Gratitude Series 2018, Day Seven: A Leader or Teacher

I'm grateful for my mentor / leader / friend Kim.  You often hear about the importance of a good mentor, particularly in the professional working world and in Christian circles, but I've found that it's pretty rare for these type of relationships to work well.  It's hard for the relationship to get started in the first place, and it's easy for regular meet ups to get crowded out with the busyness of life.  It's hard to find the person with whom you can be vulnerable about your weaknesses, and who will find the right balance of pushing you to grow but also giving you grace when you fail.  That's why it's such a gift to have someone like Kim in my life.

I am grateful for all the things Kim does to make her mentoring successful.  She hosts a monthly lunch for a group of us where she does all the cooking, she picks a Scripture to memorize and writes study questions to spur us on to growth, she sends out weekly emails related to what we're studying, and then she checks in with all of us individually throughout the month.  She has created a group environment that's both positive and authentic, where everyone supports each other but people don't try to pretend like they don't have struggles.

But more than what she does, I'm grateful for who she is. She is kind, grateful, and sincerely interested in everyone.  She sets her mind on the things above.  The fruits of the spirit, all of them, just flow out of her.  She is someone who has spent decades faithfully immersing herself in spiritual disciplines and it shows in the beauty of her spirit and in the way she touches so many lives in a positive way.  I will be absolutely thrilled if my character and spiritual life and impact on others is even a fraction of what hers is when I'm her age.  I'm so grateful for Kim.