God Given Mentors
I want to dedicate this blog to Karen Toews. Your mentorship changed my life in more ways than you may realize. You sparked a fire in my heart for God that has driven me to do things I never thought possible. Thank you for allowing God to work through you to reach me.
From an early age, I saw what it meant to be a good mentor. I was blessed to have parents who were actively involved with my growth and development. They taught me what to look for in good teachers and what Godly teachers looked like. I didn’t learn until later how important mentors can be, especially when entering times in your life of transitions. The mentors I had helped me work through the tough times I had when transitioning to college, and more recently, have helped me answer and work through my questions and help see the direction where God is leading me.
Other than my parents, my first experience with seeking out a mentor happened the summer before I left for college. I strongly believe that God gives you the right people at the right time, and this story is one of the situations where I experienced just that. At that time, I didn’t even understand what it meant to have a mentor, and I didn’t realize the relationship that was formed would be one of mentorship.
By “accident,” I found out that a wonderful woman whose husband would visit our church to give sermons taught a study on Biblical womanhood to young ladies around my age. I felt a very strong feeling that this was a study I would greatly benefit from. Then and there, I had no idea what would come from this interaction. Looking back, I know that God painted that interaction to change me and point me in the direction of growth.
My first two years of college were really hard for me. I was far from home, and serving God didn’t fall at the top of my priority list. Still, this mentorship relationship I had continued to feed my heart and point me in the direction I was supposed to go. It took me a long time to finally get on the path God wanted me on, but that mentorship I had early on created the bedrock for me to discern the right decisions for me later in my life.
Finding Godly mentors is one of the most important things you can do as a Christian. Many places in the Bible talk about the benefits of having a mentor.
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
Proverbs 27:17
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:24-25
As women, we thrive on relationships. Yes, mentorship is important for men as well. But for women, that relationship is often different. As women, we strongly influence the men in our lives, our homes, and our children. A man can have a mentor, but his wife's actions drive so much of who he is. The famous passage in Proverbs 31 is a great example of how valuable a Godly woman is to her home. That is why it is important to seek out women who show those qualities in their own homes so you yourself can model your actions in the same way. God also tells us in Titus chapter 2 that older women are called to teach the younger women how to be all God has called us to be. God is clear about the importance of that relationship. Neglecting to build that mentorship relationship can not only cause you to miss out on the blessings a mentorship can bring but can actually cause stagnation in your strive for Biblical womanhood. These are just a few of the reasons mentorship is so important.
Sometimes you find a mentor naturally; more often, you can take the first step to find a mentor. You might feel a little intimidated or not know where to start when looking for a mentor. I want to be the first to tell you it is not as scary as it might seem. I would also like to give you some advice when looking for a mentor.
Look for women in your church that shine for God.
I fully believe that Godly women are easy to pick out. In your church or your community, they shine with God’s light. Their actions speak to their commitment to serving God and their families. If you want a reminder of what this may look like, you can go back and read Proverbs 31!
Get out of your Comfort Zone
It might feel uncomfortable to seek out a mentor. Maybe you are unfamiliar with people in your church, or maybe you are new to the area. Either way, church is the best place to find amazing people. If you approach a woman who shines for God, I can guarantee they aren’t going to try to intimidate you. More likely, they will be so excited to interact with you and answer your questions.
A good mentor can be one of the biggest blessings in your life; I know it was for me. I hope my story and encouragement can help you see how important a mentor can be to you. You never know where a mentor can lead you; they may just change your life.
