I heard some simple, yet profound words 19 years ago.

At the conclusion of a small group meeting, the leader pulled me aside. As a relatively new Christian, I wondered if I had offended someone with my humorous comments. Maybe I asked too many questions. Or did my complete lack of Bible knowledge create too much elementary level discussion. "What did I do?" I asked with a whiny, self-indicting tone.

"Nothing, yet," said Todd.

"I have no clue what you mean," I replied.

"Someday you will, Dave," Todd said. "I can see that God has placed leadership in you, and he'll likely put you in a position to lead for him some day."

"Riiiiiight," I said, lingering a little too long on the "i" sound. Someone needs to lay off the regular coffee at night, I thought. Yet something about his words, and the intensity with which he delivered them, intrigued me.

For the next 18 months, Todd acted as my first real mentor. Nineteen years later, I look back at his words as profound, prophetic, and precisely what I needed ...