Keep Showing Up

By Kerri Howell, Chosen Mentor

"MENTOR" is such a grown-up word. I've had mentors throughout my life who have helped shape my thought processes and character. They are steadying forces when I start feeling "wobbly" or have big decisions to make. However, compared to any of the sweet, godly women who have mentored me over the years, I feel like an imposter just pretending to be an adult.

In fact, I could compare myself all day long to people more "put together" than I, or come up with a million insecurities as excuses not to serve as a mentor. So why have I chosen to be a mentor anyway?

At the end of the day, when I look back at my own mentors, the number one, most impactful thing they all have in common is simply their presence in my life. I can put them on a pedestal in my mind, but in reality, they never had "all the answers" when I had tough questions or decisions to make. They simply showed up and kept showing up. They walked with me and stood by me.

When I reach out in unsteady times, they're there. When I want to celebrate successes, they celebrate with me. When I feel insecure, they are my greatest cheerleaders. They pick up the phone when I call, and they call me when I haven't reached out in a while. They text or send cards in the mail. They meet me for coffee and pray for me. They ask me tough questions and don't judge me when I don't know how to answer. They laugh with me, cry with me, sit with me. They are PRESENT.

We don't have to make mentorship complicated. A lot can be said for wisdom and knowledge, but at the end of the day, sometimes you just need someone to sit with you and BE. The ministry of presence is powerful, especially for someone who has experienced loss, abandonment, or isolation. And if a mentor doesn't show up first, they can't speak wisdom or celebrate successes when the opportunities arise. 

So that's where I've decided to start. I'm going to show up. Thankfully, with Chosen I don't have to show up alone. I have an awesome mentoring partner, and together we get to be present for a young woman as she walks into adulthood. We are simply going to be present in whatever ways we can.

As much as we want to see her succeed, we know that we aren't the answers to her finding success in life. Instead, we are cheerleaders who will be in her corner when life throws its curveballs. We are praying for her, even though she doesn't believe what we believe. We will share our lives openly with her. We will text and call, and even when she doesn't respond at times, we will still be there on the other end of the line. When she does reach out, we'll respond. We'll make time and space in our lives for her. We are going to show up for our side of relationship, and we are excited for every time she decides to show up, too.

We will show up and keep showing up, cause that's what mentors do. It's as simple as that.