UPDATE - Week of January 30

On Saturday, Lia and I cashed in on our Fellows Christmas Present!

Another good week to be a Fellow...and a Fellows Director!

BLESSINGS

The Canoe Room at river Birch Lodge with Eddie and Michelle Schapira

Monday night, Eddie and Michelle Schapira treated us to a three course feast at River Birch Lodge, including Eddie's mom's world famous Lasagna. It was a Round Table like no other. Eddie and Michelle shared portions of their stories. There was a lot of laughter and merriment. We all left full and blessed. THANK YOU Eddie and Michelle. (Michelle is one of our mentors - so a double thanks to her!) What a night!

Wednesday, Lynn Brewer was our speaker for Leader Lunch. She just celebrated her 37th year on Young Life Staff, which is mind-boggling. Recently, Young Life promoted her to Senior Vice President of Discipleship. Basically, she is now responsible for the spiritual welfare of tens of thousands of staff and volunteers around the world!

Lynn and Ned

Lynn also was the one who took a chance and hired me right out of college. I have had no better mentor than this woman. 

Thank you Lynn for your love and leadership in my life! And thank you for sharing your story with the Fellows! 

Saturday, Lia and I went on a date!

Some of you may think, hey, being Fellows Director you must get free babysitting all the time. On the contrary, I rarely get free babysitting, and unfortunately, most of the time I need a babysitter it is because I'm doing stuff WITH the Fellows!

However, the Fellows offered to take care of the kiddos Saturday as their Christmas present to Lia and me. THANKS GUYS! Again, what a blessing. We even had time to go over to Tractor Supply to pick up some Chicken Food! (We have chickens)

Chickens got to eat

I could say something here, but I promised Elizabeth and Barnes Harris that I wouldn't say it, so I won't. 😉

We came home early and sat around the kitchen table until it was time to go to bed.

Thank you Fellows! Y'all rock!

BEING A BLESSING

We are blessed, so we can bless. That's the whole point. And the Fellows did that this week as well. On Wednesday, a group of us headed to G.I.D.E.'s central office to help Krishauna and the team complete some assessment work with a couple dozen teenagers. 

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We got a couple smiles! And one photo bomber!

Earlier that afternoon at the Center for Creative Leadership, the Fellows began working on their Action Projects for G.I.D.E. We are using a process called Human-Centered Design. It is really cool. And if I could brag a little bit on our Fellows - they are off to an incredible start. 

RECRUITMENT UPDATE

Thanks y'all for praying. Abbey is in! I had the chance to tell Jen Sanders, who was part of the interview, today and we were both jumping up and down in the parking lot looking like the fools we are! 

Welcome Abbey! Can't want to do life with you next year!

On Friday, we interviewed another candidate, Morgan. She is amazing as well and we are anxiously awaiting her response to our invitation. 

So keep praying for our recruits: 

   - Patrick and Abbey, who are in

   - Morgan, who we are waiting on

   - Martha, Kelly, Nick and Antonius, who we are talking to

   - David and Melody, who we have reached out to

FINANCE UPDATE

We are heading into our final six months of our fiscal year in strong shape, but there is still room in the budget for your donation!

No amount is too small (or too big). 

And we love monthly donors. 

To give on line CLICK HERE

To mail a check, make it payable to WS Fellows

Winston-Salem Fellows

851 W. 5th Street

WSNC, 27101

to give by credit card, email winstonsalemfellows@gmail.com and someone will contact you to set it up. 

THANK YOU for supporting the Fellows. We wouldn't exist without you. And we won't without you!

OTHER NEWS

I'm working on a big announcement that I can hopefully announce next Monday. I'll let you know. 

This week we will be having:

- Round Table at the Ericksons. We will be eating Super Bowl Leftovers. Yum! 

- Leader Lunch with Jeff and Kim Ickes

- Attending the FORUM ON FAITH AND CULTURE at First Presbyterian on Friday and Saturday. Please join us! CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION

- We will also have classes with Dr. Cooke and Dr. Wilkerson; small groups; mentoring with G.I.D.E., and a few other tricks up my sleeve!

- AND!!! We celebrate my son David's Birthday on thursday!!!

Thanks y'all. 

Keep praying for these guys as they continue to think about next steps. 

Pray for new Fellows for the Class of 2017-18

Pray for me as I try to stay as near to Jesus as possible. 

Reese at the Super Bowl viewing. We had Fellows on both sides. 

So thankful to get away for solitude on Monday. 

Gentlemen and Scholars in the G.I.D.E. program

Eddie share's his story

THANKS Y'ALL. Keep sharing the story and sharing the love.