Well the picture is my sweet mentor from Atlanta, Elaine Franklin.  I guess in a way it all starts with her, or God through her.  She challenged me personally and for John and I as a couple to ask God to give us a life verse or a mission verse.  We prayed for a few months and somehow landed on the passage in Titus 2:1-8, for me specifically, 3-5.  We didn’t really know what this meant for us other than we hoped in the future to impact/influence younger people.  2 years went by and this stayed on the back burner of my heart.  After we moved here God put 2 awesome UNC students in my life that I have had the privilege to journey with.  The verse surfaced in my heart again.  Then a few months later our pastor’s wife started talking to me about any ideas I had to reach women in our church.  The verse came to my heart in a whole new light and then he birthed Titus 2 Ministries in my heart.  

I cannot even begin to explain all of the ways having the Franklins as a mentor couple for John and I has impacted our life, marriage and parenting.  We have avoided so many pitfalls, fights, and sin in our marriage due to the awesome foundation they helped us establish the first 2 years of our marriage.  I think young people in our society only turn to their friends for advice, comfort, and to journey with through whatever they are dealing with.  I think in doing that we miss the experience, wisdom, and advice that the “older” generation has to offer.  This mentor relationship is the way God designed it, according to this verse, to pass along wisdom and life lessons in marriage, in the home, and in our spiritual walks.  

So the hope of this ministry is just to simply facilitate these relationships.  To help women full of life experience, mistakes made, lessons learned, and Godly wisdom to connect with younger women wandering on this journey.  I am so so excited about what God is going to do through these relationships.  

We are launching the ministry February 4h with a big event for women. I am so excited my wonderful mother-in-law Trudy is speaking for it! My hubby is going to provide delicious desserts and coffee and I am praying so so hard it is an awesome event where the Lord puts this vision on lots of women’s hearts-both seeking a mentor and seeking to mentor others.
Please pray for our church (newhope church) as we launch this program! Please pray for me as I am speaking to explain the vision/program and get it off the ground!

Thank you Franklins and thanks God for this awesome impact you are going to make on women’s lives in our church!