The Importance of Mentors

Having mentors in my life have greatly helped me. I can not stress how much this means to me. I have seen so many people in a place lost with no answer or strength to carry on. When you have someone in faith with God to help keep you accountable and give advice, you can find hope. God never ment for us to walk in faith alone, we are a family. Yet, satin is great at trying to make people feel isolated and hurt to the point where we leave our faith in a life of depression. Having a mentor, friend, leader, being there can change that. 

We are all made to be a friend, leader, or mentor to others. I absolutely love helping my small group. Don't' get me wrong I usually have no clue what to say, but that is where God always provides in my life. I pray over my girls and ask for god's wisdom. I do get extremely drained spiritually though. 

I look towards my leaders and friends at these time and am so thankful they are here for me. Man, God  is so amazing to place people in our lives when ask for them. 

Oh, if you are guiding others please continue to pray and read the word. You can not expect to be continually filling others up spiritually with out filling yourself up first. I have made this mistake so many times. To the point where I am so tired God makes me stop and reassess my situation. 

I look greatly towards Paul's journey as a leader he never took credit, humbling himself completely to the point where you saw that God deserved all the praise and rejoicing. I strive and pray to be this kind of leader. I don't want people to think that I am wise or worthy of being a leader but that I love God so much that I have faith he will do everything that I need to spread his work and love. 

What are your experiences with mentors? Anything that has changed you? Please share. 

Tea Bag

Yesterday I was volunteering at the coffee shop and I met this super strong believer, Charles. Wow you could see his light shining for miles. We began to talk and then talk, and talk! Charles almost died from cancer and is going through Chemo now. He has lived in Germany as a missionary all his life but moved here to have a family, now his children are going off to college. He meets with his sons and their friends every saturday morning at the coffee shop when I work . I had never talked to him before but God was pushing me to step up and talk to him. Boy am I glad I listened to him. I told him that God is guiding me into the missionary field. He and I ended up talking for a very long time here is the bases of the conversation.
 When he was dieing of cancer and finally began to live fully in God seeing his end near brought him joy he wanted to be alongside God because he has lived a wonderful life and was ready to end his pain .This guy had a smile like nothing else.he was so happy I had a heart for missions and told me to never stop following God's wishes for my life and to never worry about the steps to get there because God will guide me. He said to never take God's blessing for granite. We reminisced how missions have change us and how we yearn to go back. See when you go to a country riddled with corruption you meet people hungry for truth, love, and change. That is where the kindest and most caring people are. I talked to him about the challenges of pursuing my dream then he said something that will stick for me forever. We are like Tea Bags, full of nourishment, flavor, and possibility but until God adds heat we will not begin to pour out all the good things we are. We need to be tested and pushed in order to become all we are meant to be in God.  WOW!
I needed to hear that. Guess what guys trials are good just look at the disciples when they were being persecuted they pushed God's message and pursued life with glory. So can we. Charles is an incredible man he told me to read David Livingstones' books.I sure will!
So if you are reading this and going through a hard time or know someone who is (which I am sure is most of you) start to think of how God can use your trials for his good. If you let him he will. He has done it multiple times for me. Maybe I will share some of them one of these days.
"2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
James 1: 2-4