"Older" Women

"Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind being subject to their own husbands so that the word of God will not be dishonored." Titus 2:3-5

Have you ever wondered if you're at the right church or if you're surrounding yourself with the right people?  I have asked that question before.  And I'm confident that the answer to that question is that I am currently in the right place with the right people.  I know this, because I can see women in my church living out biblical principles.  I have found that I have Titus women in my life.

My mom and I have a really close relationship and she's always kind of been my spiritual accountability partner.  I know that she's praying for me and keeping tabs on me.  But I've come to realize that she's not the only woman in my life that is actually interested in my spiritual well-being.  In addition to my mother, I have some "older" women at church who are constantly keeping tabs on me too.  These women aren't old, but they're older than me and have raised some pretty awesome children who are in high school and college.  Every week these women seek me out and ask about the details of my life and how my parenting is going.  When I need it, they offer encouragement, advice, and prayers.

Last night at VBS, I had the opportunity to spend an hour talking to my two Titus women who were in charge of craft time.  (They even offered to let me color.)  I don't know if they have any idea that I call them my Titus women or that they realize how much I appreciate their advice and friendship.  But I do know that these are the first older women, aside from my mother, grandmother, and mother-in-law, who have really taken an interest in my role as a wife and mother.  Previously, the women I've looked up to have always been co-workers.  (Shriner's Hospital Houston and Birdville ISD both have some amazing, Christian women working there!)  But this is the first time that I have older women in my church who I feel like I can call with a personal problem or question.

If you don't have Titus women in your life, maybe you're not in the right place with the right people.  And if you have younger women in your life, please don't look down on them or let them wander aimlessly in their young adult life.  Let them know you are interested in them and freely offer wisdom.  Just because I've been through nursing and law school doesn't mean I have a clue about domestic life.  Titus recognized that people like me need wisdom that we can't learn in school, and he placed the burden on older women to teach it to younger women in the church.

Last night, I was expressing my regret that I don't have the time to be involved with the youth group as much as I would like.  My Titus women reassured me that my role right now is to raise my little children and to keep doing what I'm doing.  Since I'm already at church on Thursday nights for music practice, I don't need to tie up Wednesdays with youth group too.  Just that little bit of encouragement went a long way.  I'm so thankful for the right people in my life right now.