From the Editor’s Chair: No matter what your age, find yourself a life mentor

Published 6:15 am Saturday, August 2, 2025

Having a mentor wasn’t something I thought much about early in life. After starting my career as a sports writer at the age of 14 at my hometown weekly newspaper, it took many years before I truly understood that I didn’t know everything there was to know about everything.

Despite my humble upbringing, yes, I was that obnoxious in my youth. I didn’t get that arrogance from my mom. I sorta developed that on my own.

But as the years went by, I slowly began to realize things weren’t going to be so easy in a career of journalism, nor would it be smooth sailing in life. God has a way of allowing you to make mistakes and go through a few hard knocks until you realize just how important it is to ask for help along the way.

Shawn A. Akers

My brother, Kevin, became the first mentor I ever had. He is only 15 months older than I am, but when I turned 23, he had already become an incredible man of God and I consistently turned to him—although he was more than 1,000 miles away—for spiritual guidance. Because he is my brother, I didn’t really think of him, at first, as a true mentor.

But Kevin became one to me in every sense of the word when it came to the Bible and spiritual matters. He always, without fail, had a scripture to build me up when I needed it most. He and my mom—who was and still is my spiritual prayer covering—are the reason why I still serve God today. He will never know exactly what he has meant to me.

That’s the type of sibling relationship all brothers should enjoy.

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As for my career, I slowly and methodically made my way up the ladder. I spent 16 years in the NASCAR industry under the tutelage of some great leaders. It wasn’t until I began working for Charisma magazine that I met the man whom I not only considered to be a great boss, but also a great friend and mentor.

Dr. Steve Greene, who passed away in June 2022, had a tremendous responsibility as publisher and executive vice president of Charisma Media, a Christian publishing outlet for which I was employed for nearly 12 years. Dr. Greene took me under his wing and went out of his way to teach me aspects of the business I had yet to conquer. He also gave me spiritual advice that, to this day, I will never forget. It didn’t hurt that he was as big a St. Louis Cardinal fan as I am.

Dr. Greene’s friendship and his leadership in my life is something I’ll never forget, and it hurt me deeply when he left this earth. There are just some things you cannot put a price tag on, and he taught me some of the greatest lessons of life I’ll ever learn.

I say all of this because I have now been put in a position to pass on my wisdom to the younger generation. At Faith Family Church, I have come upon a 19-year-old young man whom I am now mentoring, and I have already seen the fruits of that heavenly labor.

I have another young man that I also have been meeting with, and I pray that I will help him in his continued growth with the Lord. The benefits, believe me, are mutual. It’s helping me to see I can make a difference in someone else’s life simply because I know now that’s “not all about me.” That’s something Dr. Greene drove into my heart, and again, for that I am grateful.

Proverbs 1:5 reads, “Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance.” Being a mentor can be incredibly fulfilling and rewarding, and it’s a chance to share experiences, wisdom and perspectives, which can bring a deep sense of purpose and satisfaction.

Perhaps you yourself need someone who can speak wisdom and growth into your life. Pray about it, and God will bring someone like that to you. Don’t waste any more time, no matter what your age. 

Shawn A. Akers is the managing editor of the Victoria Advocate. You can reach him at shawn.akers@vicad.com.