Mona

Welcome to any of you who are coming from Encouragement for Today! It's such a privilege to have you visit, and I look forward to our contact on devotion days. I want to spend a special shout-out to those of you visiting from other countries. It makes me look forward to the day when every tribe, nation and tongue gather around the throne of the Lamb.



Today's devotion is on a topic that is one of the passions of my heart. God has used other women in my life over and over to strengthen my walk, challenge me and grow me up. In today's world, we use the word "mentoring" to describe that kind of relationship. The truth is that it's not a modern concept. God is the giver of every good and perfect gift, and this is no exception. His idea of mentoring, though, doesn't read like a self-help manual. He wants us to lead others to Jesus and to help them grow into a life that looks increasingly like His. The word that seems to have fallen somewhat into disfavor that I think better describes God's goals is discipleship.



I have been blessed to have many women in my life who have poured out their life into the women around them. I'd like to take a few posts to tell you about some of them. I hope that these posts will encourage you to begin praying for your own mentor or considering who God may be calling you to mentor.



When I first took on the title of Women's Ministry Director, I was young-ish and completely inexperienced. I was excited by what I believed was God's calling, and He had given me some ideas and inspiration. Excitement came spilling out in Pastor David's office as I explained my goals and plans for the ministry. I'm thankful that in great wisdom David recommended that I find a mentor and then directed me to Mona.



Mona was the receptionist at our church. She was the first face that anyone saw who entered the church. Her voice was the first that anyone heard when they called. If that job wasn't important enough, God had given her the position of resident lay-counselor, Bible teacher extraordinaire and softest shoulder to cry on. Everyone in the church knew Mona, and everyone loved her.



Mona had a bench in front of her desk in her office at the church's entrance, and it was rarely empty. There was a constant stream, that included our pastors, of people who sought Mona for counsel. The reason was obvious. Mona knew the Word of God. She didn't dispense her opinion or pithy sayings. She didn't respond out of pity or sympathy. Mona would take people faithfully to what God's Word had to say about their situation, and then she would pray. Oh yeah...she was also known for being a woman of prayer. Her phrase that she became known for was, "Beloved, run to Jesus!"



I'm exceedingly grateful for the day that David pointed me toward the bench in Mona's office. I spent hours there seeking her guidance, support and wisdom. She was faithful both to encourage me when I was low and to tell me the truth when I needed to hear it. I came to value how Mona would tell me hard things, and I always felt her deep love for me while she shared.



I learned so much from her. I learned to seek God's Word for the answers that I needed. I learned to "run to Jesus" first. I learned to ask for the truth from others that I loved and trusted.



One other lesson that was so important is one that I love to share when I speak. Mona was a woman of tremendous power as the receptionist of our church. The very nature of her job allowed her to know LOTS about the workings and the people of the church. If she had been a gossip, it could have been the demise of the church. She wasn't a gossip, though, and she also wouldn't allow gossip in her presence. Many times as I occupied the bench, someone would come into the office to "share". (You KNOW that real Christians don't gossip. They just "share"!) If the sharing started going down a bad path, Mona would gently interrupt and say, "Beloved, that is something that I just don't need to know." Amazing! With the exception with one clueless person who was a terrible gossip, that gentle phrase never failed to shut down the gossip. I had the phrase used on me a couple of times, and the rebuke stung a little. I was so grateful, though, to have an example of holiness lived out for me.



Even though I've moved, I think of Mona as one of the major influencers of my life. Her example of godliness has stayed with me, and phrases from her teaching still run through my mind. I love her and long to be like her for the younger women around me.



Do you have a mentor who has taught you to be more like Jesus? I'd love to hear about this person as I share mine over the next week!