Gina and her husband |
“Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God”
Titus 2:3-5
I am a 47 year old Christ follower who desires to glorify and serve God in any way I can. I grew up in a Christian home and was introduced to Jesus at a very early age. At 20 years old I left home to attend Bible College in hopes of preparing for full-time ministry. I met my husband while I was in college and he was in seminary. We have been married for 22 years, and have been in some type of full time ministry for most of that time. We have two children: Brianna is 20 years old and a Jr. in college, and Caleb is 17 years old and will graduate this year from high school.
I have had a burden to find ways to encourage women since I was about 29 or 30! It has grown over the years as I found myself, at times, looking around for older women I could spend time with, and there were very few who were making themselves available. I would often read the passages about what we are supposed to be and do as women and read any book I could get my hands on that dealt with Titus 2, discipleship or mentoring. As a result of my praying and asking the Lord if there was anything more I could be doing to reach out, I felt led to start a blog. My vision was that I might be able to reach out to the women at the college, by writing and sharing Biblical truths. I had no idea that what God had in store for me would reach way beyond the campus where I live! I now have the privilege of writing and reaching out to a couple hundred women a day, through my blog and monthly at The Internet Cafe.
My husband is an ordained pastor, has a masters degree in sports medicine, and a masters in theology. I have a degree in Bible, and have been a stay at home mom for 20 years. God has combined these gifts and decided that our family would live life with college students. We live on a college campus where Brian is a faculty member and athletic director/trainer and we are both on staff. It has been a perfect fit for us! My first love and priority is being a wife and mother, keeping my home in order, and then living life with students, and serving anyone that happens to come to my door. Much, if not most of our ministry takes place in the kitchen! It includes serving alot of coffee and hot chocolate, fun and easy meals, and as many desserts as possible! College students regularly drop by our home to talk, do homework, relax, and EAT!
I jokingly refer to myself as “the old lady”. The title of my blog (Chats With An ‘Old Lady’) came from the fact that even though I am not really that “old”, because I live with 19-21 year olds, I am the “old lady” on campus. That, and the fact that I love the Titus 2 model and am learning how to be an “older woman”. Someone told me once that I am an “old lady wanna be”! I know they were joking, but I have to tell you that they are absolutely right! I am sensing such an urgency to “step up to the plate” and get involved in the lives of women as the Lord leads. I believe that now is the time! Things are getting worse. Satan is fighting hard. I want to be one that holds up the stop sign! To warn them. To point them in the right direction! And that is what my life revolves around.
God led me to Janelle’s blog, and I not only fell in love with the yummy, practical recipes, but I fell in love with Janelle and her heart to serve people from her kitchen. I guess I see her as a “kindred spirit”, since so much of what I do is from my own kitchen! I regularly consult Janelle’s blog for creative ideas for meals. She never lets me down!!!
Gina’s Daughter Brianna making my “Better than a Hug Cake”. |
We do have “regularly scheduled” planned events in our home for the students. One of them is “pancake night”-a night when we open our home from about 6-11:00 PM and I serve pancakes with all the toppings. The students love it and look forward to a time to take a break from studying. And of course the always love to eat! I love to have groups of girls in my home, and over the years have hosted “dorm meetings” here, a time for the girls in the dorm come over and have a meeting and then I serve them some fun, yummy snacks. But most of our ministry is relaxed and spontaneous. They know we are here and that they can come over for coffee or a meal, and they are always welcome. Many nights our couches and kitchen table are lined with students with laptops on their laps, playing on facebook and doing homework!
THANK YOU, my dear friend, for allowing me to share what God is doing in my small corner of the world! We are all in this together!!! I am so thankful to have "met" you!!! Maybe in person one day??? And for sure in heaven! I am officially inviting you to come to my mansion for some heavenly coffee! And wouldn't it be cool if our mansion's were in the same neighborhood???? I will pray for that!!
BIG HUG!!!
Now Gina, I am 47–we aren't old ladies! We are wise mature (alright sometimes i am immature and silly) ladies…LOL! I love your testimony and what your doing with the college age kids. Imagine all they will take away with them as you plant seeds of Godly wisdom into their lives:-) God bless you!
Gina, yes…would love to meet you in person! lol..heavenly coffee…oh wow, I can only imagine how good that is going to be with how much I love coffee now! You crack me up! Suzanne, I second what you said! Love ya Ladies! Janelle
I enjoyed reading about Gina's ministry. What an honour it must be to sow seed into these young lives. Reserve me a spot for coffee too and we can swap stories. I have some wonderful and funny memories of the students and young people that we used to take in. Watch out Gina – after sharing last week at Janelle's blog God sent us a guest on Meal Ministry Monday (not a day we usually have guests) which turned into Meal Ministry Tuesday when I ended up with a houseful of people – my son's friends came out for the day and a mother of one of the boys I had never met before turned up at the same time as a friend I have not seen for 5 years! You see what you have started Janelle! Gotta love banana bread and so glad I decided to make an extra big loaf before I knew how many people would be coming through our door later that day!
Ann! How fun! The more the merrier! Right?!!!! Thanks for sharing…and warning!!! LOL!!
HAHAHA! Ann…I completely know what you are talking about! I laughed out loud when I read that…It is so nice to know other women share in this ministry. Maybe I should pray for God to give you rest this week???? Bless your heart!
LOVE IT!! Love it SO much! Thanks for sharing Gina and Janelle!
Thank for sharing your story. I have been reading your (Gina's) blog for quite awhile because of my desire for a mentor/Titus 2 woman. I love it!
Now I have found Janelle's blog because of my love for food and my quest to use that love for ministry.
It is awesome to realize how small the world really is and how people are placed in our lives for a reason. Thank you – both of you!