Women Encouraging Women

Titus 2:3-5 "The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed."

Our family just joined a new church last month.  We had been visiting there since April, were plugged into a great Family Sunday School class and had met some people.  We attended the New Members Class and Rich had talked one on one with the Pastor.  We very much felt that this was the place we could plant our family for years to come and not only be fed, but also serve in some capacity.

We read over the list of available classes on Wednesday nights and saw what the church was offering:  excellent studies in God's Word for our kids in youth classes (Doctrine of Salvation for 6th-8th grades and Doctrine of God for 10th-12th....That's deep stuff!), a World Religions class that Rich wanted to attend when his work shift allows (and it's such a good class that he has even taken a few hours off to be able to attend at the end of a day shift or in the middle of a night shift!), and for me, a Women's Mentoring class.

I have never had the privilege of attending a class that instructs and encourages women based on the Titus 2 Scripture above.  What an experience it has been!   The class has 10-20 women attending, depending on the week.  I like that number because it lends itself well to getting to know each other as well as discussion about the topics we are learning.  And boy, can we discuss some topics!  Our leader, Marny, is always careful to bring us back to what God's Word says when our opinions become too off base for our study.  I really appreciate that.  How refreshing it is to not be instructed in someone's opinion of what I should be doing, but in the biblical instructions for living as a woman.

Some of the topics we have or will discuss include:  Growing Godly Character, Developing Godly Speech, Increasing Self Control, Living Out God's Unique Design for Women, Casting Down Idols, Handling Emotions/Controlling Your Thought Life, and Responding to Suffering.  Halfway through the class time, which runs August-December, there is a "Meet & Mingle", where we will have the opportunity to take part in a short term (6-7 months, or longer if you choose to continue) mentor/mentee relationship.

I'm still trying to figure out if I will be a mentor or the person being mentored.  I am kind of in that in between age where I could be either.....or maybe both!  But I am looking forward to having the chance to learn from godly women as well as to share with others who could benefit from what God has taught me in the last 10-15 years.  As long as I remember to keep my opinion out of it and point the person I may mentor back to what God's Word says, I think I have a chance at succeeding.  And as long as I am open to listening to what God wants to teach me through the godly woman He has in mind to mentor me, I will learn and grow from this experience of women encouraging women!