KATIE JO'S STORY - HER MENTOR MARY BETH

March 15, 2024

unedited

Mentorship has been in my vocabulary since a little girl. I was raised in a rather dysfunctional, broken home and my earliest mentors were really in the form of coaches. Well, and that of my super fabulous aunt who can take ALL the credit for nuturing my fashion sense, creativity and style! Sports were my escape and coaches helped instill a believe in myself and taught me to push myself, in a way I was not raised to know how to.

I have always sought out opportunities to be coached or molded, even in adulthood. When I look back, my life has been sprinkled with men and woman whom God placed in my life at the exact right season to be like angels guiding me with encouragement and wisdom.

I'm currently in a chapter of life I never expected to be: a very recent widow at the age of 42 with an almost two year old. When my daughter was born I started a mom's group at Scottsdale Bible Church, with the sole goal to make mom friends experiencing the same struggles. Under the guidance, friendship and unconditional love of our group mentor, these women who were mere strangers two years ago are now my sweet sisters in Christ.

God knew long before losing my husband I was going to need these women and my precious mentor. Our friendships are real: they are intimate, genuine, fun and we share the same values, while each being so perfectly different and unique. I like to say, Jesus sustains my life, but these women sustain my soul!!

I continue to have various mentors athletically and with interests I'm involved in, but my mom's mentor from church holds a special place in my heart! I can come to her in moments of true and dire crisis or doubt and she has loved me without question or condition. She listens, supports, guides, loves, encourages, prays for us and always, always above anything else leads my sisters and I to the foot of the cross, back to our perfect Savior.