(Graphic artwork by McKenzi Matsick)

Living Differently with Wise Counsel

By Amber Johnson

“These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.”

– Titus 2:4-5 (NLT)

Fresh out of college, I quickly found myself in unfamiliar territory.

After a severe car accident that nearly took my life, God began opening up my heart. My desires changed. I wanted to get to know God and grow in my relationship with Him.

With that desire for growth, came some challenges and opportunities.

As a young, 20-something, I had just moved to a new city, six hours away from my family. My boyfriend (now husband) was also several hours away. As I started my first job as a college graduate, I was completely on my own as I adapted to this new lifestyle and continued to recover from my car accident.

In all of the craziness, I was excited to start fresh. It was my responsibility to find a church, start reading the Bible, and find time to grow in my relationship with the Lord. The familiarity of my home state and the distractions of my college-days were long gone.

I was all-in for Christ, wherever that would take me.

After finding a home church, it wasn’t too long before I was invited to attend a young adult women’s Bible study. Our leader for the study not only taught me about godly living, but she was living it out herself. How she talked about her husband, interacted with her family, and took care of her household was different than anything I had been around.

I still remember her heart for hospitality as she took special care to welcome us into her home with lemonade and snacks. She took the time to make special binders for each of us, outlining the notes, and Bible verses for our Proverbs 31 study on the life of a godly woman.

She was not conformed to the culture; she lived differently, and I took notice.

The following year, I had another godly woman reach out to me about discipleship. She was one of the leaders in our Sunday morning young adult group. I was so thankful and honored that she had asked me. My boyfriend had recently proposed, and this godly mentor wanted to come alongside me as I journeyed closer to marriage. She asked me questions related to the relationship with my fiancé. I continued to grow in my understanding of being equally-yoked and entering marriage the way God intended. It was an opportunity for me to learn from someone who had already been where I was in that season of life.

No matter where you are in your faith walk, I encourage you to find a mentor. Pray about finding wise counsel. God will provide a wiser counselor in the faith, even if you currently don’t have someone in mind.

Just this past year, I prayed for a mentor, and God provided one!

If no one has reached out to you in regards to mentorship, be bold and ask someone you respect in the faith. Ask your respected mentor to meet for coffee, go on a walk, or talk on the phone. You can schedule to meet or talk with this person once a week, once a month, or whenever your schedules allow. Consistency is best.

The godly, motherlike figures in my life have been such blessings. Like the seasons of life, my mentors have changed, but God continues to show me the importance of finding wise counsel and heeding it.

“The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain; those who accept it avoid the snares of death.”

– Proverbs 13:14 (NLT)