Holly Wagner - Survival Guide for Young Women: Learning How to Navigate Todays World with Grace and Strength

2012 Holly Wagner and Nicole Reyes

Published by Revell
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.revellbooks.com

Revell edition published 2014

ISBN 978-1-4412-2603-7

Previously published by Regal Books

Ebook edition originally created 2012

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Other versions used are:

AMPScripture taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

GODS WORDScripture taken from GODS WORD. GODS WORD is a copyrighted work of Gods Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by Gods Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.

THE MESSAGEScripture taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

NASBScripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

NKJVScripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

NLTScripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

TLBScripture quotations marked (TLB) are taken from The Living Bible, copyright 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189. All rights reserved.

TNIVScriptures taken from the Holy Bible, Todays New International Version TNIV. Copyright 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society. All rights requested worldwide.

This book is dedicated to all the young women who want to make a difference in the world. Just know that there are women who believe in you and are cheering you on!

HOLLY

This book is dedicated to my father your love and support has given me the courage to pursue with passion the purpose for my life! You mean the world to me, and I respect and love you more than words can describe! I also dedicate this book to my pastors, Philip and Holly Wagner. I would not be fulfilling the call of God on my life without your love, example and investment. Your belief in me has made all the difference in my life, and I am eternally thankful!

NICOLE

CONTENTS

I am sure most of us have experienced one or more aha moments in our lives. Let me describe one of mine.

I have read the Bible through a number of timesand I have read the book of Titus many times. However, there was a moment a few years ago when jumped out at me. Basically, this passage challenges older women to assume responsibility for younger women. I thought, Great, when I get to be 103, then I will be an older woman, and I will train up all those younguns!

I heard a whisper from heaven: Holly. Is there anyone younger than you on the planet?

I had to think for a minute.

After all, I am NOT old so I must be young!

But really of course there is someone younger than me on the earth.

As soon as I admitted that, I heard heaven again: Well, Holly, then you are an older woman. As long as there is someone younger than you, you are an older woman.

Wasnt sure I really wanted to be called an old woman.

In a sick way, it makes me feel better to call you an old woman, too.

And you are.

You are an old woman.

Why?

Because right now in your world, there is a woman who is younger than you are.

If you are 16 you are an old woman.

Why?

Because there are 10-year-olds who need to learn from you.

If you are 25 you are an old woman.

Why?

Because that 16-year-old needs to know what you know.

If you are 43 you are an old woman.

Why?

Because there is a 20-something who desperately needs your wisdom.

If you are 99 you got all of us!

As long as there is someone younger than you on the planet, you are an older woman. And as older women, we have a responsibility. We are to equip, motivate, inspire and train younger women.

At any and every moment, you are both an older woman and a younger woman. You are being handed a baton and passing one off.

As the older women, we should be opening our hearts and our worlds to a younger woman encouraging her, accepting her and offering her wisdom we have gained. This is not always convenient or easy but it is so important!! I am to be living my life in such a way that a younger woman actually wants to follow me.

When in younger woman mode we are in the position of receiving. Most of the time, this means we need to shutteth uppeth! We are looking for the wisdom the insight the help. So we probably need to be quiet and listen. I have sometimes been guilty, when in younger woman mode, of doing all the talking.

Not smart.

Sometimes we try to make excuses, defend our position, or explain away our lack of knowledge.

Bad idea.

We need to humble ourselves so that we can learn.

I have had the privilege of leading quite a few young women in the past few years. (In other words I have been their older woman!) My life is richer because they are in it. One of the young women in my world is Nicole Reyes. I have worked with her for almost 10 years. I have watched her grow, make decisions, learn to shutteth uppeth, deal with issues in her heart, and be committed to fulfilling Gods purpose for her life. I have also watched her extend her heart and life to her younger women being committed to seeing them fulfill Gods plan. I have asked her to write this book with me, in the hopes that together our voices would bring even more wisdom.

My desire in writing this book is to share some of the things I have learned over the years. As I was writing, I asked myself, What do I wish I had known when I was in my twenties and thirties? That is what you will find on these pages. Some of it is fun, random nonsense. But some of it really can help you on your journey.

I am asking you to open your heart and be willing to learn. Maybe reading about my mistakes can keep you from making the same ones.

XOXO HOLLY

It was less than a year ago that Holly and I sat down for lunch at one of our favorite restaurants to chat about ministry, family, guys, and the random other topics one can expect to be discussed by a couple of God Chicks doing life together! This routine had developed organically over the years, and as a younger woman gleaning from the valuable wisdom of such an inspiring older woman, I always looked forward to our time together. At this particular meeting, over a couple of salads and a couple of lattes, we began to dream about writing a book that tackled the real issues young women are facing and to have fun doing it!