09/11/2026
Sometimes Mentorship Just Stands Nearby
I snapped this picture at church a bit ago, and it came up on my phone today. When I looked at it, I didn’t just see the adorable little girl we have come to love, but I noticed someone in the corner.
This precious little girl had only recently started coming to our church. She was extremely shy. The kind of shy where doing something unfamiliar in front of people feels enormous.
At our church, the children carry cups around and collect loose change. Those coins are used to help people in our community, including families going through difficult circumstances and medical crises. They also help us feed the many children, youth, and adults who gather with us each Wednesday night.
One day, Josie did something brave.
She picked up a cup, walked over to our piano player, Miss Jeanette, and held it out. Miss Jeanette dropped some coins inside while encouraging the little girl with a smile.
It seems like such a little thing, but it was big to her. Now look at the left side of the picture. That’s her big brother Reed standing there.
He isn’t doing it for her.
He isn’t pushing her forward.
He isn’t taking the cup.
He’s simply close enough for her to know she’s not doing this alone.
And that made me think about mentorship because sometimes we need someone to stand nearby.
Mentorship doesn’t always look like someone sitting across a desk giving us instructions. Sometimes it’s a brother standing a few feet away while his little sister tries something scary.
Sometimes it’s a teacher or school buddy helping a student navigate a new school, or it’s premarital counseling before a couple begins a marriage. Sometimes it’s a business coach helping you tackle something you’ve never done before, or an older Christian walking alongside someone who is learning to follow Jesus. It is because we all need people who have walked a few steps ahead of us.
But here’s what I love about this picture: her brother didn’t take the step for her. She had to carry the cup, walk over, and hold it out.
It’s the same with mentorship. A good mentor doesn’t live your life for you. They help you become strong enough to live it yourself, one faith-filled step at a time.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 tells us, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
Josie’s brother isn’t taking over. He’s nearby, encouraging and supporting while she grows. We aren’t called to do everything for one another, but to build each other up. That’s what he is doing, and it allows his little sister to try that new thing.
Today, Josie carries the cup. Tomorrow she may welcome someone at the door or sing “Jesus Loves Me” on stage. Someday she may pray publicly, serve, teach, lead, or be the person standing quietly behind someone else who is doing something new and mentor them.
When we think of mentorship, it usually plays out as a coach or trainer guiding someone in the skills of the game, or a music teacher meeting one-on-one with a student to strengthen their musical talent. However, we forget that on the journey of life, we also need to have support along the way. That’s part of the journey.
We don’t suddenly wake up courageous at 20, 40, or 60. Courage is often built through hundreds of ordinary moments when someone gives us an opportunity to try and stays close enough that we know we’re not alone.
Who helped you take your first steps?
More importantly, whose first steps are you helping with now?
At Hope Headquarters, we believe growth is a journey. We learn together, encourage one another, and with practical solutions, we move forward together one faith-filled step at a time.
Sometimes mentorship coaches, trains, teaches, and leads.
And sometimes mentorship simply stands nearby while someone discovers they can do that thing that is new, big, uncomfortable, exciting, challenging, or just part of the journey of life.
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