Tag: Houghton University

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Stories In Focus

Feature: Carolyn Miller

By Anna Catherman ('24)

When Carolyn Paine left the Houghton to go to Vietnam in 1961, she “didn’t cry until she was on the plane.”

“I’m not a person who made unusual, brave, or wild decisions,” Carolyn claims. But when John Miller telephoned her to propose, she agreed.

John had stayed in her family’s home during his years at Houghton College, which she also attended. Wycliffe Bible Translators had assigned him to Vietnam. 

A month after Carolyn’s arrival, they were married. They lived in a thatched house among the Bru people, and started translating the Bible. John and Carolyn began raising a family together; all four of their children were born in Vietnam. 

In 1975, their work came to an abrupt stop. Just as the Millers were finishing typesetting and proofreading, they were captured and held as prisoners of war for eight months. Their youngest daughter, LuAnne (five years old at the time), was with them. Their older children, Gordie, Nate and Margie, had been evacuated. They were sent back to Houghton to live with their grandparents.

John, Carolyn and LuAnne were shuffled from one camp to another before ultimately being released – without their manuscripts.

“When we had to leave without the translation, that seemed like the end,” Carolyn said. 

But she and John were able to continue their work long-distance. In 2014, their team finished translating the entire Bible into Bru. 

Today, retired, Miller continues to translate. She works on one chapter of the Tang Old Testament each day. Currently, she’s back-translating the book of Esther to ensure accuracy. She sits at her desktop computer with a four-language translation screen open, fingers trembling slightly. Surrounding her are framed Bible verses and shelves of other translations she has worked on. 

Four times a week, she shares meals with her daughters, LuAnne Brubaker and Marge Doty, and their families. Miller sits on two church committees. Paul Shea, a retired pastor at the Houghton Wesleyan Church, serves aside Miller on the church’s mission committee. He called her service on the missions committee “invaluable.” Despite the difficulties on the war-torn mission field, “[s]he doesn’t ask for sympathy, she asks for service,” he added.

She hosts Bible studies and organizes potlucks when missionaries come to visit. And Miller keeps up with her friends across the world. Using the convenience of Facebook messenger, they communicate from time zones twelve hours apart.

“I’m at the hospital with a little girl who’s sick. Pray for her,” one friend asks, a picture attached of a tiny child curled up on a cot. 

Another asks for prayers for his son, who has eye problems.

She is grateful for the technology that has allowed her to keep translating while living close to family, and to remain connected with the people she and her late husband ministered to.

She’s also glad that her friends have “learned to call not in the middle of the night, I think.” ★

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Columns

The Beatles: In Review

Written By: Josey Ikker (’24)

I don’t know anyone else who has a good knowledge of the Beatles except for maybe a Houghton professor and a sibling, but I’ve been listening to the Beatles since I was about 7 or 8. The first instance I was introduced to this classic boy band was Yellow Submarine, a jukebox musical adaptation, based on the song of the name, released in 1968. The story focuses on a fantasy world that is taken over by henchmen called the Blue Meanies and numerous other villains who despise music-making. A captain, Fred, then travels to Liverpool, London to seek help from the fab-four to return to Pepperland and bring music back into the paradise. The film uses a lot of unique art styles done by Czech-German Heinz Edelmann; however the voices for the Beatles were done by counterpart actors with a live-action sequence at the end of the film of the original members. Growing up, I often overheard my sibling, who is also a Beatles fan, listening to a handful of albums throughout the day including, Rubber Soul, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts, White Album, Abbey Road and a handful of others. Recently I began collecting vinyls and my first Beatles record, as a birthday present, was Rubber Soul, which has been in my top 3 favorites for some time now. Though Rubber Soul showed a lot of growth in their style, I was a little shocked, but realized that it made sense when I found out that the Beatles were in a rush to complete Rubber Soul. Yet they put most of their time and effort, not even on a Tour or filming session. It took almost 2 weeks to record and another six days to mix everything together. In November 2023, I had discovered news that the Beatles would be releasing their “Last song.” This final song would be called Now and Then. But how was this possible? John Lennon hasn’t been with us since December 1980 and George Harrison since November 2001. Well, back in the ’90s, Paul, Ringo and George had attempted to use demo recordings of John Lennon’s and mix those with their instrumentation. They had completed 2 of 3 songs from John Lennon; those being Free as a Bird and Real Love as part of their Anthology project. However, the one that wasn’t completed at the time was of course Now and Then as the vocals muffled with the piano made it too difficult to interpret and they didn’t have the technology at the time to complete it. Fast forward to 2022, Paul and Ringo, as George had passed away in 2001, came back to tackle Now and Then again. Peter Jackson, director of the Lord of the Rings films, had done a lot of work restoring archives of The Beatles, specifically for the Disney+ documentary series: Get Back from 2021. Jackson was able to create a technology to create separate tracks for the vocals, and accompaniment. Jackson shared in the Get Back Short Film, found on YouTube, “That ultimately led us to develop a technology, which allows us to take any soundtrack and split all the different components into separate tracks based on machine learning.” Now and Then represented a legacy the Beatles created and is still recognized to this day, with uses of 1970s vocals and contemporary instrumentation with simple, yet powerful lyrics. A week after Now and Then’s release, The Beatles had also come out with re-releases and expansions of the Red and Blue Albums including the new single. Overall, The Beatles, to me, still hold a place in my heart with the many genres and styles in rock and roll they portrayed, including creating that final song for a whole new generation. I would recommend listening to Now and Then, even if you’re not into the Beatles as much. You might be surprised how deep and meaningful it is. ★

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Opinions

The Constant Pursuit of Something Greater

By Evelyn Simanowski

What is a Vocal Performance major’s art? Short answer: I spend a lot of time singing songs I think are pretty. That probably seems like a rhetorical question and an even more obvious answer, though it’s not an answer I’m adverse to giving. I could say “I spend hours in a tiny practice room every day,” or “I’m taking 19 credits before ensembles,” or best yet, “I’ve shaped my entire lifestyle to meet the physical demands of being a vocalist.” Are these answers dramatic? Absolutely; but they hold just as much truth within them as they hold drama. I wouldn’t be in this major if these truths weren’t worth it.

I consider the art of singing to be one of complete connectivity and a far more dynamic art form than it appears at surface level. My career as a vocalist relies almost entirely on my ability to interpret and bring life to song, requiring me to view the piece through its historical, cultural, and artistic contexts. This idea of connection begins when I start studying a new piece of music. I’m first connecting with the notes and rhythms on the page, that’s a given, but during that time I also consider myself to be connecting with the composer and their intent. Despite having never met any of these composers, there’s a real closeness I feel with them when I consider what inspired them to write this music and exactly what they were trying to share with their audiences. There’s no guarantee that the circumstances and narrative they were writing in will fit my own; they hardly ever do. There is, however, a guarantee that each of these composers I’m honoring is an image bearer that shared in the human experience and used their God-given talents to express such experiences. 

My connection with the piece only grows as I spend more time with it and begin pouring my own personal experiences into the piece. The art of song, like any art form, requires interpretation. In this case, I the performer can interpret the piece in a way that is personally meaningful to my story and maintains the integrity given to it by the composer. Most of the music I choose to sing is by composers from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. While they’re not working with me in person, the intentional time and consideration I spend interpreting their work makes it feel as though there’s active collaboration going on between the two of us. They spent hours writing these pieces and now I have the privilege of spending hours working them in the practice room to bring them their due respect.

Any time I perform a piece of music, I believe that life is truly breathed into it when it’s shared with others and given what my voice professor and I call “people energy.” The exchange of energy that happens at this point in the process is electrifying and quite frankly what keeps me coming back for more. Within a single song, I’m exerting pure energy in my performance, exchanging energy with my collaborator(s), and feeling reciprocated energy from the audience. This dynamic energy exchange grants me the opportunity to share the meaning I’ve found in the composer’s piece with a group of individuals that can receive the meaning and interpret it through their own personal experiences and convictions. Standing on the stage and baring a little bit of my soul to an audience is, of course, a vulnerable experience. But in that vulnerability, there’s an even greater opportunity to share the joy and meaning I’ve found in the music.

My job doesn’t end when I step off the stage, nor is there any discernible goal or finish line I’m trying to reach. There are goals I have along the way, each of them indicative of a certain accomplishment or level of progress, but none of them representing perfection. It’s a grim thought, honestly, that no matter how hard I work or how talented I am, I will never achieve perfection in my performance, just as I will never be a perfect Christian. Still, I strive for excellence in all that I do, reminding myself that it’s okay to never achieve perfection. I remain conscious of the fact that I am honing the gifts God has given to me to be used to the best of my ability for His glory. I recognize the gift it is to bring new life to the work of my predecessors and to connect with countless individuals through a language that only He could create. I thank God for the art He has given me and the course He has set before me so that I may be in the constant pursuit of something greater. Soli Deo gloria. ★

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Campus News

Lambein’s Got Talent

Lambein's Got Talent poster - Courtesy of Caleb Welker
By Isabella Bratton ('26)

Lambein’s Got Talent will take place on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 8-9 p.m. in the CFA Recital Hall.

11 Lambein Hall residents will be showcasing their unique talents with the potential to win up to $100. At the end of the show, the audience will have the opportunity to choose a winner to receive the prize. 

Senior Nuri Park (‘24), the Assistant Resident Director, explained that they took the name “Lambein’s Got Talent” from both the famous show “America’s Got Talent” and “Britain’s Got Talent.” The talent show was started last 2022-2023 school year by the male Resident Assistants (RA) of Lambein.

All of Lambein’s RAs have been involved in the preparation process in different ways; advertising, emailing, hosting and judging.

Park said that, although the audience will be choosing the winner, the RAs have a part in making sure it’s a fair competition. 

“The RA’s,” Park stated, “mediate the votes to make sure there is no audience bias, but the audience ultimately decides the winner.”

The performers will provide a wide variety of entertainments for the audience, such as singing, poetry recitation, dancing, playing instruments, a weather forecast and more. Park mentioned an exciting act called “Master of balance,” although he wouldn’t divulge the details about it. At last year’s show, Junior Ethan McCarthy (‘25) remarked that groups played kazoos, the piano and danced.

“Guys are excited to show off to the school,” McCarthy, a judge for the event, said, “we have put a lot of work into this, and it will be a fun night.”

It won’t just be one person walking away with $100. There is a second place award of $50 and third place will receive $25.

Students are highly encouraged to attend, and the hosts are sure audience members will walk away entertained. 

“I think the campus needs an event where people can just have fun and relax,” Park stated. ★

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Campus News

Houghton Baseball Team’s Double Header

Men's baseball team practicing - Courtesy of sophia templeton
By Caleb Welker ('26)

Houghton University’s baseball team is scheduled to open the season with a Double Header in the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 12 p.m. and then at 3 p.m. against the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. The team will then travel to Florida for the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational Tournament over Winter Break.

Last season the baseball team finished in third place with a record of 19 wins and 20 losses (11 wins and 7 losses in conference play) and clinched a spot in the Empire 8 Conference Playoffs. Although the Highlanders fell short in the double-elimination tournament, they look to bounce back and work their way into the playoffs again this semester. 

After ten seniors graduated last Spring 2023—including the leader in batting average (Zach Parr), the team’s ERA Leader (Hunter Kendall) and the program’s all-time stolen base leader (Jason Kauffeldt)—the Highlanders welcomed in twelve new players: ten freshmen and two transfer students.  

Another addition to the team includes the new Graduate Assistant Pitching Coach Nick Pettit. Coach Pettit graduated in the Class of 2023 after four years at Covenant College in Georgia, and joined the team in Aug. of 2023. His wife, Riley Pettit is the Graduate Assistant Coach of the women’s volleyball team.

Freshman pitcher, Marshall Cummings (‘27) commented, “Coach Pettit, has brought a new sense of life and rejuvenation to the pitching staff and has helped us tap into our full potential, both mentally and physically.”

Senior Captain Chris VanCheri (‘24) noted that many upperclassmen, and even sophomores, have been stepping up into leadership roles after pivotal players graduated from the team. VanCheri pointed out that this highlights the Highlander baseball team’s ideals.

“We always say in our program that as you progress through your four years, each year you have to start putting others before yourself,” VanCheri stated.

“Nothing excites me more than taking the field with my brothers,” VanCheri expressed. “At the end of the day, we truly are a family. We have a tight-knit group that I see only getting closer as the season progresses. I’m excited for the younger guys to get their first taste of college ball, and I’m excited to see the challenges we will face and how we will overcome them.” 

“Pitt-Bradford is returning off of a decent season, and we know they’re going to be competitive,” noted Senior Captain and pitcher, Ethan Cetton (‘24). “This game is going to be our first stepping stone to finding success as a team with lots of raw talent.” 

Houghton lost to Pitt-Bradford (8-3) at the beginning of last season, so they look to push back and take two wins against the Panthers on Saturday. ★

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Campus News

Senior Composition Recitals

By Jiana Martin ('26)

Two senior composition recitals are coming up with Citlali Sanchez-Acosta’s (‘24) occurring on Monday Feb. 19 and Kaitlin Kleinau’s (‘24) recital on Wednesday Feb. 21. Both will be in the Center for the Arts Recital Hall at 6:30 p.m., and each hour-long performance will feature the artists’ original works.

Sanchez-Acosta is a music composition major who transferred to Houghton University from her local community college and has enjoyed her time in the Greatbatch School of Music program.

“It’s a really good program. It’s pretty close-knit, which is really nice and everyone supports each other,” Sanchez-Acosta reflected.  

Her recital will include eight to nine pieces, most of which she has written while at Houghton, which will be performed by around 20 performers. It will be a mix and match of solo instruments, smaller ensemble pieces and vocal songs.

Inspiration for her music comes partly from need-based occasions and partly from pure inspiration. 

“Inspiration comes and goes and sometimes I just start messing around. This recital is a little bit of both necessity and inspiration,” Sanchez-Acosta commented. 

Although there is no overarching theme, identifiers for the pieces are developing skills and time passing. The recital is a culmination of everything she has written.

“The pieces themselves are not a series of anything,” Sanchez-Acosta explained, “there are a bunch of different themes and motifs. I’m bringing back a lot of my old works. One thing I know I’m definitely going for in this recital is seeing the progression.”

She likes keeping the original versions of her old works and then later refine them to see how she’s progressed and improved. During her time at Houghton, the community and her professors have greatly influenced her.

“My professors have definitely been a part of [influencing me]. Dr. Magin and Professor Ashbaugh have been super helpful in guiding,” Sanchez-Acosta thoughtfully said, “and community has definitely helped motivate.”

Kleinau is also a transfer student pursuing a music composition major with an additional vocal performance minor. The theme for her recital is “Woman Becoming: Love Letters” which deals with the idea of love in different forms, especially grief and love. Her inspiration for this theme came from an interest in different types of love such as familial and agape love, and wanting to explore more of it. 

“I usually come up with a cool title and see how that works out,” Kleinau explained.   

One of the pieces, “Echo” talks about a lost love and begging him to return while another piece, “Daffodils Never Die” is about her grandmother who passed away.  

Kleinau’s recital will include eight pieces that are both vocal and instrumental ranging from choral pieces to a piano solo to a flute piece, and more. She will be performing in “Daffodils Never Die” and many classmates will help bring her music to life. 

“Most of them have been so gracious and willing,” Kleinau gratefully said. 

Reflecting on her time at Houghton, Kleinau considers it being a sort of rebirth as she has grown so much since she started. Kleinau attributes inspiration for her music to classes, professors and music she has listened to. Helpful advice she received from Dr. Carrie Magin was to listen to a hundred pieces before writing an original. 

“Theory classes and music history are helpful. A lot of times it [composing] comes from listening and from what you want to write and hear. It is creativity paired with prior knowledge,” Kleinau noted. 

For Kleinau, a valuable part of being in the Greatbatch School of Music program is that she is seen as a person first and a musician second. She’s experienced grace and care as a person and has been encouraged to become the best musician she can be. 

“I see music as an expression of one’s soul; therefore, you want to do it in a way that honors God,” Kleinau expressed. “You want God to be a part of that. It’s not for my own glory, but for God’s glory.”

Dr. Magin, Associate Professor of Music Composition and Theory, has enjoyed working with both Sanchez-Acosta and Kleinau, and watching their growth. As a professor, she loves hearing how audiences react to her students’ compositions.

“I look forward to the final product as their work is shared with our community,” Dr. Magin commented. “It’s a unique gift to be able to create something that moves people, and even more special to help bring that ability out in student composers. These students have worked very hard to put on their recitals, and it’s a great joy seeing and hearing it all come together.” ★

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Campus News

Houghton Chamber Choir

Chamber Choir Spring 2023 - Courtesy of Dr. Sharon Johnson
By Josey Ikker ('24)

On Friday Feb. 9, the Houghton Chamber Choir will present their concert titled “Christ With Me” at 6:30 p.m. for Greatbatch School of Music’s upcoming Preview Day. 

Every semester, Houghton hosts a School of Music Preview Day for prospective students who are looking to either major, minor or have a concentration in music. This preview day consists of a tour around the Center for the Arts, sitting in on a classroom setting, such as Music Theory, observations of Houghton Choir, interacting with current students and faculty, a student recital and a featured ensemble performance.

The Chamber Choir is a fourteen-member select ensemble. In order to audition, students must be at least a sophomore who is also in the Houghton Choir. 

The Chamber Choir was started in Dec. 2022 by Dr. Kevin Dibble, conductor of the Chamber Choir, Men’s Choir and Women’s Choir, and the Associate Director of Choral Activities. 

The Chamber Choir as Dr. Dibble described, “is a unique organization. It’s small, it can fit in different spaces. It can take advantage of different things.”

Recently, the ensemble participated in a Choir retreat before the first day of classes in which they learned a list of repertoire in less than a week and had the opportunity to perform for a Senior’s Luncheon at Family Life Ministries on Jan. 11.  

The ensemble’s repertoire consists of Renaissance music and traditional hymns, and the works featured for the upcoming Preview Day performance are by composers such as Gjelio, Flummerfelt, Paulus, Fleming and Stroope. 

Dr. Dibble explained the theme of the concert as “a representation of different stages in life in which these songs are used to inspire and remind us that Christ is with us.” 

One of Dr. Dibble’s favorite pieces in the concert is “The Deer’s Cry” by Arvo Pärt because, “that’s where the title of the concert [Christ with Me] comes from. Musically, seems to not do a lot but textually is very powerful.” He also shared that, “the simplicity of the music drives the listener and the singer to the significance of the text.”

Another factor for this concert is the location which will not be in the Recital Hall but in the atrium. 

“Visually the atrium presents a different aesthetic than a typical concert hall,” Dr. Dibble stated, “and this is the Chamber Choir’s first stand-alone concert…let’s do a little something out of the ordinary.” 

Dr. Dibble has expressed his enjoyment of working with the Chamber Choir, because they are a group of high-level, talented singers who “move quickly and make really great music.” 

Rachael McVeigh (‘23), a first-year graduate student, will be featured as another conductor for the concert. She will be conducting “O Radiant Dawn” by James MacMillan and “Estoy Les Digo” by Kinley Lange. 

“I like doing these two pieces together because they’re so different that I can work on two different skillsets,” McVeigh explained. “Estoy les Digo has a lot of slow and legato versus O Radiant Dawn which has a lot of sharp dynamic contrasts with similar interesting chord progressions.”

McVeigh has been singing with many of the Chamber Choir members for the past four years.

“It’s fun to get to conduct with my friends,” McVeigh said, “and have that support as I step into this new role.” 

All are welcome to attend and listen to the Chamber Choir in “Christ With Me” in the Center for the Arts Atrium. ★

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Campus News

Voice Recitals

Evelyn Simanowski (Courtesy of Hannah Sturdivant) and Sophia Pantea Posters
By Juliana Schmidt ('25)

On Monday Feb. 12 in the Center for the Arts Recital Hall, Sophia Pantea (‘24) will perform her Senior Recital at 6:30 p.m. and Evelyn Simanowski’s (‘25) Junior Recital will begin at 8 p.m., respectively. 

Professor Kimberly Prins Moeller, the Associate Professor of Voice, disclosed that Pantea’s recital will be full of beautiful and romantic music. It will involve a lot of “soaring melodies” and “heartfelt moments.” 

The title Pantea chose for her recital is “Fill My Heart.” She chose this partly because it is from her favorite musical “The Sound of Music”, but also because of the people at Houghton who have inspired her. 

“I am so blessed to be at Houghton and I have grown so much thanks to my loving teachers,” Pantea said. “This recital is a thank you to my friends and professors for helping me through [these] past few years.” 

As this is Pantea’s senior year at Houghton, she has worked very hard to get to this particular recital. While she is nervous, Pantea expressed that she is also super excited. 

Simanowski chose a French title for her recital called, “Scenes de Nuit” (translated as “Night Scenes”). She shared that the overall feelings for her recital are ones of excitement. 

Professor Prins Moeller revealed that there will be some unexpected twists and a few laughs to look forward to in Simanowski’s recital. 

“I’ve been present for many of her countless hours she’s put into practicing her French and it’s been quite a journey to get here,” Hannah Sturdivant (‘25) commented. “Getting to see her vision come to life in her recital hearing, photos, and poster has been uplifting to experience.” 

Simanowski confessed that it was very personal picking her own program, rehearsing and then presenting. She shared that her recital is her “passion project” and that sharing it with an audience will give her a feeling of satisfaction. 

“I’m expecting it to be a pretty vulnerable experience,” Simanowski admitted, “but I’m hoping in that vulnerability I can share the joy and meaning I found and this music with whoever comes.”

Professor Prins Moeller said that recitals are her favorite part of being an applied voice instructor. 

“I get to know these wonderful singers over several years of working together, then walk with them through the recital preparation process and witness their determination and growth, and finally get to see them bring all of the elements together into a cohesive evening that celebrates their talent, skill, and artistry,” Professor Prins Moeller commented. “It’s incredible!”

With both Pantea and Simanowski performing on the same night, it will prove to be an evening full of ups and downs, heartfelt lyrics and perhaps a few laughs. Overall, not a recital to be missed! ★

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Stories In Focus

Feature: Mercy Seat and Koinonia

By Rebecca Dailey ('25)

Both Mercy Seat and Koinonia (Koin) are just two of several ways students can participate in worship on Houghton University’s campus, with each bringing its own unique forms of fellowship. Mercy Seat first began in 2001 and Koin was originally called Celebration in 1978, until it was renamed Koinonia in September of 1999. 

Mercy Seat is flexible but is held on Mondays through Thursdays at 8 p.m. and on Fridays at 7 p.m. in the Wesley Chapel basement. Different teams form the Mercy Seat gatherings, with some participating in worship music and others using the time for silence and prayer.   

Susannah Denham (‘26), who is on the Mercy Seat Cabinet states, “It’s really a great chance to worship and pray with friends or with people that you don’t know too.”

Mercy Seat worship is open to all students who wish to take part. Teams are also always looking to fill open spots.

“Mercy Seat,” Isabella Matton (‘24), the Mercy Seat president, says, “is a club for students to lead their own worship to serve fellow students. It’s leadership based and gives the opportunity for students to serve Houghton and build character.”

Mercy Seat holds many events throughout the semester, such as caroling in the local area during Christmas, hymnal night and The Cry during finals. 

Matton also explains, “We are working on an event with International student Alliance (ISA) as a multicultural night with songs from different cultures.” 

Koinonia is Greek for fellowship among believers, and occurs on Sundays at 7 p.m. as a worship concert including both music and prayer. Four teams rotate throughout the semester and often partner with the Houghton Wesleyan Church for events such as Sunday services. 

Kayleigh Verspoor (‘24), one of the student directors of Koin and a music leader for her team, explains, “Some sit, some dance, some sing but they all come seeking the same thing, the atmosphere of worship.” 

Each week of Koin has a theme for music and the devotion, which are rehearsed throughout the week.

A music team leader, Matthew Arndt (‘25) says, “We try to create an atmosphere of worship, share our musical abilities and bring people closer to God. We do the best we can to serve students through fellowship and reaching out with prayer baskets and prayer leaders.” 

Dr. Sharon Johnson has been the faculty advisor for Koin since the Spring of 2021. She is uniquely positioned as both a member of the Houghton Wesleyan Church and a faculty member at Houghton.

“I’m there as a resource and encouragement for them,” Dr. Johnson explains. “I might give them ideas about music but, they really rehearse on their own and choose the passage of scripture and devotions. Part of supervising is letting them make their own decisions.”

In the spring, Dr. Johnson sits in on interviews for the team leaders, co-directors and the band interviews and auditions. She meets with the Koin members  before the service to talk about their weeks with the music team for that night and the sound team and prays with them.

“I see it as worshiping God,” Jackson Collins (‘27), a band member of a team states, “I don’t see it as a performance but a way of worshiping with the audience and exalting God. Worship starts early in the day and goes on throughout the week as we receive the spirit and go out serving God.” ★

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Opinions

The Power of Faith in God

By Rebecca Dailey

It seems impossible that I once sat writing about coming to Houghton. I can remember a crisp summer turned fall day, being in my room working away, never thinking I would follow that particular article to write its sequel. God has a way of making things happen even when we least expect it. The original article that I’m referring to was from the September 2, 2023 issue, which doesn’t seem that long ago. I wrote about transitioning from my community college to Houghton and how wonderful it had been so far. It’s been a full semester and we’re four weeks into the second semester with a whirlwind of new experiences.

I’ve learned, and not only in class or practicum, which is required for Education majors (it simply means I’m out in the field in a school setting). I’ve learned a lot about myself and strengthened my relationship with God. I come from a very religious family, but it didn’t quite feel like something for me at the time. However, the older I’ve gotten, the more I have come to understand it: God’s undying love for me, for all of us. It’s not just something we say we are, it’s something we do. We choose to not only follow God, but to actively spread His love and show grace and support to those around us. It’s not something that can be simply done like a snap of your fingers. It takes time to build a relationship with anyone, but God especially, because it is so easy to forget His sacrifices for us. However, the community of Houghton builds upon this love to bring their community together, whether it’s sports events, activities around campus, or just even morning Chapel.

The building of community has been such an important aspect to my growth in God and Christ, knowing that there are others who have walked for years and those like me who are just coming to terms with what it truly means to be a person of God. Not only coming to terms with it, but also knowing that it’s not just about reading the Bible or attending church weekly. It’s about loving everyone around you, serving others, even simply helping with homework or comforting a friend after a long day.

I was reading a book the other day called The Love Stories of the Bible Speak by Shannon Bream. I didn’t even pass the dedication page without pausing to stop and think about what it said. The verse came from I John 4:19, “We love because he first loved us.” He loves us when we’re wrong, He loves us when we’re right, He loves us when we’re upset with our friends and even when we’re upset with Him. He loved us and loved us still to sacrifice His only son for us so that our sin could be washed away. And yet sometimes we still do things that we know are wrong but we do them in anger, loathing or envy for another person. Being purely good is an uphill battle that we will win because we have God on our side and the knowledge of His love for us. 

God’s love doesn’t only directly come from Him, it comes from those around us who live God’s word and serve the community around us. The entirety of humanity is a steadfastness of God’s love for us because we are created in His image. We are created to love and to be loved by all. With His love comes our faithfulness to Him and for Him. We are God’s children and brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s who we are as people and who we are as Christians. 

Coming to Houghton was probably one of the most wonderful things that has ever happened to me. I came here because it was God’s plan for me. He wanted me here because He loved me and wanted to show me that even in my darkness there is still a life with Him. There is a life for all of us as an earthly community and with God. Whether we have admitted that or not, there are documents for all of us. In those dark moments, we can either hide or we can cry out to God because He loves us to show us the way out of the darkness and into the light. We will come into the light in our own way, on our own time, but in the end we will all come together as children of God. ★