MISSIONAL WOMEN
  • Home
    • Ministry Resources for Women >
      • Beholding Him Freebie
    • Contributors
    • Statement of Faith
  • Blog
    • Ministry >
      • Evangelism {Win}
      • Discipleship {Build}
      • Living Missionally {Send}
    • God's Word >
      • Bible Study
      • Prayer
      • Devotionals
      • Bible Studies
      • Apologetics
    • Relationships >
      • Marriage
      • Singleness
      • Dating
      • Family
      • Friendship
    • World >
      • Social Justice Issues
      • Internet & Social Media
      • Politics
      • International
      • Science Revealing God
    • Life >
      • Image & Idenity
      • Health
      • Fashion
      • Food
      • Organization
  • Bible Study Resources
  • Prints
  • Stickers
  • Quiet Time Journals
  • Courses
    • Discover God's Calling
    • Women's Ministry Training Promo
    • How to Study the Bible
    • Women's Ministry Training Course
    • Growing in Your Faith Mini Course
  • Retreat
  • Video Bible Studies
    • Matthew
    • John
    • Galatians
    • Philippians
    • Know your Purpose
    • Creation Reveals
    • Ministry
    • Heart Growth
  • You Are Unshaken Book
    • Unshaken Groups
    • You Are Unshaken Launch Team
    • You Are Unshaken Paint Party
    • Unshaken Freebies
  • Shop
Picture

The Contagiousness of Investing in Others

9/22/2016

15 Comments

 
Picture

​Nearly every weekend this last year, our daughter made her way over to her friend Carol's house. Carol lives in the neighborhood, and the two of them played board games, colored in new coloring books (my favorite is Megan's, called "Unicorns are Jerks") and ate fruit snacks. Sometimes I got the feeling Megan would rather spend time with Carol than me. That's normal for a 14-year-old, right? But see, Carol is older than me.

Carol and Megan's relationship began because Carol is a gifted musician who graciously agreed to teach Megan guitar. After awhile, she started inviting our girl over to play outside of lessons. At first, I thought, "I hope Megan isn't a bother," and, "I can't believe she wants to give up her free time to spend time with my teenager!" But I have come to see that Carol is simply a woman who loves well. She loves our daughter, and enjoys spending time with her, and that is precious to me.

Reflecting on this, one night I asked some women who were over for dinner if they had a "Carol" in their lives growing up. What followed was stories of grandmothers, aunts, neighbors, family friends, Sunday school teachers - women who chose to invest in us for the simple reason that they loved Jesus and loved us.

My “Carol” was a woman named Marsha. She was our high school Sunday School teacher. In her job as manager of a women’s clothing store, she intentionally hired people who did not know Jesus so she could share with them. When I came to her with issues, she showed me how to take them to Jesus. She asked me about my relationship with God, and shared hers with me. She showed me what it looked like to be a woman who walks with Him.
These women transformed us, through teaching us life skills, being silly with us, praying with us, modeling a love for Jesus, building us up. They invested in us wholeheartedly.
​
Carol convicts me. She says she adores Megan and absolutely delights in spending time with her, but I know that it is an investment of her time, a sacrificial pouring out. She makes me want to look around and ask, "Who is God calling me to build up? Where could I invest more?"

Recently, I've had the opportunity to begin pouring in to the lives of a few young leaders in our church. I am amazed not only at how open and trusting they are, but also how encouraged and energized I am after spending time with them. It's a joy to pray for them regularly and learn specific ways I can help them in their journeys. We've talked about everything from leading well to dating, from the lies we believe to how we hope God will use us. I'm excited to see what He will do in them in the next few years, and that I will hopefully be able to witness and participate in it. 

One of my favorite verses as a young leader was Hebrews 13:7, "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith." Wherever we are in our walk with God, we can ask Him who in our lives He wants us to disciple. We can all be a "Carol" to someone - a person who invests wholeheartedly into the life of another, loving and leading them on their journey. 
Picture
​Gina Butz has served in full time ministry for over 20 years. She and her husband planned to spend three or four of those years overseas, but stayed for 13 instead. They are currently raising two third culture kids and an imported dog in the exotic land of Orlando, Florida, where they serve in global leadership for Cru. She blogs about being wholehearted at www.ginabutz.com and you can follow her on twitter @gina_butz

15 Comments
Anne Hockenberry link
9/26/2016 08:16:47 am

I've been convicted of this lately too. It's so easy to avoid becoming invested in other's lives because it's hard and messy. But it's what Jesus calls us to and one of the purposes of the church. Thanks for the great reminder!

Reply
Gina link
9/30/2016 06:27:35 am

Anne-yes, it IS hard and messy. But I guess it's kind of like gardening right? Hard and messy at the time, but something's growing in there. :)

Reply
Lesley link
9/26/2016 09:38:53 am

Such a lovely story- this really encouraged me today. It reminded me of someone who was a "Carol" for me and makes me think about where I could be investing in someone else.

Reply
Gina Butz link
9/30/2016 06:28:13 am

Lesley-I'm glad you had someone! Makes me want to go back and thank Marsha and others who poured into me.

Reply
Angela Howard link
9/26/2016 01:11:26 pm

Such an important reminder to invest in those around us! Thank you for writing. Visiting from #momentsofhope

Reply
Gina Butz link
9/30/2016 06:28:57 am

You're welcome Angela! And thanks for the encouragement!

Reply
Ellen Chauvin link
9/27/2016 12:49:21 pm

Gina, what a beautiful post. I've been praying lately about pouring into others and loving well. Thank you. Joining you today from Testimony Tuesday!

Reply
Gina Butz link
9/30/2016 06:29:38 am

Ellen-I hope and pray you find someone!

Reply
Emily link
9/28/2016 08:05:30 am

YES, this is awesome, because for one: 1) Discipleship by an older person (my parents and my grandparents and people in church) has been one of the BIGGEST gifts in my life to keep me looking unto Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith!

2) My grandma's name is Carol, and she is such a wise woman. She is one of my Carols! #MomentsofHope! :)

Reply
Gina Butz link
9/30/2016 06:30:29 am

Emily-that's awesome! I love hearing stories about grandmas who invest in their grandchildren. My mom has been an amazing presence in our daughter's life too.

Reply
Emily link
9/28/2016 08:05:38 am

YES, this is awesome, because for one: 1) Discipleship by an older person (my parents and my grandparents and people in church) has been one of the BIGGEST gifts in my life to keep me looking unto Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith!

2) My grandma's name is Carol, and she is such a wise woman. She is one of my Carols! #MomentsofHope! :)

Reply
Emily link
9/28/2016 08:06:18 am

YES, this is awesome, because for one: 1) Discipleship by an older person (my parents and my grandparents and people in church) has been one of the BIGGEST gifts in my life to keep me looking unto Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith!

2) My grandma's name is Carol, and she is such a wise woman. She is one of my Carols! #MomentsofHope! :)

Reply
Lori Schumaker link
9/30/2016 09:22:38 pm

Those investments are ones that make a difference and last for a lifetime! There are some treasured people in my childhood and young adult years who made all the difference for me!

Thanks for sharing this reminder of the hope we can plant in others by simply investing!

Blessings and smiles,
Lori

Reply
Barbie link
9/30/2016 11:28:10 pm

I am so thankful for the Carols in my life. those who came long side of me early on in my Christian walk. They invested time and energy and I am who I am today because they kept pointing me to Christ when things got hard.

Reply
Rachel Britton link
10/6/2016 01:10:29 pm

This is, I believe, how the church should be - the different generations spending time together, learning from each other, and having fun together.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    New here? Head on over to the Home page to see what we're all about. 

    Two Free eBook for Subscribers

    Picture
    Join 12,000+ others an enter your email for your FREE copies.

    Subscribe
    ​

    Picture


    Our Other Books

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Popular Posts:

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

Missional Women a ministry of Master Plan Ministries
 
Contact
Newsletter
Photos used under Creative Commons from Ktoine, jesse.millan, slightly everything, Vivian Chen [陳培雯], miggslives, CUS Visual Media Team
  • Home
    • Ministry Resources for Women >
      • Beholding Him Freebie
    • Contributors
    • Statement of Faith
  • Blog
    • Ministry >
      • Evangelism {Win}
      • Discipleship {Build}
      • Living Missionally {Send}
    • God's Word >
      • Bible Study
      • Prayer
      • Devotionals
      • Bible Studies
      • Apologetics
    • Relationships >
      • Marriage
      • Singleness
      • Dating
      • Family
      • Friendship
    • World >
      • Social Justice Issues
      • Internet & Social Media
      • Politics
      • International
      • Science Revealing God
    • Life >
      • Image & Idenity
      • Health
      • Fashion
      • Food
      • Organization
  • Bible Study Resources
  • Prints
  • Stickers
  • Quiet Time Journals
  • Courses
    • Discover God's Calling
    • Women's Ministry Training Promo
    • How to Study the Bible
    • Women's Ministry Training Course
    • Growing in Your Faith Mini Course
  • Retreat
  • Video Bible Studies
    • Matthew
    • John
    • Galatians
    • Philippians
    • Know your Purpose
    • Creation Reveals
    • Ministry
    • Heart Growth
  • You Are Unshaken Book
    • Unshaken Groups
    • You Are Unshaken Launch Team
    • You Are Unshaken Paint Party
    • Unshaken Freebies
  • Shop