Also by this author: Wherever You Go, I Want You to Know, His Grace Is Enough: How God Makes It Right When We've Got It Wrong
Published by Crossway Books on June 9, 2020
Genres: Non-Fiction, Christian Life, Theology
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Women in all seasons of life can feel alone, longing for encouragement, guidance, and wisdom from someone who has been there before. They would value the wealth of knowledge and wisdom from older women's experiences, but often these women don't feel equipped to offer help. This book is a starting place, meant to be a springboard for mentoring discussions between older and younger women, setting the biblical basis for mentoring from Titus 2 before outlining 11 lessons that guide their time together. Each lesson focuses on a topic such as God's word, prayer, contentment, temptation, and church, with activities for before, during, and after the mentoring session. Younger and older women will grow together as they use these lessons to walk through life together.
At the beginning of this book, Melissa B. Kruger addresses the general topic of mentoring, explaining what it can look like for different women in different life stages. She clears away misconceptions, establishes a biblical view for how women can disciple one another, and shares practical tips for formal mentoring. Then, once she has laid this foundation, she writes about different faith-related issues in the following chapters, sharing biblical guidance and practical wisdom about topics like the church, prayer, relationships, and temptation.
Each chapter is fairly basic, addressing the chosen topics in ways that will be familiar to anyone who has a strong church background and is already well-versed in the Bible. However, Kruger presents this information in a clear, direct, and practical way, connecting theological teaching to everyday rhythms and struggles. This can be very helpful for women who want to understand more about their faith, and for mentors who have this knowledge but do not know how to articulate it well to others. Growing Together: Taking Mentoring Beyond Small Talk and Prayer Requests provides a clear vision of how faith connects to everyday life, and the discussion questions at the end of each chapter encourage women to share their testimonies and dig deeper into their personal issues and struggles.
This is a great resource for women to use in mentoring relationships, in a church book group, or by themselves. Kruger writes with an awareness of all these potential audiences, and keeps the book accessible for any type of use. I enjoyed reading this independently, and it gave me a whole new appreciation for the mentors I have had in the past, and the ways that they have helped me grow and provided examples of faith, endurance, wisdom, and love.