8 Tips to Finding Great Women's Mentors

Written by Paula M. Wilder

Many women desire guidance from a more mature woman who has dealt with struggles and been healed of wounds they now face, but mentors among women are usually few and far between. One of the greatest reasons women don't step out to mentor is because they have a huge misconception of what "mentor" means.

Many ladies think a mentor is someone who has it all together, memorizes a new Scripture every day, knows everything about the Bible, never messes up, and so forth - but if these were the requirements, no one would measure up!

Women's mentors are simply ladies who are using the experiences, insights, gifts, and God-given wisdom to encourage a spiritually younger woman.

A terrific mentor has these much more attainable qualities:

• visibly lives her life for Christ
• continual reliance on God
• openness about weaknesses and failures
• desire to give God glory for successes
• hunger to share with others what the Lord has taught them

Here are eight approaches to help you recruit mentors for your ladies:

1. Seek out women who are obviously growing believers.
2. Encourage potential mentors to think and journal about what God done in their lives, particularly through struggles.
3. Have current mentors speak to others (formally and informally) about their mentoring experiences.
4. Don't preach at potential mentors, but remind them of God's call to help the next generation.
5. Provide mentoring training.
6. Make sure mentors know they have your and others' prayer support.
7. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give these ladies courage.
8. Don't give up!

Each Sunday as I walk into church, I ask God to bring a potential mentor across my path. Many women in my church could be great mentors but aren't ready to step out in faith. I keep praying for these ladies, and when I see them around, I always encourage them about this vital role. Sometimes it just takes an "I believe in you" to embolden someone to begin their journey as a mentor.

Glory to God, I've seen Him bring many of these women forward to serve in this way. Begin praying and seeking out these mentors, and watch what God will do in the lives of the women in your church!