Mentoring For All Seasons!

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1

As we continue this months theme of “HARVEST” I am so mindful of the “Harvest” of our lives. The fruit that results from loving on, supporting and encouraging other women who may be just a bit behind us on this bumpy road of life and faith.

My sweet friend Janet Thompson has written ANOTHER of her brilliant books on “mentoring”–Mentoring For All Seasons.

We are ALL always in need of mentors regardless of how old or young we are.

I am thrilled to share a short post from Janet from her new book!

Enjoy and let me know your thoughts about FINDING or BEING a Mentor!

The phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number, but it was local. I let it ring. I was busy writing this book. My husband answered the phone; it was Melanie calling for me. I knew Melanie from church and our small community but couldn’t imagine why she would be calling.

When I came to the phone and Melanie started talking, I wondered if God was testing me. She said God put me on her heart as a published author and fellow sister in Christ, and would I help her with some writing projects?

As I listened to Melanie, my mind raced to the pending book deadline. I was sick with yet another cold, had a full upcoming travel and speaking schedule, had grandchildren’s soccer games to attend, and was facing possible eye surgery, and the doctors were still trying to gure out a neurological problem I was having.

He reminded me of the Facebook message two nights prior from a young woman wanting to know how she could speak boldly and con dently without o ending, as she had witnessed me do in blogs and on Facebook. Another message, from a woman I met at a speak- ing engagement, thanked me for mentoring her through my blogs, newsletters, and Facebook posts.

Then there was the Facebook message from Anna, who I’d met on vacation two years ago: “Janet, I’m in a place in life where I’m in desperate need of a Christian woman mentor. My faith walk has been at a standstill for a while . . . years probably. I’m struggling with family, marriage, health . . . do you do any personal mentoring? Or can you recommend where I should turn?”

And there was the email from Lisa B.—a single grandmother rais- ing her prodigal granddaughter who had read my book, Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter—asking for prayer, guidance, and encouragement.

In the midst of these rapid- re thoughts, I heard Melanie say, “I might need to meet with you several times.”

Lord, please, I can’t mentor every woman. And I’m certainly not perfect, as you point out to me daily. Yet you’ve given
me a passion to raise up mentors in the church and commu- nity. You continue putting in front of me an unending line of women who need me to share my experiences and your faith- fulness through writing, speaking, and one-on-one mentoring so they can go and do the same.

I felt the Lord prompting me to say yes to Melanie. So I promised to pray and call her back when I felt better. I smiled as I hung up the phone and winked at God. I knew it was really God calling me. He

He has used me to create a mentoring ministry founded on equipping, encouraging, and challenging women to mentor from their experi-ences, even in the middle of their messes. Now he was challenging me to do exactly that. I did! And so can you.