Thankful for Mentors

Hebrews 10:24-25 - And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another. I am thankful for mentors.

A little over a year ago I reached out to a Twitter friend that I knew lived close by. I was always intrigued by her tweets and knew she had a wisdom that women like myself could glean from. So I reached out to her in a private message and asked if she would be interested in having coffee sometime. She agreed and as they say…the rest is history.

She is now a mentor to me, an inspirer and my friend. She has poured into me more than one can ever imagine.  Helping me understand what this “speaking and writing thing” is all about. She encourages me when I don’t know what to do, where to go or just don’t want to continue, with her words and experience.  She has seen so many succeed and so many fail, yet she only sees the best in others and wants others to see the best in themselves.

For you, Tami Heim, I am thankful.

One year ago I was introduced to a charismatic, fun-lover of life woman that seemed to always have a smile and loved seeing God in the every day. We would talk at certain events we participated about our homes, our lives, our ministries.  But she was different. She wanted to help me succeed in what God has called me to do even at times when I was unsure myself. I remember the first time we went to lunch. I was struggling with this blogging thing and wasn’t sure which direction to go.  In my mind I wanted to go left, when my heart wanted to go right.  Her expertise…branding and Beyond Brave was born. It’s always funny how God brings people in your life when you need them.  Although my background is in Marketing, branding yourself is sometimes the hardest thing to do with each thought critiqued to the fullest extent.

But for you, Toni Birdsong, I am thankful.

In those moments of sitting with these women, I always said, because they took the time for me, poured into me their wisdom and knowledge, I would do the same for others someday. A few weeks ago our Pastor talked about the importance of having mentors in our lives; to have “like-minded” people pouring into us.  That we need to seek out those that can inspire us to do great things.  Within 24 hours, I had 4 women send me Facebook messages to “sit and have coffee”.

Hhhhmmm…doesn’t that sound familiar?

Do you have a mentor(s) that encourages, inspires and pours into you?