Dave Steward
David Steward

WWT Family and Friends,

I pray this note finds everyone healthy and safe during these unprecedented times. 

We are all facing professional and personal challenges we could never have imagined. Be assured, times of crisis do not determine who we are, but rather reveal our true character! "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven," Matthew 5:16. Now more than ever it is important to shine a light on the positive things still happening in our world.

I firmly believe and have personally experienced the power of prayer. Prayer has the ability to spark change! "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

I am pleased to tell you we are instituting weekly prayer meetings led by Rick Pina and Craig Corbin, the first of which will take place this Wednesday, March 25, at 12:15 p.m. (Central Time). This first call will be with our leadership group, but the goal is to make the call available for everyone to participate in the future. If you have a specific prayer request, please send it to prayer@wwt.com. It will be an honor and privilege to lift our WWT family and friends in prayer.

As we honor social distancing, many of us have seen our normal church gatherings become virtual or be canceled. A great opportunity to stay connected is by starting a virtual Bible study through Biblical Business Training (BBT). There are already several BBT Bible study groups within WWT. To learn more about BBT, the ease of starting and facilitating a Bible study, or how to apply your faith at work, click here.

The most trying of times can bring out the best in people. This pandemic provides an extraordinary opportunity to minister to others. A few examples of how our WWT family is reaching out to serve others include:

  • One of WWT's customers changed specifications on laptops they had ordered. Because of this, we were able to donate an inventory of brand-new laptops to the Jennings School District here in the St. Louis area. This enabled more than 40 under-served students to have online access to continue their studies while the school district is shut down.
  • Like so many other events around the world, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis was forced to cancel their annual fundraising gala. Our floral partner, Festive Couture, fashioned all of the flowers secured for this event into beautiful arrangements and donated these to local nursing homes, bringing smiles to many residents who are isolated from family and friends.
  • Through a partnership with WWT, Kingdom Capital and Washington University, we are working to provide assistance to the United States government in their fight to discover a treatment and preventive therapies through the use of PercayAI technology, which is reimagining the drug discovery process through augmented artificial intelligence.

I am certain there are many more examples of how we are serving our communities during this crisis. I would love to hear about such efforts, about your Bible study groups, and how God is answering your prayers so that we can share these uplifting messages with everyone. Please send your stories to Michele Stallmann (michele.stallmann@wwt.com).

WWT has also had a profound impact on our customers, from public safety organizations and local governments to higher education institutions and large healthcare providers. The last several weeks have brought about an incredible amount of uncertainty that reaches every corner of the economy. And WWT has stepped up and helped our customers in some of their most challenging times in decades, as detailed in this article by our CTO, Mike Taylor.

This pandemic has brought so much uncertainty to our lives, which can cause fear to creep into our hearts and minds. "God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind," 2 Timothy 1:17. Turning to the book of Psalms can provide us direction and comfort. My personal favorite is Psalm 91: "The Lord is my refuge and my fortress!" I believe you may receive encouragement by turning to Psalms 23, 31, 61, among others. I pray you will find peace in your favorite scripture passages.

I plan to continue to share messages like these — of faith, hope and encouragement — to uplift your mind and nourish your soul. WWT has been built on a foundation of faith and strong core values. I am confident that leaning into our faith and adhering to our core values will see us emerge from this crisis stronger than ever. Let us run this race with endurance!

In closing, I want to reiterate that our employees' safety is our No. 1 priority. The work WWT employees are putting in during this time is truly inspiring and is something I will never forget. I am so grateful for your support and dedication. Thank you!

This special prayer is being offered as an intercession for everyone. All of you and your precious families remain in my prayers! 

God bless,

Dave