Spiritual Mothering: More Than Biology
A Calling of the Heart
Behind the Scenes
This past Sunday at church, Pastor Amy gave a message that stirred up old memories in the best way. I found myself thinking about a woman who shaped my spiritual life more than she probably ever realized. Maybe you’ll see a bit of your own story in it—or feel nudged to reach out to someone who mothered your faith along the way.
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Some women bear children. Others bear wisdom. Some do both.
As I sat listening to Pastor Amy’s message at church, I found myself thinking about someone who changed the course of my faith—not through preaching, parenting, or power, but through presence. Quiet, steady, prayer-soaked presence.
I wasn’t what you’d call a “musical kid.” I had already dropped out of piano lessons by sixth grade and joined the school chorus mostly to fill my elective requirement. But Miss Scipione’s music class felt different—gentler, more open. I didn’t know it then, but God was preparing a doorway through her.
At thirteen, I had everything a child could ask for on the outside: a loving family, good friends, good grades. But inside, there was a spiritual ache. I couldn’t have described it at the time—it was just an emptiness, a longing for something more. We went to church faithfully, and I believed in God. But I didn’t yet know Him.
Then one day, after class, Miss Scipione quietly pulled me aside and said,
“I think you’d enjoy our after-school Bible study on Thursdays.”
Something stirred inside me. I went. And I kept going.
She Didn’t Preach—She Discipled
Years later, I came to understand what Pam (as she later insisted I call her) really was: a spiritual mother.
Paul describes this kind of woman in Titus 2—a woman who teaches what is good, trains the younger women, and leads not by dominance but by example. Pam did all of that.
She wrote me letters every week the summer I turned fourteen. She invited me to my first mission trip with the Children’s Sand and Surf Mission. She prayed over my teenage heartbreaks, helped me identify what real faith looked like, and gently helped me discern the difference between “a good guy” and “a godly man.”
She never had children of her own, but to us—those Thursday girls—she was more than a teacher. She was our spiritual mother.
“Spiritual mothering is not about biology—it’s about investing in the next generation of women with godly wisdom, love, and truth.”
The Beauty of a Quiet Yes
I’ve had many faithful women in my life: my mother, who took me to church and taught me to pray. My grandmother, who showed me what joy in worship looks like. But it was Pam who helped awaken something personal in my walk with Jesus. She lived the Great Commission not from a pulpit but from her living room floor and folding chairs around a classroom table.
“God did not give this role as a consolation prize to women who couldn’t bear children. It is a high calling: a way to pass on the truth of God from life to life and generation to generation.”
Today, I’m deeply grateful for the women who’ve mothered me spiritually—through conversations, letters, prayers, and even gentle correction. And I’m learning, day by day, that I, too, can take on that mantle for someone else.
Not because I’ve got it all figured out. But because I’ve seen what happens when someone shows up faithfully, week after week, and says “yes” to investing in a younger woman’s soul.
I hope I never take that call lightly
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A Prayer
Lord,
Thank You for the women who nurtured our faith with love and wisdom. Help us walk in their footsteps and become spiritual mothers to others. Let our words, prayers, and quiet presence point them to You. May we joyfully take our place in Your mission—one heart at a time.
Amen.
Since my teenage years, I’ve had many other spiritual mothers. Was there a special woman in your life who ministered to you?
Love this Linda, one Flourish Writer to another!
I've had such mothers. A wonderful gift!