August Update 2

Right at the end of my time at Christian Wee Learn, I was also privileged to work with the youth at the Big House Cafe. This is our D-Now weekend, and we looked at the life and times of Paul. We all know Paul's story, how he was a persecutor of the church and killed 1000s of Christians. But God called him out of his sin and gave him a new life. Paul chose to follow Christ, and from that moment on, he traveled around the world, spreading God's Word.

We looked into Paul's story in Acts and some of the things he wrote in his letters. We began by looking at the change itself. But when God changes one part of our lives, He changes it all. If we truly let God inside of our lives, we can no longer hold on to specific areas of life. We must surrender it all to Him. And like Paul, when God gets hold of us, not only do we change, but so does our message, our actions, and our identity. These were the main topics of the weekend, and although I am not going to go into much detail here, think about these things. Have you given control to Him? Is there anything you still hold onto? Has your message changed? What are you communicating to those around you about your walk with Christ?

So summer came to a quick end, but the semester began just as quickly. I sit here this morning trying to make some major updates to the website, I cannot believe that we are already 2 weeks into the semester. It is going to be a tough one, and it has already been a tough one. I have some major papers coming up over the next year, including one that is a requirement for graduation in May. But I hope to make the best of my last year here at Union.

Things are pretty much the same on campus. The Commons is still under construction, but the roof is up! Over the past week, we have seen the rough carefully pieced together, and it looks as if they are almost done with it. The projected date of completion is the end of the year. We are going to be in the new Commons in the spring. So I will get one last semester in the new Commons. When it is complete, we will officially be done with the rebuilding project that began a year and a half ago. But construction is not finished. Along with the Commons, crews are currently working on the Pharmacy building that should be opened next fall. Also, the soccer complex is coming along nicely. The stands are up (and they are much nicer), and the press box is currently under construction. Union looks so different than it did 3 years ago when I began. So much has changed, but so much has changed for the better.

Matt