Lisa Bevere: Every Girl Needs a Godmother

What is a Godmother?

Godmothers are not fairies, but rather women who are spiritually mature (not necessarily old). These women are committed to growing others and want to help goddaughters fill in the gaps (the difference or distance between the way things are and the way they should be) in their faith, relationships, careers, marriages, and even parenting. Lisa uses the visual of a magic wand when referencing a godmother, but she is not endorsing magic. The wand is a focal point for the concept of one generation extending its blessing to the next. “This blessing is the very reason godmothers should exist,” shares Lisa. “Blessings are meant to be shared intergenerationally. When we withhold what one generation was meant to impart to the other, there is loss on both sides. We are blessed to be blessings to one another.”

Lisa was the child of twice divorced parents. As a young wife and mother, she realized there was a difference in how she was raised and the way she wanted to raise her children. She did not know how to be a mother or a wife. Her husband, John, was out of town a lot and she was at home alone with the kids. She felt isolated and desperately needed a mentor, but unfortunately, she had no one to help her.

When her kids were young, they would sometimes travel with John where he would speak. One evening he came back to the hotel where she and the kids were staying. He told Lisa he volunteered her to speak to the women in the church the next morning. Lisa was angry. She was exhausted and did not want to get up in front of the women in the church. She cried out to God for help. In her mind’s eye He showed her a massive chain descending from the sky. Each link was beautiful and glittered with the brilliance of gold. She could not see where the chain began but she did notice where it ended. It stopped abruptly and was followed by an empty space where a link appeared to be missing. She felt the Lord tell her there was a break from one generation of women to the next. God told her to be the woman that she had longed for to mentor her. She shared this message with the church and three decades later Lisa has discipled women up close and far away including her daughters-in-laws, granddaughters, and hundreds if not thousands of daughters who call her their godmother. 

Why do you need a Godmother?

You were made for relationship with a godmother. She is someone who will mourn the losses and celebrate the victories in your life. Begin to look for a godmother to do life with that ultimately points you to God. In the meantime, Lisa, will fill in as your godmother, and she offers the following advice:

• It is impossible to miss God, He is just too big a target. Don’t allow the fear of making the wrong move in life trap you into doing nothing for Him.
• Ask for what you need. Set aside time to pray and hear from God. He speaks to you through the Scriptures.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for healing. Lisa shares how she suffered with an eating disorder and lactose intolerance for years. After she became a Christian, John and Lisa prayed for her lactose intolerance healing. Instantly, she was healed. A year later God healed her from the eating disorder. Another time Lisa and John asked God to heal their son Alec. He had a tumor under his tongue which would require surgery and possibly the removal of part of his tongue. The next day the tumor was gone.
• Don’t bury your gifts. The lies of the enemy can rob you of the treasure God has given you. Nurture your talent so you can be a blessing to others.
• Develop the habit of writing. “Words become signposts when we go forward and reminders of his faithfulness when we look back,” shares Lisa. After she married John, Lisa was trying to figure out her career path. Her previous job experiences were bad. One day she decided to write down things she enjoyed or dreamed of doing. Lisa came up with thirty ideas and shared them with John. Her list helped her focus and almost immediately doors started opening for Lisa. Within six months she became an account coordinator over sixteen stores. A year later, she became a promotional representative and gained an eight-state territory. Two years later, she landed a job as a full-time makeup artist/production assistant for a television network. She encourages goddaughters to write down their dreams. The written word has more authority than the spoken. 
• Transform your setbacks into setups. Lisa’s friend Hosanna was in ministry. On occasion she would pray for or text her friend. One night Lisa was in Vietnam and was praying intently for Hosanna. When she returned stateside, she called her friend and discovered that in a short span of time Hosanna had been lied about, stolen from and physically assaulted by a pastor. Hosanna was struggling with self-pity and putting up internal walls so she didn’t get hurt again. When Lisa called, Hosanna happened to be reading one of her books. She encouraged Hosanna to fight back against the attack on her life. For the next several months Hosanna prayed and went through one of the most difficult seasons of her life. She eventually opened up to leaders and pastors so she could receive healing. Now she is speaking truth to the next generation and empowering them in Jesus’ name.

How to be a Godmother

Young women are not aware that mature women in their life would often times love to open their lives and share with them what they learned the hard way. Lisa says, “There is something in your life that someone else needs.” She offers the following advice if you want to learn how to be a godmother to a generation of goddaughters: 

• Be aware – ask God to help you see potential goddaughters. 
• Acknowledge – smile or nod when you see goddaughters.
• Be engaged – offer your help but don’t be offended if some do not take you up on your invitation.
• Be available – set aside time to be available for goddaughters. 
• Be authentic – be faithful, reliable, honest and genuine.
• Be active – get involved with something you are passionate about. Open up your home and teach something you feel confident about. For example, a gardening class, Bible study, or cooking class.
• Be an advocate – encourage others and seek to make peace.