With Gratitude, Matt

Kathy and her husband Dave Leurck are the proud parents of 3 children, Andrew, Audrey, and Alexandra. As parents, we of course all hope that our children are born and develop perfectly. But sometimes God has other plans and our dreams change. In Drew’s early years, it was discovered he had special needs and his family did everything they could to understand his condition and “fix it”. However, as time passed and his growth and abilities were better understood, the family came to accept who Drew is and how God made him. This led to his family celebrating everything Drew was teaching them, from how to love more, to having more compassion and patience, and to just appreciating the small and simple things in life. At the age of 7, Drew began drawing rainbows everyday for him mom (he has now drawn over 8000!). This gave Kathy the idea to make a small card that included a picture of one of the rainbows, a snapshot of Drew, and a message that “you’re special.” Since printing the original batch, Drew has handed out over 18,000 cards and made so many others smile. The experiences that came from handing out the cards inspired Kathy to write a book, titled, You're Special: Daily Reflections from God's Children with Exceptionalities, released on December 11, 2022. It is a daily devotional that features Drew and many others with exceptionalities. You can also see some of Drew’s artwork via their foundation, Drew’s Rainbows, where they are helping other artists make a living as thriving artists. Enjoy this uplifting conversation with Matt and Kathy as she shares more about their journey and her realization that we all are quite perfect just as we are. The book is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble where you will have the opportunity to embrace 365 days of reflections and embrace Drew's purposeful words: "You're Special." You can also view the video of this interview here - https://youtu.be/gdVcdvGINso

An unexpected illness has many effects, physically and mentally, on a patient and on loved ones who surround that patient. When kidney cancer came around for a 2nd fight in 2018 with Matt, he went searching for ways to cope. One of the most common attributes he found with those who were successfully fighting a disease or some type of adversity in their life, was gratitude. The gratitude stories inspired Matt to begin his own gratitude practice and to learn more about caring for what Dr. Roy Vongtama’s calls the four houses of health – the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual houses. Feeding, balancing and connecting these 4 houses has made a significant difference in Matt’s recovery journey, but as you might expect, there is more work to do. March is once again Kidney Cancer Awareness Month, bringing attention to the 68,000 new kidney cancer cases and 14,000 deaths that will hit in the United States alone this year, making it the 6th most common cancer among men. Listen in as Matt reviews his journey and the many lessons he has learned from the support that has surrounded him (you can also watch on YouTube here). His uplifting message about finding positivity and awesomeness in every day is inspiring and drives his mission to help others fighting kidney cancer. To get behind Matt and the charge he is leading to bring more attention and funding to kidney cancer research, please visit Matt’s Kidney Cancer Fundraising page below. On behalf of Matt’s family and all those battling, many thanks for your support and generosity. Support Kidney Cancer page.

After graduation from college, Susan Fulton was searching, as many of us do, for purpose and a path to follow. While her faith had always been part of her life and been a foundation, it did not necessarily provide a light. She was a perfectionist in which fulfillment came more from order and control. But shortly into her marriage to Rich, she turned over control to God and allowed her faith to become more than just a spoke in the wheel, but rather the steering wheel. With this change, came more joy and purpose, but the challenges were just beginning. Susan and Rich endured a laborious time while starting their family of finding how their faith would lead them as a couple and how their career fit into the puzzle. New England Urban Church Planting landed in the Fulton path and has provided those answers and been a workplace for both Susan and Rich. Since joining, Susan has been able to shepherd many in the church as the Director of Coaching and Care and outside the church with own coaching business, Susan Fulton Life Coaching. Her patience, strength, ability to listen and incredibly kind and generous nature invite the Holy Spirit into many conversations while working to assist women going through major life challenges and transitions. Matt and Susan also talk through how gratitude can help our journey as we step through challenges such as being a caregiver for aging parents. Susan, and her 6 brothers and sisters, all work together to support and care compassionately for their mother and father as they battle dementia and various ailments. It is not something that can be done alone and Susan’s suggestions will help anyone looking for more answers on how to navigate the role of caregiver. Enjoy Susan’s story and contact her through her website if you are interested in her life coaching services. For the video version of the interview, click here.

In 2011, Dr. Tom Jenike was a family practice physician in Charlotte raising his son and daughter. From the outside, you could see layers of success and achievement. But on the inside was a different picture. In the balancing of a grueling schedule, a commitment to patients and the demands of family, something wasn’t right and Tom realized he had found some blind spots that needed to be addressed. He began working with executive coach, Nicholas Beaman, and over the course of a year found a name for what he was feeling - burnout. With this awareness, he dove in and began a personal growth journey that brought major life changes, deeper personal relationships, and a sense of renewal that inspired him to share this growth with others. His courage to share led his hospital system to create a pilot program and the opportunity for Dr. Jenike to transition to the Chief Well Being Officer for Novant Health. In this role, Dr. Jenike supports the resiliency, wellness and leadership of Novant’s 37,000 team members allowing other doctors, nurses, and staff the chance to address their own blind spots and find a healthier balance through this life-changing work. The impact has been beyond what anyone dreamed and is revitalizing careers, igniting personal relationships, and providing long-term tools to prevent burnout. Listen in or view on YouTube this candid and very personal story that Dr. Jenike shares with Matt. To learn more about this transformative work that Dr. Jenike and the Novant team are doing to build their culture, go the the Novant website or you may contact the department directly at [email protected].

Most any high school basketball player in the 1970s dreamed of the opportunity to play for Coach John Wooden, one of the most respected and successful coaches of all time. Andy Hill earned that chance on a UCLA team that won 3 straight National Championships from 1970-72 (part of a string of 7) along with such legends as Bill Walton, Henry Bibby and Jamaal Wilkes. The only issue for Andy was that he spent much of those 3 years as a reserve on the bench. After graduating, Andy carried some unresolved feelings about his time on the team. 25 years passed before Andy decided to call Coach Wooden and connect over the phone. During that time prior to his phone call, Andy’s career was skyrocketing, with such roles as the President of CBS Productions and Channel One News. But there is nothing quite like the bond with a former coach. Immediately, the unresolved for Andy was resolved and a new friendship was established. As they spent more time together, Coach Wooden’s influence became more evident (past and present). They went on to write a book together, Be Quick—But Don't Hurry: Finding Success in the Teachings of a Lifetime. Tune into this follow-up conversation from February 2021 to learn more about Andy’s journey, his friendships, and his life lessons from basketball and TV. You can listen here or view the interview here.