A Bearded Mentor

I got a letter the other day and by letter I don't mean a Christmas card with disgustingly cute pictures of babies on it, I mean a letter that was typed out for me to read and process. The contents of the letter don't concern you, but the sender of the letter does. Let's rewind to 2001 when Dre made his first comeback and bleached tips and pooka shells were still in style.

I was a wee lad in the summer of my Sophomore year of High School and I had just gotten back from an event with my Youth Group. On the trip was an older man whose car I got stuck in because the older students got the "cool" drivers who sped and raised the roof if Delerious or DC Talk came on. It didn't take much longer than a few minutes to realize that the man driving us was well read and wanted to pour into our lives, also he had a sweet beard. When we had returned from our trip the next day this bearded man pulled me aside and told me of my worth and my value, he told me that he loved me an that God loved me and had amazing things in store for me. It was one of the greatest encouragements I have ever received even to this day.

John and I have never sat and had coffee on a regular basis, I was never in his bible study, and we have never even lived in the same city but regardless of that I consider him to be one of my best mentors. Not because he calls me everyday or bakes prayer cookies for me but because every chance he gets he encourages me and challenges me simply by the way he lives his life.

At the end of every year I get a letter from John challenging me to look back and move forward in the name of God so that His kingdom may be glorified. I want to be that to others someday, an encouragement simply by the way I live my life.

How about you? Who is someone who encourages you and how do they do it?