I’ve had mentors in the past.  Usually they were people who sought me out to help guide me.  Sometimes it even felt like I was assigned to them.  Looking back, I’m sure they were all beneficent to me in some way but those mentors probably see more of the effects of those relationships than I see in myself.  I probably wouldn’t be in the same place I am now if not for them.  I don’t know where I was headed back then before they became a part of my life, but recently I’ve seen myself headed down a long road of mediocrity and complacent Christianity.

That changed today.  Today I received confirmation that I have a new spiritual mentor.  This is not someone who sought me out and I have not been assigned to him by the leaders I have.  This one is different.  Over the past few months, through talking to leaders and listening to people who I highly respect, I’ve been feeling this nudge to seek out a mentor on my own.  I didn’t know if I was supposed to be looking for a professional mentor, spiritual mentor, or even just a peer type mentor.  Through prayer and honest conversations about my future, I began to realize that my first step would be to find a spiritual mentor.

Through prayer and time, there was only one name that continued to come to mind.  Some would say that his name was laid on my heart, but that language has become cliché to me and honestly makes me uncomfortable.  It’s amazing how certain words can do that to you, but I’ll save that discussion for another time.  After a few weeks, I finally (nervously) asked him if he would consider becoming a spiritual mentor for me.  After some time in prayer, he agreed to commit to starting a structured mentoring relationship.

I can already sense that this will be different than any other mentoring relationship I have ever been in.  Some of that has to do with the fact that I took the step of seeking him out and asking.  Some of it is because I know it’s a God thing (if you knew our schedules, you’d understand).  I am totally looking forward to what I’ll learn and grow through this.