The Power of Mentorship

I know few who can look back at their pre-teen and teen years and not cringe as they remember all the crazy and sometimes embarassing things they experienced.  My teen years were full of awkwardness, excitement, fear, and drama.  I think I experienced every emotion that a young girl could face.  The most interesting time of my teen years was my middle school years. Going through some personal troubles in my home life, I suffered a lot of depression. Although I grew up in church,  I was also beginning to really question my faith  and very curious as to whether or not there really was a God and if He did exist, whether or not He loved me.  It was an interesting time in my life to say the least.
      There was older girl at my church that seemed to get me. She was 18 years old. She reached out to me and befriended me. She didn't mind that I was dramatic and wore my emotions on my sleeve.  She would take the time to talk to me, listen to me, and pray with me. I remember sitting in her little car  listening to Crystal Lewis and talking about life.  I remember so often going to the altar and feeling her arms reach around my shoulders as she prayed for God to instill a hunger in me and use me in his kingdom.  During an especially hard year in my life, my 8th grade year, she would often pick me up from school and take me out to eat so we could have our girl chats.  We discussed boys, music, church, family, you name it.  You allowed herself to be a shoulder I could cry on.  When needed, she gently scolded me, but with love and patience. While other girls her age were busy worrying about boys and their social lives, she lived out godliness, purity, and obedience and kept focused on her family and school.   I didn't realize it at the time, but she was my role-model and mentor and her godly example was beginning to influence me. When I decided to give my life to God and to get baptized at the end of my 8th grade year, I believe she was one of the first people that I called.  She was so ecstatic for me.  She continued to mentor me after I was baptized until my family and I relocated to southern Caifornia. Now as I look back, I see the true effects of this young woman's example on my life. I realize that without her, I might not be here today, serving God and invested in His kingdom. Don't ever think that you can't make the difference in a young person's life.  In this generation, our young people are facing so much.  They are dealing with things that we might not even fathom.  The enemy of their souls wants to trap and confuse them to the point where they think that they are too far from God to even return. It is with this in mind that I say that you can make a difference. Your example, your testimony, and your ability to reach out might just be what our young boys and girls need. It might take you spending some time with them, or giving them an encouraging word.  It might be a hug or an embrace at the altar.   Most importantly, it is your prayers for them that will get them through. Pray that God would keep them, but also pray that God would give you a sensitive heart for them and what they are facing. As a middle school teacher, I see the junk that the enemy is using to lure our young people. It is not a pretty picture and some parents would be shocked at some of the things our young people, their young people are experimenting with.  A while back, I was praying during the altar call and God impressed for me to go pray with a young lady. I was a bit afraid to pray with her because I didn't know how comfortable she would be with me doing so and if she would put up walls (very normal fear). The Lord told me that she was hurting and that He was going to work in her. I didn't know what I would say, but I walked over to her and just put my arms around her.  Surprisingly, I felt that I should say absolutely NOTHING.  I was a bit confused, but I simply stayed with her and prayed for her within my own heart. After a couple of seconds, I felt the Holy Spirit inside of me begin to intercede for her. I didn't even know what the Holy Spirit was praying, but I felt the Power so strong.  He was ministering to her through me, but I was kept out of the loop. he he. If we'd only realize that we are simply the vessels.  She began to weep and weep some more.  God was dealing with her and speaking to her. I just kept my arms around her. It was then that I realized that so often, we dismiss our young ladies as "drama queens" and we judge them so much for not being as mature as we think they should be, but even through all the layers of their young lives, God loves them and cares about their problems. They matter to God.  God cares that they are having problems at home. God cares that they just broke up with their boyfriend and are battling depression. God cares that they are struggling with their weight, and overall self-image.  God cares that they are failing their classes at school. We should care too.    I remember my younger sister asked a minister if he thought God would help her with her weight problem and he replied, God does not care about petty things like that.  Well, he was wrong.  God DOES care.  If it hurts us, He cares. 
 The awesome part is that if we put forth the effort in mentoring our young people, God will work through us to influence and direct them toward His kingdom.  I thank my own mentor. She knows who she is.  I say to her, thank you for leading me to Jesus.