Last week a younger mom asked me, “What is your best advice as a mom of girls?”

I thought for a minute. Can I put in a bite-size bit of wisdom? But then it hit me and I said,

“Lead yourself to Jesus and surrender your girl to him every single day. I’m still doing this 19 years and 4 girls later.”

Years ago when my oldest was about two I started attending a weekly Bible study. I was not in a great place emotionally and I wasn’t even sure I wanted to hear what God said or gather the energy to get my toddler out the door and be around a bunch of other women. But that one decision to say “yes” to a friend and be her guest changed my life.

First, God’s Word healed my heart in ways I never thought possible.

Second, the community of women he surrounded me with encouraged me.

I learned that leading myself to Jesus as a mom was going to take some intentionality.

A few years later our family moved across the country and I realized I needed to find a Bible study quickly. The church we started attending offered some group studies and they were wonderful. But I actually went online and googled the group I had been part of before (they had a national presence) and found a study a few blocks from my home. The day I walked in that room I did not know one single woman sitting there. But they all had their Bibles open and I figured it would be a good place for me to start meeting new friends. I stayed for two years.

I learned leading myself to Jesus was going to take some bravery.

Some time after that I was asked to lead a group of 12 other women in my church through a 3 year discipleship program. By this time I had 2 girls and one on the way. I wasn’t sure I was ready for this type of leadership, but the Lord began to make it clear that he wanted me to step out by faith in this role. During those years God radically changed my life. His Word came alive in a fresh way and I found leading deep community risky but worth fighting for.

I learned that leading myself to Jesus would make me vulnerable.

Recently God has given me a love for writing through Scripture. Out of this love God gave me an idea to write a series of books for women called The Girlfriends’s Guide to the Bible. Each book would offer fresh, friendly, and faith-renewing wisdom on specific books of the Bible—perfect for individuals and women’s groups alike.

The first book in the series released in September 2017. It is called Is Jesus Worth It? and is based on the book of Hebrews. Book two called When Grace Walks In releases September 2018 and takes us through the book of Ephesians.

The books are only the beginning! God is growing a community of women all over the world who love to study His word together. We have also launched our own version of small groups called Girlfriend Groups and a brand New Membership Community that will focus on encouraging and equipping you as study God’s Word and lead others in your local church or community.

Part of the “others” in my life are my four girls. They have grown up watching me lead myself to Jesus and lead other women. It isn’t always pretty, and sometimes they see me struggling. But I think they have learned to place value on the study of God’s Word. As they have grown up, they have also watched me grow in my love and passion for serving others.

I pray that they see their intentional, brave and vulnerable mom needs Jesus more than anything. And in seeing that, they will endeavor to need him as well.

For more information on Girlfriends’ Guide to the Bible go here. You can find out more about the Membership Community here.

Looking forward,

Stacey