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“Day Hike at Mt. Morrow”

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This past Sunday, a group of LivingEd students, along with some young adults from the local congregation, visited “Mount Morrow State Park” for a relaxing day hike. We brought packed lunches, water, and even sweatshirts to guard against the cool autumn weather. 

When we arrived, we hopped out of the vehicles, taking in the fall colors and excitement building for the hike ahead. The sky above was a crisp blue while the sun streamed between the leaves of hundreds of towering trees surrounding us. A slight chill hung in the air, and all we could hear was the bustle of voices from the parking lot. 

Once ready for our trek, we split into three smaller groups. Each group followed a few minutes behind the others to avoid crowding. For roughly three miles, we hiked upward and through an otherworldly tree canopy that hovered gently like a silk blanket over our heads. Crisped brown leaves sprinkled to and fro, while rocks and pebbles lined our path. Some students chatted with friends, while others took in the sounds of nature. 

The ground beneath us stretched steeper and steeper toward our destination. We advanced, digging our heels into the dirt, pressed each knee forward, and welcomed the final push to the top of the mountain.

Soon, we arrived at the outlook at the top of “Morrow Mountain”. The three groups arrived and gathered at the viewing deck. There, some enjoyed an ice cream while others grabbed hot chocolate or apple cider to warm themselves in the autumn wind. Together, we sat at picnic benches, munched our lunches, and shared stories of valor from the hike. The panorama stretching before us filled our sight, revealing mountain after gorgeous mountain in the distance, and reminded us of the incredulity of God’s creation. 

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All too quickly, it was time to head back down the slope. We gathered for a group picture, collected our belongings, and the first group headed down the mountain.

The return journey proved mostly smooth-sailing. By then, many of us were warm from the exercise and enjoying the opportunity to take in the beauty, breeze, and atmosphere. Others found giant tree branches and adopted them as hiking poles, and it soon became a challenge to see who could find the tallest. 

By the end, all were brimming with smiles. The skies were still their happy hue when we returned, only now we had fond memories to take home with us. The LivingEd students and young adults had a lovely, refreshing time, and we were grateful for the chance to spend such wonderful time together, under the canopy of the handiwork of our awesome Creator, God.

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Mr. Gerald Weston: “Do It With Your Might”

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These posts summarize the forums that our Living Education-Charlotte students attend each week.

By nature, humans tend to gravitate toward the path of least resistance. However, in his recent forum, Presiding evangelist Mr. Gerald Weston emphasized the importance of doing the opposite–working hard. He dove into the fruits of diligence. Contrasting how various people approach life and highlighted the most crucial element to having joy with success.

“The Two Types”

When it comes to how individuals go through life, Mr. Weston described two types: those who wait for a “lucky break” and those who plan their goals and work meticulously to achieve them. The ones who hope for a lucky break often end up moseying through their days, blaming their inevitable failure on “bad luck” or a lack of opportunity. They ultimately have a victim mindset. The second type is a self-made individual. Those who are part of it take action and labor hard. They don’t wait for opportunity–they make it.

Mr. Weston highlighted the second type, illustrating how much more success can come from learning to embody it. God commands His people, after all, “whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (NKJV Ecc. 9:10). This means we ought not to approach any of our doings half-heartedly.

“With or Without a Goal”

What if we don’t know what to do with the rest of our life yet, though? Mr. Weston explained that the scenario is very common. It’s even okay if you’re still in your late teens and twenties. However, we shouldn’t be in that situation as we grow older. We may change career paths, but we should still have a solid plan in place.

Until then, Mr. Weston advised, we ought to go about everything with all our might. Whatever we are tasked with and wherever we find ourselves, we ought to take it seriously. As God tells us, “The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor” (Prov. 12:24).

“A Missing Dimension”

Hard work alone cannot bring success, though. Many famous individuals have labored and reached their goals, becoming rich. Still, their lives have turned out empty. Taylor Swift, for example, rose to both fame and fortune and is now worth billions. Yet, she has been in and out of many relationships through the years. Elvis Presley, the king of rock and roll, died at a very young age from drugs. 

That is partly because there was a hole in their lives. They were missing what Matthew 6:33 instructs us to do: seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness. We must deliberately pursue His way, including Him in every equation of our life. If we do that, God will supply our needs. 

“The Diligence of Joseph”

Mr. Weston noted that, at the end of the day, we don’t have to know our exact life plans right now. We must, however, recognize what the right goals are and approach our current situation with zeal. We must put forth effort at work, whether the job is temporary or long-term. While attending school or college, too, we should apply ourselves to our classes, doing the difficult work before having fun. 

As we work hard, we should not forget our own Creator, however. We must strive to follow His righteousness, focusing most on the kingdom to come. If we do that and if we stay diligent in all we do, God will reward us. Think of Joseph, for example, who put his might into all he did despite being a slave under Potiphar. Because of his actions, he eventually rose to one of the highest positions of authority in Egypt. The Bible, indeed, declares, “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men” (Prov. 22:29).

Author: Mary Wissinger | Living Education

Mr. Mike DeSimone: Two Keys to Increase Your Productivity

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Author: Mary Wissinger | Living Education

These posts summarize the forums that our Living Education-Charlotte students attend each week.

As the fall semester of Living Education-Charlotte 2026-27 began, the LivingEd students had the opportunity to hear from Mr. Mike DeSimone, manager of broadcast and media, for their first forum. He discussed productivity, addressing two major components that have a much larger impact than we may realize. First, he elaborated on multitasking.

“The Multitasking Myth”

Mr. DeSimone opened by referencing a book entitled The Myth of Multitasking, by Dave Crenshaw. From it, he read a passage in which a man came in to consult the CEO of a company that was having difficulty progressing. The man asked the CEO, Helen, if she could think of a time when she had multitasked. “Sure,” she responded. “I’ll be answering an email, and someone will come in and ask me a quick question.” She continued, “I keep working on the email and tell them to go ahead and ask the question. I’ll respond to the question and then go back to work.” The man, Phil, nodded and replied, “So you didn’t really multitask, did you?” (Crenshaw 18) Instead, she had been switchtasking, flipping back and forth between tasks so fast she didn’t recognize it.

At the end of the day, that is what all of us fall into doing at some point–switchtasking, falsely labeled “multitasking.” Though the initial concept may seem like a great way to accomplish many projects at once, it proves to be far less efficient, and far less effective, than giving time to just one specific thing.

“A Quarter of the Time”

To demonstrate his point, Mr. DeSimone had the students complete the same activity, composed of two smaller tasks, twice. The first time, students switched between tasks; the second time, they finished one task before starting the other.

On average, when students switched tasks, it took them 54 seconds to finish the activity, compared with 24 seconds to complete both tasks separately. Mr. DeSimone pointed out, then, that without switch-tasking, it would take 12 seconds to do just one of those tasks, or essentially a quarter of the time. The same outcomes have been proven to be true with any other project or activity you can think of.

“Organization: The 5 Ss”

The second major component of productivity Mr. DeSimone highlighted was organization. When a system is put in place, he proved, tasks can be completed much more efficiently. He described one system in particular, called “The 5 Ss of Lean”, that is often used in work offices:

Sort – Filter out the junk

Set in Order – Arrange remaining material for ease of use

Shine – Clean up

Standardize – Create methods to maintain the previous 3 Ss

Sustain – Ensure consistent application of the S’s across all spaces

After an activity in which they had to strike out the numbers 1-49 in order from a jumbled mess, students found this system to be twelve times more effective than not using it at all. Even more than speed, though, the 5 Ss have been found to increase accuracy and the ease of finding misplaced/missing documents, files, etc. significantly.

“Systems and Switchtasking”

Indeed, organizational systems are implemented in the workplace for a reason. While some claim they are better off finding what they need among disheveled piles of paper stacked high, it has been proven that even a lean method creates a cleaner, more efficient space. Focusing on one task at a time can nearly double both accuracy and speed.

Let’s consider the two keys Mr. DeSimone gave in his forum and utilize them in our daily activities. If we do that, we can be sure to see an increase in our productivity going forward.

Mrs. Christy McNair: Note Taking

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Author: David Markopoulos | Living Education

These summaries are written to give our audience an idea of the special forum messages our students have access to as part of the Living Education-Charlotte program.

In a recent forum, Mrs. Christy McNair began by asking the Living Education students a question: how do you take notes? It should come as no surprise that note taking is an important aspect of learning, and Mrs. McNair’s forum offered sound principles of effective note taking.

The Problem With Notes

Taking notes may seem straightforward, but the quality of our personal notes can easily be affected by distractions, lack of engagement in what we’re hearing, and our own lack of organizational prowess. The problem is all too common: passive listening leads to disorganized, poorly written notes that don’t actually benefit us later on.

The Cornell Method

Mrs. McNair introduced the students to the Cornell Method of taking notes. This style of note taking is used to neatly organize information for handy reference and help reinforce active listening, rather than passive—allowing us to more easily remember what we’ve learned. 

Consisting of a left-hand column—in which you put your key points and cues—a right-hand column—in which you put important points relating to your cues—and a bottom section summarizing what you’ve learned, this method simplifies the randomized, chaotic notes that many tend to create out of habit.

This method is particularly effective when used with other principles in mind. Mrs. McNair stressed that it’s important to not try and write down every word: pick out the main points, and use the Cornell Method to organize what you’re hearing. 

Reread Your Notes

One other important piece of advice that Mrs. McNair related was to go back over your notes within the next 24 hours. Even a short ten minutes going over the material can greatly add to your understanding of the topic and help you remember it for longer. 

The Cornell Method and the other principles Mrs. McNair shared with the students are important lessons, not only for taking notes but for becoming a more effective student and learner. Our efforts to be a disciplined, resourceful, and successful student of whatever we’re taking on requires careful planning, active listening, and an organized mind.

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David Markopoulos is a Living Education alumnus from the 2023-2025 school years. Originally hailing from Chicago, he currently works for the Living Education program.

Mr. Chet Carpenter: Stages of a Lifelong Learner in Christ

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Author: Katelyn Wissinger| Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2025-26

The Bible relates many character traits of both the Father and Jesus Christ. These traits will become part of our character as we seek to follow Christ’s example and be more like Him. In a recent forum, Mr. Chet Carpenter expounded upon a specific character trait that the Father and the Son share: learning. He coupled this with teaching us the four pillars of becoming lifelong learners.

Mr. Carpenter pointed out that we should be lifelong learners in Christ. He used four pillars for learning: learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together, and learning to be. These four points were developed by Dr. Zhou Nanzhao, who had an extensive career in pursuing and administering education. While Mr. Carpenter used these as the basis for his forum, he pointed out that many of the world’s ‘wisest’ people and lifelong learners attain knowledge and education from worldly sources and their own experiences. While they may find kernels of fundamental knowledge and truth, they are not starting with the true source of knowledge and wisdom, God’s word, which is the Bible (2 Corinthians 3:17). 

To be lifelong learners, we need to learn to know. We must have a desire to seek knowledge and continue learning. Ecclesiastes 12:7-14 showed King Solomon’s desire to seek as much knowledge as he could, and he eventually concluded that God’s word is the foundation of knowledge. Our desire to learn applies not just to the physical but to the spiritual. We should seek to grow in understanding of the Truth, allowing us to grow as Christians.

The second pillar Mr. Carpenter mentioned was learning to do. Once we know something, we need to act on it. In God’s future kingdom, we’ll apply everything we’ve learned in our lifetime. Hebrews 5:14 explains how knowledge should be applied. We must do this to see results.

Once we apply our knowledge, the next stage is learning to live together. Meaning, learn to build others up. “Apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,” in the Church are an example of this, according to Ephesians 4:10-12. We can use the Holy Spirit in us to help “iron sharpen iron” (Prov 27:17). 

The final stage is learning to be. We are to be children of God (1 John 3:1), and in God’s future kingdom, we will be the product of what we learned in this life. The Bible shows us that we are to be like Christ, obedient and holy.

Mr. Carpenter provided us with an insightful forum on how we can become lifelong learners and how this is necessary for our physical and, most importantly, our spiritual lives. Christ must be our foundation on which we place these four pillars of learning.

Mr. John Robinson: Being The Managing Editor

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Author: Katelyn Wissinger| Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2025-26

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. 

Video: Mark Cavendish: Never Enough

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Author: Katelyn Wissinger| Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2025-26

At a recent forum, Mr. McNair surprised the Living Education students by announcing that they would be viewing a documentary featuring Mark Cavendish. Cavendish holds the record for most stage wins at the Tour de France (35), achieved across 15 Tours and 17 years (2008-2024). The students were able to draw some meaningful lessons and practice their analytical skills as they learned about Mark Cavendish and his career as a cyclist.

The Lessons

Perseverance: Mark Cavendish is described as an outstanding cyclist who won many Tour de France stages. The Tour de France is a grueling cycling race over a long distance broken up into stages, with some steep hills. In the beginning of the film, Cavendish is shown winning many trophies, but as he becomes more famous for his talent the pressure builds on him to keep winning. This pressure eventually got to him and he began to struggle physically and mentally. He was diagnosed with Epstein Barres syndrome, which took a toll on his energy and strength. However, he didn’t give up on pursuing cycling. Instead, he persevered through the dark and hard times he experienced as he struggled to regain his cycling glory.

Devotion with focus: From the time Cavendish started cycling he displayed tremendous focus on his goal of winning the Tour de France overall and winning several other races. He worked extremely hard and pushed himself hard physically to achieve his goals. He was devoted to cycling. Whereas Cavendish was devoted with a focus to pursuing cycling glory and an earthly goal, the LE students and those in the church can show this devotion and focus in seeking “first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

Final Thoughts

The film Mark Cavendish: Never Enough gave the students who watched it a view into the cycling world that many of them did not know much about. Not only did they learn more about cycling and Cavendish but they also were able to draw valuable lessons and perspectives from it.

Mr. Argus Wiley: Living Your Best Life!

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Author: Katelyn Wissinger| Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2025-26

At a Forum this past Thursday, Mr. Argus Wiley, president and CEO of Red Door Brands, spoke on what it means to live ‘your best life’ and how to achieve it. “You are the future of this world! is a phrase often directed at the younger generation,” Mr. Wiley began. This may seem stressful, and keep people from succeeding. It really is a lot being asked of us, yet there are still people who take on the burden of this knowledge and still strive to live the best life they can. There has been and always will be this challenge for young people, but there is a necessity to go out and make the absolute best of it!

When is your best life?

He asked us if we believe that our best life is behind us, if we’re living it now, or if it is still yet to come. One could argue that being able to live with minimal worries means having a personal chef or being surrounded by people who love us – which we might think is our “best life.” Doesn’t this sound like our childhood? For others, their best life means moving out of their parent’s house.

The odds of living the best life

Mr. Wiley presented statistics from a quick Google search he conducted on how most people in the United States live. This helped to solidify within our minds the reality of the work needed to achieve our best lives as opposed to simply believing we can let it happen.

7.29% of people become a millionaire

11.5% will end up living in poverty 

83% of people will get married

50% of those who get married will stay married  

44.4% will become obese 

16.5% will be an addict of some sort

22.8% will suffer a mental ailment

53% of people report being unhappy in their life.

Looking at this, it is more likely for us to live in poverty than to become a millionaire. He wanted to drill into our minds the severity of these reports. “You shouldn’t brush this off just because we are in the church, don’t think that can’t happen to me.” We have to put in the work daily to ensure that we do not become one of these depressing statistics.

Keys to assist in achieving the best life

  1. Get a mission statement 

A personal mission statement can give us guidance on where we are going. “People have the drive for success, but lack the sense of direction to achieve the destination.” Mr. Ames has a sermon titled What is Your Mission Statement, that Mr. Wiley recommended. Businesses, successful people, and the wealthy all have mission statements, and we need to as well.

  1. Show up

Woody Allen once said that showing up is 80% of success. Showing up is the act of making up your mind to follow through and do something. Even the little things matter; the simple act of making your bed in the morning is showing up.

  1. Do Hard Things

Human nature has the desire to quit when things become difficult, thus we need to work to push through the difficult times that will appear in each and every one of our lives. Mr. Rod McNair gave a sermon titled Do Hard Things that goes into deeper detail. 

  1. Never stop learning

Author Bryan Tracy said, “Reading a book a week on one specific topic for 7 years will make someone an expert in that specific area.” If we stop growing and learning, then we ultimately will fall within the earlier-mentioned statistics. 

  1. It is all your fault

We all will end up with the results we deserve because of what we earn through our actions. We cannot blame others for what happens to us.

  1. Pray along the way

Prayer is a vital must, yet at times we may also have to pray on the journey. Mr. Wiley described a story about two kids who missed the school bus and saw it riding off into the distance. One instantly drops to his knees and asks God for the bus to stop, while the other immediately takes off running while praying that he can catch up to it. The only one able to catch the bus was the one praying while he ran. Prayer is necessary, but we also need to put in the work to achieve our goals.

“It will take all of these strategies to become successful in living the best life.”

We have all of these opportunities to live the best life, now what are we going to do with them?

Quiz: A Powerful SPS

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Women’s Life Roles: Gardening

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