Bloggers, Googlers, and others- welcome. IT'S BLOG TIME!!

Here's a good one, just for you guys. Time to outline my BOA- my Board of Advisers.

"Nathan, what's a Board of Advisers?"

I'm so happy you asked.

No matter how efficient the leader, how well learned, how much preparation has been put in, no man can be his own council. Every leader needs a board, a council, of men and women who can reflect on, encourage, criticize, and shed new light on his or her ideas. As iron sharpens iron, so a leader's cabinet should refine his ideas and purpose.

Deep, right?

I want to tell you about five people that would make up my Board of Advisers. It's not because solely because these five are the greatest impacts on my life, though arguably, the first three definitely hold prevalent places- and more importantly their counsel contrasts in such a way that is gives a full, well round feed back as a whole. The first three I outline will be those who are close in my life now, and the last are two that I hope to have in my life in the near to semi-near future for more professional council.

Ryan Goodwin (encourager)-- Ryan Goodwin, my big, is a man I've mentioned multiple times in my blog. And oh yes- he is a man. Whenever I have an idea, whether it's pertaining to Rush and Recruitment, what I'm planning for my major, or just some random small life choice, he is the man who affirms my confidence and pushes me to PUSH it farther. I come to this man with a molehill and a dream, and after thirty minutes we have ourselves a mountain of an idea.

Jessie Robertson (Yes, but...)-- Jessie Robertson, my sister and one of the ladies in my life that has had the most impact on me and who I love like, well, a sister, is one a few people that can reign me in properly. Like Ryan, she affirms and pushes me when I come to her with ideas. However, as she knows me much deeper and can read the nuances of my personality better than anyone else she can call me out and say "Yes this is a good idea, but I think your pouring your time into something that you don't really love." (not an actual quote, but it's an example of something that she could say in love sheerly because she knows me best.) It's also very easy to share my heart on issues with her, and therein allowing her to see my heart and where it is in situations and if my heart is in the right place, which is a BIG deal.

Landon (The man in the trenches with me)-- Landon Ferguson, a freshman at OU who is equally if not moreso passionate about this University than I am, is a man who's council I value simply because we are currently in the same place, roughly speaking, in our campus journey- almost done with freshman year, big dreams, and more than anything else I believe Landon seeks God's will when it comes to his campus involvement, which is something big to me as I believe God SHOULD have a hand in that. Our points of view our similar, but that is important with a council- you need someone who knows where you're at in life because HE'S there as well- you need a comrade in the trenches. Landon thinks before he speaks, and I have not heard him speak intentionally before and not been impressed by the wisdom in his words.

Bob Pritchard (Older is Wiser!) This is a man I just met actually, but I have aspirations for him to be this man for me someday- the man that can pour into me as only a seasoned professional in my field can do. This would be a relationship where he would talk and I would simply listen and soak. Bob Pritchard is a Public Relations professor at the University of Oklahoma, with a hand in PRSSA and Lindsey + Asp, with twenty plus years of experience with Public Affairs with the government- and I'm going to his office hours tomorrow for the first time actually. I intend to build a relationship with this man long before it becomes "necessary" or "strategic". I believe firmly that, in regards to my relations with Christ and my ability to lead and to accumulate to the professional world, my cup will only stay full if someone is pouring into myself.

 Renzi Stone (The golden goose) I call this one the golden goose because this connection, if it ever happens, is a ways down the long line. Renzi Stone is an alum of OU, and CEO of Saxuum's Public Relations- he was ranked one of the top 40 businessmen in Oklahoma City under 40, and his career is still ballooning towards a bright future. The difference between Mr. Stone and Professor Pritchard is that while Pritchard can give me invaluable advice of how to invest my time in college for a career, Mr. Stone can actually paint me a picture of what a career in Public Relations could be like, as Public Relations firm is about as hectic as the business gets for strategic communicators. While Mr. Stone is not someone penciled in for the near future, I have hope (and some confirmation) that one day, I might be able to sit down opposite of Mr. Stone over a Bricktown Dinner, and student to professional, talk business.

HOPE YOUR MIND JUST GOT BLOWN! KBYE!