Something I have been really wanting to talk about is mentors, but I can’t actually talk so you get to listen to the reading voice in your head. First, if you don’t have a mentor, go get one. In the last couple years I’ve had some amazing teachers (including teachers that weren’t actually my teachers) and coaches that made a huge impact on me. Like actually huge, not to be dramatic or anything. In school, I loved asking questions and getting real answers and working in an environment where I felt like a person who was cared for and not just a random student/athlete. Plus with mentors, you get advice from people who have already been through the stage of life that you’re in. When you’re really confused about what to do next, they’re the perfect advice givers and examples that everything works out in the end (even though they might’ve changed their major 6 times, etc). There were things I genuinely believed I would fail at doing, but ended up crushing because of their help. I just can’t stress enough how I grew and matured because of them! So keep in mind, God knew how I responded to mentorship.
The people at World Race told me in the fall, that I needed a spiritual mentor to be a part of the program. The deal was that I needed someone of the same gender and 10+ years older to meet with every other week. My initial thoughts were “YAY I GOT ACCEPTED, …that’s a bit of a time commitment, and what’s that even going to look like?”. I knew I loved having mentors but what would a spiritual mentor be like?
I obviously asked Eva, who was the Young Life leader at my school, if she’d help me out and she graciously agreed. Eva and I started meeting and doing Bible studies. It was great to talk through James with someone who could explain everything I didn’t get and relate it back to our lives. But really I don’t exactly remember how it felt in the beginning (it was like 10 months ago or something), but I remember the feelings shifted in a good way as time went on. After a couple weeks, we started reading “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan. I was now setting aside time to read/write so that I would be ready to meet with Eva, and then I was setting time aside to actually meet with her. It was so great to be intentional about how I was growing before the race! After our meetings things always felt a lot more clear, and I was so much more at peace. I remember in May, I was having a horrible day and so were a lot of my friends which always brings me down. I opened the book at Emma’s house and the chapter I read just happened to be exactly what I needed! We call things like that “God winks” on World Race.
I knew I started to have a lot more faith and turn to the Lord way more after I had someone, who was a lot more wise, pointing me in His direction. I’m so grateful for having a spiritual mentor because it made me so much more prepared for training camp and conversations I normally wouldn’t have been used to. But really, even though I’ve loved my mentors, I never would have had a spiritual mentor and grown the way I did if it wasn’t required by World Race. Yay for God’s plan! And thanks to Eva, and all of my other mentors who may or may not have realized their positive influence on me, I miss you all! I have no idea what it’ll be like over the next 9 months, but I can’t wait to see how Squad Mentors, Squad Leaders, and Team Leaders help me grow! My team leader Grace (aka Oogles is already making big moves).
Until the next blog,
Julia
(P.S I am currently in Atlanta at our launch event and will be starting our travel to Swaziland tomorrow morning. I’m now 2/3 funded and have just $5,000 left to raise.)
