Admissions Student Blogs Feed

ELLIV!

Wed, 02 May 2012 16:16:00 -0400

On Saturday, one of the biggest events on campus occurred. It is called ELLIV, and yes, that is "ville" spelled backwards. This event is a night for students to get out of the dorms and the library before finals and have some fun. ELLIV features many student's musical abilities as well as other talents that awarded throughout the night. So here is a photo journal of my night.

One of my best friends came and visited me so this is a picture of the two of us all dressed up before the show.

Then we went to the DMC (Dixon Ministry Center) and waited to be let into the show. There was DJ playing music. There was a mass crowd waiting to go into the chapel for the big event!

Here is the stage for ELLIV. The theme was "Color Me Loud" so therefore lots of color.

Dr. Brown even made an appearance at ELLIV.

Altogether, it was a great night with friends to remember the past year together. When you are a student here at Cedarville, you definitely do not want to miss this event!!!!

Weekend with OneVoice!

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:30:00 -0400

So this weekend was amazing! OneVoice Gospel Choir had the privilege of ministering in three services this weekend at Heritage Christian Church. Most times, only a small group has the chance to travel. But this time, almost 100 of us hit the road Saturday afternoon for the hour and a half trip to Columbus.

Heritage has over 1,000 members. We sang at their Saturday night service as well as their two Sunday morning services. It was exhausting, but so worth it. There is something beautiful about 1000+ people giving honor and glory to the God of all creation. I am going to miss moments like these when I graduate from Cedarville.

One thing I was reminded of was music ministry is not just about worshipping God when the lights turn on and when the band starts playing. There is so much more to it! All of us were assigned to host homes and had the chance to spend time with the church members in an intimate setting. Living in host homes can be the scariest part of ministry. But as our director, Justin Spann, reminds us-ministry really begins in the host homes. I enjoyed spending time with my host mom and was truly blessed by her story and testimony of faith in God. What a truly great weekend!!

Graduation

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:46:00 -0400

It's hard for me to believe that it was four years ago that I was having to face one of the hardest things I could imagine at the time -- graduating from high school. I was very involved in my drama and music departments at my high school, and because of those two groups, I had a very tight circle of friends. These people saw me more than my own family did and in many ways, I did consider them family. We had gone through everything together and now we were facing separation, in many cases, by states and thousands of miles.

Now it's been almost four years and I never could have imagined the amazing people and experiences that I have encountered at Cedarvlle. I look back on the first few weeks of freshman year, meeting my new roommate, figuring out where all of my classes were and what time was best to get into Chucks. I'm now about to say goodbye to that same roommate, now one of my best friends as she starts her new chapter as missionary teacher overseas; my classes are all finished and I am preparing for graduation. Time sure does fly.

If you are a graduating senior this year and Cedarville is your next step, CONGRATS! You are about to embark on an adventure, for sure. New friends and experiences await you and I am so excited for you and for you to discover God in a deeper way. If you're not sure if Cedarville is where God has you, I pray that you will seek Him and I personally thank you for considering Cedarville. If you've applied and are ready to come, your next step is that $250 deposit. Trust me, you want to deposit early. The earlier you deposit, the better chance you have on your first choice of dorms and class schedule. It's refundable until May 1st!

Seriously, I am ready for my next step in life, but I am so thankful and honored to be able to call Cedarville my alma mater. I will be proud to walk across that stage on May 5th with my diploma. I'll be proud when I say I graduated with a degree from Cedarville University. And believe me, you'll be in my shoes before you know it!

B-E-A-utiful

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:51:00 -0400

This week the weather has been absolutely gorgeous and it is MARCH! Today I spent most of my day outside. Below you will see some pictures up of places around campus where others are enjoying the sunshine. We have a lot of great spots outside to sit and do homework or just spend time with friends.

One of the many things I love about this campus is the sense of community among the student body. Anywhere you look, you can see people spending time together and investing in each other's lives. I have made some great friends at Cedarville, and I know that I will keep in contact with many of them for the rest of my life. I am going to miss seeing my friends on a daily basis after graduation.

I am very thankful for this place that I have grown and flourished in. The community aspect at Cedarville has been a huge blessing and I know this is what I will miss most after graduation. I would encourage you to make sure you reserve your place here at Cedarville if you haven't already!

Corporate Worship

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 08:33:00 -0400

Recently I participated in a songwriting competition that was sponsored by the Cedarville Department of Music and Worship. This competition was for songs written to be used in congregational worship. I want to share the song with you that God has allowed me to write.

Listen to the song.

One of my favorite things to do is worship corporately with the body of Christ. Whether it is in church, here at school in chapel, or in my dorm with my fellow brothers, there is something special in singing with the community of believers unto the Savior. There are so many songs that we use in our local worship setting that are specifically written for that purpose. They describe how awesome and great our God is. Some songs communicate the message of grace, and redemption. Some songs offer thanksgiving and love to Jesus. Some songs state how we are nothing without Christ and declare the need for Christ.

Songs serve a huge purpose in the church. As I submitted the song for this in the competition, I asked myself, would the church be same without music. I look at music, old hymns, and songs as ways to respond to the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm not saying that music is the only way we respond, but it is one of the major ways we respond individually and corporately to God's grace! I’m getting so excited writing this, I just want to sing right now.

In obedience to the word I believe that the Lord is looking for people to worship Him in spirit and in truth. If we are going to sing about Him we need to live out what we sing. Even when we face test and trials, it helps our response to God to be even more honoring, due to the testimony that we have through grace.

In my life I have been able to enjoy worship as a leader and as person participating in this corporate response. I also have the privilege of being a song writer, and I love writing for the glory of God. It is very important to me that the music we sing in grounded in biblical truth, and truly glorifies the Savior. I hope you enjoy my song. It describes who He is and I pray that it blesses you!!

P.S. You can message me if you are interested in seeing the lyrics and chords.

Top Ten List

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:49:00 -0500

I am quickly nearing the end of my Cedarville career. I am sad about leaving this place, but I am super excited for what God has in store for me next. Lately I've been thinking about what I am going to miss most about the 'ville. Here is my Top Ten List!

10. Stinger wraps from the Hive (our snack shop)
9. Racing against the clock to make it back before curfew
8. Campus Christmas
7. Late night runs with friends to Super Rip (the store across the street)
6. Challenging chapel speakers
5. Sunny walks around the lake on the way to class
4. Basketball games (Go Jackets!)
3. Learning from awesome professors
2. OneVoice Rehearsal (Gospel choir)
1. Living next door to the most amazing women ever!

In reality, there are many more things that I am going to miss. I will be thinking about the things I am going to miss as graduation draws near. I can honestly say, I wouldn't change a thing about these last four years for anything!

SCAB

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 09:01:00 -0500

At Cedarville we have an organization called SCAB. It stands for Student Centered Activity Board, not something on your body from a cut :) It is a group of students that organize a ton of fun events at Cedarville. Watch this video to see a little bit of the events they have thrown.

This weekend they had a night at the movies where they showed The Prestige in our very own Devries Theater. Many times these events are free. And what is better than a fun, free night during your college years?! If there is a fee then the money usually goes towards a non-profit organization or to help with the costs of the event. Some of the other events are Campus Christmas (a huge deal at CU), Concert Series (have brought Owl City, David Crowder and many others), ALT Night (fun nights planned with suggested donations to help those who are in need), Night at the Movies, and Interruptions (students get to show off their musical talent).

SCAB does a great job of getting students involved in the community as well as enjoying time together with friends! These are just some of the things that make our campus unique! I am so glad that I am here at Cedarville to enjoy the many different opportunities that are available for me as a student. This is one thing that Cedarville does a great job of doing and one of the many reasons I chose to attend Cedarville. I am so thankful to be a part of the student body here at Cedarville University.

Worshipping with Gateway

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:11:00 -0500

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come.
With all creation I sing
Praise to the King of Kings
You are my everything
And I will adore You."

You probably recognized this chorus from the powerful anthem "Revelation Song." This is one of those songs that has always spoken to me, mainly because it gets the attention off of me and back to the holiness of God. This song just never gets old!

Because this song is one of my favorites, I was excited when the band who wrote the song came to Cedarville this past week. The band, called Gateway Worship, was here to lead worship and workshops at our annual worship conference. Because I am part of OneVoice gospel choir, I had a chance to sing back up with them during the last four songs they sang at their concert Friday evening.

While singing with Gateway was great (seriously, it was so cool!), I found myself more affected by the attitude of worship I saw in the band. Their passion for God was not only moving, but contagious. Seeing them worship God made me want to join in even more. I can't even begin to explain to you the spirit of worship that swept across the chapel. I can't help but be struck by the reality that worship moments like that are so fulfilling because that is what God created us to do. And the two hours or so that we spent exalting the Savior is only a small taste of what we will be doing forever in eternity.

I want to leave you a challenge from another one of Gateway's songs called, "Stay Amazed." The chorus says:

"Oh Holy God
I stay amazed
You are so much more than words could ever say
Oh Holy God
I pour out my praise
To the One who never ceases to amaze"

May we never stopped being amazed by Him!

Certainly Uncertain

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:50:00 -0500

The weather has been unseasonably warm for February, and it makes me all the more eager for spring. Spring means events like JS and Elliv – some of Cedarville’s premiere functions. It also means Spring Break and warm weather. With the new season also comes the looming date of graduation. Like every senior, I am excited for a career, a new location, and a new chapter in life, but for the first time, my future is uncertain.

As a fifth grader I did not find myself mulling over applications for where to go to school next or weighing the options of mowing grass or cleaning the house for income. Life was fairly simple. As a senior in high school there was some pressure of looking at colleges and deciding where God would have me, but I knew that I was going to college and had a good idea of what that looked like, even though I may not know where.

At this point, though, there is much more that is up in the air. I am not exactly certain what career path God has for me. I’m not exactly certainly what location God would have me. The great part of this uncertainty is that it requires true faith. Relying on God’s guidance because it is the only thing that I have really puts faith in perspective for me.

In my time at Cedarville, I have learned that walking with God is not a call to a specific destination. As much as I would like God to map out my every step and give me the plan, that would be a boring and unfulfilling life. The temptation would be for me to get the destination and then go at it on my own. That life requires little dependence on God and yields disappoint. Instead, God calls us to be obedient every day. It is a journey of consistently keeping in step with Him and trusting that He will guide me. I certainly have to do my part of walking with Him, but ultimately He is the one leading me. And that life is exciting—walking with my Savior and the Creator of the universe.

With that said, you may be feeling some uncertainty of your own. The pressures of a high school student are there. I remember them clearly. Remember, though, God is faithful and He just wants us to be obedient today. As you are looking at colleges or dealing with other areas of uncertainty, remember that truth. Walking with God may be an uncertain path in one sense, but we can trust that it is the best life for us.

Cedarville Goes Classy

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:02:00 -0500

Last weekend was one of the busiest weekends on campus. From Alumni Basketball weekend, the 125th birthday of the school (which also led to Charter Day chapel and other events), Worship 4:24 led by Gateway, and Nursing Day for prospective nursing majors, Cedarville welcomed hundreds of guests to campus all within a two day span! In addition to all of these events on campus, Cedarville put on one of the classiest events I've been to at the Dayton Art Institute.

Cedarville students, alumni, parents, faculty and staff were invited to attend the Institute that night to enjoy the art, the Norman Rockwell exhibit, the Cedarville University Jazz band and other fun events. What a night! The institute is a gorgeous place anyway, and for Cedarville to rent it out for the night was amazing. It was neat to see everyone that showed up! Many students took advantage of the cheap tickets to go on a classy date too and other students came to complete a Humanities requirement, but it seemed that everyone had a great time!