Widow’s Bingo Brunch

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Author: Lexi Mitchell| Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2023-24

This past Sunday, the LE students hosted the annual ‘Widow’s Bingo Brunch’ for the local widows in the Charlotte Congregation. The LE students not only served the widows a delicious meal but also had the opportunity to play Bingo and enjoy their fellowship. 

Preparation for the event began on Saturday night when all of the students decorated the women’s dorm and assembled the food. The men removed the furniture from the sitting room and replaced it with tables and chairs while the ladies cut up fruit to place on skewers and sliced quiches for the next day. 

Starting the following morning, the LE students began heating up the various food items, setting them out, and decorating the tables. The kitchen was a hive of activity as banana chocolate chip muffins, bacon and waffles, cheesy potatoes, and quiche were popped in the oven. The tables were dressed with tablecloths and various colored flowers. 

At 10 am, the guests arrived, and the event officially commenced. The widows perused the food table with delight at the delicious treats available before finding their way to the tables. The students joined the widows, and all dug into the refreshments. Following this, Mr. McNair announced that the Bingo games would begin. Each table was a team, and the teams that earned the most “Bingo” won the round; earning their prize, some Living Education merchandise. Students and widows eagerly watched their Bingo cards, filled with excitement as they waited for the numbers to be called. Both the teams, the “Coffee Beaners” and the “Bingo Amigos” did quite well. The hour of Bingo seemed to whiz by, and before everyone knew it, the games were over. Following the end of Bingo, many of the students took the opportunity to fellowship and get to know the widows better. 

The annual “Widow’s Brunch,” hosted by Living Education, offered an opportunity to share a meal, have fun, and forge stronger connections with these women in the body of Christ. 

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Establish Your Pillars

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In his forum this past Thursday, Mr. Wallace Smith shared a significant life lesson he has learned. He expressed keys that affect us daily, whether conscious or not.

Mr. Smith began by drawing our attention to the fact that there are innate things that we believe and hold dear. These include truths and falsehoods, such as your parents loving you or attending a church service on Sunday.

According to Mr. Smith, these beliefs support a worldview that shapes how we see the world. He went on to say that it is the philosophy through which we see all the things around us, and there are subsets that we should be careful to avoid

Naturalism 

One worldview based on naturalism is dangerous because it states that there is no free will. We should understand that this is not the case – God has created man uniquely, like no other of His marvelous creation, and gifted us with a spirit that allows us to think for ourselves. Denying this fantastic truth results in direct aversion to God’s handiwork. Mr. Smith expounded that people who resonate with this thinking are often double-minded. People like to condemn others when they do something wrong or wicked, yet according to this philosophy, no one has the free will to avoid these behaviors. 

Foundational Pillars 

After discussing the shortcomings of Natural Law, Mr. Smith emphasized his proven principle that served as a solid foundation throughout his life. He stated that we need hierarchical pillars we can use to interact with the physical, emotional, and spiritual world around us. He likened these pillars to Christ being the chief cornerstone or pillar of the church. He shared how, at times, what he held to be pillars of truth in his life have been attacked and damaged, which is why we need to establish absolute truths for our foundational pillars. Having unshakable pillars can allow us, if one of the other pillars is damaged, the time to rebuild it or even stand strong enough if proven false. Mr. Smith wanted to give us an idea of how these pillars could look, so he shared his top three, which he has formed over the years.

  1. God exists 

Hebrews 11:6, and Romans 1:20-21

  1. Jesus Christ is the Son of God

1 Corinthians 15:12-20, and John 17:3

  1. The Bible is God’s Word

John 17:17, and 2 Timothy 3:14-15

This forum brought much out for us to put into action. We are thankful for the warning not to fall into the typical thought processes people follow but to build a Godly understanding of the world around us!

John Wooden and the Pyramid of Success

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Mr. Pomicter addressed the LE students at this week’s forum on Coach John Wooden and the principles of success he used to guide his life and career. 

John Wooden was a renowned coach of UCLA men’s basketball. He helped the team win 10 NCAA Championships and earn various other awards. After winning the 1975 NCAA Championship at 64, he retired and set up youth basketball camps from the summer of 1971 through the mid-1980s.

During his career and retirement, John Wooden taught players how to succeed in basketball and life through his ‘Pyramid of Success’ and seven principles. Coach Wooden always told his players, “The closest I can come to the secret to success is this: A lot of little things done well.” This is where His “Pyramid of Success” comes into play, with each ascending layer of the pyramid dependent on the previous layer of blocks (principles). He based his view of success on seven principles, including helping others, praying for guidance and counsel, and making each day a masterpiece. Some of Coach Wooden’s concepts for success and how to achieve it agree with biblical teachings. In the book “Forgotten Teams” by Pat Williams, he is quoted on page 98 as saying, “You must have faith that all things will work out as they should as long as you do what you should. That doesn’t mean things will work out as we want them to, but if we have faith, things will turn out as they should”. God hears people’s prayers and knows their needs. A person can go to God for help succeeding at work or school, but they must also put the effort in themselves. If a person applies these principles from Coach Wooden, tremendous success should be a result.

Privileged Planet

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The students recently watched the video Privileged Planet for a forum; the following is a summary of the video that will hopefully encourage you to watch it, too.
Privileged Planet by Guillermo Gonzalez describes how unique the earth is regarding its ability to facilitate life and its usefulness for scientific discoveries. The video begins by tracing how man discovered the place of Earth in its solar system and describes the different views held throughout history. Aristotle believed that the earth was the center of the universe, but Copernicus disproved this with his theory that the sun was the center of the universe. Continuing, the narrators of Privileged Planet describe that even though there are physics laws that apply universally, some unique factors make Earth perfect for hosting life. Factors include the earth’s location, the makeup of its atmosphere, and its crust. While humans may try to reason away that these conditions happened by accident, the odds are significantly against this premise. Finally, the discoveries made on Earth about the solar system and universe are described as a consequence of the planet’s unique place in the universe. Albert Einstein is mentioned as stating, “The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible.” Overall, Privileged Planet does a deep dive into the history of mankind’s view of the earth’s place in the solar system, factors that make it uniquely suited for life, and the many discoveries made about the space system.

“Should You Work for Yourself? What You Can Do As An Entrepreneur and How to Pitch Yourself”

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Author: Lexi Mitchell| Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2023-24

“There is something special about being an entrepreneur.”

Students were excited to hear from Mr. Thiel in a recent forum where he shared what he does as an entrepreneur. Mr. Thiel owns M3dia Buy, where he has created online advertisements for over a hundred clients. According to Mr. Thiel, entrepreneurial success is determined by two things: your desires and the market you will serve. In his lecture he reviewed how he started his journey as an entrepreneur, what it takes to be successful, the blessings it provides, and how to become one.

Mr. Thiel described an incident during his childhood where he did not do well in Algebra; however, when he took Geometry the following year, he was very successful. He used this example to illustrate that a struggle in one area does not limit that person from succeeding in another. Later, while studying in college, he started a side hustle making websites, and after 4 years, he earned enough from it to make it a full-time job. Mr. Thiel used his experiences as an entrepreneur to help the students understand what makes one.

Requirements

  • Discipline: An entrepreneur must be able to tolerate discomfort and realize that it is temporary
  • Resourcefulness: A reference to the 5th law of success
  • Self-starting attitude: Ecclesiastes 9:10
  • Love: Love is not the same as passion. Entrepreneurs must love the people or customers they serve, which motivates them and gives them perseverance. 

He quoted Nietzsche, who said, “He who has a will to live can bear almost any how.” 

After explaining what requirements he deemed necessary to be an entrepreneur, he listed the blessings one could receive from this profession.

Blessings

  • Financial: “Self-employed people are four times more likely to be millionaires than those who work for others” (Thomas Stanley, The Millionaire Next Door). A blessing of being an entrepreneur is the ability to put as much effort as you want into a business; the entrepreneur isn’t limited to certain hours they work. Proverbs 10:4 states, “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.”
  • God is your boss: An entrepreneur can create guidelines and policies for their company based on Scriptural principles.
  • There is less pressure to work on the Sabbath.
  • Status: Being an entrepreneur gives a person the chance to make a name for themselves and to be seen as successful by others. Proverbs 22:29 states: Do you see a man who excels in his work?
  • He will stand before kings;
  • He will not stand before unknown men.

Paths to Entrepreneurship

  • Advertise your skills on gig services like Upwork, Fiverr, TaskRabbit, or Amazon
  • freelance/ consulting- get paid for your advice/projects
  • Trade jobs
  • Writer
  • Tech- graphic design, digital advertising
  • E-Commerce- Shopify, Etsy, TikTok Shop
  • Mobile or doorstep services- delivering service to the customer’s home

Ways to Get Work as an Entrepreneur

Ways to get work include–speaking at conferences, making Google ads, creating a podcast or YouTube channel, and being referred by others for a job on your reputation.

How to Convince People to Pay For Your Idea

Research market interest using tools such as Google Ads keyword planner to check the popularity of the good or service you want to market. Then, test the market by running ads and tracking the sales or calls per ad or creating a webpage.

How to Pitch Yourself

Mr. Thiel described his method for pitching yourself, and it involves two steps:

  1. Write what you’ve uniquely accomplished.
  2. Write what you’re offering that appeals to the self-interest of your prospect.

Mr.Thiel provided an insightful forum on entrepreneurship that encouraged the students to think creatively. Drawing on his experiences as an entrepreneur, he provided them with a roadmap for assessing their qualifications to be entrepreneurs and learning how to become one successfully.

Being The Managing Editor

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Author: Lexi Mitchell| Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2023-24

In a recent forum, the students heard from Mr. Robinson, the managing editor for the Living Church of God. As managing editor, he is involved in the design and layout of Tomorrow’s World and Living Church News and nearly all of the church’s written and printed content. When God works in our life, He gives us the experiences we need to shape us for later in life. In his current job, Mr. Robinson employs design principles that are a key factor in increasing comprehension for the readers of Church literature.

Experiences Matter

Mr. Robinson stated that God gave him the perfect life experiences to bring him to where he is today. Despite only attending Ambassador College for one year and never finishing his degree, he had already learned the printing trade and used this knowledge to find a job in the field. He was at the right time to witness the technology boom in the print industry. At one of his first jobs, Mr. Robinson typeset business cards. After that, he landed a job at a high-end design agency, where he wondered why he was there since he had never been interested in design. Mr. Robinson worked at a print shop for 12 years before being hired by the Church.

We might have experiences in life that don’t make sense now, or we may be in situations that cause us to wonder, however, Mr. Robinson reminded us of Romans 8:28: 

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

God places us in situations that prepare us for what we will later do. He has a master plan for us, and we must remember that He has a perfect end goal. We shouldn’t be discouraged, even if we are in a difficult situation that leaves us wondering why.

After 20 years of publishing experience, Mr. Robinson was offered a job as the Managing Editor of the Living Church of God. His experiences working in print shops and design suddenly became useful; one of his first projects was redesigning Tomorrow’s World Magazine. Today, design is very relevant to his job. 

The Purpose of Design:

The design organizes and clarifies information to be intelligible to the reader; and conveys the essentials to them.

Principles of Design for a Managing Editor

  1. Structure of elements for a design and create a clear order of visual dominance between elements
  2. The font used and how the text is displayed matters
  3. Selection of color for printing and color theory
  4. Image & Cover Selection

Mr. Robinson provided an insightful forum into how he came to his job as Managing Editor of the Living Church of God and the importance of design. When we are left wondering why we are given a certain experience, we need to have faith that God has a master plan for us and there is a reason. 

Speedreading the Bible

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Mr. Gerald Weston closed this semester’s Living Education Forums program by sharing with the students the benefits of speed reading their Bibles. 

Throughout the hour period, Mr. Weston guided the students from the first chapter of Genesis through first Kings, highlighting key events and people, using a “Bible Speedreading” technique.

“Speed reading” the Bible means not just reading quickly but identifying key events and people that are part of the story flow of the Bible. This exercise provides a grasp of the overall layout of the Bible. While it may not focus on the details, it gives an understanding of where to find them, with a knowledge of the overall framework in mind. 

Mr. Weston concluded the forum by reminding the students that Bibles on cell phones have their place, but a physical copy of the Bible is important to own. A digital version can be handy, but for certain study techniques, like “speedreading the Bible”, it just doesn’t work! He left the students with the reminder to not neglect the practice of studying the Bible – and don’t let the attractiveness of a digital Bible outshine the value of the physical, written word. 

7 Proofs of God’s Existence

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How can you prove God’s existence?

Men in the Old Testament

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Read more

Winter Retreat

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Author: Katelyn Wissinger| Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2024-25

Over our winter break, we took a trip into the North Carolina mountains for a relaxing retreat before getting back to the books again. Despite the chilling temperatures outside, we students had the opportunity to go snow tubing and hiking through the winter scenery. When it was time to warm up, the students huddled around inside to play games, make candy, and catch up with each other. This winter retreat allowed us to make memories and build stronger bonds that will last far longer than just the couple of days of the trip.

Sunday

On Sunday afternoon, we set out for the three-hour drive into the North Carolina mountains to the rental house we would stay in for the next few days. The home was surrounded by a pine farm and sat high in the landscape, allowing us to fully appreciate the beautiful sunset. On the night of arrival, all of us students and the faculty members assembled around a long table for a group meal of taco salad. A major highlight of the night was a game of spoons that most students engaged in, eagerly on edge for that one remaining spoon.

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Monday

On Monday, we woke up to a continental-style breakfast prepared by some of the LE ladies who provided us with the nourishment we needed to go snow tubing in the chilly weather. Despite the long lines, the students enjoyed numerous rides down the slippery slopes, letting out whoops and hollers with the thrill of quickly sliding down the slope. After finishing snow tubing, we returned to the warmth of the house. The afternoon hours were spent relaxing and playing card games. Later in the evening, Mr. McNair announced to us that we would be in for a sticky surprise. Led by the 2nd year students, we were divided into teams to make the best-tasting honey taffy. We all found ourselves in sticky situations, but the result more than made up for it.

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Tuesday

On the final full day of the retreat, we traveled to Grandfather Mountain. While the fog hindered our views as we wound our way up the mountain, the Grandfather Mountain Park team provided us with an audio-guided tour in our vehicles that reviewed its history. Along the route, we stopped at the nature discovery center, where we viewed a short film on all the mountain offers its visitors. The fog parted on the way back down the mountain, and we got a much clearer view of the surrounding landscape. Back at the house that night, we all settled in for games of Bible-themed jeopardy, which made us realize how difficult it can be to come up with answers when put on the spot. The night’s activity reminded us of how much we have to learn yet and the usefulness of our classes in the coming semester.

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Reflection

This winter retreat provided our students with valuable memories that will last with us longer than the trip itself. While we may have been frozen on the outside by the crisp weather, our hearts were warmed by the stronger bonds we built between each other. Now it’s time to jump into the new semester!