This is what others are saying about the RIMP Mentoring Program

Sometimes in life, a man needs another man to offer their hand in not only fellowship but more importantly, support and someone believing in him.  Christian men – especially – sometimes simply lack the resources.  In fact VERY few Christian men – I have found – have any men-friends with whom they can be completely honest, yet also – and most importantly – having the other man be totally “confidential” about what is said.  Such things are so rarely found that it’s actually close to 1 in 10,000 men who are willing to do this, probably more.  Honestly stated, I interviewed Willie, before I even established his mentoring role in my life, and he has proven true to his word, sometimes talking about things I had never told ANYONE before. Willie has not been fazed by the subject matters when I have talked to him, even sensitive ones, on several occasions now.

Simply stated, Willie has never put me down for my beliefs about life, or myself, yet does “challenge” me to change the beliefs I hold, or – more accurately – Willie has given me food for thought and helped me “pick apart” some beliefs and understandings to see them as not necessarily the healthiest things to hang onto.   He has been my mentor for well over a year now, as of this writing, and encourages me to be the man God intended, and not fear the “shadow” – or “dark side” – of my personality, rather to make friends with it, understand it is a part of me, accept it, and love it without judgment, yet more importantly that I can make changes without uprooting my ENTIRE belief system.  When there have been some “down” times, that is not understanding life and what a man can expect, Willie has been an encouraging brother and helped me work through the issues without judgment, which I have rarely found in “the church,” meaning other Christians [having been “burned” by other Christians’ judgmental attitudes in the past] and not put me down for my sometimes disbelieving, pessimistic attitudes.  I have gradually learned to trust this brother and appreciate his steadying hand.  Although Willie is actually 8 years my junior, I have actually learned much in the past 14 months of being mentored by this brother, and sense a caring man who really practices his faith and keeps true to his word, yet knows enough to “let go” when the need arises, and allows me to make my own mistakes.  In short, Willie is sometimes tough yet tender, fair yet candidly truthful and discerns well when to “lay off,” and when to get “up close and personal” – some may call it “in your face” – and yet manages to do it with a healthy, loving detachment I appreciate and always hoped I would find in a few, select brothers with whom I could be “myself,” that is my REAL self, and not fear being “talked about” behind my back with other Christians.  Willie’s faithfulness and trustworthiness became evident after only a  few mere months of mentoring, which ESPECIALLY helped me through a very rough time during the summer of 2008, as several changes began happening at the same time.  Willie’s ability to “unpack” the situation, one single piece [or “issue”] at a time, helping me to see things were not quite as “disastrous” as they appeared, and assisted me in accepting the changes taking place without the usual feelings of terror and upheaval in an otherwise “chaotic” time in my life.

Summarily, I would not say knowing Willie has “changed my life,” yet his mentoring has allowed me to take a closer look at myself without the usual “fear” of “having to change,” rather it is – more than anything  else – a willingness to consider other viewpoints without fear of “certain disaster coming,” or being ”put down” by others  for long-held, pessimistic viewpoints, self-doubting and disbelief.  Next year [2010], I will officially become a Senior Citizen, meaning I will be 55.  I see more opportunities to learn about life than I do certain disaster on the horizon, and sense a new stability and HOPE I have only rarely felt in my life.  It’s not all “hunkey-dorey,” by any means, yet I feel less “heaviness” and less burdened down by life.

If I am remembering it correctly, it was my Dad who told me “When you stop learning, you’re dead.”   It seems the old man at least got THAT right!!!  [“Thanks, Dad……NOW I get it!!!”]
Bill G.