As I approach my 50th birthday this week, I am grateful for those who have invested in me. This week I’ll be reaching out to 50 people who have made a significant impact on my life. These are, roughly speaking, the top 50 people who have taken the time to help shape me into the person and leader that I am today.
Some of these 50 are like the Apostle Paul in my life. They came alongside of me as an emerging young leader, a leader with potential, and spent time helping me grow into the person I am today. Others are more like Barnabas who are roughly in my same life-stage or sphere of influence and we have walked deeply together or influenced each other along the way. Some are more like Timothy that I have invested in but in many ways they have shaped me as reverse mentors.
We at Asian Access (A2) believe that all of these roles are important in the emergence of a leader. Each of us should have a Paul, a Barnabas, and a Timothy in our lives. I hope you do. It’s part of what we at A2 see as critical in leader formation, life-on-life mentoring.
Life-on-Life Mentoring
It’s not just a matter of giving leaders the right input. To develop leaders, God uses circumstances, events and other leaders in their lives. So in our model, life-on-life experiences are as important as solid training material. Mentoring and coaching are as essential as great curriculum and excellent faculty.
This week I celebrate these people for the impact they have made on me. They are a treasure-trove of wisdom and I am grateful for each and every one of them.
- Who is your Paul?
- Who is your Barnabas?
- Who is your Timothy?
Contact them today and say: “Thank you for investing in me!“
We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives. (John F. Kennedy)
