My name is Amy Goldman. I have one younger sister and two younger brothers; all of us have been homeschooled our whole lives. My favorite subjects are science, history, and Latin. I love Christian music and have a huge CD collection. I like to organize things and enjoy cleaning my room! I also love playing soccer and doing art projects (drawing, painting, and photography). I like to write, especially encouragement notes.

I baby-sit and clean houses to make money. I am involved in leadership in my church youth group, and enjoy giving speeches (even if it is just to myself :-)). I am also really interested in creation science and would like to share these truths with other believers, possibly even going into ministry in the future. Right now I am learning more about who God is, who I am in Christ, and how I should see others as a result.


Matt. 7:7-11

“These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to take care of their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.” (Titus 2:4, NLT)

The best use of a life is to invest it in something that will outlast it. We are only on this earth for a short time before we pass the baton to the next generation. The children of today are the leaders of tomorrow.

God established the home as a place where beliefs and values would be founded, and I am so thankful that I have parents who have taken their role seriously. Sadly, though, many parents do not understand how important it is to train their children, or they go about it in the wrong way. As Josh McDowell said, “Rules without relationships leads to rebellion.” So many kids grow up believing that they must be perfect… that they cannot share their feelings… that they are not loved. Yet, the heart of a young person is to be called “my beloved.” Addictions are simply attempts to fill the void relationships were meant to fill. Even many Christian young people do not realize that the God who created them loves them dearly. Exodus 34:14 says, “You must worship no other gods, but only the Lord, for He is a God who is passionate about His relationship with you.” The relationship between a father and a child is meant to be a picture of how God loves us; but because so many people come from homes in which the relationship with their dad is broken, they can’t comprehend having a loving Heavenly Father. We can live that love to them. In fact, we have been commanded to do just that!

HeartLIFE is a program in which women come alongside younger women to guide them and encourage them. I have met some of the most amazing ladies through this program, and I continually learn new things from them. Though I have godly parents, these women can still teach me things I can’t learn at home. They have different perspectives, different pasts, and different passions.

Through HeartLIFE I have also been given the opportunity to invest in the lives of younger girls. My role this past year was as a “Titus Teen” (a teen assistant) in one of the early elementary classes, and I was able to be like a big sister to these girls. I helped them with different projects, took them on drink and bathroom breaks, and all the while was a role model to them, whether I realized it or not. This is a big responsibility yet also an incredible blessing. They asked the most innocent questions, and it was so exciting to watch them grasp spiritual truths. Their prayers were heartfelt and pure. In fact, I learned SO much through their simple love for Jesus!

Well, what is mentoring exactly?
Our first role as mentors is to help those we are mentoring understand how God sees them and how He has lovingly shaped them. By being there for them and listening to them we tell them that they have value and that their feelings and struggles are important.

We can also have a hand in their training by sharing the “wisdom” of our years. Though we may not realize it, we have many things to teach a younger person simply because we have lived longer! We can offer them the comfort God has given us, and we can share with them the lessons we are learning daily in our walk with the Lord. Maybe our words will even protect them from making mistakes we made at their age.

I challenge you to look for a way to get involved in the lives of young people. Maybe it will be just one person, or maybe it will be ten. Just remember that Jesus focused on mentoring only twelve disciples.

The next generation is disconnected and lonely because adults have not invested in their lives. It is my desire that you will be someone they can trust and respect, someone they know will love them unconditionally and will be faithful to them. It is a huge responsibility, though an awesome privilege, to be used to have an impact on someone else’s life. This is the mission Jesus gave you: to go and make disciples. Invest your life where He is at work, and may He bless your service!