Praying for a Mentor

I'm at a strange place right now. I'm without a true mentor. I'm a mentor to others but I am without one or two for myself. I'd like to see that change so I'm praying for a mentor.

As I reflect back on where I've been and look forward to where I am compelled to go I realize that now is a pivotal moment. I'm about to embark on the greatest part of my journey to date without that trainer in my ear reminding me to eat right, look out for the left hook and to stay focused.

When I was a kid I always ran with guys 3-4 years older than I. When we'd run the streets or play ball or go to parties I always had people looking after me. These guys would watch to keep me in line as well as protect me against problems I may not knew I was walking into.

As a teen I was mentored in Christ by a man who took hours upon hours each week to study God's word and teach me verse by verse what God's word meant. I didn't know that I was being taught exegeticaly but I did know that I was learning who God was and how I could go to him through the reading of the scriptures.

In college I found several mentors. I had a few mentors who were my elders by only a year or two. I had a few mentors who were associated with the University. During most of my sophomore year a VP of the school met with me once a week and had me bring her coffee and a donut on Mondays at 7 a.m. just before she kicked my rear about keeping up with my studies. I had mentors in my ministry roles who focused in on those areas and I had mentors in life who (while they may not have known it) modeled for me the type of man I should become if I wanted to honor God.

When I was a Youth Pastor for the first time I had a man I respected in the ministry really act like a major league aspirin and it kinda set me back. Instead of mentoring me he chose to blame everyone but himself for any shortfalls and as a young guy fresh out of undergrad I took a beating emotionally. At my next stop in ministry I was open to mentorship but found that no one around was far enough ahead to handle it. In Maxwell's terms I found myself hampered by the Law of the Lid. The lid I was under wasn't high enough for me to grow. I was cramped.

In the last few years I've had a mentor or two on paper as assigned by denominational leaders. None have been sufficient for what I need. So I've tended to rely on reading others (blogs, books, tweets) and picking up the phone to call my peers from time to time. While it's been great to talk shop I haven't had that mentor-type of person in my life recently.

Over the last year generically and the last few months specifically I have found clarity to that mission I will be giving the rest of my life to. While I've been doing one aspect of it for the last few years I think I'm finally ready to gear up and tackle the monster head on. It's going to take everything that's in me but that's why God is doing what he's doing.

So at the end of the day I wanted you to know that I'm praying for a top-notch mentor or mentors. I'd love to have you pray for that with me.