A few years ago, we took our family to Disney World. It seemed like a giant ordeal to plan our trip. Not only was it going to be expensive, but I had never been there, so I didn’t have any perspective on what it would be like. I didn’t really know the geography of things - like how far the various parks were from each other and from the place we were staying. I didn’t understand the magnitude of the Disney experience, just how much there was to see and do.
So the first thing I did was buy a book. Actually, my mother-in-law bought me a book, as she had been on this trip years before with her boys. She was wise to know that I would need a guidebook. She also knew I’d need to talk to someone with lots of experience going to to Disney World. Fortunately she had a friend who’d been numerous times and ended up being a valuable resource for me as I made plans for the trip. I also consulted other friends who gave me wonderful advice on everything from waiting in line to eating in restaurants. Time and time again, as we were wandering through the Magic Kingdom or Epcot, I was grateful for those who had “gone before” and shared their wisdom with me. It helped me set expectations and priorities, manage our time, and make good decisions, especially when the four-year-old was on the brink of meltdown!
In addition, my in-laws - the grandparents - joined us on the trip, and gave us support that we truly needed to get through each day of exciting adventures. I really don’t think we would have had a successful trip without them along to help us and our three young children. After our trip, I felt like a pro! A few times in the following months, I was able to give advice to friends when they set out on their own Disney trips.
My Disney experience is a lot like my life as a follower of Jesus. When I was young I went to church and knew about Jesus, just like I knew from television and other people’s stories a bit about Disney World. But it wasn’t until 7th grade that I began a personal relationship with Jesus and starting out on this adventure of being his follower. It was uncharted territory for me, and being a young teen, I needed a guidebook and a mentor to help me navigate life in light of what Jesus did for me on the cross.
I got both a guidebook - the Bible - and mentors in my church youth group. Not only were there adults who mentored me - leading us during youth events, retreats and Bible studies, but there was also Lydia. She was a few years older than me and had been involved in youth group for years. She was a leader who became my friend, and ultimately became a mentor. She didn’t set up a schedule or demand anything from me. She did, however, invest time in me. She gave me rides to Bible studies and service projects. She would talk with me late into the night, helping me navigate issues with friends and family and faith. She would write me notes of encouragement and basically just led a life that was seeking to follow Christ. Most importantly, she modeled what it means to follow Jesus by loving me, encouraging me, and pushing me to seek God first.
Lydia had been on the journey and was showing, through example, ways to live a Christ-centered life. It’s important to note that her impact transcended the time she spent with me. Because I went on to mentor other young women, her impact reaches farther than she even knows.
The apostle Paul also needed a mentor. To sum up the beginning of Paul’s story, he was a persecutor of Christians in the early church. But Jesus called him out and set him on new path to deliver the Good News to many people. Can you imagine how daunting it would be to minister to people who knew you “before”? He was a bad dude and now was preaching the gospel! Fortunately Barnabas took Paul under his wing and ministered alongside Paul. In the Book of Acts, we see story after story of Barnabas and Paul together, teaching about Jesus.
Barnabas, a nickname given by the apostles, means “son of encouragement.” Acts 11:23-24 tells us that he was, in fact, an encourager, and that “he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith.” And really, isn’t that all that is required of mentor? Someone who will point us to Jesus and encourage us on our journey.
While I was glad to have people to help me plan my Disney trip, I am eternally grateful that Lydia and others pointed me to Christ. I am grateful that I had mentors who walked beside me, pushing me to consider what God had planned for me. I am thankful that someone was there to say, “You are a child of God. You are loved. There is a plan for your life.” Because today, as an adult, life is full of twists and turns. Without a foundation of faith and without people pointing us to Christ, we may just simply float along, allowing the evils and hardships of this world dictate how we act and respond.
Do you need a “Barnabus” in your life? Are you walking a difficult road and could use a companion to walk alongside? Are you new to this whole “following Jesus” thing and not sure how to navigate life now that you have changed? Do you need a mentor to point you to Jesus and hold you accountable?
Perhaps you’re ready to be a mentor. Think about who has been your “Barnabus.” You’ve been walking this road for a while, made your mistakes, and now you want to share your experiences and encourage others to look to Jesus.
Freshwater Women has a new mentoring ministry that exists to connect women through intentional short-term relationships that serve to encourage, equip, and strengthen faith. If you are a new believer or would like to grow more in your faith, a mentor can come alongside you so you can be equipped and feel supported on your faith journey. If you are going through a difficult season, a mentor can meet with you, listen, pray with you, and encourage you. If a you are simply new to Freshwater and want to connect with another woman, gaining guidance on how to use your gifts here, then a mentor can empower you and help you feel connected to the body of Christ.
This is what we are about at Freshwater - authentic relationships and empowering you to live out your faith. Mentoring is an important part of this road we walk as Christians. We not only need those who’ve “gone before” to guide us, we also need to be encouraging others on their journeys.
