You can’t argue it…You need a mentor!

You’ve come home from your trip, posted your pictures on Facebook, sent an email out to all your supporters, and probably blogged a couple of times about your experience. That seems like a funny line to write — back in my day we came home, printed pictures, wrote an update letter that went out in the mail, and perhaps journaled about our experience. Now, I’m not really that old, but I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to point out the change.

The point is, you’ve come home, and you’re probably ready to tackle life. If you’re a student, you’ll probably be going back to school in a couple weeks. And nobody needs to tell you what kind of challenges you will face. If you’re an adult, you’re probably already back to work, and facing the challenges that will keep you from acting on everything God taught you on your trip.

What are you supposed to do? How are you supposed to change when everything about life here seems to be against you? You know you need to slow down, be less materialistic, be more generous, care about other people more, but everything about your life makes this change impossible. Or maybe you’re not even sure what you are supposed to do now in light of your recent trip. This can be one of the loneliest but most important moments in your life. How do you grab hold of God, your life, and become a new person?

Well, you can’t go it alone. You need a mentor. Someone who will help you determine God’s direction for your life, and then help you stay on it. You need someone who loves you enough that they aren’t afraid to hurt your feelings when you are going the wrong direction.

Hopefully you’re thinking, “That sounds great! That’s exactly what I need. I need someone who will be there for me no matter what.” But maybe you’re wondering who would be your mentor? So how do you choose a mentor? Let me break the mold on what is a mentor. A mentor is not necessarily an older person with all the answers. A mentor is simply a fellow follower of Jesus who loves you. But there are some qualities to look for such as:

1.  A person of prayer 
2.  A person of integrity
3. A committed servant of the church
4. Someone who will commit to you for a least six months

I recommend getting a mentor when you sign up for your mission trip. But, it’s never too late to get one. If you don’t already have a mentor, find one. And if you’re not sure what to do with your mentor, check back next week for an article on that subject.

Questions for the author? You can contact Tory at 520-404-0841 or toryr@delaministries.com.