” she asked as we finished ... read more
How to Bring Discipleship Out of Bible Study Into Life
“What are you going to do to change the world for God?”I blinked across the table at Ken Bevel, leading actor in the then soon be released movie “Courageous”. We were talking about the weather and where we were all from and then, all of a sudden, that question.Stunned, I scrambled for words, ... read more
what to do with your mother’s heart when you have no child of your own
Some women are born with a child-shaped hole in their hearts. The hole is meant for a child – or a lot of children – of their own. Why try to pretend it’s meant for anything else?In Becoming God’s True Woman, Dorothy Kelley Patterson writes: “If you are a woman, whether you are married or ... read more
Where are the Spiritual Mothers? A Titus 2 Vision for Friendship
"I just need some help."This wasn't the first time total and utter exhaustion had settled in. Being pregnant with number three made for many challenges while chasing a toddler and spending countless hours on the city bus getting my bigger one to school."Can you call someone to come over?" my ... read more
I Prayed for a Mentor
Many years ago, my husband was called to join the ministry staff of a church in a city new to us. The women in the church invited me to a ladies’ tea to welcome me and help me become acquainted with them. I was only twenty-three years old, so most of the women there were older than I was. When I was ... read more
Making Room for Mentoring in Your World
I was eleven years old – bookish, imaginative, shy, average – when I met Bethany. I had outgrown any possible cuteness, but not yet grown into any possible maturity.Bethany was sixteen. She was beautiful, creative, ridiculously intelligent, and with an effortless poise that was never ... read more
