It has been such a gift to get involved with the Charlotte Fellows program this year as the Program Coordinator. I loved my experience as a fellow and it’s been a different kind of gift to be on the other side of things and watch God work in the lives of this year’s class.
On Thursday nights, as part of our weekly schedule, we have roundtable. Roundtable is where we get to sit with different people and hear their stories; how God is working in, around, and through them. These individuals and couples often take us back to their childhood up to the present day and share highlights, struggles, themes, and lessons learned. These have truly been some of my favorite nights of the year. I am learning a lot about how we don’t know people until we have heard their stories and I am learning to never make assumptions of what someone's story is.
A big truth that is nestled into much of the content of the Charlotte Fellows program is that we get to honor God through our work and vocation - regardless of what that work is.
The wonderful thing about God is that he knows exactly what we need, not what we think we need. This is evident in my gracious host family, the Murchisons. Prior to moving to Charlotte, I was so excited to meet them, and I felt so hopeful about this family that I would be living with for the next 9 months. A little intro to my host family: Fred and Katy (parents), Ivy (14) and Ella (12). Rounding it out with 2 pets, we have their dog, Lolli (She and I are pals) and their cat, Raven. (We are… still warming up to each other).
Imagine being asked to solve a physics equation. That’s likely what learning how to round numbers feels like for a third grader.
Every Monday, the Charlotte Fellows serve at Brookstone School’s after school program, and I’ve paired up with the third grade class. In all honesty, sometimes I struggle articulating why we round up or down when I’m helping third graders with their homework. Most of the time, I’m trying to get them to lower their voices or focus on their homework. However, the hecticness doesn’t mean sweet moments don’t happen.
Dear friends of the Fellows,
The Charlotte Fellows Class of 2016 is done! Many have already moved to other cities, and I’m sad to see them go. Thankfully, several are staying here in Charlotte—so there is still a reason to rejoice. Overall, it was a great year with a great class of Fellows. It was also a year with several unexpected turns. But the biggest highlight has been seeing God’s provision throughout the whole year.
During my time as a Charlotte Fellow, every Monday we gathered at Matt Avery’s house for Fellows Life Together — FLT. From the beginning, it quickly became one of my favorite parts of the program. We would pair off, cook dinner for each other, laugh, and catch up. But we also shared real issues we were facing and prayed for each other.
During my time in the Fellow’s Program, I was amazingly blessed by the programs and relationships that were put into place for me. Both my host family and my mentor were wonderful and played an amazing part in God’s story for my life. Both of these relationships still play an active and important role in my life, and I cannot imagine life without them!
If you are facing some really tough times in your work right now, don’t let the termites of discouragement eat away at your soul. Realize that God wants to use the difficulties you’re facing to forge greater Christlikeness and spiritual maturity in your life. Your work is not an obstacle to your spiritual growth; it’s a God-sized opportunity for you to grow.
Beauty and the Bitch: Grace for the Worst in Me—oh yes, that was the eye-catching title of the book my counselor recommended to me during my time at the Barnabas Center. And it’s a book I want and need to read again and again. The title alone pretty much sums up a massive chunk of my experience as a Charlotte Fellow.
Do you have questions about what life looks like as a fellow? Contact us by filling out the form below, and learn more about the Charlotte Fellows!
