870: Spiritual Mentors
“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” —Melody Beattie
Within the ONE Family, 80% of you have someone who significantly impacted your spiritual journey—and by extension, your marriage. Do they know it?
Tony’s spiritual transformation happened on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2000. About 500 miles into his 2,658-mile journey, he met “Arkansas Dave.” They hiked the remaining 2,100+ miles together, having deep conversations about life, faith, and God.
On the flanks of Mt. Jefferson in Oregon, during one of these conversations, Dave tossed Tony a pocket Bible and said, “Read John.”
That night, under the stars, Tony surrendered his life to Christ.
But only recently—nearly 25 years later—was Tony able to reconnect with Dave and share the profound impact he’d had on our marriage, family, and life.
Most of you have someone like this. A spiritual mentor who comes to mind. And you assume they “just know” about their impact. But that’s rarely the case.
Research from the University of Chicago confirms what we discovered: people significantly underestimate how much others appreciate expressions of gratitude. In fact, most mentors have no idea the lasting impact they’ve had, and they’d be deeply moved to hear from you.
Who is that person in your life and your spouse’s life?
This week, make a mentor list together. Write down names of people who significantly impacted your spiritual journey, such as Sunday school teachers, youth pastors, college mentors, couples who modeled good marriage, or friends who encouraged your faith during hard seasons.
Use this list to strengthen your spiritual intimacy. Then, start by reaching out to just one person. Send a simple Facebook message, email, or handwritten note. For instance, the subject could be: “You made a difference” or “Thank you for your impact on my life.”
Then be specific:
- “Your marriage showed me what it looked like for a husband to serve his wife.”
- “The way you talked about God made faith feel accessible to me.”
- “Your advice about choosing a spouse guided me to my husband.”
Finally, ask yourselves: what kind of spiritual legacy are you leaving? Who are you mentoring? Are you being the kind of influence someone will want to thank someday?
Your spiritual intimacy grows when you honor the people who helped build your foundation together.
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