Hallelujah, We've Been Found

This week I’ve found myself listening to this song and watching the cheesy early 2000’s Christian music video multiple times each day.

Hallelujah, we've been found
A child is born to save us now
Jesus Hallelujah, light has come
A Savior who will set us free
A promise for those who believe

(to read through the entire lyrics, click here)

 

This seems to be the anthem of the season. Light has come to overcome the darkness: light always overcomes the darkness, even when we ignore the significance of the light. 

Even when we ignore the significance of Jesus, he still wins.

Far too often, I find myself being the fool that CS Lewis writes about when he says “A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him, than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.”

Jennie, saying "good luck on finals - you can do it!!"

Ignoring the light does not diminish its brilliance; it simply gives more power to the darkness. Why then, do we give power to the darkness when light has already overcome?

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.  All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” –John 1:1-5

This is the gospel. Light has overcome! You are free to no longer live in darkness. 

Each day we choose what we focus on. We choose which thoughts we give life to, what scenarios we allow ourselves to get in to, or how we react when we are thrown into something we didn’t ask for. We focus on what is at hand, rather than who is in control. Daily, we choose to face the darkness, or face the light. Facing the darkness doesn’t mean that there is an absence of light, but it does sometimes mean that in order to find the light, we must shift our perspective, position, or placement. 

Light always overcomes the darkness. Always. It cannot be overcome. And where there is light, there is hope.

2011-2012 DC Staff

Whatever you are facing today, be it finals, new beginnings, transitioning home, loss, celebration, frustration, anxiety, joy, excitement- whatever- remember to whom you belong. Celebrate that light will overcome; that light has overcome.  You are not alone. Hallelujah we’ve been found, a child is born to save us now- Jesus. God sees you. You are not alone; you are not unnoticed. You, child of God, have been remembered. Be a child of the light. 

Jennie McMullin

Rice Hall DC, 2011-2012

Peer Mentor, 2013-2014

Managing the Busyness

Hi all, my name is Zach Wadley. I graduated from AU in May 2014 and am now doing a graduate assistantship at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. I work with the soccer and softball teams as the media contact, which involves broadcasting, writing articles, managing the website, doing a weekly radio show and working various other sporting events on campus. I also go to class three nights a week while working towards a degree in sports management and I’m planning a wedding with my beautiful fiancé Natalie Schuchardt.

I’m busy.

It’s a lot to juggle and I know you are all busy too. This is the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also the busiest. You have papers to write, finals to prepare for and projects to finish. All the while, you have the holidays occupying your thoughts and you want to be doing anything but school at the moment.

We’re certainly all busy. However, I never appreciate when people complain about being busy because we are all busy. We all have a million things to do and a few weeks to get them all done. When that happens, we often cut things out of our life so that we have time to accomplish all that needs to be done.

Although I hate to admit it, one thing I always find myself skimping on is my time with Christ. Amid all that I have to do, I cut out the one thing that is most important in my life because “I don’t have time.” For whatever reason it becomes very hard to find five minutes to sit down and read a chapter of the Bible, say a prayer and maybe even journal a few thoughts. I’m unsure of why that is.

During the times that I am busy and I do devote time to Christ each day, I find the tasks to be much more manageable. That’s one thing I feel that I have improved on this year. Sometimes the best thing you can do when busy is to stop, take a deep breath, read a few comforting verses of the Bible and say a prayer. And I mean really stop.

There have been multiple times where I have gotten up from my desk, walked outside, sat on a bench and did not think about work, but devoted time to my relationship with Christ instead. The comfort that comes from knowing its all going to be okay or knowing that there are bigger things in this life than work can not be explained – it can only be felt.

I firmly believe that being busy can be a tool used by the devil. It can draw us away from the one thing that’s most important in our lives and that’s exactly what he wants. Don’t let him have that victory. Make time everyday for your relationship with Christ. No matter how busy you are, there is always time. I’m not telling you that you need to spend an hour everyday. But everyone has 15 minutes per day that they could – and should – spend with Jesus.

Zach and the Smith Hall staff, 2012-2013.

So this week, as the busyness mounts, slow down and make sure you’re making time for God. He can ease the pressure, calm the waters and bring you peace. You will be glad that you did.

Zach Wadley

Smith Hall RA, 2011-2013

Fair Commons RA, 2013-14