In the Know, Vol. 14: Creating Safe Places for Relationships to Thrive
I’ve been thinking a lot about birds and nests recently. Mostly because I’ve been watching a family of birds build a nest right outside my kitchen window. But also, because one of my little birds is about to graduate high school. And then, after that, he’ll leave our nest to take on the college world. Talk about symbolism!
Watching these birds build their nest and preparing for my son to head out on his own has me thinking about my 23-year journey as a mom. Just like the birds are doing now, I’ve worked hard to create a safe place for my babies to come home to. The nest I built has protected and sheltered them as they’ve wrestled through different stages of life and begun to discover who they are. But then, after they’ve developed under my care, they leave the nest, just as the baby birds will one day do.
Watching these birds work to create a safe and nurturing place brought another thought to mind…that’s exactly what we’re trying to do with Known Collective! We desire to come alongside mentors as they build safe places, nests if you will, for their mentees to grow spiritually and relationally. Women today are looking for safe places to unpack who they are and where they’re struggling. They want to know who God says they are and how to wrestle with their doubt and questions. That’s a lot for any mentor to tackle, which is why we’ve created a plan to help you!
But just as different species of birds build different types of nests, we know every mentor is different. So, we’ve tried to leave room for you to create a mentoring environment that leans on your unique personality and experiences. Because, ultimately, it’s not about whether you stuck to the Meeting Guide or used every book we recommend. The point is to create a supportive place for your mentees to wrestle with their deepest fears and most challenging questions under the guidance of a mentor who faithfully points them to Jesus.
Building a safe environment is hard, but we’re here to help. The resources below offer a few suggestions to foster deeper relationships with your mentees in a safe and fun environment.
THE SECRET TO FINDING AND KEEPING FRIENDS
Relationships can be hard, especially as we get older and our everyday lives become more demanding. The insights in this article are straight to the point, simple to implement and get to the heart of what Known Collective mentoring groups are all about. As the author Lisa-Jo Baker writes, the best way to find friends is to “become radically invested in the people around you” and be “the kind friend who draws us closer to God. Draws us closer to others. Helps us become the real person God created us to be.”
IF:Gathering put together a six-week, thirty-day study on friendship complete with readings and supplemental videos. This is a great study to do yourself or for your mentees to dive into God’s Word together and continue building community after your mentoring season has concluded.
GROWTH PARTNERS DON’T HAVE TO BE ONE-ON-ONE
When you introduce Growth Partners at the beginning of your mentoring season, some people may be intimidated by meeting one-on-one. Consider taking some of the unseen pressure off and putting them in groups of three or four. This can also create more conversation and allow for them to pair it with an activity.
WALLPAPER: 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-8
It can be hard to set aside time in our busy schedules for Scripture memorization, which is why we created this wallpaper for your phone. Set it as your lock screen or home screen, and you’ll always have it ready when you have a few minutes to spare. Reading through the verse before you send a text or scroll through Instagram is a good reminder of Scripture’s power, and it will help you commit it to memory.
Mentor Tip: When you talk about Marriage with your mentees, send this out as a way to help them keep that month’s Scripture front and center.
Create safe environments where women can bring life's deepest questions.
Known Collective provides everything you need to implement a mentoring process to help women leave comparison at the door and enter a space where they can be real and engage in conversations that matter.