Mr. Gerald Weston: Opportunities and Regrets
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.
Mr. Gerald Weston, the Presiding Evangelist of the Living Church of God, took the time to address the Living Education students about important life principles, pulling from his own experiences. In life, we all have opportunities and regrets, and it’s important to have a well-balanced perspective on the lessons life teaches us.
My Way
Mr. Weston referenced My Way, a famous song by Frank Sinatra. The attitude in this song is far too easy to fall into at times, and Mr. Weston reminded the students that doing things our way doesn’t always lead to positive outcomes. Instead, we should keep in mind that as we write our life story, it is ultimately God’s way that we should be following.
Early Days
Mr. Weston related some stories from his early days. Growing up in a military family from California, he found himself moving very often. From Sacramento to Utah to Alaska to England, the Westons frequently moved around.
In those days, young people coming up lived under the shadow of the bomb. The threat of nuclear war—and the onset of the Cold War itself—were sobering pressures on society that affected many young people as they entered adulthood. Similarly, each generation has unique and difficult challenges that affect them as they enter maturity.
Mr. Weston fondly related his days playing Little League baseball, and football in junior high. Baseball, football, swimming, and physical fitness were important to Mr. Weston as he grew up, and the lessons he learned from them helped frame his outlook for the rest of his life.
Value of Experience
Mr. Weston mentioned that we often don’t realize how the things we experience and learn will come into play later in life. Recognizing how our experiences have affected us and how they will become useful later on is an important skill. For example, Mr. Weston mentioned that in his youth he enjoyed fishing as a hobby—but it became a helpful skill in pastoring to better relate to and spend meaningful time with members.
Experiences and Opportunities
We all have unique experiences and opportunities in life, and Mr. Weston encouraged the students to develop positive habits now that can become useful later in life. Take the opportunities life offers, and while rejection may come, don’t let it get you down. Learn from the experiences that you have and become a positive force for good in the world. Just like the LivingEd-Charlotte students’ parents have invested in their ability to come to Headquarters to study, God is investing in all of us through the opportunities He gives us. It’s important for us to make the most of those opportunities and prove a valuable investment to God.
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.
