Real Life Mentoring

Round two with Todd and Jeannie Vinson starts with them unpacking what surrender looked like in the middle of their story. How does approaching life with wrong mindsets and false identity lead to places of exhaustion? How does walking through periods of stillness affect future success? What does surrender look like in real life? What were the steps that led to living life in better spaces? Today, Todd and Jeannie boldly talk about their road toward health. You will appreciate their practical tips, authentic struggle and consistent pursuit of seeking God in the middle of difficulty.

Friends Todd and Jeannie Vinson share part one of their two part story. Married for 30 years, parents of four, they don't hold back from the struggles they've faced as Todd has come to grips with the trauma from his childhood. It hasn't been easy. It hasn't been a tidy package wrapped up with a bow. It's been hard. But the hard work has been worth it. They will take you to the places they have hurt the most and share how the hurting places have actually been the places they've met God.

Chris and Christina talk about emotional intelligence with Phil Reynolds. Leadership consultant and coach, Phil jumps into the conversation today by looking back 6 years ago. As a brain injury survivor, Phil became fascinated with how the brain and the emotions work together. Emotions have a strong impact on our behavior and results. Today's discussion will answer just how the two go together, how you know if you have emotional intelligence and why knowing about your emotions can help you become more self and other aware.To learn more about Phil Reynolds, check out his website: https://www.reynoldsconsulting.org/

Today's podcast takes an in depth look into the real life world of mentoring. Christina puts Leah, a mentee of hers, on the spot by digging into the wonderful world of mentoring. Together, Chris and Christina interview Leah about mentoring from a mentee's perspective. What did the first meeting look like? What did Leah gain from the relationship? What were the things she walked through? Leah's candid conversation beautifully describes the power mentoring has to influence and change lives.

Special guest, Parker Elledge, shares her insights about her generation's worldview. Besides being the middle daughter of Chris and Christina, she has a powerful story about why she chose to find community. Parker will help define what community is and is not. She will take us into a journey of what Acts 2:42-27 looks like for her and how it layed a foundation for community in her life.

Today, Chris and Christina talk about more characteristics of a good Mentor. Willingness to get involved in another persons life is key. Chris leads this discussion about what involvement looks like and how involvement has the power to transform relationships. Christina highlights the importance of praying for a Mentee and passing along spiritual insights. Both of these characteristics when possessed by a Mentor has the power to change people's lives.

Today, special guest Dr. Leah Gatlin, shares the importance of boundaries. Chris and Christina will explore with Leah what boundaries are, why they are needed and why they are necessary for healthy relationships. One of the most helpful talking points in today's podcast about the need for boundaries are:

1. Where is the pain?

2. Where do I want to go?

3. How do I get there?

An additional resource that's mentioned today is the book: Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. Jim Townsend.

What happens when those random thoughts are left unchecked, allowed to preoccupy your thoughts? Do you engage them? Do you leave them alone? Why are they there in the first place? Today Chris and Christina explore the answers to these questions and give some insight into what is really going on when we get stuck inside your own thoughts.

How do you offer hope, be a person of hope and engage with others who are in hopeless situations? What happens when you find yourself in spaces where someone you know is experiencing real hurt? Chris and Christina will discuss some practical ways to offer hope when you are interacting with people who are experiencing stressful situations.

Today Chris goes solo as he talks about the importance of what to look for in a Mentor. Make a list. Think about the characteristics that would be helpful for you to have in a Mentor. You'll begin to think of what you need as he shares the qualities he looks for and how making a list of those qualities helped him target the kind of Mentor that was right for him.