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One day after I had led worship at church, another worship leader approached me. She is a hip, just-turned-30, Jesus-loving-chick. To my surprise, she asked if I would consider becoming her mentor.
What? I thought at first… I’m WAY too young to be your mentor!
Then I woke up from the dream and remembered that I am a wise-on-my-good-days, slightly-seasoned-40-something girl with a decade of life, marriage, mothering, and ministry on her.
Excitement and trepidation danced together in my heart when I prayerfully agreed.
Over the years I have come to realize that mentoring is very important. I’ve been deeply blessed and rightfully challenged by the wisdom of women who are slightly more gray and less green than me.
Have you ever longed for advice but didn’t know who to talk to? I know I have.
We need spiritual mentors to take our hands as we face life and ministry challenges. Likewise, we also need to grab hold of younger spiritual hands for the journey: to bring them along in Christ, to help strengthen their spiritual muscles, to encourage, teach, and admonish.
In a relay race, a runner reaches forward to grab the baton from a teammate who has run ahead of them. She also extends the baton back to the runner behind who is about to take off on her own leg of the race. Just like the runners in a relay race, we need to be reaching forward and reaching backward. Reaching and teaching!
Look at what the apostle Paul wrote to his disciple, Titus, about how women should do life with other 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. Then they can train 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).
Paul threw down the gauntlet and challenged mature women of faith to step up to the plate and help younger women know how to serve Christ. Show her how to love her husband. Teach her to live set-apart and Spirit-led… beyond addictions, distractions, and complications. Train her to honor God with excellence in the work place, at home, and in relationships. Make disciples!
The Bible says in Mark 6:29, that after John the Baptist died his disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. I find it interesting that the word disciples is used instead of the word friends or associates.
A disciple is defined as, “Someone who follows another person or another way of life and who submits himself to the discipline (teaching) of that leader or way. In the Bible the term “disciple” is found almost exclusively in the Gospels and the Book of Acts, the only exceptions being Isaiah 8:16 and less directly Isaiah 50:4 and 54:13, where the same Hebrew word is translated “learned” and “taught,” respectively. Yet clearly wherever there is a teacher and those taught, the idea of discipleship is present. ”
John poured his life into guiding and teaching these men in the truth and hope of Christ. So, let me ask you this, if a godly man like John the Baptist, who was set apart for a special God-mission to prepare the way of the LORD, reached forward to Jesus for guidance and wisdom, how much more must we? Though he was not one of the twelve disciples hand picked by Jesus during His years of public ministry, John the Baptist was, indeed, a disciple of the Lord.
What a beautiful example we see here. John WAS a disciple and he MADE disciples. With God’s help and a little effort, we can too.
I challenge you to prayerfully connect with one or two women this week to discuss this mentoring topic.
Reach ahead. Get a mentor.
Reach behind. Get a mentee.
Glean wisdom. Give wisdom. Grow. Dream. Achieve!
When you do, I am confident that deep blessings, increased efficacy, and maturity will be evidenced in your life and in the lives of those with whom you connect.
Dear Lord, You are so good to instruct us toward relationships… both with You and with others. Would you help me to grow in faith? Would you use me to make a difference in the lives of other women as well? Please lead me in Your will and in Your ways. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
FOR YOUR REFLECTION and RESPONSE:
Do you have a spiritual mentor? Have you spoken with her recently? Why not call or email her to set up a date to meet for coffee or lunch this week?
Are you mentoring anyone right now? If you are not a spiritual mentor yet or don’t have a spiritual mentor, take a few moments to seek God’s heart about this for your life.
A GIVEAWAY!!! HOORAAAY!! UPDATE: Congratulations to the winners of this week’s giveaway: Pat, Rebecca and Patti. Hope you enjoy the music and may it draw you closer in your relationship with Christ. Blessings!
I want to impact YOU today, so I’m giving away 3 digital copies of my latest music project: “My Strength, My Song.” For a chance to win, leave a comment below. Who do you want to impact?
Thanks for doing life with me! Can’t wait to hear what’s on your heart. 🙂
Blessings in Grace,
Gwen
Comments 59
I want to help younger-than-myself Christian young ladies strive to live a life of purity, especially in their relationships, as I, regretfully, have not.
I’m 68 and God is still teaching me more about purity of mind, body and spirit. God’s way is always the best choice!!
Gwen, as always, you have been a blessing to me for many years. God has used you in a mighty way to speak in my life. I thank the Lord for your life (testimony) of God’s Grace and Mercy. Thank you for allowing God to use you in a mighty way. Love you! Hugs! 🤗❤️🙏🏻
I love this I moved 4 years ago and I have
Not found another church. Was very involved
in my church back where I came from. I don’t know any
One here but my in laws . I am very out going so it’s been hard for me
I would be happy to have a friend in my life I can talk to that is not far away
I know I really need to find a church and get out of this place I have put myself
Just sitting around the house doing nothing . Have a great day God bless you and your Labor of love for The Lord. Deb
Thank you Ms Gwen for being an unashamed and imperfect worshipper of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; from whom all blessings flow! My mentor was revealed to me a few days ago, so this message was very timely. As others have posted, there are times I feel so inadequate to mentor anyone…but it’s not about me…but the God in me that can save a life. Thank you Kimberly
I want to impact anyone that God puts into my way. I have made alot of mistakes in my life but with Gods help I have come thow them. He is my Light at the end of a long tunnel. He is my friend,father,and husband all into one. I give him the glory for my life,and family becauce without him I am NOTHING!
God has brought me through so many experiences. I pray that I mentor whoever God sends my way. I have been so blessed with the great women that God sent my way when I was a child and young adult. I also pray I find a spiritual mentor now in my adult life. Especially since I lost my mother this year. I am 36 and feel like a young girl all over again since my mother passed. Please contact me if you would like to mentor me or if you are looking to be mentored. I believe we are never too old learn and never too young to teach.
Most recently, I’ve found myself in the mist of several early twenty something young ladies who come to me for guidance. It is so humbly to be placed in their life and hold their trust. I know it is only God who has prepared me for this yet there are days I don’t feel I am up to the challenge. I don’t want to say the wrong thing or lead them in the wrong direction. it is only through much prayer will I offer guidance. Then just yesterday, I realized I need to do is listen and allow the Holy Spirit to speak or work through me. It is so humbly. I think back, realizing God had a few women in my life who mentored me without me knowing. I thank God for those angels…
I am a women in early 50’s who has a heart to mentor younger women but not solely younger women. My passion is to bring God glory by helping women be set free who are captives to lies of the enemy,and help bring healing to the brokenhearted. For many years of my Christian walk I only knew of God’s love as corporately. I want to be used by God to help women know the love of the Father on an individual basis which is the key that brought me true freedom and victory in Christ.
I pray for a mentor and wish to mentor my children and other women who are going through seasons I have passed. I strive to live and walk with grace and dignity.
Congratulations Patti, You have been chosen as a winner for this week’s
contest – If you would send your email address to my Ministry Director
Kim, she will send to you the digital down load of “My Strength, My
Song” I love doing life with you! ( send your email address to:
kim@gwensmith.net)
WOOHOO! thank you! 🙂 <3
I want to grow more in wisdom and impact younger women…I look upon His face for both of these…
Praying for a mentor and to be a mentor. Trusting God to provide both opportunities in His perfect timing.
Impacting the world somehow is a dream of mine. Ultimately I would be happy just knowing I have impacted my children and 1 other person. awesome article.
Currently I’m a youth leader at my church in hawaii. Even though I’m 24 , I’m a single mother, a recovering addict,went through domestic abuse and today I walk Christ centered. I want to bring gods glory to at LEAST one young lady that feels she cannot take a stand to stand out and be unashamed to love God and be open about it. If I can help one person to not go through the hardships I went through to find Jesus I couldn’t tell you how much joy that would bring me and god. I want to use what I went through to show gods glory where ever I am to whoever needs me.
I would really want to impact my younger sister. She already got 2 kids at a very young age of 22, and got married. She’s 26 now and already separated to her husband because of a lot of immature reasons. I wanted to help her STAND up and my Prayer everyday is that she will become spiritually mature. Thank’s God Bless You Gwen!
My daughters. I want them to see ENOUGH when they look in the mirror. I want them to remain the strong young ladies they are today and be able to say one day that they were ENOUGH, gave ENOUGH and received ENOUGH. I want a very dear friend of mine to learn by watching me that she needs the Lord and prayer in her life. She stays in so much turmoil emotionally, physically and spiritually. I pray for her and know God is with her. I want her to learn to rely on God and not her earthly body and mind to do it, to listen to the Lord.
the person i want to impact most is my daughter
I want to impact my daughters and other young women like I would have wanted when I was younger.
Gwen I have several christian women as friends, but I also have some nonchristian qomen as friends. Very recently I have had the opportunity to.share the gospel with those non christian friends. I felt honored they came to me. I felt blessed that the Lord led them to me. What a beautiful gift the Lord gives us, in opportunities to reach our hand out to those who need it most!
I have had several mentors since I was a pre-teen. They have helped me grow as a christian and were there for me during the “rough” times. Because of this when I became able to; I began to mention ladies in my church and through the
studies I led.
I just finished a mentoring relationship and am excited to see who God will bring to me next. I never pick out a particular person, God has sent them to me!!!
I am in the ministry till 12 years mainly as volunteer. I am called to serve the Lord in supporting my husband as missionary. There was a time, I really needed mentoring and I dare to ask women in my community (real life as virtual) to be my mentors. And some reply “what’s that” other say that “God can help you better than me”. I realized that God can provide me the right mentor, and now I have mainly mentors throught social media and DVD and reading books. I mean mentoring can be direct : face to face, but also indirect by the authors (like you Gwen) and DVD. Now I teach women, student’s wives in a Bible school to share about this mentoring so that they will be in their turn share in their community. Just pass the batton of faith and mentoring and legacy will be sustainable.The new technology encourage this mentoring : the aim is that we, as women we can support each others in the ministry.
I am a just turned 30 woman and I have had several spiritual mentors since joining my church over 4 years ago, and continue to be blessed by them. I love and adore my little sisters who are 16 and 20, and with God’s help just want to be the best Godly example and mentors in their life as I can be. I pray for God’s courage, boldness and grace to step up and step out in faith when new opportunities arise to be a role model and mentor in another lady’s life. God IS so good to instruct us TOWARD relationships. Amen to your prayer today!
I have grown and matured in my walk with the Lord through several women in my church who have invested in me through Bible studies, prayer and many wonderful talks. I would like to invest in younger women in my church and friends of my teenage children. I spent time at our Women’s Retreat last weekend talking and praying with many women. God has blessed me with a wonderful church family and many opportunities to minister to others. When I look back at where I was 19 years ago when I first joined my church, I see the part the older women played in my life, and they continue to minister to so many! I want to be able to invest in others’ walk and maturity in their walk, as well.
Even though I am an older woman, I would like a mentor in my life because I want to be a spiritual mentor to my daughter. She lives in another city and when she lived at home with me, she was in church and always active with her age group in church. Now that she has graduated from college and has two part time jobs and she is having a great time with her wonderful friends, I just want to make sure that her focus remains on the Lord.
I would like to encourage my nieces and help them through things that I have already experienced. Pray that I will have the courage and take the time to be there for them.
I am the older woman who wants to impact the single moms and youn married women. I have been both and been praying about this for a while. I was lucky to have had great women in my life when I was a seventeen year old mom. I want to help them trust God and not make some of the mistakes I made. Thank you for today’s lesson and I will put into action.
My grandmother, “Mammy”, raised me and mentored me until her passing. And after, as I battled cancer, she would come to me in spirit to walk me through the dark time. Her love for God was so great and she showed me how to love, give and believe. I share mentoring with my Sunday School class now, but would love to have your book to share with my three granddaughters 14, 11 & 9, as they begin life’s journey as young women of faith. Thank you for this opportunity and your wonderful, uplifting devotionals.
I want to impact other women through mentoring and be mentored by another woman again. Mentoring has had a huge impact on my walk with God in the past – especially my college years through The Navigators. It’s been awhile since I’ve been mentored and I know I would benefit from that again. I also want to keep passing on what God is teaching me to others to encourage them. Praying for one-on-one mentoring opportunities. Also excited to be able to mentor a group of ladies at my church by teaching Christ-centered yoga. Just started the class and am loving that ministry!
God Bless you woman of God, I do thank Him for being Lord of my life and for allowing you bless us with wisdom and encouragement. I pray that He continues to bless you and the other women of God. I really do not have just one specific mentor but we all mentor each other. You are a mentor to me!
I would love this book! I not only need it for myself, but for my daughter who is becoming a young woman. SO grateful for your blog and devotions! God Bless!
Just what I needed today… I am feeling sorry for myself today. Needed to hear I should get up and find a mentor and become a mentor. Stop thinking about myself and start thinking about others. thank you, God, for putting this message in front of me this morning, just when I needed it!
I want to impact young single moms that are in recovery from addiction. I want to lead those young woman to Christ or help through grow in their walk with christ. I find this important to me because I had my daughter at 15 and I was a herion addict for 9 years (I started when I was 11). I am now 21 and a year and a half clean and sober. I have gained back custody of my daughter but more importantly for the first time in her 5 years in this world we have a MOTHER DAUGHTER relationship that I will cherish forever, but never take for granted again. I have completely changed my life around only by THE GRACE OF GOD! I went to rehab 9 times & went to the best in the world (the betty ford center) , overdosed 21 times, and just could not stay clean for anything/anyone not even for myself. I was mad at God during these years and was spirtually bankrupt. I had doctors, nurses, rehabs, etc. Tell my family theres no hope for me and I was going to end up dead or in prison for the rest of my life. My fiance that I had been with for 7 years overdosed and passed away on his birthday 3 days after getting out of jail. That still wasn’t my wake up call. I did things I would have NEVER done normally. I was homeles, 19 years old, my family wanted nothing to with me nor did anyone else. I felt broken, hopeless, and continued spiraling out of control. My Mom randomly invited me to church one day after not talking to her for 5 years and after that service I saw the light, I wasn’t hopeless anymore, I felt lovee for the first time. I got sober without rehab, drs, nurses, and everyone else that said I couldnt. After that service I realized I wasnt alone that whole time I had Him watching over me. It is my dream to give just one person hope, help them see the light at the end of the tunnel, just have one person understand the signifiance God had in my life when I didn’t deserved it, show someone theres a different way to live, I just want everyone to be able to experience the spirtual, personal, amazing experience/relationship with Jesus Christ that I have had because he completely changed/saved my life
Congratulations Rebecca, You have been chosen as a winner for this week’s
contest – If you would send your email address to my Ministry Director
Kim, she will send to you the digital down load of “My Strength, My
Song” I love doing life with you! ( send your email address to:
kim@gwensmith.net)
Thank you Gwen for always encouraging me. I do not have a mentor but I will pray that God will direct me to the person that I need to be my mentor. And in return I will pray to be the mentor that I need to be for the young people that are apart of my daily life. I am a college cheer coach and I have always tried to be a good role model for these young people but God has put this on my heart to be a mentor for them. Please pray for me as I embark on this new chapter in my life.
I just started mentoring another woman of God and I truly love sharing what Jesus has taught me through my husband, marriage and kids. I need a mentor and I will pray for one.
Thank you for your Ministry. It is a blessing to my life!!!
i would like to encourage the younger women who live by me. Jesus please help me help them, In your name Jesus amen.
I would love to impact troubled teens and young mom’s. God is good ALL the time, and I would love to teach them how much He loves them!
I would love to encourage the younger women in my family.
I am so thankful that my counselor/spiritual mentor returns from her extended vacation soon. I have a woman I’ve been meaning to get together with for awhile. Today’s devotion was a great motivator. (P.S. The relay running analogy is backwards. The current runner extends the baton forward to the next runner, and the next runner reaches backward to receive it.) 🙂
I am mentoring a few women in my church but as you said we also need a mentor. I agree 100% and I will be seeking one this week. Thank you for opening up to us godly women.
I am blessed to mentor a young woman who came from sexual abuse and trauma and is turning her life around and trusting Jesus in the path. I have been DEEPLY blessed with the most amazing women in Christ for many years. Excellent post about the importance of both.
Thank you Gwen for your thought-provoking devotion. At age 61, I’ve never had a mentor nor been mentored, but I will consider both! You are such an inspiration to me! I loved your concert and meeting you at Yates Baptist Church in Durham! God Bless You, Gwen! You have an awesome ministry!
Congratulations Pat, You have been chosen as a winner for this week’s contest – If you would send your email address to my Ministry Director Kim, she will send to you the digital down load of “My Strength, My Song” I love doing life with you! ( send your email address to: kim@gwensmith.net)
Perfect timing! I’m about to begin mentoring a cousin who is coming for a visit tomorrow to get started in person. She lives in PA and I’m in Louisiana. Please pray for us. I’m not sure she is saved but is very challenged with problems that are a door of opportunity for God to become real, provide deliverance, and pour out his awesome healing love! I am praying for guidance but mostly just want to be a blessing and share Gods love. Thank you!
This has been a very difficult week for me. I have no mentor but reached out to a good older friend because i knew i needed someone to talk to. I didn’t get the chance to really talk but your devotional made me realize i am missing a female mentor in my life. My mother died 20 years ago and my sister now lives in south korea. I never realized how much of a blessing she was in my life when she was here nearby.
I am not a mentor nor do I have one but I have been desiring to build those kind of relationships. Thanks for reminding me and helping me to pursue a mentor/mentee with confidence.
Loved your GiG today. I would like to mentor my daughter & be a better mentee to my mother.
Good morning Gwen,
I really enjoyed your message today. Thank you for sharing your heart. I have to say being a mother of three daughters this message is near and dear to my heart. I know how important it us to pour into my daughters daily. The three women I would want to impact first the most is my daughters Veronica 22yr, Victoria 13yr and Melea 10yr. By taking the time to show them how much they are loved, it will have a lasting effect with everyone that walks into their lives. Thank you for being a faithful servant and sharing your word with us.
Bless you,
Flora Carswell
I am so thankful that we don’t ever have to do life alone!
I desire to impact other single mom’s for Christ. I never thought I would be single. I believed I planned well, picked well, prayed, and put God first in my relationship with my husband. I had a strong mentor and was serving God. But life doesn’t always happen the way you plan it. Many are the plans of a man’s or woman’s heart. Through my journey I have impacted others through my ministry and been impacted by many powerful women and men of God. I pray for the ability to submit to my mentors and have the wisdom to impart in the mentees that God blesses me with. I enjoy your blog. It is a blessing. Thank you for mentoring me in the Word every day. Love Erica.
Hi Gwen! Your devotional today struck a chord with me. I am a 48-year-old married mother of one daughter. I have never thought about being a mentor, but, as a mother, I guess you automatically become one to your child. I try to lead and guide her toward God as best I can. Recently, though, I have been asked by a member of our church staff to become an Encourager…someone who goes down front during invitation and prays with people who have come forward…perhaps even leading them to Christ. When it comes to witnessing, I am fairly weak…I am an outgoing person and can talk to anyone, but when it comes to asking someone “if you died today, would you go to Heaven?” I get all weak-kneed. But something happened at work yesterday (I work at Wendy’s) that has made me believe that maybe I CAN become an encourager. One of my co-workers was worried about a friend of hers…to the point that she wasn’t her “happy-go-lucky” self. I loved on her, prayed for her friend, and encouraged her to trust God in this situation. Praise the Lord, before the end of the day, her friend was better. This inspired me that maybe I CAN become an encourager…that is similar to being a mentor, as you said today. Also, I am the oldest employee at our Wendy’s, so I take it upon myself to be a witness to all the teenagers/young adults that I work with. Praise the Lord that I can do that, because I could NEVER love these kids on my own. Praise the Lord also for GiG and your daily devotionals! They lift and inspire me! Thanks. Lori White
This was right on time for me. I am in a mentoring relationship that started off strong but has started to fizzle. ThIs has reminded me of the importance of mentoring and the encouragement to continue. Thank you!
I love your blog and gain a lot from your posts, thank you. I have often thought about seeking a mentor and I feel I am too new and not knowledgeable enough just yet to be a mentor. I usually ask my pastor when I have a concern or do not understand something. I pray I will be able to mentor my daughter as a start and am forwarding your emailed message daily to her. I really would love a mentor and will pray the Lord leads me to one. Thanks again fr your messages!
I have often longed for someone to talk to as well. I have always thought it sounded silly to ask someone to mentor me. I did actually do it once, but the other woman declined. So I will pray – there are a couple who come to mind. As for mentoring someone, I suppose I am already doing that. A younger single mom in our church has 4 children and I have been spending time with her 12 year old daughter teaching her to sew. We made a quilt for her baby sister this past summer. It won 2nd place at our local fair!
Thank you for this devotional 🙂 I really touched my heart. I did not recognize the process of mentoring that has already gone on in my life before I read this piece. I hope to impact the other women in my family especially. I was mentoring a dear friend before she moved away, but I know realize that I should continue to reach out to her despite not being able to meet in person.
I’m a leader for GEMS Girls Club and this fall I started leading a women’s bible study. I find myself learning from both the young girls and the women. I never really thought of it as mentoring before. I always felt like I’m the one who needs mentoring. I really enjoyed this post today. We can and should be both…A mentor and a mentee!
Good morning Gwen Smith,
Thank you for the word this morning. I want to reach women and children who have been through some kind of abuse and rejection in West Africa most who don’t have a voice, a dream and are treated like they are not human. I have laid this dream in God’s hands and this word today has further reminded me to pursue it even more. Thank you for this, please join me in prayer as I work on this project. Have a blessed weekend.
I heard God speak to my heart several years ago about mentoring someone – I knew at the time it was not the right time in my life, however, God has been working on my heart and bringing this time to begin – He has been “seasoning” me and teaching me to prepare my heart to begin this – I’m not sure how I’m supposed to get from point A to point B, but I’m willing and listening. I led a Sunday school class using the book “Praying For Your Husband From Head To Toe” over the summer – and there is such a need among the women in the church I attend – so God is working! Thank you for the “Girlfriends In God”, I get up every weekday looking forward to reading the daily devotion to jump start my day! Have a blessed day 🙂