To be a Mentor is to give Counsel. To be a Referee or Whistle blower. To be a Back-seat Driver. A Monitor and Guide. A Peaceful Loud Voice, an Encouraging Mandate.

Mentoring is coaching another person through personal experience or instructing with guidelines to follow. It is like a relay race, when a runner (novice) reaches forward to grab the baton from a teammate who has run ahead of them (experienced). In return, the baton is passed back to the runner behind who is about to take off too. Our lifestyle is very much like the runners in a relay race, we all need to be reaching forward and reaching backward. Reaching and teaching! Positively!

So, sometime ago, after a planned gathering to a support group with friends from work, a younger lady approached me. Looks more like a hip, just-turned-30, Jesus-loving-chick. To my surprise, she asked if I would consider becoming her mentor. What? I thought at first… ‘You kidding me? ‘Last time I checked…I am still a work in progress! I’m WAY too young to be your mentor! (Well, literally). ‘Forget the “Chic-ness” and the “Hot-steps”. I’d chuckled.

Then I tumbled out of my illusion and back to reality, realized that I am so capable! I am a wise-on-my-good-days, seen-enough-already, slightly-imperfect-seasoned-40-something girl with a decade of life’s storms, affairs-of-the heart, marriage, mothering on her. Excitement, reservation, timidity and cold feet danced together in my heart when I prayerfully agreed. Secretly swelling with pride!

Over the years I have come to realize and accept that mentoring is very important. Because I’ve been deeply blessed, sometimes overpowered by emotion, and rightfully challenged. My wisdom does not have a price tag or color grey to prove it. My juicy tale is enough to stir an oblivious teenager back to God and a baffled relationship towards maturation!

Very well, we all need spiritual mentors to take our hands as we face life challenges. Likewise, we also need to grab hold of younger spiritual hands for the journey: to bring them along in towards the right path, to help strengthen their spiritual muscles, to encourage, teach, and admonish.

Today, I am challenging someone to prayerfully connect with one or two people this week to reach ahead. Get a mentor. Reach behind. Get a mentee. Garner wisdom. Give wisdom. Grow. Dream. Achieve! Eventually, maturity will be evidenced in your life and in the lives of those with whom you connect. Thanking God for my mentor of 30 years! Aunty Yemisi Pedro. Thanks for the snap!

Yinka.