My Joyful Hallelujah!: Oh... the importance of mentoring...

my mom - a mentor
in everything....
everyday.

How I have learned the importance of mentoring. It's always been important to me... but it never had a name before I started working at Troy. The Director of the Interpreter Training Program, Lynne, when I started FOCUSED on mentoring. That's her heart. I was forced to learn a lot about this process of mentoring working with her. The more I learned... the more I treasured it. The more I treasured it, the more I sought it and remembered it in my past. I'm thankful for Lynne for many reasons - for mentoring me in a professional and personal sense, for helping me become a working woman, for believing in me and trusting me, and for teaching me about mentoring... all by mentoring me.

mom and mom-in-law. mentors in sacrifice, love,
devotion, prayerfulness, faithfulness, laughter,
and so much more.

Paul thought it was pretty important too:
³ Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. ⁴ These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, ⁵ to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.
Titus 2:3-5

youth pastor and wife

Although the Scripture doesn't say the word MENTORING... that's exactly what this is calling, no commanding, us to do. That's what Paul did with Timothy. He mentored him, loved him, encouraged him, TRAINED him. He did it by example, by teaching, and praying.

Sunday School teacher

I'm so thankful for people, like Paul, who have lived their lives like a drink offering... pouring into my life. PLEASE NOTE: this is not pouring our all their knowledge and experience and I, I, I,... but pouring out the overflow of JESUS they have!!! Their faces are all over this post. And I am so thankful for them. And cherish each face, each time spent together, and all the teachings they have offered to me. There are more I could have pictured...

friend and lover of Jesus

Mentoring has been so ingrained in me and has become so crucial to my life... not only professionally (that was just a way for God to teach me). Mentoring, one-on-one relationships, small groups... that's how the Kingdom is built on... that's such an amazing part of how people are brought to FREEDOM, to an understanding, to know and love JESUS!

Teacher of crazy love, abandonment, and risk taking

Check out this professional explanation of what a mentor does:

Teaches the mentoree about a specific issue
Coaches the mentoree on a particular skill
Facilitates the mentoree’s growth by sharing resources and networks
Challenges the mentoree to move beyond his or her comfort zone
Creates a safe learning environment for taking risks
Focuses on the mentoree’s total development

I love this! My mentors haven't always been the older, the more experienced, the most successful... etc., but they have always challenged me to move beyond my comfort zone. They have encouraged me to take risks. They have supported me as I learn to become WHOLLY founded and identified in Christ.

BFFs - mentors in joy, love, and strength

I have mentored by many. I have been loved by them all. I have been taught to love because of their love. To laugh because of the joy I have learned. I have learned to SEEK JESUS because that is my confidence and my HOPE. I am striving for honesty and transparency because I have SEEN the richness in exposure and TRUTH.

sis and bro in-law. models of the Word.

I have been taught the TRUTH and awesomeness of marriage. Of total surrender. Of true obedience. I have seen models of God's word in action. I have been encouraged in purity, in holiness, in love, to do good, to be SUBMISSIVE (oh... my stubbornness).

friend, pray-er, warrior

friend, pray-er, hope-er

I have seen in real life the power of prayer. I have felt the passion and belief behind it. I have walked on journeys and seen God work for good in ALL situations. I have been challenged by their faith, their love, their passion, their joy, their truth-seeking, and their beauty.

So, what do I do... I now OVERFLOW! I love, I teach, I lead, I encourage. NOT from my power... BUT HIS ALONE!!!! My heart is to mentor... to point to Jesus...

To pour into the lives of the girls, the women around me, and my husband. To challenge them with the love, joy, peace, hope, prayerfulness, intimacy, beauty,... that my Jesus has given and taught me.