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From the Editor From the Editor

Mentoring

By Arlene Allen

I am who I am today because of those who have touched my life in one way or another. One meaning of the word touch is "to leave a mark or impression upon." Take a minute and think about how many different kinds of touch there are. There's touch that's not so nice, such as hitting, pinching or poking. Then there's the playful touch, like tickling. We all appreciate a loving touch—a squeeze of the hand, pat on the arm or a hug. Did you notice that in all these examples of touch, we didn't even need words to get our point across? Remember the old saying: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me"? Not true—words do hurt! Our words and actions determine the influence we have on other people. Scripture states, "Out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45).

Your touch on the lives of your children, your spouse, your friends, your coworkers and even complete strangers is profound. In Invisible Imprint, Dr. Richard Dobbins states, "The invisible imprints that shape us and ultimately help shape others around us are making their mark every day, whether we like it or not."

Think back on your life—who was responsible for the growth or change points in your life? Without exception, those who have left their lasting mark on me were used by God to correct me or were put in my path at just the right time to encourage me in Christian maturity. Then, of course, there have been planned times I set aside to allow a mentor or teacher to help me grow.

What is mentoring and what does a mentor do? Webster's Dictionary defines mentor as "a wise and trusted counselor, a tutor, or coach." If I need help in a certain area of my life—it could be as simple as how to hem a dress—I do not search for someone who, like me, doesn't know how to hem, but I search for an expert to train me. The same is true of a mentor. If you are searching for someone to learn from, search for a wise, trusted counselor. Search for someone who has succeeded. Also, don't be afraid to mentor or coach someone yourself.

God uses common people, like you and me, to do His work—to touch our world for Him. Whose lives are you touching today?

Arlene AllenARLENE ALLEN is national director of the national Women's Department and editor in chief of WTOnline.

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