WJI Blog 2023 On Huddles, Arrows, and Freedom

What’s a news huddle? Looking at the schedule-- that was my first question. At WJI, a “news huddle”

refers to our last session of the day where we break into smaller groups of 4 or 5. It’s a place for tired

teammates to relive the highs and lows of the day-- a time for prayer and encouragement. Afterwards, we

finish with one final editing session with a WORLD journalist.

The professionals at WORLD can be very direct in their praise-- and criticism— of our work. Yes, we

came here for this—but it sounded like a much better idea a few months out and a few states away. This

is why I can’t get Ben’s words out of my head. “Hold your work away from your heart,” he told us one

morning. Ben is a WORLD videographer-- quiet, unassuming-- confident. Being a recent WJI grad

himself, he understands what it’s like. His solution was simple. “Hold it to the side,” he said, motioning

to his right. In this posture, he explained, we’d be safe from the arrows of criticism.

Our news huddles orient us back towards the Almighty and remind us of the best news of all. We, the

Redeemed, are free. Free from, “What if they don’t like it?”—free from, “What will they think of me?”

God’s immeasurable love doesn’t grow on the day of our greatest achievement or diminish on the day of

our greatest failure. He’s outside of time, He knew what he was getting into, and his invitation is explicit-

- “Abide in my love.” It’s all there in John 15. So, together, let’s rest in God love—an ideal place to

pursue excellence.

-Caleb Welde