Now, more than ever, we need all of the Bible-believing, wisdom-filled, Holy Spirit-led women to invest in the next generation. If you are a Christian woman, you should be investing in another woman. Time is up. We can no longer sit idly by and hope that someone else will pick up this mantle. It is a privilege to be used by God to invest in the lives of other women.
Is it hard? Yes.
Will it take time? Yes.
Is it optional? No.
You have something to offer if you love Jesus. Start with telling her your story. Ask a woman to coffee, or take her for a Sonic drink.
If you’re a mom, my encouragement to you today is this: release your daughter to also be spiritually mothered by other women. Too often, moms hold the reins so tightly on their daughters that opportunities for investment and wisdom are missed. You be the first one to invest in your daughter, but let other women speak the same truths and encouragement over her.
As I write this, I have to say thank you to some of the women who have been (and many who still are) spiritual mothers to me: Shugie (my mom!), Glenna, Dawn, Amanda, Shannon, Deni, Jackie, Kim, Chris, Beth, Kaye, Deb, Sheila, Julie, Kelly, and Susan. These are the women who will look me in the eyes (or text me) and ask questions like these:
“What is God teaching you right now?”
“Have you been spending time in the Word? If not, why?”
“How are you using your gifts?”
“How can I pray for you?”
They’re not perfect, but they love Jesus, and they have all caused me to fall more in love with Him than I would have on my own. We are hard-wired for community, and we need godly women we can learn from.
Many of you already serve as spiritual mothers to women around you. Thank you! What you do to serve other women and the kingdom of God matters. When we make the shift from feeling like spiritual mothering is an obligation to seeing it as a privilege, our whole perspective will shift. Even if you haven’t had spiritual mothers in your life, that doesn’t disqualify you from investing in someone else. Pray that God would raise up someone to be a spiritual mother to you, no matter what your age.
Paul writes this to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:12-16:
“Don’t let anyone despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. Until I come, give your attention to public reading, exhortation, and teaching. Don’t neglect the gift that is in you; it was given to you through prophecy, with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. Practice these things; be committed to them, so that your progress may be evident to all. Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; persevere in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
Paul was a spiritual father to Timothy, and encouraged him to use what God had given him to further the spread of the gospel. We also have this call on our lives—to be the ones who exhort and encourage other women, and also to be the ones who go and do the same. Paul held Timothy accountable, and encouraged him along the way. Let’s go and do the same.
Mary Margaret West serves as the Girls Ministry Specialist for Lifeway Christian Resources, and has a Master of Arts in Christian Education from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. She served several churches as a Girls’ Minister, and teenage girls and the women who lead them are her favorite group of people on the planet. Mary Margaret has a passion to equip girls and women to dive deeply into God’s word and live out their calling. She also hosts Lifeway Women’s {MARKED} podcast. Mary Margaret and her husband Jonathan live in Franklin, Tennessee.
