A Letter to Grace's Mentors

2

Grace Mentor 2

Dear _____,

Milestones. Kids’ lives are filled with them: first smile, first tooth, first word, first step, first day of school, first time behind the wheel.... Doting parents record these important milestones in baby books and flood the inboxes of family and friends with emails and Facebook updates (in fact the picture above is Grace on her first day of Kindergarten). But there are other milestones as well—the ones we celebrate in the church with brothers and sisters: baptism, profession of faith, the Lord’s Supper, becoming a member, elder or deacon.

As you know, Grace recently sat with the elders and professed her faith in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. As her parents, we are thrilled and blessed that she is taking this next step with Jesus.

The first thing that we fully recognize in all of this is that God has been faithful in all His promises to us in bringing Grace to this saving faith. It has been a joy-filled ride in watching God stir in her young heart and to watch her respond to His grace!

Another thing that we recognize is that our journey is not over just because she has professed her faith. We know that as her parents we have the ongoing primary responsibility to disciple our children. Each and every day we have the privilege to teach our children the ways of God and his goodness (Deuteronomy 6:4-11).

However, we also have another huge blessing and that is God has placed us in a covenant community. This covenant community is made up of brothers and sisters who walk alongside us in our journey. And that is the reason for this letter.

The Elders of Missio Dei Church believe that it is critically important to have a mentor/discipler who is not her parents. When asked by the elders, Grace has identified you as one of the people that she would like to mentor/disciple her. So, as her parents, we are asking that you prayerfully consider intentionally coming alongside Grace and us by discipling her in:

  1. discovering the richness of God (Psalm 34, Ephesians 2:4 – 5),
  2. plummeting the depths of His love and grace (2 Peter 3:18),
  3. becoming more and more obedient to His Truth as found in the Old and New Testaments (Matthew 28:20, John 14:15),
  4. growing in holiness (Hebrews 12:14, 1 Peter 1:15 – 16)
  5. discovering God’s call on her life (Proverbs 19:12, Jeremiah 29:11 – 13)
  6. being engaged in God’s mission in the world (John 20:21, 1 Peter 4:10 – 11)
  7. and becoming a Proverbs 31 kind of woman (Proverbs 31).

As her parents we want someone who knows, speaks and lives the Truth. You are not being asked to be the perfect Christian, but one who is honestly growing. You’re being asked to share honestly your joys and pains as a follower of Christ. You are also not being asked to be a Bible expert! You don’t have to know all the answers, you just have to be there to listen and help explore Godly solutions to everyday cares and concerns. Be a warm, welcoming presence in her life. Be slow to judge, quick to forgive, and openly show your love for God. Most importantly, commit the time and energy needed for this process, empathize with her concerns, and enjoy the time you spend with her.

If this is something that you can commit to, please let us know by this Friday, December 7.

Thank you for your considering joining us in this next season in Grace Anne’s life!

Together for the Gospel,

Paul and Laura

2 Comments

Paul and Laura,
We really don't know Grace but we know you, especially you Paul and we will be praying that you will be parents that will follow God's direction in your lives and the lives of your children. We love you and want you to know we are always here to be a listening ear whenever you need us.

I am committed to leading and modeling a life that follows Christ. I know that my children are watching Grace and the example she is setting in this next step in her spiritual journey.

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