Go-To Woman

Moving to a new location brings on many challenges. We’ve been through the “fun” of finding a new house, figuring out where to shop, and choosing a good church. Friendships tend to grow from there. But one absolute necessity for me has always been to find my go-to mentor. You know, that lady who is well-versed in this thing called life. She has had years of marinating in marriage. She’s seasoned with mothering. She has been stirred in trials and hardships. A sprinkle of humor and a douse of self-preservation, this woman knows a whole lot.
I want to be around this woman. I want to soak up her knowledge, her toughness, her confidence. I want to sit down with a cup of coffee and just consume her know-how received from just living life.
We all need a mentor. Whether we are 15 or 50, there is always someone who knows a little more than we do. And it would be foolish of us to think we couldn’t learn from anyone else.

“The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness… That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of  God be not blasphemed.”
~Titus 2:3-5

There is so much wisdom in this verse. The problem with so many young women these days is that they are scared, or dare I say, too prideful to seek out someone who can teach them. I’m from a generation that knows everything and can do anything without any aid whatsoever. That must be why we have homes filled with marriages falling apart, toddlers ruling the family, and the balancing plates all crashing to the ground at once.
We are seeking advice from our girlfriends that are in the same boat as we are instead of asking someone who already walked this path years ago. Why not be taught from their successes and failures? Why are we not sitting at the feet of our mothers and grandmothers and listening to what they did when they were 20,30, or 40?
I’m in the process of seeking out my “go-to lady.” It’s hard to find an older woman who is not too busy, not too tired, and has enough care to bring me under her wings and guide me to the next phase. But I know she’s out there.
For the older generation who has “done their time” and “raised their kids”, I implore you to consider us young ones who are helplessly helpless. Just like you in your younger years, we don’t know what we are doing. Even more so now as technology and a faster paced life continually fights for our time and affections, we are losing so many battles.
Take us under your wings. Scoop us up and love us. Correct errors when you see them, but do so with words that ooze love and understanding. Tell us your stories. Tell us what you did right, what you did wrong. Share. Encourage. Embrace.
I know I don’t have a bit of it all figured out. I still fail as a wife on a daily basis. (Have you ever fought via text? Oh, it’s possible.) My kids are constantly changing and growing, which I absolutely love and adore. But with that comes new challenges that utterly terrify and confuse me. Next week we have our oldest in double digits. I suspect it’s all down hill from here.
Even more so, I need guidance in knowing God deeper. The chores, fights, to-do lists, and running around often fog my view of the real Priority, Him. To have an older woman to come beside me, put her arm around me and encourage me with His word and truth… well, there is nothing more this hungry soul could need.
So young women, find your go-to woman. Don’t be ashamed. Don’t be embarrassed. Don’t think you know it all. Because you just don’t.
To my older generation ladies, I just love you. Thank you for helping me spread my wings and learn from you. Keep teaching. Keep talking. Keep walking.

Posted January 12, 2017