Well, I just returned from a day on the beach! I know you are probably jealous now, and that’s okay. I would be of you if the roles were reversed! This wasn’t just driving to the beach and then driving home, but rather staying in a beach house owned by some very dear friends / mentors. This place is amazing! Not because of the house itself, although the beach house is absolutely wonderful, but because of the spirit that covers you while you are there. This place has been used as a place of ministry for years. The owners have been very generous with their property in allowing families and friends use of this house even when they are absent. It is a great place to go for a personal retreat or a team building weekend (depending on the size of your team!). But this place has a way of, clearing your mind of the distractions that often fill it up, of providing you with an opportunity to move to a deeper place spiritually, and of healing the brokenness you might be feeling. It is a great place to writing and journal. One of my favorite things, is to walk the length of the beach early in the morning (usually around 4:30). It is just the sound of my footsteps in the dew covered sand and the quiet breaking of the waves on the gently sloping terrain nearby. I do a lot of praying and soul searching as I walk, take pictures and watch the sun rising over the hill and when I return to the beach house breaking out my journal and writing down the thoughts and ideas I had during the walk. It is a place of peacefulness and stillness, great food and even greater conversations. It is truly a blessing to be able to visit and I am ever grateful to our host and hostess for allowing us the opportunity to visit every so often, and enjoy their company. Their wisdom is invaluable, yet practical and their engagement with you is always uplifting. So what I would like to leave with you all in today’s post is the importance of having a mentor in your life. All great leaders have had mentors in their lives who have challenged them, encouraged them and taught them. Often the blessings we receive from a mentor extend far beyond these things too. The other thing I would like to leave with you is the importance of being a mentor in the life of someone else. There is always someone who could benefit from your life experience too.