Yesterday I left home at silly o'clock to travel by train to meet with a NAM I am mentoring in the north of England.  Today I went into the centre of Glasgow to meet with a PAM I am mentoring up here. Tomorrow I will at the Board of Ministry interviewing a candidate who feels called to follow this same path. In between times there have been all the usual (and some not so usual) things to get on with also.

I've been pondering what it is I think mentoring is about, and I think it really comes down to three things:

• listening
• normalising
• encouraging

Listening to what is written/said, and for what is not said/written

Normalising the experiences, feelings, concerns and questions

Encouraging the mentee by affiming what is already good and offering suggestions if help is sought/needed

And I think that the kind of interviewing I'm doing tomorrow needs much the same facets, with underlying question 'is this person someone who, with the right nurture and support can be a good-enough minister of the gospel?' I hope the person I meet will feel they were heard, valued and encouraged by the experience.