There are 3 things that are most important in a first response:  SHORT, personal, compassionate.  There will be time enough to write more when they write back…and they write back more often when we can clearly establish a rapport with them at a heart level.

I wonder…if someone just came up to you and started talking to you about the things in their email, not knowing who you were, how would you react? If you began to talk to them using words you normally use in church and saw that they didn’t quite “get it”, would you change your words?  Sometimes we get in the habit of expressing things certain ways, and when we’re talking to pre-believing friends, we have to remember that it’s not in their vocabulary, or in their thinking. We are listened to more, when we are being a peer that’s sharing struggles and how I’ve gone through them, rather than someone who has the answer.

In responding to hurt, we use compassionate facial expressions and tones of voice.  Because we don’t have that in TMC, we have to be specific with our words, so that our compassion and empathy are clear.  Even if we can’t empathize with their specific situation you can imagine that they might be feeling, afraid, tired, and discouraged, because you’d feel that way, if you were in it.  And, if someone was showing a bit of their heart, I’m sure you wouldn’t be only giving them a “recipe” for a solution to their problem. What we communicate needs to be done in such a way that it’s clear that whether or not a solution worked for us, they will make their own choice.  (“This worked for me.  Have you thought of trying that?”)

How can we communicate it in a way that will be more personal, rather than more academic?  Do we have any examples from life, or from friends’ or relatives’ lives, that we can use to empathize with them? (“That sounds really frustrating and difficult.  I’m so sorry to hear that. My friend’s daughter went through something similar and I saw how hard it was on her.”)

If they don’t say anything about their faith, I don’t write to them as if they are believers.  Instead I ask the Lord, “What are YOU telling me to say?”  Has what they wrote tell you anything about their faith? You can begin putting faith into your conversation by saying something like, “It wasn’t easy, but my daughter’s friend decided to begin talking to God about it and He helped her to try some things.  Do you believe in God?”

How does my closing invite them to write me back again?  (“I care about you and look forward to hearing from you again….”)

Walking alongside works because it’s love first and information laid on the foundation of that love.  It’s our love that opens them up and helps them trust us.  Half the time, people are lonely and in despair and want a friend, not a solution.

We have a great team of mentors and I know that each one of us wants to have the fullest experience in mentoring. And God will do that as we depend on Him moment by moment
Terri ♥

I believe the Celebrate and Share has added a dynamic dimension to TMC. This window on the left has opened a door for us to see the ministry that is happening inside. And it is amazing to see how God is working!
Note to remember: When adding your comments feel free to use a first name but please do not add any other identifying information, such as last names, addresses, birthdates, work place, or city,  to keep the conversations confidential.  Thank you so much.  ♥

Walk Along Side…
“Thank you for listening and helping me. You are here for us just when we start to believe no person is. Is it important that I pray daily? Also I don’t know where to start reading in the bible. Where do I start? Also how can I become more motivated in walking with the lord?”

Have a wonderful week
Terri

I need to clarify one of the boxes on the Celebrate and Share feature. It’s the very last box in the list.  This is the place where you can share encouraging comments as they happen in the same conversation thread.

The First time you add a comment

• Check the box on the left of  “This conversation has a story that others need to hear”
• Type your comments in the box on the right.

The Second time you want to add a comment

• Delete the old comments on the right
• Type in your new comments

 Walk Along Side…
“This wonderful woman had a powerful response to the Lord, as she was expecting to hear a psychological response to her request for help, and she was shocked to be presented with the Gospel as her Solution. She realized she had gone astray in leaving her relationship with the Lord and rededicated her life to Him, and now her husband has as well!”

Thank you♥ SO much for all that you do!
Terri

You may from time to time receive an email with no comments or questions but it will have a persons name and email address on it.
Sometimes, people will send in a blank form to see if someone is really there to respond to them. We encourage you not to ignore these emails but instead send back a short response that sounds something like this;

• “Thank you for visiting powertochange.com.
  I noticed in your message, there was no comment or question. If you are looking for someone to talk to or pray for you, I would be happy to write you back. My name is _________ and I am an online mentor for this web site. I look forward to your reply.”

On your reply page, you will find the same message under Templates, titled Blank Emails.

Walk Along Side…
“Thank you again, I guess in the darkness of my situation I was not focusing on the light of my God. I am so glad I found this website. I have been so alone for such a long time that I lost focus on what is important. God bless you for asking God to bless us. I am forever grateful for your kindness and the words of encouragement, this website and hopefully I can come to a better place. Your message brings me hope. Thank you.”

Have a wonderful Week ♥
Terri

Last Friday, a chatter in our chat room accepted Christ. As word went through our office, the atmosphere changed and was charged with both synergy and excitement.  The angels were rejoicing and so were we!!
In the same way, we want to be able to celebrate together all the good things that God is doing through your ministry in TMC. Even though you do not have to fill in the share section every time you send out an email, when you do fill it in, it makes it possible for everyone to join with you in celebrating.
The Send button at the bottom will do two different things in one click.

1.   It will send your reply to the mentee.
2.   It will send us what you have shared in the Celebrate and Share feature.
3.   Look for your encouraging comments as they scroll through on the left side of the page in TMC in a future build.

Close button has been replaced with an Archive button. Click archive when you want to close an email.

Walk Along Side…
“I’m beginning to have faith and trust in God and I love the change I’m going through. Without you, my family and friends, I’d be lost. Thanks, you have been a big help and that article has really helped me and I’m going to start living my life for God.”

♥Let Us Celebrate Together♥
Terri

It’s coming soon!
Thank you for your patience and prayers as we are finishing up the testing period and gearing up for this exciting development to go live!

We now have the opportunity to show the harvest that is happening when hundreds of like-minded online mentors are steadfast in well-doing. A new and exciting feature has been developed for You to Share and for All to celebrate in the exciting things that God is doing in your internet ministry.

Please take the time to read through this 5 minute explanation on how it works, so you will be ready for the launch this week!
http://truthmedia.com/thementorcenter/resources/celebrate-and-share/

Walk Along Side…Update on Lincoln
”Thank you so much for sending the mentors’ prayers you’ve gotten. It was so heart warming to read them all. Thank you so much for sharing our prayer request with this awesome community of prayer warriors. We are happy to report that Lincoln is recovering very well. In the next week we should get the pathology report on his optic nerve and in February we will find out if his cancer was genetic or not. Still more hurdles to jump but for now Lincoln just gets to recover happily at home with no other treatments necessary. We feel so blessed that the surgery went well, and that it appears the cancer did not spread outside his eye. Thank you again for your support.
Blessings, Natalie Conners

I look forward to continue working with you ♥ in this New Year!
Terri

**Thank you so much for your email. WE SERVE SUCH AN AWESOME GOD!!! Since writing this email, I received a financial blessing from the Sunday school ministry at my church as well as the Youth Director of my church. God misses nothing, I am able to get my girl a present and put some much needed groceries into my home!!!
HE is wonderful and sees our hearts, He has always been there for me, I guess I was just feeling a bit despondent and down. HE healed my little girl from cancer earlier this year; she is now 100% and thriving.
I have so much to be thankful for, and I love our Lord so much!!!….

**Your letter has come on a good day.  I needed to hear that someone is rooting for me, even if I don’t know you. I appreciate your time and prayers, it’s truly the emotional support I’ve needed.  That you care enough to do that without even knowing me is what I aspire to be too.  To care I guess. I feel though that I may have lost this dependency [on God] and was wondering if you wouldn’t mind sharing your thoughts with me on this?  Thanks so much!

**Thank you very much for the kind words and thoughts and prayers. I honestly didn’t think to reply because I wasn’t sure if it was just a “standard reply” from you guys Sorry!! But I do appreciate it. I still have the email from you and I keep things like that, they are important to me. My fiancé and I have been doing a lot better with trust and communication lately. I’m really grateful for that.

With God’s help you are making a difference in people lives. Thank you so much for all that you do!
Merry Christmas!
Terri♥
**there will be no tuesday tip next week.

This is one of our mentors. Please lift them up in prayer.

“Last Wednesday we took my youngest son, Lincoln, in for an eye appointment thinking he may have a cataract. He’s a joyful, active 14 month old so we were shocked to learn that he has retinoblastoma, a form of eye cancer. After some testing Friday it was determined that the tumor was large and he would never regain sight in his left eye. This Tuesday (today) he will have surgery to remove his left eye. We would greatly appreciate prayers for a miracle and that the cancer won’t have spread anywhere else in his tiny little body. Thank you.
Blessings,  Natalie”

Father, we ask you for wisdom for the surgeons and also that you will take care of this so that Lincoln never has cancer again. May your peace fill Natalie, her husband, the children and little Lincoln during this time. Amen.

Walk Along Side…
” Thank you so much for replying to my request.  God truly works in mysterious ways!  I was not so sure about writing about my situation to people I did not know but somehow, when one is so broken, one does search in desperation for answers just to lessen/remove the pain.  What touched me deeply with your mail was that, despite not knowing me personally, I could sense you cared and somehow felt my pain too. Thank you very much! I have started on the webpage you suggested on your email and with God’s help; I look forward to slowly healing.  Someday, I look forward to sending you news of a broken heart finally restored not only because our God heals and restored brokenness but because someone like you cared to send words of kindness and encouragement.”

God bless,
Terri ♥

United Kingdom
This is an exciting resource to give to the mentees living in the UK who are interested in finding a local church. ‘Contact for Christ’ has designed this page and will contact each one that submits this form.  Please bookmark this on your computer for easy access.
http://deo-gloria.co.uk/cfc_contact-request.php

~Celebrate and Share~
Due to circumstances beyond our control, the Celebrate and Share section will not be available until further notice. We apologize for the delay. TruthMedia covets your prayers as we continue to try to make it a reality.

Walk Along Side…
“I received my first paycheck tonight or this morning. My mentee just accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior, praise God. There is your paycheck too for what we get belongs to all the Mentors of the Mentor Center. We even might get a restoration of her marriage and deliverance from drugs of her husband. I promised to work with her. We need the community’s prayers of the Mentors.”

God is Working ♥
Terri

We now have the opportunity to show the harvest that is happening when hundreds of like-minded online mentors are steadfast in well-doing. A new and exciting feature has been developed for You to Share and for All to celebrate in the exciting things that God is doing in your internet ministry.

Please take the time today to read through this 5 minute explanation on how it works, so you will be ready for the launch this week!  http://truthmedia.com/thementorcenter/resources/celebrate-and-share/

Note: the red arrow pointing to the Share link is the submit button.

Walk Along Side…
“I saw Power Change on the internet as I was seeking for a space to get help when I was going through the tough times in my relationship. It was amazing to see its a Christian ministry and has the mentorship which I felt I needed most- I still do. I didn’t know that a real person would write to me and respond to my needs. I was amazed that you did. Through this time, you have patiently counseled me and believe prayed for me.
I am a Christian. I have a personal relationship with Jesus which I am striving to grow daily. Thank you for taking time to invite me into the journey. I do look to Him for direction and for strength as well and He has been more than faithful to walk with me. I know I still have a long way to go to please him but I am striving daily.
I value counsel and fellowship. I value prayer and seek to pray at all instances, I value God’s word and I seek to grow in it daily, though in all these I struggle but keep moving and trying.
I will seek to know you more but overall I am impressed something like this happens. I wish you were based somewhere I could invite you for our wedding. I can’t thank you enough! May the Lord bless you and keep you and make his face shine upon you.”

Have a wonderful week
Terri ♥