Meet Ephraim Jevon Council! But everyone knows him as EJ. He is from Peachtree City and attended college at Berry College in Rome. While there, EJ fell in love with a ministry called YoungLife and decided that his time serving as a volunteer leader at Berry College was not the end of time with the ministry. With that being said, he went on full-time YoungLife staff in Macon where EJ was trained on how to run an area and bring lost and disinterested high school kids to the feet of Jesus. From there, EJ was placed in Jackson County and is now the area director of all YoungLife ministries in our community. He recently was married to the love of his life, Samantha (but everyone just calls her Sam).
“We love the Lord…We love high school kids…We love that we get to call Jackson County our home,” he said.
EJ has already had a big impact on young people in this area in the short time he has been here and we want to thank him for telling us more about his life and love of our community.
Question: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
Answer: “In my immediate family, I have a younger brother, sister, and mother whom I love very much. My newly started family is simply just myself and my wife Sam. We both attended Berry, and while I am on YoungLife staff in Jackson County, she is in grad school at UGA getting her masters in social work.”
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
A: “After my time in college, besides working at a coffee shop while fundraising for YoungLife staff, I went on staff in Macon at an entry level position called a staff associate which only lasts three years. That ended in May 2020, but during that time I got promoted into a long-term position called an area director here in Jackson County.”
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
A: “Some of my favorite places to eat in Jackson are Sugar & Spice Cafe downtown and then of course El Huasteco.”
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
A: “I have worked in the community for one year.”
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
A: “The most interesting person I have met in the community would have to be Randy Mahaffey. He is a man who truly does not know a stranger and has planted so many deep roots in this community that there are people that would give up so much for him. He truly is a role model.”
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
A: “In an instant I would go to New Zealand. Sam and I have dreamed of seeing some of the most authentic views of nature in the world and just a dramatic change of scenery being on the other side of the world.”
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
A: “My favorite movie of all time is ‘Goodwill Hunting.’ For a TV show I would have to say ‘Parks and Recreation.'”
Q: What advice would you give to people?
A: “In the midst of a dark world, ask the God of the universe to give you the eyes to see and the ears to hear what he is up to.”
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “I would love to go to the Sydney Opera House and see a live performance there.”
Q: What is your go to band when you cant decide what to listen to?
A: “It would have to be Earth, Wind, & Fire.”
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
A: “Young Life.”
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
A: “I would love to sit down and talk to Michael Jordan, and I would for sure take him to the Braselton Brewing Company.”
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
A: “My favorite thing about the community of Jackson County is the mix between rural and suburban aspects of the town.”
Q: Where do you see yourself in five to 10 years?
A: “I see myself being a part of a thriving and healthy ministry with high school and, hopefully by then, middle school kids here in Jackson County.”
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: “I adore all forms of household chores. Cooking, vacuuming, laundry, just to name a few.”
Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
A: “I went on a road trip to Maine with some friends in college. There was a morning where we went to the most eastern point of the US and saw the sunrise making us the first people in the country to see the sunrise that day.”
Q: Favorite month? favorite holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
A: “Favorite month is December, which goes hand in hand with my favorite holiday being Christmas. The best single day on a calendar is February 29th only because it comes once every four years.”
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
“My mothers spaghetti recipe.”
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
“My grandfather, aka, Poppop.”
Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
“My favorite smell is the scent of real Christmas trees.”
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
“Love, abundance, and peace.”
