by Marlene Holdren

I was born with enthusiasm. I love life, people and the church. I was one of those kids you heard above everyone else—in the middle of whatever was going on. My husband calls me the "cruise director." That pretty well sums it up. I love to plan things, organize events, and create opportunities for people to get together.

Over the years, God has used my "personality type" to serve Him, just like He can use your unique personality. What a journey He has led me on during 36 years of ministry with my husband, Dave. I would never have thought God could take a little tom-boy from rural Michigan and transform her into a mentor and encourager. If He can do that with me, He can do it with you.

Most of us probably would not have arrived at where we are today without the influence of significant other persons in our lives. I’m reminded of those in my own past who took time to love me, show interest in me, and "mentor" me. I can still see the loving face of Miss Baker, my elementary Sunday school teacher. How she loved us kids. She didn’t have children of her own. She was older and had never married, but it didn’t seem to matter to us. We could feel her warm love and sincere interest.

As I write, my mind is overwhelmed with memories of all the "saints" in my past, most from the little Methodist Church in Corunna, Michigan. I thank God for the people at church who made me feel special. They took the time to look me in the eye and speak to me. One of those saints was Mrs. Dixon, the Pastor’s wife who taught my high school Sunday school class. What a lasting impression she had on our spiritual lives. She was a mentor with a keen desire to make a difference in us. She loved us, taught us and sometimes chastised us. I will be eternally grateful for her influence.

A day of reckoning for me was the day I realized God had given me a wonderful platform as a ministry partner. It was a sort of "charting the course" day of my life. To be an encourager was something I felt I could do. Heaven knows we need more encouragers in our churches. Christianity isn’t a solo event—it is a group event, and we need each other. One of the ways I felt led to mentor and encourage was through women’s ministries.

I had a good paying job at a large hospital in Columbus, Ohio, yet I felt I wanted to contribute more time to focused ministry. It took some convincing, but I was hired as part-time Ministry Program Director (in other words, "cruise director") at our church. Fine with me!

Now my mentoring platform had expanded. Besides running a once-a-month women’s program that I had begun 12 years previously, I began a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) program. What an opportunity for mentoring! I had found my place in ministry! God allowed me to serve, encourage, and teach these younger women in a mentoring role that I cherished. I just could not believe how I was reliving my own experiences from my little Methodist church. Now, I was the pastor’s wife helping to make a lasting influence on others. I often whisper a prayer of thanks to the Lord for allowing me to serve Him in this way. Since that beginning in 1997, God has allowed many places for me to serve as an encourager and mentor. God continues to surprise and amaze me with new ways to expand this mission of spiritual influence.

How are you doing with the platform God has given you, or the one He has helped you create? I love the quote: "Preach the gospel of Christ daily and, if necessary, use words." Isn’t that a beautiful description of how we can mentor on a daily basis—living our lives before our family, neighbors, and co-workers? Sometimes no words are necessary, just our actions. Think of the difference we can make if we literally do that every day!

God has challenged me in the last two years to stretch my comfort zones. He’s so creative! These new ways would not have necessarily been my ways, but I’m not in charge here. I’m constantly reminding myself that I’m the "cruise director" under the Captain of all vessels!

I have taken Titus 2:3-4 as my personal mission statement. I love being that older woman teaching the younger women. (Well, maybe not the older part, but the mentoring part is terrific!) What a challenge Hebrews 10:24-25 gives me: "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds; let us encourage one another." Titus 2:10 tells us to "make the gospel of Christ attractive."

But I can hear some of you saying, "I’m not your kind of personality and I am not on staff at my church." The good news is that we all have talents and gifts that we can use to advance Christ and Christianity. To me, that includes how I behave and present myself as a Christian, whether it is at the dry cleaners, the long line at Wal-Mart, or in a restaurant. I don’t want to miss an opportunity to be "Jesus" to someone.

Taking as many people as possible with us to heaven is the mandate Christ gives us. It’s about making disciples—mentoring one person at a time. Pray that God will give you direction on how you can be a mentor. Quite likely, you already are one. It is often a matter of cultivating opportunities that already exist. God wants our availability. He will provide the ability. We don’t have to do it on our own. God will supply the wisdom, words, and love. He just needs willing servants.

What a great legacy we can leave with those God has entrusted to our care through ministry with our spouses. I will always be grateful to God for such a rich life of opportunity to impact people for Christ. Along the way from a little tom-boy to a pastor’s wife, there were many who touched my life and prepared me to do the same to others. As the song says so beautifully, "May those who come behind us find us faithful." Ask God to give you a mentoring relationship with someone who needs what you have to offer. Our Lord needs you now.