Academics | John Brown University Student Life Blog

God’s Proximity In Our Adversity (Part Two): Suffering

Apr 18 2019

1,578

Disaster, disease and death—there are infinite instances every day that cause suffering. Because we live in a broken world, we all experience suffering in different ways. Something God has really shown me is that sometimes we grieve for those who are suffering. In other words, when those we love are in pain, we hurt, too. God has placed in each and every one of us a heart of empathy for those we care about. We especially experience this grief if we have an emotional connection with someone who is afflicted. The stronger that connection is, the stronger we are[…]

God’s Proximity In Our Adversity (Part One): Loneliness

Mar 03 2019

4,994

In my life, I have struggled over and over with feelings of loneliness. Throughout these dark times, God has taught me about Himself. I have learned that He is understanding, He is caring, and, perhaps above all, that He is lovingly present, especially in the refining fire of hardship. During a time when I was young, and before I had actually accepted Christ, I remember one night I felt so alone that I started talking to myself. Trust me, I know, it is weird but at that time it was the only thing I wanted: a simple conversation with someone[…]

Dear Joe: Welcome to JBU

Feb 20 2019

1,260

Before my younger brother came to John Brown University, I decided to write him letters containing advice to help him succeed and enjoy his JBU experience. I think you’ll find some useful information in these letters, as well as some personal stories about my time as a JBU student. I hope the information in these letters will help you to succeed at JBU but, more importantly, I hope they help you to enjoy this formative time in life. Dear Joe, I hear you’ve decided to follow in my footsteps and attend JBU this coming fall semester. As your older brother,[…]

Nov 25 2018

20,033

I’ve had the opportunity to write a previous blog post about celebrating the 4th of July while in Jordan–a unique experience of mashing together very different cultures and time periods–and I’ve had to continue this trend of celebrating holidays (particularly American-specific holidays) in other countries this year. And while this isn’t the first year I’ve spent away from the States during holidays, it is the first time I’ve been abroad and separated from my family. But despite this, I still spent a really good time with really good people. The feeling of the holiday season for me actually started a[…]

Oct 25 2018

5,463

This last week I had the opportunity to follow my resolution to get out and explore on the weekends in a big way: I got to go to London, England! The Irish fall studies group is allowed two free weekends, a long one of four days and a short one of two and a half days, and my friend/roommate Katie and I decided that we were going to invade–that is, tour–London for our long weekend. Having never been before, I was eager to see all the sights: Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Trafalgar Square, the Tower of London,[…]

Oct 18 2018

2,752

When I first heard that the classes for the fall semester in Ireland were three hours each, I must admit I had a moment of doubt in my commitment to the trip. Just a moment, though, and, when that news was quickly followed by the reassurance that there would be a tea break per class, I was a hundred and ten percent onboard again. Since each class is taught at Lakeside Manor, it’s essentially college via homeschooling, which suits my background as a homeschooler up until college perfectly. Aside from the sheer length, what I didn’t think about beforehand was[…]

Oct 03 2018

2,035

Deciding what to do with your life is a challenge for everyone coming out of college. It’s your first step into the “real world” and whatever you do could easily shape the next 3-to-5 years of your life. But there isn’t any pressure, right? As a senior at JBU, I’m often asked the age-old question, “So, do you know what you’re doing after school?” A fair question, but unoriginal if you ask me. “I don’t know yet,” I reply confidently. The key word in my reply is “yet,” because not knowing what is ahead of me is natural. If someone[…]

Sep 20 2017

1,422

Late last night, I sat down at my desk to finally complete an assignment for my Old Testament class that should have been done much earlier. The assignment was to read the Abraham story (Genesis 12-25) and the accompanying textbook pages, and then answer a few reflection questions over them. My plan was to get this done quickly and move on with my day. Fortunately, God had something else in mind. Although I have read this story many times in the past, I think I have often failed to fully grasp it. I have always viewed Abraham as a hero,[…]

Jun 25 2017

1,788

“Your grades don’t define you.” The words were written on the whiteboard of my advanced composition class the morning after we turned in our first assignment. The professor explained that we were all defined thousands of years ago by God and our grades shouldn’t define us. I immediately agreed with this statement, though it’s still hard to completely accept. I don’t let my grades define me, but I know that these letters are an important part of how I view myself. I see myself as the person who always gets straight A’s and, if I don’t achieve that goal, it[…]

Jun 25 2017

103

Before coming to JBU, I was a very shy person and didn’t like starting conversations with new people. Studying communication at JBU has helped me get over my shy nature in so many ways. In my first semester, I took news writing and reporting, a class required for my major. The first assignment was to write a man-on-the-street story, which required me to go up to random people and ask their opinions on student voting. I was told not to use my friends or even acquaintances for this assignment—just strangers. I was so freaked out that I even considered dropping the class because[…]

Category - Academics

God’s Proximity In Our Adversity (Part Two): Suffering

God’s Proximity In Our Adversity (Part One): Loneliness

Dear Joe: Welcome to JBU

Not Home for the Holidays

The 2018 Invasion of London (AKA Two JBU Students on Fall Break)

An Apologia for Tea Breaks in Classes

How NOT to Worry for what’s Next

Faithfulness to All Generations

Your Grades Don’t Define You

College Builds Confidence