Hmmm, a woman in men’s ministry?
Makes me wonder what that looks like, exactly. I guess it’s more of an identity thing. Being not doing, right? Being a woman. Being a wife. Being a mother (eventually).
My mind has been running wild since I took a lifeplan “course” back in the beginning of August. AIM had one of our former racers come back to greet 6 of us girls with this course. We were essentially looking back on our past, through the eyes of the present, and where it might take us in the future.
Unfortunately, our trainer had never trained a married woman before. I felt like I was giving vague answers, and asking more questions than giving answers. In the end, I couldn’t write a missions statement, because I needed to consult my other half, as our visions would need to coincide. We are one after all. By missions statement, I mean an actual life goal… a purpose to the life I want to live. What are my desires and longings in life, and how to I get there? Well, that is bound to change drastically from a single woman to a married woman. I don’t have me to think about anymore. My goals for life become OUR goals for life.
And now that we’ve only got 83 days left on the race, and sitting down with World Race and AIM leadership, we’re discussing plans for the future. AIM wants to help direct our dreams and desires. They want to know how they can help.
Last night I got to sit down with Seth and Lynette, as we scooped out our Sangria flavored sorbet, beachside, on Samet Island (really, who does this? Is this my life?), and discuss possible future plans. On the bus ride to the island, Seth threw out an idea to Scott and I about being World Race training facilitators. My ears perked up. After my lifeplan training, I realized that something I long for is for women to come alive in Christ, to recognize their identity as WOMEN in Christ.
As Scott shared his ideas with Seth today, he longs for men to be initiated, to become men, so they can live in that identity. To be the Christian men, to be the strength, to be the protection, to be the adventurers that God has created in them. And so I’ve got a foot in each door. But as a wife of a man who longs to do men’s ministry, I’m looking at (possible) near future motherhood, and my role as a wife, and help-mate, and I’m seeing that being a part of a men’s ministry as a woman is just as important as doing women’s ministry.
If men come into their identity, men will naturally lead women. There may be some struggle at the outset, as women thrive off of control, but the men will know how to remain a man in the midst of it, and guide the women. I’m not saying this is fool-proof, and that I won’t be involved with the women. I’m seeing my role as “mother” form over time, and after being “mothered” myself, in the spiritual sense.
As of right now, the focus is on the men for Scott, and I’m learning how to be a help-mate through all of this. It’s hard to not want to start a women’s ministry, as I have a heart for them. But I’m recognizing that to start with the men is where it all begins.
So what does that look like for the near future? Well, definitely more support raising, as we’ll be hanging out under the umbrella of AIM for a bit. So, if you’re currently supporting us or you’ve supported us in the past, we ask that you consider continuing to support us for this future endeavor. It currently looks like developing a brotherhood to start training other men. The beginning of this brotherhood begins with a month long bike trip (the PCH perhaps?), doing ministry in camps/ churches along the way. The next step may look like spending a few months for the men to train under a true adventurer, Trompie (from Nelspruit area in South Africa), and then to spend 2 months in Swaziland with the new group of World Racers, training them. (This is where I’d get to impart some on the new group of WR girls.)
And then, who knows? All I know is that God is rocking me. I’ll be learning how to be a part of men’s ministry as a wife, and using my administrative giftings, as well. And trying to become a mom myself? And praying that sisterhood happens (that’s my leap of faith right there). And asking for my friends in the States to start praying about whether their husbands might be called to men’s training/ initiation camps in SA (as they’d be a member of that mini-sisterhood automatically!) If we’re going to try to start a family and bring Sequoia, pray about how God might choose to rock you! J
