It Takes a Village: Be One Who Cares and Listens to A Youth

I always knew that one day I would meet her.  I just never thought it would be today. She is young, hip, cool .. and she plays a guitar.  A Sunday afternoon meeting to hang out at Starbucks.  The excitement in my daughter’s voice when the text came was cute.  Her making sure I wasn’t late was even cuter.  I agreed, I drove her there and then it hit me …

This was it, and I wasn’t ready.

You see, I know as well as you do that we can’t raise these kiddos all alone,  She will require quite a “village” so years ago I began praying for … her.

Who is “HER?”

The one that my daughter will listen to, when she won’t listen to me.  The one that will get the “dirt,” when all I get is “fine.”   The answerer of the late night dinging of the text messages with a 12-year-old’s prayer request because she just got into trouble again.

And no I am not jealous, more like thankful.

Because, I have been “her.”  You can’t be the other half of “the pastor’s wife” and not have a few of these precious charges under your belt.  I even remember saying once to a dear friend, “You think there will be me for my girls?”

To my girl, I am mother.  Killer of all fun.  I have specific tasks and roles and this isn’t it.

Every girl needs one.  The person that will listen to your heart and listen to you rant and rave about your mother, then tell you – “ Your mom, she might be right.” The one that is just a little farther along in the journey, yet close enough to remember what it is like. Oh! and most importantly– she will point you to Jesus.

Hold on to Jesus, my dear friend, because my daughter needs you–and I need you more!

Who can you be a special “her” or “him” to? What young person in your life can you reach out to and mentor?