Has a friend ever spoken words that reshaped your perspective of yourself, for good? Have you ever been blessed to meet someone who saw something in you that you couldn’t see in yourself?
When another woman speaks encouragement into our hearts, the course of our lives can be changed forever. And when we believe in someone else, God uses us to build confidence and security in a heart that may have otherwise been paralyzed by doubt and insecurity forever.
I’ll never forget my friend Janet thanking me for words I’d penned from my heart to hers in a note. To me it was only a thank you note, but it was more than that to her. God used her to encourage me to write more than notes. Her prayers and confidence in me inspired this insecure young mom to write a Bible study.
God used that tiny Bible study, written over 10 years ago to birth my writing ministry. Then I taught the Bible study at church. Months later, my WM director, Mary Ann Ruff, sent me to a writer’s training class and secretly signed me up for a speaking/writing development group because she believed in me. She encouraged and helped equip me to walk towards what I’d been running from for 10 years.
Then my friend Lysa asked me to speak in her place at a MOPs group. I’d never spoken outside the small Bible study at my church, and had no plans to do so. But God did, and He used a woman who believed in me more than I believed in myself to help me take the first step.
Each of these women did more than influence my ministry; they shared their lives and mentored me in every area of mine – as a woman, wife and mom.
The same thing happened between Jill and Leann. I learned about their story when I spoke at their Rise & Shine women’s conference in Iowa a year ago this weekend. Saturday they’re holding their 2nd annual conference. Today I’m praying for them and giving away a copy of a book they wrote together.
Jill Beren met Leanne Anderson when she was coaching Jr. High basketball team. Leanne’s 13-year-old daughter, Shelby, was on her team. When Shelby was in high school she got injured, and Jill reached out to her with encouragement, prayers and notes just when Shelby needed them.
One day Leanne sent a letter thanking Jill for the difference she was making in her daughter’s life. She described the qualities of a great coach she saw in Jill and called her “bright light” that shined in many lives, including theirs.
Leanne didn’t know that months later Jill would go home one night to an empty apartment plagued with doubt about her purpose in life. Battling clinical depression and living under the weight of feeling worthless, she contemplated suicide. As Jill pondered her fate, she opened her journal and a note fell to the floor. When Jill opened it, she read Leanne’s words again.
God used Leann’s words to show Jill she did have a purpose and that life was worth living. Now, that’s just the beginning of their story. You can read the rest in their book Letters from Leanne: The Beauty of a Spiritual Mother-Daughter Relationship. Today, I want to give them a chance to share more with us about the book.
Tell us a little about the book: Letters from Leanne helps women see what a Titus 2 relationship looks like today. The book is the story of our friendship over the last ten years and how God has worked through it in wonderful ways. We share the joys and trials we have encountered on our walk of faith, but ultimately how we saw God’s hand in every situation.
Jill, why did you write this book? My initial intent was to thank Leanne. I’d been blessed by her perspective as a mom, her acceptance as a friend, her guidance as an older woman and especially the love she poured out as a Christian. But it isn’t just a thank you to Leanne; it’s a thank you to God. Spiritual mentoring has been and still is a gift in my life. I pray by reading the story of our friendship, readers will be encouraged to build similar relationships in their lives.
What do you hope readers will gain? We pray women will be encouraged in their faith and inspired to find or be a mentor. We share how mentoring is not about having all the answers, but simply sharing your life with someone following in your steps. It’s about spiritual mentoring, but ultimately about our relationship with Christ. We want readers to see the power God offers when we surrender to His plans and follow His ways.
What unique elements are part of your book? Our book is unique in that we give you a look at a specific spiritual mother-daughter relationship and take you on the journey of how our friendship grew. The other unique factor is that for the most part, the story is told from the younger women’s viewpoint, which is beneficial for all women to understand.
We have also included questions at the end of each chapter to help women apply what we share to their personal lives. Rather than simply reading a story of two friends, you will be encouraged to slow down and take a look at your own life and find lessons in the letters.
But before you go, I’m giving a copy away, To enter to win, tell me about the role spiritual friendships and mentoring have or haven’t played in shaping your life. If you’ve never had one, I’d love to pray for you. Just leave a comment (by clicking the word “comments” below), and be entered to win your own copy of Letters from Leanne. Please include an email address so I can reach you if you win. Winner will be announced next Friday! ~ Happy weekend friends!
I too would love to receive your book. Women relationships, that has been a learning process. I don't know if I will ever truly understand. Yet, for years I have told others in bible study, in the church, and in between that if one keeps their First Love, JESUS!In the right order,He provides.
As we have been created for relationship! Being open,that is the beginning of wisdom. for Jesus knows all that we need as He too, was in human form and experienced everything as we do, yet he was without sin.so as one prays for His intervention to act and bless He does. May God bless us as women of Faith to know him more and trust that as we need, not want but need He will show up with an amazing friendship, mentor and guide! I offer prayer for each of us as we continue to live in this world and not of this world! in Christ's love, Jan Ryder
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13 years ago I started a new career and ended up becoming a supervisor of a lady 10 years older than myself. Over the past 13 years we have went from a challenging and insecure relationship to becoming great friends. She is a strong christian woman and has taught me many things, once I let my guard down. She is a very special part of my life and together we now supervise 4 other women in our office. We lean on each other for spiritual support. I thank God for bringing her into my life.
Gina
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Thank you of the reminder of the eternal value of friendships. I strongly believe that God used my closest friends over the last couple of years to literally save my life.
I had times when my only reason for holding on to life was my beautiful daughter. I knew she needed her mother, no matter how depressed or inadequate her mother felt. Her hugs, along with the support and unconditional encouragement of my friends, gave me a hope that life would not always be about merely surviving.
I learned that, no matter how many times I fall down, God has a purpose and a plan for me. He also has a purpose and plan for every one of my friends and family members.
"Every good gift, and every perfect gift comes from above," …including the gift of beautiful Christian Sisters!
🙂 Rhea
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Renee,
At She Speaks last summer (2009), God orchestrated the seating of me and a sweet woman from Florida beside each other in Luann Prater's workshop on prayer.
We ended up becoming prayer partners by the end of the class and have been close ever since.
I have several dear, dear friends who I consider mentors in my life, but my new prayer partner is someone I know is always lifting me to the throne………….even when we are miles apart. That means so much to me.
I have her picture on my frig, and I lift her up often too!
God is so good.
Love you!
Hope this finds you doing well and I am excited to enter this drawing!! 🙂 Hugs from Kentucky!
I was not raised in a Christian home and you can gather all that is implied 🙂 Something I have struggled with my walk is wanting to minister to my parents and for them to know and accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. Just TONIGHT they were asking me questions and discussing my faith. AND, I believe that is in part because of a few friends (life changing) that have been praying with me for their salvation. I shared with my parents tonight how God has moved in my life in countless ways, one being the beautiful friendships He has blessed me with. I'd love to read the book. And, I hope to win. If not, I'll go out and buy it 🙂
mgl410@ gmail.com
I used to think just being a friend was enough, but as time went on God starting to tell me I need to do more for them. Talk more about HIM! Tell them how he has helped you (in so many ways). And when I did,things started to only get better. Now we talk about all kinds of things but GOD is always involved in the conversation. I love it!
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oh and here is my email address
[email protected] thanks Lisa
Hi Renee
I have a very special friend to tell you about she is my spiritual sister in every sense of the word. Our friendship started about 6 years ago but I feel like I have known her all my life. It started out as we worked together and then I guess as I went thru my divorce she was right there to lend an ear and an helping hand …she became my prayer partner warrior if you will. Then as she went thru things I was able to be there for her too. we love to shop together go to movies and eat out but what is so cool about our friendship no matter what we are doing our times together always end up talking about what the Lord has done or is doing in our lives…its amazing how talking about a cool set of earrings and then we are talking about God…that is how it is with this secial sister of mine…with me an only child she is like the sister I have never had. I love that she tells me the truth about things even when I sometimes don't want to hear them. She sets me straight but with love. She supports me and is my biggest cheering section in anything i try in life. She encourages me just by listening to me when i have something i have to share on my heart that I can trust her not to judge me or repeat to anyone else except God as she prays for me daily. That is the key to our connection as friends …God. We pray daily for each other and when we pray together wow its like the power gets stronger you know two or more joined togetherI get it and now God has blessed me and my son with the opportunity to attend the same church as this sweet friend of mine..so now I get to sing with her and its awesome to get to worship our Lord and Savior together there is nothing like it… I am so blessed to have her as my special friend…thanks for letting me share…Lisa
I think you said it best…sometimes friends help us to see things in ourselves or about ourselves or our lives that we are too close and involved to see; sometimes we need that loving but more removed perspective in order to see things as they really are. I've been blessed with a best friend who is just this person in my life – she is loving and kind and sweet but can knock my socks off with hard questions and truths that I might not always want to see or hear but always bless me in the long run.
Thanks for the opportunity to win this book…it sounds fabulous! 🙂
Blessings,
Kris
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I love the comments posted by the other women about their friendships! I have been praying for many years to find spiritual friend(s) – the kind of women I can share prayer with when I need it and be there to pray with her when she needs it. I have a hard time opening up to others, but I trust God and continue to pray! I was truly blessed the day I stumbled upon Proverbs 31 ministries, it warms my soul that so many women are unified in worship of our Lord!
You know, Renee, I have yet to find the same kind of friendships/relationships/mentoring that we had in the GCM days. There was just something very unique & rare then. I really miss it. Was it the depth to which we all shared? the commitment? I really can't find the right word to describe it.
Julie
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