Think about the girls and young women God has placed in your life.
Can you picture their faces right now?
Perhaps you are thinking about your niece, cousin, daughter, granddaughter, teenage girl in the youth group, or your neighbor.
Now, consider that God has placed them under your stewardship to teach them His ways.
My desire for my nieces, nephews, and other young girls in my life is for them to spend eternity with God.
This picture was taken at a friend’s house when I was in my early 20s.
I did not fully understand God’s will for my life at that age.
I had big dreams.
I believed in God.
I sinned against God.
God forgave me.
Praise God! The blood of Jesus continues to cleanse me of my sin 1 John 1: 8 – 10
I was deeply hurt by older women in the church.
God reconciled my relationship with those women.
God cleansed my heart of pain and filled my heart with joy and love.
The hurt I experienced and that God brought me through helps me to equip and exhort young girls and women in their walk with the Lord.
God has blessed me to grow and mature spiritually, emotionally, and physically since that time over 20 years ago.
God continues to daily transform my heart and mind into the image of His Son Romans 8:29
God used many people and resources in my spiritual growth:
- God’s Holy Spirit dwelling inside of me
- Prayer & Scripture
- My mother for teaching me to be faithful to God by her example and taking me to church
- My aunt for teaching me to memorize Scripture at a young age
- Bible teachers
- Ministry training at Sunset International Bible Institute
- Discovering my spiritual gifts and gaining clarity on HOW I can serve the Kingdom of God by taking a spiritual giftedness test
- My spiritual growth chart I created during ministry training which I use often
- Traveling to foreign countries to teach others about the Good News of Jesus Christ and serving in my local community
And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
Acts 22:16
God calls older women to teach younger women
I am honored and blessed to teach young girls about the love of God.
2 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: 2 that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; 3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—4 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, ahomemakers, good, bobedient to their own husbands, cthat the word of God may not be blasphemed.
Titus 2:1 – 5
This passage reminds me that as Christian women seeking to serve younger women we must be kind, gentle, Christlike, compassionate, and remember the days of our youth and God’s grace and mercy in our lives.
Notice the characteristics the apostle Paul tells Titus that older Christian women are to have:
v. 2:3 Reverent in behavior = holy; demeanor
v. 2:3 Not slanderers = finding fault in others, false accusations, and gossip
v. 2:3 Not given to much wine
v. 2:3 Teachers of good things = Not formal instruction (living a Godly life by example – gentle, wise counsel, kindness, the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22 – 23))
The context of this passage is “that the word of God may not be blasphemed”
Paul wanted the younger women and older women in the church to possess Godly characteristics, but his ultimate goal was to avoid presenting an opportunity for criticism of the Gospel.
Women of the Bible were real people, just like you and I. Read my blog post series “Women of the Bible” to examine how their struggles, sin, shortcomings, and obedience can inspire us as women today to live our lives for God and be a light in this dark world.
Ministry is a blessing and it can be exhausting. Taking care of your body and mind is good stewardship. Learn how to support the systems of your body naturally with essential oils to help you be well and more effective in ministry with my “Essential Oils for Women in Ministry” email course.
God bless you as you use your gifts to serve others
0 Comments