As humans, we typically overestimate what we can accomplish in short periods of time, but underestimate what we can do in long periods of time.

If we’re honest, many of the tasks on your task list for this week will still be on your list next week.

But two years from now, you could be a completely different person.

I don’t know what Lucy Grecu thought she might accomplish in the next two years when she arrived in Cambridge, Ohio to begin her apprenticeship with me in the fall of 2024.

But I can tell you that by the end of her two-year apprenticeship she did things she wouldn’t have believed were possible. I can tell you that she became a different person.

On Saturday, August 22, 2026, we celebrated Lucy’s official graduation from The Company’s full-time writing apprenticeship.

Lucy Grecu joined us all the way from Los Angelos, California. She was homeschooled through high school, and applied to the apprenticeship a couple of years after graduation.

While Lucy was an apprentice she wrote two novel manuscripts, a novella manuscript, and dozens of short stories.

Lucy served as the managing editor of our apprentice-run literary magazine, The Pearl. As the editor, she breathed fresh life and new vision into the magazine. You can also find a number of her short stories published there.

Apprentices at The Company also learn and practice how books are produced in a professional publishing environment. Lucy gained experience in copy editing, developmental editing, and book interior design. She worked on real books that are now live and affecting readers in the marketplace, like Call It Consequences and The Master of Robeson County.

Upon graduation, Lucy was officially granted certification as a Developmental Editor of Narrative Novels, and provisional certification as a Book Interior Designer.

All of her experience culminated in a master project, which she chose and developed. Lucy curated, edited, and designed The Abalone, releasing this high art literary magazine on August 5. Supplies are limited, but we have a few copies left and you can grab yours here. The Abalone combined many of the skills Lucy cultivated as an apprentice into one beautiful magazine that honors God.

And of course, it wasn’t all work. Lucy rode snowmobiles. She visited cool places like a working llama farm and rough trucks (if you know, you know). She met other authors and tons of cool people with us at Realm Makers and Alive Music Festival. And that’s just to name a few.

Even most of the work felt more like fun. If you don’t believe me, check out our audio dramas, which are as fun to listen to as they were to write and record.

And we couldn’t even begin to mention the fun we had with book releases, retreats, Christmas parties, and murder mysteries.

While her apprenticeship has come to a conclusion, I think we can expect to see lots of amazing stuff from Lucy. Will you take one minute and subscribe to her newsletter here: lucygrecu.com/subscribe/

She wrote, we had a good time, but the most important thing that our apprentices do is grow in their relationship with Jesus. This is how they change the most, and Lucy is no exception. If I told them on day one all of the things they’d be able to do when they graduated, I think they’d walk out.

Lucy graduates not just a little more passionate about her faith or with a little more Bible knowledge. She graduates ready to be a leader in the Kingdom, and a minister to the people and real life situations around her.

She has gained a lot of knowledge about the Bible. But she’s also developed a relationship with the Holy Spirit, ready to hear and obey His active, living Word in her life.

And that’s what it’s all about.

Lucy has been such a cool apprentice. She’s just a fun person, and she’s seen more 90s and early 2000s TV than I have. It’s bittersweet to see her graduate, but I can’t wait to see what comes next.

I know that God has amazing things in store for her. I love how she’s committed her life to Jesus and allowed Him to do all of the hard work.

And I think we’ll get to continue to work together for a long time, even as she steps into a new season of greater independence.

Congratulations, Lucy. From the bottom of our hearts. Melissa and I are so proud of who you are and honored to call you a graduate of The Company.

May the Lord bless you and keep you; may He make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; may the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)

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Ready to make crazy progress on your writing career like Lucy has?
Learn more about our full-time, two-year writing apprenticeship here.

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