Unexpected Blessing & More
- Virginia Roth
- 11 minutes ago
- 4 min read
A story of trust, curiosity, and faithfulness
By Virginia Roth
We cannot be certain about where life will take us. We can imagine the future and make plans. But in the end, only God determines what will come to pass. As a result, we might be surprised by what He can do with our life. Walking in step beside God is an opportunity to trust that He will determine our paths, which is exactly what Noah Despinasse did when he accepted the offer to join the Briarwood Fellows Program in 2014.
Noah is currently doing a pastoral residency at Columbia Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina. Along with his wife, Rachel, and their two children, he hopes to plant a church in Columbia—something he never thought he would do. His experience in a TFI Fellows Program set him on a path that he could not have anticipated.
After graduating from college with a degree in Sports Medicine, Noah lined up a job in his field with a primary goal of making money. However, when those post-college plans fell through, he was deflated and needed to pivot in a new direction. Seth Richardson, who was serving as the Briarwood Fellows Director at that time, approached Noah and suggested he apply to the program. Intrigued by a program that fostered spiritual growth and leadership development, Noah took a leap of faith. He applied and joined. His decision to become a Briarwood Fellow and to trust God’s path for him has blessed Noah with opportunities and relationships he never could have predicted.
Noah’s mentor during his year as a Briarwood Fellow was Jason Williams, a staff member at Urban Hope Community Church (UHCC). Jason introduced Noah to the church's outreach ministry, Urban Hope Development, which ultimately reshaped his vision for ministry. Urban Hope Development, a non-profit organization that provides a holistic approach to students and their families by addressing emergency needs, education loss, and economic development, grew near to Noah’s heart during his Fellows experience.
Serving at Urban Hope Development ignited Noah’s passion for community outreach and development. He came to realize that the students and families he was building relationships with needed not only resources and friendships, but also the Gospel. He was increasingly compelled to bring it to them himself. Noah remarked, “I knew in college that I had been running from what the Lord had for me in ministry, but during Fellows it became clear that I couldn’t run anymore. So I let the Lord take over.”
A few years after completing his Fellows program, while he was working in ministry at Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Noah had an opportunity to give back to the young adult community by working alongside Pastor Alton Hardy at UHCC. In collaboration with Pastor Alton, Noah launched Urban Hope Leadership Initiative (UHLI). This program, which is now part of the TFI network of Fellows programs, exists to develop Christian black men in areas of leadership, discipleship, vocation and mission who come from communities that often experience fatherless upbringings.
Influenced by his own Fellows experience, Noah helped Pastor Alton craft UHLI into a robust program that invests in and challenges young black men to cultivate skills that will impact the rest of their lives and t
he community around them. As a Briarwood Fellow, Noah experienced the richness of his local church community where he safely wrestled with ideas about identity, vocational calling, and relationships. He wanted to infuse this same richness into the foundations of UHLI.
The seeds planted during his time as a Briarwood Fellow took root in Noah, profoundly altering the course of his life. He notes that true glorification of God in work, regardless of one’s chosen career field, comes from “a stewardship that acknowledges that we are not called to perfection but rather to focus our work diligently on the flourishing of God’s kingdom.” His faithfulness during his Fellows experience has brought him peace, stability, and contentment. We might not be able to fully anticipate the plans God has
for us, but we can rest in the truth that God’s plan is always greater than our own.
Virginia Roth
TFI Communications and Research Associate
Join a TFI Fellows Program!
If you are a college senior, recent graduate, or knows someone that is, please apply to be a fellow! You can apply to three programs at once with no application fee using our common application.
Being a fellow is an amazing way to launch your career after college! As a fellow you will have a paid job in your field of interest, take seminary courses, and you will have many opportunities to use your gifts serving in the church and city. You will also have a personal mentor.
We are now accepting applications all across the TFI network. Some programs are beginning to fill up, so apply as soon as you can! Click here to apply today.
Not sure which program to join? You can learn more about all of the TFI Fellows programs by clicking here.
You can also learn more by joining an upcoming informational webinar.
Help Advance TFI's Mission
TFI and the the Fellows Movement has been spreading across the United States for 19 years. There are now 32 TFI Fellows programs and more than 3,000 alumni!
Please consider partnering with TFI financially to help young Christian leaders find their place in the church, workplace, and society and to work toward the flourishing of the world.
With your financial partnership, together we can:
Expand the TFI network to more churches in more cities. Even though we are growing, there are still many areas of the country that do not currently have a TFI Fellows program.
Expand our reach to more young leaders graduating from more colleges and universities. There is room in our network for more young leaders to come and grow in Christ. Your support will help us fill every Fellows class across the country!
If you have been blessed by a TFI Fellows program or simply want to see this Kingdom ministry expand, please consider making a recurring donation or one-time gift to TFI. CLICK HERE to donate online.
To give by check, please mail it to our NEW ADDRESS:
The Fellows Initiative
8227 Old Courthouse Road, Suite 320
Vienna, Virginia 22182
Thank you!
TFI is a donor supported 501c3 nonprofit registered in Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Comments