The concept of "spiritual mothering" can elicit a variety of responses - or reactions - from different women. Some women have had a rich mentoring experience in their lives with multiple mentors and opportunities to mentor. Other women have had little to no mentoring from anyone. They may feel deprived, disconnected, or unsure of the need. The good news for us all is that God knows us better than we know ourselves and can fill every void.
My first experience with formal spiritual mothering was at the age of 22 after my mom suddenly passed away. I reached out to the church I was attending about being in a mentoring relationship, and they assigned someone to me. We met once, and she shared some recipes with me. After that a lot of changes happened: I got married, moved to another state, and started a new life.
Although I have never had another formal spiritual mothering relationship, God has brought many godly women into my life who have encouraged me, taught me the Word of God, and prayed with me and for me. One dear friend taught me about giving, serving, and loving people unconditionally. Another sweet lady showed me gentleness, compassion, and patience. A lady of prayer and humility inspired me by showing me how a woman can be a leader. Another long-time friend provided me with a godly example of reaching out to others and showing hospitality. Then there are others who have already gone to be with the Lord who modeled joy, faithfulness, fervent prayer, and dedication to Bible study. There are still many more who have poured blessing into my life and into the lives of my children, for which I am truly grateful.
Other times I have learned by single interactions. It may have been one conversation, or one time watching a friend deal with a conflict with her kids, or one afternoon spent in a friend's home, or a hug when I was feeling low. Sometimes just one interaction can have a major impact on someone else’s life.
I’ve come to see that God gives us what we need in our lives. Every day He gives us opportunities to learn from others and to teach others. I want to challenge you to take each moment as a gift from Him. He has put us here for a reason, and that reason is to invest in the lives of others.
The Women’s Ministry Team is focusing on spiritual mothering (as described in Titus 2) for our Spring Seminar. We are calling it “Spiritual Nurturing” instead of spiritual mothering to help remind us that it is not simply a mother-daughter relationship, but a relationship whereby we, as believers, can build one another up in love. Ladies, I hope you will join us on March 8 as Sandy Hartley shares her spiritual mentoring experiences and explains how we can develop our own “Titus 2 ministry.” It will be a great opportunity for you to connect with younger and older ladies and develop nurturing relationships here at CPC.
Sarah Wade for the Women’s Ministry Team
