Understanding Sisterhood

7 ways to get started creating your own.

By Deborah K. Hibler

 
We need friendships, mentors, role models, and strong support networks with other women on an everyday basis. The significance of these relationships increases when our spouse is deployed. For most of us, deployments mean being without our spouse and best friend for a year or longer. We can never replace that. But, we can develop new friendships and keep our old ones strong. And, we can definitely form a sisterhood with other military wives going through the same thing.

So, how do we make time for our sisterhood? Start a women’s group.

Ideas on how to start a women’s group:
1. Find a common interest. It can be anything from cooking, wine tasting, scrapbooking, quilting or even a Bible study group. 
2. Form get-togethers. 
3. Have women over for coffee or tea once a month. 
4. Meet for dinner monthly and take turns trying everyone’s favorite restaurant. 
5. Pick a movie night every month and pig-out on popcorn. 
6. Plan an all-girl trip with other military wives while spouses are deployed. 
7. If nothing else, just stay in touch with one another on a regular basis, either by phone or e-mail.   

Deb’s story: 
I started a group for women called “Chayil” a long time ago. Chayil is a Hebrew word that means virtuous.I discovered chayil from reading the book, “The Lady, Her Lover, and Her Lord,” by T.D. Jakes.  Unfortunately, I let the group slowly fade away. I miss that time. My main reason in starting the group was to have a Bible study specifically for women of all ages. But thankfully, it turned into much more.

We met once each week to discuss the women of the Bible for an hour or so. We talked about life and we got to know each other. We related to one another on so many levels and we helped each other. We shared our stories, our dreams and even our jokes.  We laughed, we cried and we formed an unbreakable sisterhood.