She came to my house to pray. I longed for the time and loathed it too. My kitchen was a mess. Dirty dishes lined the sink and crumbs littered my table. My living room looked like a toy store threw-up in it and I didn’t have time to get my house tidy before she came.
I planned to pick-up, wipe-down, and clean-up, but time eluded me. I couldn’t rescind the invitation. It was too late.
When she arrived, I opened my door and apologized for the mess. She said, “Angela, I wish I played more and cleaned less when my son was young.” Her reply freed me and opened my eyes to the truth.
She mentored me in that moment. She opened up about what she would do differently if she could mother again. Her perspective stuck with me. Suddenly the idea of mentoring had new meaning. It wasn’t finding a perfect connection to someone who had it all together. Mentoring required two things: a mentor willing to share her life experiences–her successes and failures–and a mentee willing to listen and act on what her mentor shared.
The crux of mentoring is sharing your life experiences. Being real about what mothering taught you, your regrets, and your successes. It is as simple as sharing your story. Don’t believe you have a story to tell? Just strike up a conversation with a woman in a stage of life a few steps behind you. Listen to her concerns and frustrations. Then offer your experience. Come along side her and let her know you are cheering her on.
How have you shared your life in order to mentor or how have you received mentoring through simple life-style mentoring?
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