This year, March 20^th marked the calendar date for a New Season.  Spring is a time of new beginnings; new leaves are emerging from the trees, plants are budding with the anticipation of flowers, and there is the fresh smell of new grass in the air. A warm breeze awakens us to the new season.

On March 31, we celebrated Easter.  We honored Christ, who rose from the grave offering us eternal life and forgiveness of sin.  With His new glorified body, heralding a promise that we can experience a new life in him, we were given a fresh beginning.  Paul reminds us that “. . . if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come” (2 Cor. 5:17).

But even as we celebrate, our hearts are heavy with the realization that much is wrong with our world. Unrelenting hatred seems to rule supreme in the hearts and lives of so many and the fruits of terror are all too evident.  There are diseases for which we have no cures. There are problems in the home. Children are being abused. People are sleeping on the streets.  Our soldiers are dying for unexplainable reasons.  If you watch and listen for very long, you can be filled with despair.  But Jesus said, “I have come to bring you life, and that more abundantly, to show you how to live, to bring you hope and joy and peace and love, to give you a reason for living.”

Let us be transformed this year in our hearts and in our mindset. For when we do we will have awesome and incredibly Godly changes take place in our lives.  Let renewal be a way of life; not a one time or once in a while event. Let us find purpose and direction and meaning in life, in all that we do.

“… put on the new self . . .” (Eph. 4:24).

You never know what might be going on behind the scene in the lives of people we interact with.  This week, I complimented a Belhaven student on her new hair cut.  This working mom, on her way to class, decided to stop and tell me a story.  Unlike traditional students, an adult leaner does not have the ability to put their live on hold while attending school.  They have to juggle work and family while trying to maintain good grades.  For this student, juggling also included caring for her mom who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  Her hair cut was a commitment she made to grow together with her mom as she fights the disease.

In times when we are faced with adversity, it is easy to give up.  But the God who began a good work in us will equip us to finish strong.  It is by His power that we overcome.  Stories like this inspire us to persevere.  This is one of the many stories of students who will not let circumstances delay their dreams of completing their degree.

Last Thursday evening, I was privileged to read Psalm 8 at our Chattanooga Adult and Graduate Studies campus graduation. This psalm offers a beautiful study in contrasts – the majestic God (Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth) presented as “mindful” of a seemingly insignificant creation (What is man that you are mindful of him?). In addition, this scripture reminds us that this majestic God has given us a role (dominion) in His creation. Majesty, significance, dominion…what wonderful words to speak to graduates and their families.

I wasn’t sure that I would like a December graduation. I’ve always associated graduation with the bright colors and sweet fragrances of spring. Spring represents new life – kind of like graduation. I could find no graduation analogies in the deep darkness of winter, until…

I walked into the church. The contrast between the darkness on the outside and the warm soft light of Christmas on the inside was overwhelming! Candles in the windows, garland on the banisters, happy voices glad to be inside out of the dark cold. The warmest, brightest, greenest day in spring would pale in comparison to this scene. I found myself not wanting to leave the church. If spring graduation is a sending out, surely December graduation is a gathering in. The reality, I suppose, is that graduation is a wonderful event whenever it is experienced, but I’m definitely a December convert.

Graduates leave, you know. That’s the purpose of the university experience. They come to go. So, last Thursday evening, after gathering them in, we sent them away. For me, it’s a great comfort knowing that we’re sending them away equipped. Our graduates are adult learners who are poised to make a difference in their work organizations, communities, churches, and families. Not only have we exposed them to rigorous academics, they now have a clearer picture of what a Christian worldview is and how to apply it in everyday life.

Does that matter? Indeed it does. The graduates who left the bright warmth of the church on Thursday evening found themselves facing a cold, dark world in which a gunman murdered the most innocent and defenseless among us. Much like what happened after 911, our graduates will find themselves responding to questions from their coworkers, neighbors, and, of course, families. They will find a world whose view of life and God has been shaken to the core. Who better or more prepared to help others through this difficult time than our graduates? Our world needs the comfort and direction that a biblical worldview offers…our world needs our graduates.

So, if you’re a graduate reading this post, congratulations! One journey is over, and another is beginning. May you find purpose in the significance and purpose that God has given you, and may you wrap yourself in the warmth of the majesty of our great God (remember, it’s cold outside).

The good news for students who have put their education on hold is that we have made  the readmission process a painless one. In many cases, while returning to college may seem like a far-off possibility, it’s pretty straightforward to put a student back on track toward meeting their academic goals.

At Belhaven University, we know that working adults are also concerned about fitting academics into a lifestyle that’s already busy with family and/or work. For this reason, we utilize student services staff that specializes in planning course schedules that fit into your life. This balance ensures that adult learners have a workable course load that also gives them the education that will unlock new earning and job opportunities.

Anyone who is interested is welcome to attend our Lunch and Learn on September 6, 2012 to find out more about our Graduate Programs.  Please be sure to RSVP by Friday, Tuesday, September 2, 2012. You can do so by visiting www.jackson@belhaven.edu .  We will be happy to speak with you regarding our degree programs.

Many of us look forward to July with festive anticipation in having a day off to
spend with friends and family. It is a time for grilling, laughing, and
enjoying the night light up with fireworks. Sometimes it is easy to take this
freedom to enjoy life for granted and forget that it came at a steep price. The
first successful settlers to this great land were refugees from religious
persecution. They were fleeing the tyranny of those who felt threatened by
their beliefs in Christ. They desired freedom to worship, to pray, to live a
lifestyle in which they could follow Christ as their conscience dictated.

As
these early beginnings transitioned into a growing and prosperous nation,
tyranny once again stepped in to oppress and to dominate. Our founding fathers
said enough, and together signed the Declaration of Independence, a declaration
to King George that they would no longer live under his tyranny. Thomas
Jefferson stated boldly “And for the support of this declaration, with a firm
reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each
other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”  Jefferson
authored this declaration that reflected the collective belief that “We hold
these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”  Many of the original
co-signers lost their lives and fortunes, but none lost their honor. It is in
their memory that we celebrate our independence and the inheritance of freedom
and liberty.

The Declaration
of Independence and the Constitution that followed reflects the studious
efforts of those committed to bettering their lives through lifelong learning.
The vision that emerged and the ability to articulate their dedication to
freedom in a manner that revolutionized not only the colonies but the world
that followed was made possible through educated minds and
strong spirits.

Belhaven
is committed to supporting adults desiring to improve their lives and the world
around them by investing in an education that will prepare them for their
calling in the workplace and their ministry to Christ. A  staff of
dedicated professionals is standing by to support new students
transition back to school.  They can answer any questions about
which of the eleven undergraduate or graduate programs would be the best
choice. They are also here to serve students in the process of
admissions including transferring transcripts and qualifying
for financial aid.

The
need for higher education has not changed since the days of our founding
fathers and is still vital to meet the challenges of a
changing world. Contact us now to find out how you can get started at Belhaven
University!