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.
Already in just six short weeks, it seems I have learned more about myself and what it means to be a man of God than I did in four years of college. It’s not that college was a waste of time, it’s just that the unique blend of community, discipleship, service, and time for personal reflection provided through the Fellows has been the ultimate answered prayer for me.
To start a journey, one must first be willing to leave. To leave the comfort and safety of home and risk the unknown of what is beyond. To leave friends and family, and move to a new city and into a house of strangers. To leave college, a place of independence and fun, to be replaced by a job and learning what “adulting” really means.
Throughout Scripture, God often reminds his people to remember; to look back and remember His faithfulness. Otherwise, it’s far too easy to forget his goodness and forget where he’s taken us. To put this into practice, fellows were asked to reflect on their 9 months in the program and to put into words how they’ve grown and where they’ve seen and experienced the Lord’s faithfulness. Below are snippets from the Charlotte Fellows Class of 2024. I hope you enjoy…it was most definitely a rich year!
In our seminary class last week we talked about the role Christians have in culture to bring God’s kingdom to earth. In our book To Change the World, by James Davison Hunter, it explains the author’s opinion as to how cultures change: from the top down. Institutional power comes from the social networks of elite groups of people who have the credibility and power to create change. It has been interesting to learn about the disproportionate cultural power institutions have.
It’s hard to believe half of the fellows year is already past. Coming back to Charlotte post Christmas break, the first thing we did was go on a retreat at Emerald Isle. The focus: Sabbath. The retreat provided sweet time together, polar plunges (different levels of enthusiasm about this), lots of cooking, games, and best of all: rest in the Lord. The time spent in Emerald Isle was much needed after a full first semester and busy holiday season. It was a time to refocus, refresh and be renewed by God.
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!
