A Summer of Encouragement & Facilitating Family with the FMC
A View of GU – JUNE 2025
“I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!” – Ephesians 1:18–19 MSG
In the May issue of “A View of GU,” we talked about fostering encouragement found only as we sink our orange souls in the nutrient-rich soil of scripture, the foundational context of a GU education.
“With our students, we foster said soil story through innovative engagement with new information about God, the GU family and GU programs. We want students to encounter a Father and a family that sees them in the context of this distinctly-GU education. With our alumni, we continue to foster this story about God, the GU family and a GU education … We want you to know we see you as we continue to till the GU soil for you.”
I know of no better way to foster encouragement in our GU alumni and friends than to engage scripture via The Wake-Up Call’s “Summer of Encouragement” (see last week’s Facebook Live interview with J. D. Walt, founder and sower-in-chief of Seebed and author of the Wake-Up Call > https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1645q386Kj/). Journey through the Bible with J.D. Walt every morning to absorb God’s words about encouragement, prayerfully consider what God might be saying to your personally (journal prompts provided in the Wake-Up Call posts, and then meet with other GU alumni and friends for “Fridays on Facebook” as we share takeaways, questions and comments from the week.
A few additional thoughts on how to make the most of the Wake-Up Call study of encouragement:
- Engage God’s Word by reading His words: READ. Access J.D. Walt’s “daily comment” for each day’s scripture focus.
- Engage God’s Will for your life by listening to His voice: PRAY. Journal what God speaks in you through each morning’s entry.
- Engage God’s Work for the Church by turning our faces to one another in community: MEET. Collaborate among other believers on the topic of biblical encouragement in order to grow in new understanding of this text.
- Engage God’s World by reflecting God’s embodied presence through our lives: SERVE. Testify to and advocate for those with which God’s places on your path each day, allowing His life to reflect through our lives.
As with human attachments, we embrace, repair and strengthen our attachment to God through words, voices, faces and embodied presence. As J.D. prays his prayer of consecration every morning, I pray along with a slightly altered, hope-brained version that encourages an earned secure attachment to God 😇: “Abba Father, I belong to You. Lord Jesus, I fix my eyes on You, I incline my ears to You, I turn my face to You and Your people and I offer my body to You and Your world as a living sacrifice. Holy Spirit, we belong to you.”
You can access the “Summer of Encouragement” on the Wake-Up Call via email, web, podcast and Facebook.
Seedbed began the "Wake-Up Call" ministry over ten years ago (originally titled, "The Seedbed Daily Text"). It now has 40,000 daily subscribers. In 2024, it was read or listened to over 8 million times and has become an essential component of many people's spiritual development.
May this soil story of God’s Word continue to shape us, personally and relationally, as GU alumni and friends this summer. May spiritual willingness lead to ever-deepening personal and relational wellness in order that we may live out of ever-widening vocational wholeness … or as we call it at GU, education for character and service. 🧡🐾🌿
FREE METHODIST ANNUAL CONFERENCES & FAMILY CAMPS
This summer has proven a true adventure experience as we have taken the Tidball Alumni House to the road to more fully participate in Free Methodist Annual Conferences and Family Camps. I come bearing games and gifts (for youth and adults 😊). Visit our GU Alumni Association Facebook page for a travel journal of these adventures and join us next month in WI, IN, MI & IL! 🏕️🌅🌿
July “Panther Paw Patrol” RV & Family Camp Schedule:
- July 12: Join me at Lifest (Sunnyview Expo Center; Oshkosh, WI) where I will represent GU as an event speaker on Saturday!
- July 13: North Central FMC Family Camp (Sky Lodge Campground; Montello, WI)
- July 14: Wabash/New South Family Camp (Wabash Campground; Clay City, IN)
- July 16: Southern Michigan Family Camp (Somerset Beach Campground; Somerset, MI)
- July 17: Cowden FMC Family Camp (Cowden Free Methodist Campground, Beecher City, IL)
If any of our GU alumni and friends show up to help set up or tear down, extra gifts may come your way! 🎁Email me at alumni@greenville.edu for more information and/or to help!
👟 YOUR NEXT STEPS: We invite GU alumni and friends to join us for this “Summer of Encouragement” I would also welcome prayer for God’s protection and provision during these summer travels, that His presence might be extended through our presence in our alumni and church relations activities.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for Homecoming & Family Weekend 2025, “Remember that You Are Ivy,” October 23–26! Like our GU Alumni Association Facebook page! Reserve your hotel rooms! Join your reunion class FB group! Get your plane tickets! Share Homecoming social posts with classmates! In July, we’ll celebrate “The Storied Legacy” that is our Greenville University Alumni Association, including our 2025–26 Alumni Board, newly elected Alumni Board officers, and an update on our Alumni Ambassadors.
Keep praying. Keep watching. And keep thanking God with us for the good work He continues to do on campus in the lives of GU students, faculty and staff and in you, our GU alumni and friends. 🧡🐾🌿
VIEW "FOR THE RECORD - JUNE 2025 ENEWS"
