By Brian Comer & Anna Johnson
Making the plunge into mentoring vulnerable youth can be a daunting prospect. Walking alongside another human on their life journey is inherently messy, and what’s more, there is no guarantee of “success.” Many of our current Adorned In Grace Design Studio mentors doubted they had the skills or knowledge it took to be a mentor when they first began volunteering, but they quickly learned that mentoring is much less about the skills one has and much more about the condition of one’s heart (among other things!).
After years of equipping mentors to serve vulnerable young women at the Adorned In Grace Design Studio, we have found that the most essential trait for a successful mentor is simply a heart full of compassion and a desire to serve youth who face obstacles in life that put them at risk for sexual exploitation and other dangers. The rest? It can be learned.
“I spent a year hesitating on being a mentor, and I wish I would have done this way back when I first found out about mentoring. I can say that anyone could be a mentor to girls who has the heart to do so.” Amber, Adorned In Grace Design Studio Mentor
So what are some of the biggest takeaways from our amazing mentors?
1.) How to Deal With the Big Things (And Who to Entrust Them to)
For Design Studio mentor Maddie, becoming a mentor has helped her learn adaptability, humility, and a renewed dependence on Jesus: “I knew I would connect with these girls and have fun. What I didn’t know is that I would be walking through really difficult topics with them and often feeling like I don’t have the answers to the hard things they are dealing with. It really has humbled me and shown me that it is only through Christ that we can overcome obstacles.”
2.) How to Look Beyond Yourself
This renewal has also taught Maddie to bring the difficult things to God in prayer, as she knows God is watching over each of the girls. She says, “I have learned to pray more and worry less. God has these beautiful girls in the palm of His hand and cares so deeply for each of them. Mentoring has taught me the importance of looking beyond myself and taking the time to care for the hearts of others.”
3.) Adaptability
Kaitlin, another Design Studio mentor, also echoed the importance of being adaptable, with an “importance on having a plan and being able to modify it at the drop of a hat.” This has taught her to be both more assertive and flexible.
4.) Patience + A Greater Understanding of Diversity
Interacting with young girls has also improved Kaitlin’s patience, as working as a peacemaker and encourager for the girls to get along can be stressful. Overall though, she has found the girls to be “really fun to be around and when they aren’t, it is a time for learning.” She has really enjoyed spending time with the girls and getting to know them. She has also learned lot about diversity, with a more broadened mind regarding race issues. She attributes this to “having people different from you that you’re talking to on a regular basis.”
5.) How to (Really) Trust and Listen
One particular story that stood out as a moment of God’s grace was when one of the girls Kaitlin was mentoring had a friend die in a car accident: “I got her a journal and it was hanging out for awhile in my purse. A couple weeks later, the Lord told me to give her the journal. I told her to write when she feels stressed. I’m glad I listened to the Lord in that moment.”
Kaitlin finds being a Design Studio Mentor to be an amazing experience that God is really growing her through and would recommend being a Design Studio Mentor to others. Being a mentor has strengthened Kaitlin’s trust in God while also improving her ability to listen. She has learned to be patient for changes to take place in the girls’ lives because when they do start to happen, it is well worth the wait.
“Whether it be the harder way, the more inconvenient way, or the impossible, these women and men I have met over the last seven years have helped drastically change my life.” Andrea, Adorned In Grace Design Studio Alumni
Mentoring Vulnerable Youth In Your Own Backyard
Whether you have many seasons under your belt working with vulnerable youth or are eager to begin exploring opportunities, we invite you to consider joining us at our mentor training event on September 8th: “Cultivating Resilience.”
Our speakers will be offering practical and relevant guidance on topics such as:
- Hope in the midst of trauma
- Navigating conflict
- Overcoming generational poverty
- Sex, relationships, and tough conversations
Our goal is that you will come away feeling inspired, equipped, and confident that you can make a meaningful difference both in a young person’s life, and in the wider effort to prevent the sexual exploitation of young women. We look forward to seeing you at Abundant Life Church on September 8th!
To learn more and to register, visit us here.
