Often visual images help us picture concepts in more concrete forms. Today, Chris and Christina will introduce a three part series of images to help form a picture of a mentor: farmer, athlete, soldier.

According to google, a farmer's responsibilities can vary depending on their specialty. The same is definitely true of a mentor.

Some characteristics of a farmer:

Hard physical work

patience

consistent

focus

Chris and Christina also discuss the life cycle of a farmer and how these same concepts apply to mentors.

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Sponsor for today's show: Commercial Brick . For more information, please click here

Mentoring should be personal, practical, meaningful and effective. That's the lens in which Chris and Christina look through one-on-one mentoring.

Today, guest Davey Blackburn shares his story through pain and suffering and how it led to a beautiful, healing and redeeming story of God's faithfulness.

In 2015, Davey lost his wife, Amanda of 7 years and his unborn baby in a random shooting spree in his neighborhood. Serving God through being church planters and ticking off all the boxes of doing the "right" things, Davey never suspected his life would unravel into such a heap of pain.

And that's where God began to write a new story. In the middle of his world being turned upside down, Davey found himself a single father trying to be a ministry leader while in the middle of grief and shock.

Fast forward to today. Davey now leads a ministry called, Nothing is Wasted.

The mission of Nothing is Wasted is to meet people in their pain and providing a pathway through.

Chris, Christina and Davey will talk about the mystery of suffering and why it's important God's people talk about suffering, its role and how it can shape us to be more like Christ.

Davey and his wife, Kristi live in Indiana with their children and lead Nothing is Wasted. To find out more about the ministry, book, podcast and other invaluable resources, check out the website: nothingiswated.com

Sponsor for today's show: Commercial Brick . For more information, please click here

The fuel for today's podcast is based on the initial viewing of Beyond Weightloss, a documentary hosted by Keith Kline.

Are you like most of us who find it difficult to get and stay motivated? In today's episode, Chris and Christina discuss the topic of motivation.

Did you know there are three levels of motivation:

• Level One: Fear based motivation. This gets your attention, may elicit immediate change but will not be long lasting
• Level Two: Feedback based motivation. Progress is dependent on the positive feedback from others and spurs future growth.
• Level Three: Intrinsic based motivation. Innate, inborn, comes from within that results in long lasting change.

When looking at what Chris and Christina call The Six Areas (physical, mental, emotional, relational, spiritual, professional or educational) it is a beneficial mentoring tool to ask a mentee to evaluate their motivation level for each of the Six. Addressing your current motivational level helps you to truthfully assess where you are and how to move forward.

Today’s episode has been brought to you by Commercial Brick. A family owned business since 1975, Commercial Brick offers quality products and are passionate about what they do and are dedicated to manufacturing quality brick. For more information, please click here

As Chris and Christina jump into a new year, they suggest taking some time to look back. In looking back, what are some things you need to grieve? In looking back, what are some things you need to celebrate?

In every transition, this is a great exercise to engage not just yourself but a mentee. Taking time to grieve loss while at the same time to celebrate success is a worthwhile task.

Chris and Christina are quick to acknowledge this concept of grieving and celebrating have been taken from Jennie Allen.

Jennie Allen is a best-selling Christian author, podcaster and Bible study teacher. Each year, she provides a free Dream Guide that helps you wrap up the following year. To learn more about the Dream Guide, click the link above.

The challenge for this episode is to take the time to look back, grieve and celebrate!

Over the years, Christina has found that there seems to be reoccurring themes that come up when mentoring. Often, mentors give advice, ask questions, make observations and generalize to help a mentee see more clearly.

This is exactly what today's episode reveals. Christina walks us through the "top 10" pieces of advice, questions, observations and generalizations that she has given to women or received from women.

Today's insights include ...

.. recover well after giving to others.

... set healthy boundaries.

... ask the Holy Spirit what He thinks about your situation.

Despite these being insights for women from women, many of these are universally applicable for anyone!

We'd like to thank today's sponsor, Commercial Brick. A family owned business since 1975, they are passionate about what they do and are dedicated to manufacturing quality brick. For more information, please click here

Knowing our self-worth begins from feeling cared for and nurtured by our parents. Knowing our self-worth and being genuinely confident does not just happen it must be shown, talk about and lived out. That's where a good mentor comes in!

Today, Chris and Christina jump into the topic of self-worth. Where does it come from? How does it get distorted? What role does social media and advertising play? Do our childhood's play a part?

A good mentor can help boost low self-worth. Using God's Word and encouraging mentees to apply the truth of scripture is an invaluable service to helping self-worth!

Today's podcast is brought to you by Commercial Brick. A family owned business since 1975, Commercial Brick is passionate about what they do and are dedicated to manufacturing quality brick. For more information, please click here

You can grow up in the same household and yet have differing perspectives. How does that happen? Today we will find out how that happened in the Elledge household.

Kim Cary joins Chris and Christina as they discuss the stories that siblings share. Kim is the youngest sister of the Elledge family in which Chris is the oldest brother. Growing up in poverty, dysfunction and never really communicating, Chris and Kim share stories about growing up.

What was it like growing up as the youngest?

How did it feel to not have "guard rails" to know how to navigate life?

Did you feel supported by your siblings?

What did it feel like when all the older siblings left for college?

Kim and Chris will jump into these conversations and reveal their unique experience as they share their sibling story.

Today's episode is brought to you by Commercial Brick. Commercial Brick is a family owned company, passionate about what they do and are dedicated to manufacturing quality brick. To find out more, contact them: commercialbrick.com

Kim Cary returns to talk about how God gave her the most incredible "R" words during one of the most difficult seasons she's experienced. In today's interview, Chris and Christina dive into how Kim received these powerful words.

Release was the first word, given during her difficult journey of caring for her aging mother. Rest followed a year later as she knew rest was exactly what she needed as she faced a taxing job and was dealing with the effects of high stress. Renew came a year later after sitting in a workshop as a reminder that until she fully released things into God's hands, rested her body and mind, He could not renew her. And finally, after making a decision to retire from her career in higher education after 30 years, reveal was the final "r" word that made it's way into her life.

Kim shares her journey not just with the four "r" words that have impacted her life in the last few years but also the journey those words has taken her on with her relationship with God.

Today's episode is brought to you by Commercial Brick. Commercial Brick is a family owned company who is passionate about what they do and are dedicated to manufacturing quality brick. For information, contact: commercialbrick.com