Bugged

Sometimes at college, you get sick. That’s pretty normal when suddenly you transition from a little household of five to a building of 250 residents, each of whom have much different standards of hygiene than you. Last year I recall my horror as I spoke to a resident who didn’t see the necessity of changing his bedsheets more than once per year. And he is a morning shower-er.

Meh, I’ve gotten over the shock of it by now.

But you should know that even when you and your roommate, suite mates, and housemates are incredibly clean and orderly, you still get sick sometimes. It happens.

Such was my week.

My Monday this week began a little brighter than most Monday’s do. I dressed all fancy, got my assignments ready, and took off for class, all bright-eyed and eager.

It wasn’t until I was actually sitting in class that I thought to myself, “Well, drat. I think I am about to toss my cookies all over this poor class.”

Luckily for me, I didn’t. Well, not quite.

But I did leave the classroom in my frenzied state to begin my trek to the bathroom–which feels like quite a long, long journey when you are only moments from publicly humiliating yourself by throwing up all over the place.

Thanks to a skip-hop-run of my own unique design, I successfully made it to the bathroom and avoided the social suicide that accompanies puking in the LRC hallway.

I decided to call it quits for the rest of the day, but the stomach bug decided not to call it quits with me. It was truly wretched.

The rest of the day followed as most stomach-bug-days do. I will spare you the details.

For those of you who have had a stomach bug before, you are familiar with the “I want to never feel anything ever again” attitude which is normally adopted while in the fetal position. Been there.

Yes, Monday would have been truly miserable, if it were not for my housemates and friends who fearlessly took care of me, providing me with everything I could possibly need, including their joyful company.

They took care of me all day, and they proceeded to take care of me all week.

So, as wretched as my week has been (or perhaps “wretching” is a better word), I am thankful.

And where there is opportunity to be thankful, there is possibility for joy.

Welcome Home

This morning, on my way across campus, I passed by an older couple, both of whom were wearing name tags. When I smiled at them, the woman laughed and said, “We must look new!”

Of course! This is homecoming weekend! “New” faces on campus aren’t new, at all. This was their home long before it was mine.

Homecoming is a cherished event at JBU as hundreds of past students return these many years later to grace the halls of the university, once again. The entire campus buzzes with anticipation for people of the past to return and share their stories and memories of this home with those of us who share it now.

Coming back must be an interesting thing. After all, the JBU culture isn’t static; it’s ever changing and shifting as new students arrive and older students leave. We are growing; we are moving forward.

But perhaps one of the things that is so special about JBU Homecoming is that it’s a marked opportunity to look back, as well. JBU has been in existence for almost one hundred years; the amount of history and culture accumulated within that time frame is surely overwhelming.

It’s simply waiting to be learned, savored and understood.

How foolish it would be to move forward with this university without first reflecting on its past! What rich pool of historical insight and Biblical wisdom stands to be discovered if we simply take time to listen to voices of past students who lived here years before us?

For, this was their home years ago, just as it is my home today.

Past students of JBU, you are welcomed and loved on this campus. We are eager to hear your stories and tales if you are willing to share them with us.

Welcome back home.

With Nothing

Sleep is a funny thing. Sometimes you dream with a hazy awareness of the fact that your dream is not true—is not reality. You know that you are asleep.

In contrast, sometimes when you sleep, you fall so deeply into slumber that your dreams seem real. The distinction between fact and fiction begins to grow unclear. You are unaware that you are asleep.

The latter best describes the state of my heart on Tuesday morning as I sat in chapel at John Brown University, waiting for the service to begin.

The chapel buzzed with conversation, laughter, and bustle as students hurried to find a seat. The dark wooden pews creaked as they sat and situated themselves for the next 45 minutes. The chapel wasn’t humming with expectation by any means; this was a normal Tuesday—a normal day of stress—a normal day for us to listen in chapel, stand and move on to the next section of our busy day.

The service began with worship as usual, but after only a few minutes, it became clear that this worship service was not normal. The band took to the stage, beginning their set with a familiar song, but the song didn’t seem to go smoothly. With little time to rehearse the night before, the band seemed over-stressed and under-prepared.

They began the second song–“With Everything” by Hillsong United, and I began to notice tears brimming from the eyes of one of the band leaders. Things were not going well.

But as the music rose, the chapel band leader raised her head, her tears shining, and sung clearly and boldly to the Lord.

With Everything

With Everything

We will shout for your glory

With everything

With everything

We will shout for your praise

What a humbling moment–to be able to lift your face to the Lord and sing that with everything, you will praise Him.

Perhaps this moment is why I resonated so strongly with the worship that morning. It wasn’t perfect. In fact, it was distinctly and obviously imperfect. But isn’t that the very thing that the Lord requires? Yes, that, my dear friends, is the story of the gospel.

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost,” says Titus 3:5.

So why shouldn’t we raise our tears and imperfections to the Lord and say, “With everything, I will praise the Lord”?

With all my failure, I will praise the Lord.

With all my insecurities, I will praise the Lord.

With all my tears and sorrow and confusion, I will praise the Lord.

With all my nothing, I will praise the Lord.”

That is the very redemption story of the gospel. We serve a God that demands our nothing.

He asks us to bring Him our open, empty hands, dirtied by the very sins that riveted His Son’s hands to our cross.

What a God; He takes our nothing and gives us everything. 

My Lord, with everything–with all my nothing–I will shout for your glory. I come to you with everything I have–my dirty hands–my pathetic samplings of sin and death.  Please, Jesus. Please clean these bloody hands that put you to death.

As perfect or imperfect as it can be, chapel the heartbeat of the daily ongoings of this university. Worshiping together pumps life into the rest of our day.

In Dr. Pollard’s book, May It Always Be True, he says, “Worship is where we begin our work, in the recognition that all knowledge comes from God who has created this world.”

Worship truly is the beginning of what we do here at JBU. It precedes our relationships, our jobs, our studies, our extracurriculars.

And by nature, when we worship with everything–with our nothing–we are humbled in the presence of who He is and who we are not.

Who’s the Hero?

This week, the Senior Consumer Electronics Buyer at Sam’s Club, Angelo Welihindha, visited JBU to be a guest speaker in my Principles of Marketing class.

He was an excellent guest speaker, and he spoke about a number of vital marketing techniques and strategies. But there was one thing that he mentioned that intrigued me so completely, I thought I would share it with you.

Welihindha brought the Google product “Chromecast” with him, and he told us to take note of how the product is packaged.

Before I proceed, please note that I know absolutely nothing about this product. I don’t know if it works, and I don’t know how it works. Please know that this is not some thinly veiled sales pitch for Google Chromecast.

I merely want you to notice how the product is packaged.

Pretty simple right? Now, here’s the important part: When you open up the package, what do you see?

The product. You see the product. Easily accessible. Easily visible. Front-and-center.

Welihindha said it this way: “The product is the hero. When you open the package, the first thing you see is the product rather than the warranties or instruction manual. The product is centered, visible, and easily accessible. The product is the hero.”

For some reason, this idea was so intriguing to me. I couldn’t seem to get the words out of my mind.

The product is the hero.

So there’s a little marketing tip in case you are in the business of packaging products. You’re welcome.

But. . . 

. . . if you are not in the packaging industry, I want to provide you with another application that I have been thinking of quite frequently since Welihindha spoke to my Principles of Marketing class.

The concept of making the product hero also reminds me a little bit of 2 Cor. 4:7 which says, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”

You see, when Mr. Welihindha explained the importance of making the product the hero, it became abundantly clear to me that the vessel (or packaging) is not nearly as important as the content within it, just as is stated in 2 Cor. 4:7.

Welihindha said that the product is the hero in good packaging if the product is made visible, easily accessible, and front-and-center. The packaging must fully showcase the product and point to the product as the most important part of the item.

So, if applied, I’m led to ask myself, “Who or what is the hero in my life?” If I am merely a vessel (or “the packaging” so-to-speak), how valuable is my life’s content?

To what does my life point?

What is most visible in my life?

What is most accessible in my life?

What is at the center of my life?

Who is the hero of my life?

It’s my prayer that Christ is unquestionably the hero of my life, but I think it is important to ask myself what others see. Is Christ the most easily accessible and visible being within me?

Or when others look within my life, do they see an instruction manual filled with rules and warranties? Do they see more packaging—more of me?

Don’t you hate when you buy something new and can’t seem to get it open? Did you know that there is an actual term for the frustration of not being able to get the product out of a package? It’s called wrap rage.

Surely it would be so frustrating for a package to boast about a life-saving product held within it, and then contain only layers and layers of more packing inside it rather than the product. Talk about wrap rage!

It is my fervent hope that JBU elevates Christ as the hero of this university—of our lives—above ourselves, above our relationships, and even above the rules. But it’s not simply a hope, it’s a fervent prayer as well.

Life is not about following our hearts, following the rules, or following our own ambition.

Life is about following the Leader.

I pray that we understand that well as we move forward in community with each other and in service to the world. I pray that our lives point to that Leader implicitly.

JBU, I plead with you to join me by asking yourself. . .

. . . “Who is the hero in your life?”

Five Things You May Not Know About JBU

JBU isn’t perfect.

I have posted almost exclusively great things about JBU on this blog thus far, but my readers should probably attribute this to my blind optimism rather than the notion that JBU is the world’s first perfect university.

JBU is awesome, but it’s not perfect. So, readers, I hope I effectively shatter my perfect little portrait of this university by letting you in on a few JBU secrets.

I’ve compiled a list of five things that you may not know about this university. Ready? Here you go:

1. Most of the student body wears super-thick headbands, flannel shirts, and Chacos.

That’s just the way it is. Go flannel or go home. 

2. The caf food is actually really good . . . except for the times when it is not.

Please don’t misunderstand me. The cafeteria food is really great most of the time. I love Warm Cookie Wednesdays, and I love chicken-fried steak days, too. But here’s the thing: every once in a while, on very rare occasions, you would be better off by eating that old cardboard box that’s been sitting in your dorm room for the past month than venturing into the caf. (Okay, I’m exaggerating a little, but you get what I mean).

3. Almost everyone carries a CamelBak water bottle.

At least we know that the student body is very well hydrated.

4. The Wi-Fi at JBU is sometimes unpredictable.

One moment you may be zooming at lightning speed online, and the next moment, you may have to reload the page twenty times to be able to fully view it. In fact, I have been told that the Wi-Fi is more predictable in most Latin American countries than it is at JBU. I’d believe it.

5. If it weren’t for the many scholarships that I received, I probably would have had to sell my right leg to be able to afford the tuition at  JBU.

I am very blessed to have received so many scholarships, particularly because I am in great need of my right leg.

So no, JBU isn’t perfect by any means.

But it’s important to note that JBU is an imperfect university because it is comprised of imperfect people, of course. There is no such thing as a perfect university, and I would contest any claims otherwise.

So allow me to further address some of the complaints I mentioned above:

1. People have their own flannel-and-Chaco-wearing style here. That’s not an imperfection, that’s a quirky characteristic of Northwest Arkansas and this university.

2. The cafeteria food can be sketchy every once in a very long while, but the cafeteria staff works very hard to prepare a number of actually really great meal options for us every day. I can count on one hand how many times I have disliked the cafeteria food since last fall.

3. People carry Camelbak water bottles. It’s not a big deal, but it’s kind of funny. I just thought I would let you know in case you are considering attending JBU and have some strong aversion to water and hydration.

4. The Wi-Fi is occasionally weak, but student government representatives are constantly working with the university to create improvements. In fact, over winter break, the Student Government Association (SGA) was able to implement a new internet system to help the Wi-Fi operate more smoothly.

5. The tuition is expensive, but it was the university that provided me with enough scholarship money to be able to attend. No other university to which I applied offered me more scholarship money, and I am convinced that no other university could have offered me an education more tailored to fit me, more academically challenging, and more Christ-centered. I got quite a bang for my buck if you ask me. And just for your information, JBU provides 91% of its students with financial aid. So there’s that.

Readers, if you are considering coming here, you should be well aware of the fact that JBU does have quirks. It’s certainly not perfect.

But, if you are considering coming here, allow me to further assure you there is no other university I would rather attend.  JBU has grabbed hold of my heart, and I imagine I will remain captive to the quirky charms of this university for the rest of my life.

JBU’s Got the Chicks

Last fall, I adopted the rather unfortunate mindset that, although ministry mattered, I was just too busy to be able to consistently commit to a ministry during the semester. I have recently realized that my priorities were woefully misplaced. Yes, I was busy. Life at JBU is always busy! But ministry is a must. 

When I reflect on the last semester, the truth is that I knew the importance of service and ministry in my life, but I didn’t respond with any corresponding action. In other words, I didn’t really serve anyone but myself.

I’m afraid that this is the mindset of many busy college students. The thought of adding just one more commitment to an already overflowing schedule is almost painful. Believe me, I understand.

But I would like to introduce you to some friends of mine who might cause you to reconsider your lack of ministry commitment.

Betsy, Maggie, Annie, and Mallory are four JBU freshman who had the initiative and passion to begin a campaign called 4 Chicks For Chicks in an effort to raise $25,000 for the organization known as ForgottenSong.

Never heard of ForgottenSong? (No worries, I hadn’t heard of it, either. . .)

ForgottenSong is an organization intent on creating self-sustainable, reproducible, and native-led economic solutions in some of the most poverty-stricken and devastated areas in the world. 4 Chicks For Chicks has partnered with ForgottenSong to help fund the establishment of chicken farms that will serve as a source of income and food for orphanages in Uganda. It requires $10,000 to build and establish a self-sustainable chicken farm in Uganda. Thus, in raising $25,000, 4 Chicks For Chicks will be funding the establishment of two new chicken farms, and completing the initial funds for one chicken farm.

I wish I could say that the character of these young women typify all students at JBU. Although this is true in many cases, I must say that these “Chicks” put me to shame.

These young women have tirelessly given of themselves to help further their cause. They began this campaign because they felt called to create a change regardless of their young age and regardless of any inconvenience it may cause them in this busy season of their lives.

And let me make it clear that their passion isn’t simply a result of how awesome they are. Their passion comes from a deeply-rooted love for the Lord and a desire to serve Him by serving His people. Now, that’s pretty awesome.

If you think I am exaggerating, let me assure you that I have personally seen the efforts that these women have poured into their ministry. They have run a half-marathon, sold t-shirts, sold gala tickets, sent support letters, and, perhaps most courageously, they have hosted a 5K in Siloam Springs in an effort to raise funds to care for and minister to the people of Uganda.

I’m not kidding. These four freshmen girls are entirely authentic, and entirely inspirational.

(From left to right) Betsy, Mallory, Maggie, and Annie.

For the past number of months, Betsy, Annie, Mallory and Annie have worked ceaseless to prepare for their 5K event, Night Flight, which finally arrived this past Saturday.

I was there to witness the long nights of preparation that these girls went through before the race: the endless phone calls to local businesses requesting sponsorship, the emails sent to fellow students requesting participation or volunteer work, and, of course, the promotion and campaigning.

But they did it. They finished the race, and 100% of the proceeds went directly to funding the chicken farms.

I could not be more proud of these young women.

I could not be more grateful that I have had the privilege of meeting them at JBU.

I could not be more delighted to call them my friends and my sisters in Christ.

How remarkable that these four women are only freshmen. I cannot wait to see what the Lord does with the rest of their lives.

As a representative of ForgottenSong said on the evening of Night Flight, “If you want to see world change, you need look no further than these four JBU women.”

How true. I think we could all learn a little from their hard work and dedication to ministry.

So, whether we are college students, mothers, businessmen, babysitters, world-travelers, or teenagers– let’s remember that there is work to be done. Let us be the hands and feet that do it.

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying:

‘Who should I send?

Who will go for Us?’

I said:

‘Here I am. Send me.‘”

-ISAIAH 6:8

(From left to right) Maggie, Annie, Mallory, and Betsy at Night Flight

Sing, Choirs of Angels

Another week has gone by, and I have been able to experience yet another handful of JBU traditions.

I’m beginning to wonder how many traditions this university can possibly have. They should seriously consider handing out a comprehensive list of JBU traditions to incoming students. But then, again, I’m sure that the cost of paper and ink would be astronomical. After all, it would certainly be a long list.

This week was Walker Wonderland, the Mayfield Christmas Party, and the J. Alvin Christmas Party. Nothing rouses the Christmas spirit quite like Christmas sweaters, the Nutcracker, and Christmas cookies. (Goodness, gracious. So. Many. Cookies.)

Walker Wonderland 2013

But perhaps the loveliest (and certainly the most time-consuming) event in which I took part this past week was a little thing we like to call Candlelight.

Perhaps “little” isn’t quite the right word. This was the 71st annual John Brown University Candlelight Service, and suffice it to say that this is no small event. Over the span of three days, we had over 2,400 people in attendance. We even made it on the 10:00 news. Nifty!

Perhaps my favorite moment of Candlelight 2013 was when the Cathedral Choir sang Morten Lauridsen’s “O Magnum Mysterium.” I sang this piece in high school for All-Region Choir in Texas, but I didn’t think I’d be able to hear it live once again. Apparently I was mistaken.

Even as I remember it now, the piece gives me chills. The a cappella song begins with a humble pianissimo–the quietest of whispers–wondering at the secrets and mysteries of a God who was born of a teenage virgin.

The great chorus of voices then begins to swell; the sopranos lift their song to the heavens, seeking answers from the very God who allowed a small stable of animals to witness the birth of His sacred Son.

They then abandon their sweet soft wondering, altogether, and swell even louder, reaching a deafening fortissimo as they declare the Christ child as worthy above all else.

Their very voices carry with them the power that is in Christ’s name, alone.

He is unmatched.

He is ultimate above all others.

He is I AM.

The chorus of voices then fade and sweeten once again, crooning to the fragile child who was swaddled for warmth on the evening of His birth.

Oh what mystery. What great, powerful, enigma.  O magnum mysterium. 

The song has such delicacy, and yet, such force and power and might. I don’t fully understand how it could accomplish both, but it did.

As I stood in the back corridor of the Cathedral on the second day of Candlelight, listening intently, I began to imagine what it would be like–what it will be like–to sing such a song to the physical Christ. I imagined my voice joining the earth’s chorus, singing to Him in-person. I imagined being able to see His body, scarred far beyond what it was on that evening when He lay in a manger, soft and new.

I began to envision the day when the voices of the entire earth meld together as one, praising the God who chose to be born, although He was not created.

But the more I imagined the earth singing in one voice, raised up to God, the more incorrect it seemed. In fact, I don’t think that our voices will mesh into one voice, at all.

Just as I listened to the sopranos lilting high above the rumbling basses–just as I listened to the altos and tenors intricately weaving their voices throughout the song–so, I imagine, we will each have our very own harmonies and melodies and descants singing the same song of God’s holiness. We will each have our own unique way to worship Him, our own unique declarations of what He has done, and how He has saved us, and how He is greater than all that we could ever be. We will each praise Him in the way that He has distinctly equipped and prepared for us to do.

God created us each differently, with unique talents tailored to magnify Him. To blur those distinct differences into one would be a travesty.

We will each sing the parts that we were born to sing–parts that extend even beyond voice, alone–parts that extend far beyond what we could ever be capable of doing in this broken world. We will be able to use every ounce of talent, and ability, and artistry that He has ever bequeathed upon us for the sake of His glory, alone.

Oh, to imagine it.

Oh great mystery.

O magnum mysterium.

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and our children forever.” -Deut. 29:29

Christmas Time Is Here

The Christmas season has officially begun. And frankly, it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, anyway.

The snow-storm of the season has blasted our way, and it’s provided quite a reprieve from the pre-finals crunch week. I am honored to say that I have had the privilege of playing in the snow with some awesome people. This is one of the gems that we were able to catch on film that evening. Brilliant.

. . . And I have also had the wonderful pleasure of sliding my way across campus on the icy sidewalks. JBU is the ultimate deal, providing not only a university of higher education, but also an ice skating rink for its students. I haven’t wiped out yet, but, knowing how clumsy I can be, I’m sure it’s only a matter of time until I face-plant.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Remember when I wrote about the joys of autumn? Remember when I mentioned that I would probably hobble around campus like a little old lady when the weather gets cold?

Well, that day has officially come.

I am frozen! If anyone would like to donate to the Warm-Up-Chelsea Fund and knit me a sweater, I would be truly grateful.

It’s cold. And there is ice and snow everywhere.

BUT! What better time to snuggle down with a cup of hot chocolate than when the weather is so dreadful? The inclement weather is a perfect excuse to sit indoors with some friends over a cup of hot chocolate. Right?

Sigh. Wishful thinking.

Leisure time with friends and hot chocolate would be ideal, but unfortunately, it’s pretty unrealistic for a full-time student who is pushing through her last two weeks of the semester. Most students are staggering around here with a cup of coffee, a textbook, and an eye-twitch. This is not an easy time of the year for most students.

It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

There’s no candy-coating the fact that this time of year is simply overwhelming for most of us. Sadly, I am no exception.

In fact, the other day I literally began weeping in one of my classes when my professor assigned a group project due next week. No, I am not exaggerating. Yes, it was pretty embarrassing. But, hey! I have now come to a place where I can laugh about it!

So to all my fellow students out there, push through! We can make it two more weeks! And even though there might be a few tears shed along the way, there’s sure to be plenty of laughter, too.

“Cast all your anxiety on him for he cares for you.” -1 Peter 5:7

#MockRock2013

Last week I was able to participate in a classic JBU tradition–Mock Rock, the lip-syncing event of the season.

Photo courtesy of Kalin Salman

On the evening of the event, I joined the other jittery participants in the back of the Cathedral as we watched and waited for our turn to perform. As the evening slid by, one by one, each group steeled their nerves and finally stepped onstage to brave the 900 onlookers in the audience.

It was unnerving.

But it was so much fun!

Photo courtesy of Kalin Salman

This year’s competition did not disappoint, as students of all ages took the stage to perform as singing chickens, jungle-men, forest animals, and even famous pop-stars.

My group chose a much less ostentatious approach to our performance, choosing not to dress as wild animals, but simply recreating one of the final scenes from the popular movie Pitch Perfect.

I’m convinced that if we had actually been singing, our pitch would have been not-so-perfect. But as it was, the performance went smoothly.

Well . . . apart from the moment that my hair got caught on my lipgloss, giving me a quasi mustache onstage.

. . . And also apart from the moment that I appeared to have smacked myself in the face in an effort to remove my hair from my lipgloss.

Ah, memories.

So, perhaps I should rephrase: Our performance went mostly-smoothly. And I certainly wouldn’t change it, regardless of the little hiccups here and there.

But as I reflect on my Mock Rock experience, I begin to realize that my favorite moments of Mock Rock were not necessarily during the performance, but rather during the many late-night rehearsals that my group had in preparation for the competition.

I joined this Mock Rock group originally knowing very few of the other ladies with whom I would be performing. The idea was somewhat daunting, at first, I’ll admit. After all, even though I am a junior, I feel like a freshman most of the time—a wide-eyed new face on campus. But I am exceedingly grateful that I decided to take the jump and do Mock Rock after all. It provided me with the most wonderful opportunity to get to know so many other awesome young women on campus.

As a group, we worked; we laughed; we were silly; and we generally had a wonderful time, every single rehearsal. I am really thankful to have had this opportunity to spend some time soaking up their awesomeness.

Photo courtesy of Kalin Salman

So the moral of this story is this: GET INVOLVED!

I know that you are busy. We are all busy! But you need to realize that the busier you get, the more likely you are to isolate yourself. And is that really how you want to live your college years??

You don’t have to be a shining star at everything you do. I mean, it’s no secret that I’m an extremely awkward dancer, and yet, I performed in Mock Rock which required that I do choreography in front of 900 people. Perhaps it wasn’t the most sensible decision I have ever made, but it was a justifiable one, nonetheless, and one that I certainly don’t regret.

If you never push yourself outside of your normal circle of friends, then you will never have the opportunity to know more people.

And let’s be honest, there are some awesome people at JBU. I know because I had the privilege of working with some of them in my Mock Rock group.

So jump in there, get to know people, and have some JBU experiences! Put yourself out there!

I know that it’s intimidating, but believe me, it’s entirely worth it.

This Is My Home. This Is the Body of Christ.

Today, as one of my classes was drawing to an end, my professor informed us that she had recently received the news that, according to the doctors, her father had one week remaining to live.

She had taught for over an hour without making any indication that she was distressed. She didn’t tell us until the end of class that she would be out of touch for the next few weeks due to her father’s impending death. She was utterly heartbroken.

How did the class respond?

We prayed for her. Out loud. As a class.

We prayed for her without prompt or request; we went to the Lord in earnest supplication for her family.

I thought to myself, This is what makes my school—my home—special. 

This community is more than just a group of people who believe the same things or have common ideas about theological issues. We are more than the sum of our parts. We are a body—a body of broken, inadequate people who have received grace from the one true living God.

I once heard a sermon in which the speaker said, “Faith is the engine that pulls the train of your life; feelings are the caboose that will naturally follow.” Similarly, one of the pastors of my church in Dallas frequently says, “Actions always follow beliefs.”

This JBU community is kind, and compassionate, and sacrificial, and servant-hearted, but not because these people are simply nice people.

This JBU community is unified unlike any other community of which I have ever been a part, but not because these people all believe exactly the same things about God. In fact, since John Brown University is committed to adhering to a nondenominational belief-system, there are a vast number of differing theological opinions and beliefs on campus.

You see, this community is kind, compassionate, sacrificial, servant-hearted, andunified because they—we—come together under the same faith that the Lord is ultimate, a liberal supplier of grace, a Good Shepherd of His people, and unmatched in love and justice.

He is kind. He is compassionate. He is sacrificial. He is servant-hearted. And He is unified. That faith and that commitment to put “Christ over all” is the engine that pulls this university forward; the actions of these students naturally follow that faith.

We pray together. We pray out loud. We talk to the Lord about each other’s struggles, and heart-ache, and grief, and we also share and rejoice in each other’s victories, and joy, and laughter.

Is this an example of integrating faith and learning?

Nope.

This is simply how the body of Christ functions. Although the JBU campus is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, I can clearly see the body of Christ demonstrated beautifully on campus everyday.

How grateful I am to be a part of it.

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”                                          –Romans 12:15-18

“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” –1 Cor. 12:26-27