Mentorship in the Mundane
BY : HANNAH HUTTON with ASHLEY MCKEE
I’ll never forget the day she said “come on over”.
It was the middle of the day, she had multiple kids, a full life and a schedule… and she still made time for me. Not because she stopped everything she was doing to carve out some time, but because she invited me right into her day. She invited me over to be a part of her life, messes and all. The laundry that needed folding, the dishes that needed washing, and the little ones running around. Their home told a story. One that showed a lot of life happened within those walls, and I was overjoyed to be welcomed in.
Ashley is someone who has demonstrated mentorship to me in a beautiful way. I have been incredibly blessed by the ways she has poured into me, even when it didn’t feel convenient. She has been a spiritual pillar in my walk with Christ, always pointing me back to Him and training me to seek Him first. Watching her mother her 4 kids before I had any of my own profoundly shaped the mom I am now. Her choice to let me in on a random Tuesday when things weren’t perfect has encouraged me to do the same now with my own kids. In inviting me to be a part of their circus, I was able to experience her as a mom, a wife, and a daughter of Christ in ways I would never internalize as deeply had she just told me the ways she lived. I got to watch her live it out.
She often says, “The goal is not to fix others’ problems but point them to the One who can”. I think being shaped by Ashley has felt so profound in my life because she is such a reflection of Jesus. It feels as though in being shaped by her, I’m being shaped by Him. Not because she is perfect, but because she is a humble conduit of His grace and love for me.
I asked her to share some of her heart on mentorship and encouragement to someone wanting to pour into younger women in a life on life sort of way. Here are her words:
“We can all lead others, share what we know, offer what we’ve learned. It’s okay that we don’t know everything or have a seminary degree! The truth is we all know something and have beautiful stories of redemption that are meant to be shared. It doesn’t matter how old we are… even my 12 year old daughter is learning to share her life with others, and I’m (42) currently spending time with and learning from a 95 year old woman!
Sharing our lives, talking about what God has done, reminding one another of Truth, learning from one another, and spurring one another on was God’s idea, and He showed us how in the person of Jesus. He taught his disciples how to really love others and it began with following Him, learning from Him, sharing the hope of the gospel, and living what He taught.
When we invest in others, we say, “follow me as I follow Jesus”… it won’t be done perfectly, but rather humbly recognizing we all need His grace and forgiveness.
Mentoring happens both organically along the way and intentionally as we pursue women that are faithful, available and teachable. “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” 2 Timothy 2:2. Your ministry is the person(s) right in front of you.
It’s amazing how God shows up when we are just willing to invite someone to be with us, whatever it is we’re doing that day. The disciples learned so much from Jesus by watching Him DO life!! Mentoring can look so many different ways in different seasons of our lives. When I had littles, I often would invite teens and young adults over to live my current life with me (change diapers, fold laundry, prepare lunch, etc.) all while sharing a conversation about what God was doing in each of our lives. Nothing fancy and very simple!
Just some good questions, listening, and responding as the Spirit leads. Now that my kids are all in school, I can set aside times to meet women for coffee or a hike. Most importantly, I intentionally try to keep our focus on the hope of the gospel and learning together from the Truth of God’s Word.
Titus 2:3-5
Matthew 28:19
Matthew 4:19
Hebrews 10:24
Also, remember the goal isn’t to fix others’ problems, but to point them to the One who can!”
