🪣 The Mentoring Wisdom Well
“The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.” — Proverbs 20:5
Every mentor hits a moment she didn’t see coming.
A mentee shares something heavy and unexpected. A situation arises that feels beyond your experience. A conversation goes somewhere you don’t know how to follow. You leave a meeting wondering — did I say the right thing? What do I do now? Is this more than I can handle alone?
That moment is not a sign that you’re a bad mentor. It’s a sign that you’re a real one — paying close enough attention to know when something matters and when something is hard.
The Mentoring Wisdom Well is where you bring those moments.
What This Space Is
The Mentoring Wisdom Well is a community Q&A space where Bridge the Gap members can ask questions, share dilemmas, and seek wisdom from one another about the real situations they encounter in their mentoring relationships.
No question is too simple. No situation is too complicated. This is a safe place to say I don’t know what to do here — and find that you are not alone in not knowing.
You might bring a question like:
• “My mentee just told me something I wasn’t expecting. How do I respond well?”
• “I’m not sure whether what she’s describing is something I’m equipped to help with. What do you think?”
• “Has anyone navigated a situation where a mentee pulls away suddenly? How did you handle it?”
• “I feel like I’m saying the same things over and over and nothing is landing. What am I missing?”
• “She’s going through something I’ve never personally experienced. How do I show up well for her?”
Whatever your question — bring it here.
How It Works
You post your question in the forum. Share as much or as little context as you’re comfortable with. You don’t need to use your mentee’s name or identifying details — in fact, we ask that you protect her privacy by keeping specifics general. Focus on the situation and the question, not the person.
The community responds. Other members who have navigated similar situations, studied relevant Scripture, or simply have a perspective to offer will respond with their thoughts, experiences, and encouragement. This is peer wisdom — real women, real experience, real faith.
Ellen is here too. As a counselor and the founder of Bridge the Gap, Ellen monitors this space regularly. She will weigh in where she has something helpful to add, gently redirect a conversation that needs a different perspective, and flag when a situation may call for something beyond what peer mentoring can offer.
An Important Note About Privacy
When you share a situation in the Wisdom Well, you are sharing someone else’s story alongside your own. Please handle it with care.
• Change or omit identifying details. Names, locations, workplaces, family specifics — keep these out. Describe the situation, not the person.
• Post with the spirit of seeking wisdom, not venting. This is a space for growth, not for processing frustration about a mentee in ways that could dishonor her.
• What is shared here stays here. Treat every question and every response as you would a private conversation. The trust of this community depends on it.
If you’re unsure whether something is appropriate to share, ask yourself: if my mentee could read this post, would she feel honored by how I’ve described her? If yes — go ahead. If not — revise until she would.
When a Situation May Be Beyond Mentoring
One of the most important things a mentor can do is recognize when a mentee needs more than mentoring can offer — and this space will help you do that.
Some situations call for a different method of support: a counselor, a pastor, a doctor, a crisis line. If you bring a question to the Wisdom Well and the response — from the community or from Ellen — includes a gentle suggestion that this may be one of those situations, please receive it as the gift it is. Knowing when to refer is not a failure. It is wisdom in action, and it may be the most important thing you ever do for the woman in your care.
If you are ever uncertain whether a situation is urgent, please do not wait for a forum response. Reach out to Ellen directly.
How to Write Your Question
When you’re ready to post, you don’t need a perfect or polished question. But a little structure helps the community respond well. Try to include:
The situation (briefly and without identifying details)
What is happening in your mentoring relationship that prompted this question?
What you’ve already tried
Have you said something, tried a particular approach, or looked to Scripture for guidance? Share what you’ve done so the community can build on it rather than repeat it.
Your specific question
What do you actually need help with? The more specific your question, the more useful the responses will be.
Any relevant context
How long have you been meeting? Is this a new dynamic or an ongoing one? Is your mentee aware you’re seeking guidance? Any detail that helps paint the picture without identifying her.
You don’t have to have the answer before you post. The well is deep, and there is wisdom here for you.
Ready to Ask?
Head over to the Mentoring Wisdom Well on the discussion forum to post your question, browse what others have asked, or offer your own wisdom to a mentor who needs it. Your question might be the one that helps someone else find words for what she’s been sitting with too.
Come thirsty. Leave equipped. 🪣
“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” — Proverbs 11:14
A mentee shares something heavy and unexpected. A situation arises that feels beyond your experience. A conversation goes somewhere you don’t know how to follow. You leave a meeting wondering — did I say the right thing? What do I do now? Is this more than I can handle alone?
That moment is not a sign that you’re a bad mentor. It’s a sign that you’re a real one — paying close enough attention to know when something matters and when something is hard.
The Mentoring Wisdom Well is where you bring those moments.
What This Space Is
The Mentoring Wisdom Well is a community Q&A space where Bridge the Gap members can ask questions, share dilemmas, and seek wisdom from one another about the real situations they encounter in their mentoring relationships.
No question is too simple. No situation is too complicated. This is a safe place to say I don’t know what to do here — and find that you are not alone in not knowing.
You might bring a question like:
• “My mentee just told me something I wasn’t expecting. How do I respond well?”
• “I’m not sure whether what she’s describing is something I’m equipped to help with. What do you think?”
• “Has anyone navigated a situation where a mentee pulls away suddenly? How did you handle it?”
• “I feel like I’m saying the same things over and over and nothing is landing. What am I missing?”
• “She’s going through something I’ve never personally experienced. How do I show up well for her?”
Whatever your question — bring it here.
How It Works
You post your question in the forum. Share as much or as little context as you’re comfortable with. You don’t need to use your mentee’s name or identifying details — in fact, we ask that you protect her privacy by keeping specifics general. Focus on the situation and the question, not the person.
The community responds. Other members who have navigated similar situations, studied relevant Scripture, or simply have a perspective to offer will respond with their thoughts, experiences, and encouragement. This is peer wisdom — real women, real experience, real faith.
Ellen is here too. As a counselor and the founder of Bridge the Gap, Ellen monitors this space regularly. She will weigh in where she has something helpful to add, gently redirect a conversation that needs a different perspective, and flag when a situation may call for something beyond what peer mentoring can offer.
An Important Note About Privacy
When you share a situation in the Wisdom Well, you are sharing someone else’s story alongside your own. Please handle it with care.
• Change or omit identifying details. Names, locations, workplaces, family specifics — keep these out. Describe the situation, not the person.
• Post with the spirit of seeking wisdom, not venting. This is a space for growth, not for processing frustration about a mentee in ways that could dishonor her.
• What is shared here stays here. Treat every question and every response as you would a private conversation. The trust of this community depends on it.
If you’re unsure whether something is appropriate to share, ask yourself: if my mentee could read this post, would she feel honored by how I’ve described her? If yes — go ahead. If not — revise until she would.
When a Situation May Be Beyond Mentoring
One of the most important things a mentor can do is recognize when a mentee needs more than mentoring can offer — and this space will help you do that.
Some situations call for a different method of support: a counselor, a pastor, a doctor, a crisis line. If you bring a question to the Wisdom Well and the response — from the community or from Ellen — includes a gentle suggestion that this may be one of those situations, please receive it as the gift it is. Knowing when to refer is not a failure. It is wisdom in action, and it may be the most important thing you ever do for the woman in your care.
If you are ever uncertain whether a situation is urgent, please do not wait for a forum response. Reach out to Ellen directly.
How to Write Your Question
When you’re ready to post, you don’t need a perfect or polished question. But a little structure helps the community respond well. Try to include:
The situation (briefly and without identifying details)
What is happening in your mentoring relationship that prompted this question?
What you’ve already tried
Have you said something, tried a particular approach, or looked to Scripture for guidance? Share what you’ve done so the community can build on it rather than repeat it.
Your specific question
What do you actually need help with? The more specific your question, the more useful the responses will be.
Any relevant context
How long have you been meeting? Is this a new dynamic or an ongoing one? Is your mentee aware you’re seeking guidance? Any detail that helps paint the picture without identifying her.
You don’t have to have the answer before you post. The well is deep, and there is wisdom here for you.
Ready to Ask?
Head over to the Mentoring Wisdom Well on the discussion forum to post your question, browse what others have asked, or offer your own wisdom to a mentor who needs it. Your question might be the one that helps someone else find words for what she’s been sitting with too.
Come thirsty. Leave equipped. 🪣
“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” — Proverbs 11:14