As a result of my last blog and a brief conversation with a friend who believes in mentoring the generations, I realized one thing.....mentoring is not just a program. There are many programs out there that do a great job of placing people in relationships in order to facilitate a mentoring relationship.
But I believe it can be something much bigger, much more impacting in the world. That's why I am calling for the Mentoring Movement to begin. In my world...it already has but this is bigger that me. I am calling all those who desire to mentor the generations to follow this blog and make comments about your mentoring relationships.
This is how it should look. One adult select three students of same gender and begin meeting for the purpose of meningful discipleship that leads to spiritual maturity and the desire to lead others to an authentic walk with Christ. Meetings are to last for one hour and meet weekly or monthly for six months. In your meetings access needs, overcome obsticles, establish goals, and set up action plans.
I look forward to hearing from those who enter into the world of mentorships. Remember, this is one investment that will payoff!
My next blog will be about how my relationships are going and how I am multiplying the mentoring process.
So, I had a conversation with my mentee last night. One thing I realized at the end of it was how important availability and presence is in the mentoring relationship. She was feeling a bit overwhelmed with a family issue and felt like other parts of her support system were either not available or were not present in their availability. I am guilty of the same thing so many times. I get wrapped up in my own selfishness, in my own world, that I fail to be available. I don't mean available to the point of dependency, but availability in the sense that I convey to her that the relationship has priority. I also find myself being available sometimes but failing to be present in that availability (which one could argue that failure to be present in not really being available.) But in our most recent conversation, I forced myself to be still, to be available, and to be present. Hmmm...just want God wants of us when we come to him, too huh?
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting. Availability and presence is very important in a mentoring relationship. A mentor's role may involve giving answers but not always or right away. However it is important to ask important questions to help them think through the issue and help them to discover a solution that they can take ownership of. Most importantly though is that you walked beside them through it. In so doing, you allow God to use you to draw the relationship between the two of you to Himself. Good work! Keep shining the light!
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