I See the Difference it Makes!
By Beth Patterson
A friend recently invited me to join a group of women to learn about becoming a good mentor. With great curiosity, I wanted to explore what that entailed. There is no greater joy than to help someone realize their potential and live out their purpose. In joining the group, I was introduced to some amazing women who have a heart and passion for the Lord. More than one of the them suggested reading the book called “Becoming a Woman of Influence” by Carol Kent. In doing so, I began looking into how Jesus lived a life of influence, and how many people over my lifetime had an impact on me and my beliefs.
We all influence people whether we realize it or not. And in reading the book, I was inspired to influence people on purpose. I learned how to be intentional in my actions to inspire and empower other women by looking at Jesus’s example. But to equip other’s as Jesus did, one must look at how Jesus impacted your own life. Knowing your own testimony and influence Jesus has in your own life flows out of you in all your actions. I, first, began to know the Lord in the mountains at Camp Merri Mac. Our counselor would sing songs of praise, and tell stories of how much he loved the Lord. It was as if he glowed with passion for his Savior. All I knew is that I wanted some of what he had. I wanted the confidence and conviction that His Lord could also be my Lord. I never even told him what an impact he had on my life. In those woods, I asked the Lord to be my Savior, and a peace which transcends all understanding came over me. A few years later at the same mountain top, someone asked my why I was so different, and what was the cause of my joy. That was when I got my first experience to share how Jesus had impacted my life, and my new friend became a child of God. Mother Teresa says you should daily pray and obey, surrendering to Jesus. You never know who is watching you, and how you are influencing the lives of others.
A mentor can be as simple as one encounter, a period of time, a season of life, or a lifetime. Our mission is to use the opportunities given to us to communicate the Truth. If we waited for formal teaching moments to make a difference in the lives of others, most of us would miss the opportunities we have to “be Jesus” to the people in our sphere of influence. By spending regular time alone with Jesus, our hearts and mind become more in tune to these opportunities, and we will be more prepared. Jesus would turn interruptions into divine appointments. As we walk out life with others’, God will open the doors to allow us to be intentional about sharing the good news.
As a physical therapist who specializes in women’s health and myofascial pain, I come across all kinds of people with different lifestyles and beliefs. In my quiet time with the Lord, He taught me that my job is not to judge the world, but to love the people in this world unconditionally and compassionately. A person’s actions may not warrant our support, but their potential does. And there are many examples in the Bible that show Jesus using compassion and unconditional love to change the lives of others. One of the influential women mentioned in the book was Corrie Ten Boom. Corrie and her sister witnessed to hundreds while be held prisoner in a concentration camp. One of the guards would beat and single out Corrie’s sister because she was sickly. After her sister died, Corrie was able to use the Love of Christ, not her own love, to show forgiveness to the guard, and she prayed for him. Because of that love, the guard became a believer. In an interview, Corrie said “If you look around - you will be distressed; if you look within, - you will be depressed; but if you look to Jesus - you will find rest.” She and her sister took the opportunity of being in a bunk house with 800 women in a concentration camp to share with their peers about the love and peace that can only be found in Jesus. What an amazing testimony.
God sees potential. Good mentors restore hope. Intentional questions reveal our deepest longings and trigger growth. And holding a crown high over someone’s head can give them a chance to grow into it. I will finish with sharing a story of how a mentor poured into the life of my son. In high school, he was going through a rebellious phase and getting into a lot of trouble at home and with the law. Without knowing what all was going on, his math teacher was prompted by the Lord to share her story of how she got caught shoplifting during a rebellious time in her life, and how Jesus changed her. Sharing her story allowed him to open up about what he was going through. She then poured love and compassion into him and taught him that there is no condemnation in Jesus. She would tell him that God Loved him and had great plans for his life. She taught him that he could find purpose in Jesus. When he finally started turning around, he said, “If God has plans to use me, then how can he use me if I continue down this path that I have been taking.” Right after this, his best friend was shot and killed by police officer during an attempted arrest. My son could have been in the car with this friend when this happened. Instead, he was spending time with this amazing teacher and mentor who saw potential in his life. She looked at someone who was doing some bad things, and she looked at him through Jesus eyes. She told him that he was special and loved. This teacher is no longer in our lives, but I often thank God for her influence in our lives.
In closing, Fe2 ministry would like to open the opportunity to allow other women to read this book and get together in a group to discuss the ways you can be intentional to making a difference. I will host a book club at my home on Monday, March 2nd at 6 p.m. Please email Amy @ aragon@fellowshipjackson.com, if you are interested. More information will follow.
