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October 12, 2007

Thoughts on Being a Spiritual Mother

by Shana Schutte

Several years ago when I still hadn't walked the wedding aisle, I realized I may not make it into the hospital delivery room before my biological clock stops.I told my mentor that I may not have children. "True," she said, "But you can be a spiritual mother to many children."

I reflected on her statement and was grateful for the spiritual mother she'd been to me.

Five years earlier, I was touched by Cheryl's gift of love so I asked God to help me pass it on. Lord, please give me a young girl to mentor, I prayed. The following day, my principal came into my classroom with a bubbly second grader.

"Miss Schutte, you have a new student. This is Shanna." I was surprised and pleased to meet someone who shared my unusual first name.

"Mine's with two Ns," she said.

Days later she came into my classroom and told me she'd forgotten something in her desk and asked to go back and get it. "Sure," I said. She returned and approached me with excitement then pulled something from her pocket. "Look! It's me!" She pointed to her photo on the front of a brochure for a local mentoring program.

"Oh! You're looking for a mentor?" I asked.

"Yep." Her eyes sparkled.

I considered our introduction an immediate answer to prayer. "Would you like me to do it?" I asked.

"Sure!"

The next day I called the program coordinator but they said I couldn't do it because I was her teacher. I was disappointed until I spoke with Shanna's mother. "Oh, we don't have to go through the program. You can just mentor her independently." I was thrilled.

Each week, Shanna and I met after school and spent a few hours together. She discovered I like to write and I found out she had numerous questions about life. She asked how God is able to answer many prayers at once, what to do when she argues with a friend and how to paint with watercolors. On one occasion, we made playdough at my apartment while we listened to Christian radio.

Her newest question caught me by surprise.

"How does someone become a Christian? That's just what I'd like to know."

"Oh! You would like to know that, huh?" I smiled and our eyes met. She notices what I believe? I've told her about God and that she's loved, but how to become a Christian? I was amazed she was so perceptive about a topic I'd only danced around.

"Sit here. I'll tell you." We sat on the floor, faced eachother and held hands; her smile fingers wrapped around mine. I told her about Jesus' love. I told her of His sacrifice on the cross and about His invitation to know Him personally. She stared in wonder and hung on every word. Then she bowed her head, prayed and asked Christ to be her Lord and Savior. I still can't imagine a more sacred or rewarding moment.

Shanna is now a beautiful young woman. Many miles separate us, but she hasn't forgotten what God taught her during our early friendship. She e-mailed two years ago and wrote, "You've taught me everything I know about God. Thank you."

Perhaps I won't make it into a hospital delivery room, but I can be a spiritual mother to many children, and that can be a life full of joy.

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