Blog

The summer can provide a refreshing change of pace as a college student. You don’t have an 8 AM class to get up for, chapter meetings and events to plan or attend, or busy schedules to manage.

The past couple of years I have been facinated with movies and tv shows about fighting. I LOVED the movie "Creed"- the illegitimate son, Adonis, of legendary boxer, Apollo Creed, who follows in his father's footsteps and boxes a world champion. It has everything I love- a good underdog story, training montages, action and excitement, a love story, and best of all: Michael B. Jordan. I'm also into the Netflix series, "Glow"- a show about a group of rag-tag actresses who find themselves on a women's wrestling show. Women who kick butt- yep that's awesome.

The summer after my junior year of college, I interned with a lifestyle magazine. My internship gave me opportunities to write. I also got to attend art gallery openings, clubs and other events around town that wanted press. It was what I thought I wanted to do. 

The human brain is incredible. 

I bet you didn't think that would be the first sentence of the first summer devotional. And maybe you're hating me a little bit right now because you'd rather be thinking about the beach than neuroscience. But bare with me.

Holy Saturday marks the day after the crucifixion and the day before the Resurrection. Saturday was the Sabbath in this culture, the day of rest, the day each week when no one was permitted to work. Everyone is in their homes. No one is at Jesus’ tomb.

A year ago my life was turned upside down when some people in my life made choices that profoundly wounded my soul in a way I had never experienced before. I tried all the "bullet points" of forgiveness I had learned in the past.

Ok, I’m going to tell you one of my really embarrassing stories. 

During my first week as a freshman at the University of Illinois, one of my high school friends drunk dialed me. I called her back the next day and said “I’m really disappointed that you got drunk. I thought you were better than that.”

Well, the time has come. Summer break is over and school has started again (unless you're a quarter school, which means you have another few weeks). For many of you, today is your first day back to classes.

When you’re in college, typically summer goes one of two ways. You either are super busy with a summer internship or summer job, doing fun things on the weekend, and lucky if you make it to church on Sunday.