It is important to have mentors that you can call up and work through challenges with. These people are invaluable. But I am coming to appreciate more and more the mentors that I have never met. Who are the Mentors You’ve Never Met? (MYNM)
Whenever I hear Erwin McManus preach, I am encouraged and challenged.
Whenever I read Eugene Peterson I am reminded of the value of intentionally loving and serving the community that Jesus has called me to.
When I listen to the Seth Godin “Akimbo” podcast I think about leadership and communication in new ways.
I’ve never met these three men. In all likelihood, I will probably never meet them, but it’s important to recognize the role that these kinds of mentors have in our lives.
You never know when a MYNM might become a Mentor You Have Met. I am in the doctoral program at Portland Seminary because I reached out to Len Sweet. I asked him if the topic I was interested in would fit in the program that he leads. His response was simple, “What are you waiting for? We need this!” Over the last two years I have been interacting with Len and a great co-hort of fellow learners.
Len was a writer that I began following when I was studying at Northwest University. Somewhere along the line I found his email address. I had no reason to email him for years. I was content to have him as a mentor that I never met. But at just the right time, I reached out and I was surprised by his receptivity.
Mentors You’ve Never Met may never know the impact that they’ve had in your life. I have found that it is helpful to think about who those people may be in my life. So who are your MYNM?
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