Written by Marina Hanna

If there is one song that has been playing on repeat in my life over the last few months, it would certainly have to be Fall Afresh by Jeremy Riddle and Bethel Music. There is an absolutely breathtaking acoustic version of it on Spotify from the album The Loft Sessions. The softness of the instrumentals allows the vivid lyricism of the words to shine through. I think that by far, my favorite part is the chorus:

“Spirit of the Living God, come fall afresh on me
Come wake me from my sleep
Blow through the caverns of my soul,
Pour in me to overflow”


Over the last few months, I’ve experienced the blessing of mentorship both as a mentee and a mentor. All at once, God has gifted me with new relationships: three different women who I meet with regularly. In their own unique ways, each of them has become instrumental in helping me grow. The first is my counsellor, who has been working with me on a weekly basis. Together, we are working to understand who I am, why I do the things I do, and how I can find peace and confidence in my life. Though the deep introspection she nudges me into is hard work, having her as my guide has begun to enable true change in my behaviour.

My second new relationship is with a wonderful friend who is responsible for overseeing me while I serve as a Resident Advisor this year. She has been a safe place to land in the middle of the often-chaotic flow of this year. She has helped me reflect on how I’m doing as a facilitator of community in my dorm, and counsels me on how to navigate through the dynamic of new-relationships.

The third relationship is with who I would call my “official” mentor. I absolutely treasure our time together. There is something profoundly sacred about receiving insight from someone who is a few steps ahead of you in life. To hear her stories of walking through the same coming- of-age events as I am now, growing in the practice of trusting God, hoping for His promises to me. I refuse to ever miss a meeting with her.

I often wondered, if I were to become a mentor, would I have anything of substance to share? In all honesty, I don’t feel particularly knowledgeable yet, as if I could pass along tiny nuggets of mind-blowing reality-checks someone else a few years younger than me. However, in a moment of impulse, I put my name down to involve myself in a women’s peer mentorship program at my university this year. I know the Lord definitely orchestrated the pairing I ended up with. The lovely young lady I’ve been matched with is similar to me in so many places. In the times we’ve met, I’ve found so many places where we both rise and fall.

Through these four relationships, I have discovered that mentorship is the journey of rising and falling together. On life’s journey, under the safety of God’s plan for us, and alongside one another. I believe the essence of what I’d like to impart to you, my friend, is that there is a
profound blessing in being filled “to overflow” by the wisdom of others, then allowing what you’ve learned to spill into the hearts of others. When we look for a more mature follower of Jesus to teach us his ways and testify to his provision in their own life, we are encouraged and blessed. This is the first part. The second is the task of seeking out opportunities to listen to others who are growing into their faith, then sharing what you have learned from God.

Whether we see it at face value or not, this process of receiving and giving transforms us. We become like beautiful crystal water pitchers: filled to the tippity-top by the deep, refreshing flow of the spout, then poured out little-by-little into smaller glasses. Mentorship makes you a middle-man: wisdom trickles into us, then pours into us until we are full to the brim of it… and then we pass it on.