Audacious Beauty: Art in Midst of Despair
Our world is a place of suffering, pain, and despair. Oftentimes, feeling as though we cannot escape this cursed existence, we turn our faces towards the good that exists in order to spare our hearts more pain. Like the children of World War I who swing-danced throughout the 1920s, our generation survives on distraction and…
From Page to Screen: Lessons in The Ten Commandments’ Biggest Difference From Scripture
Whether Harry Potter or The Hobbit, adaptations of bestsellers onto the big screen come with high expectations. Readers expect their imagined worlds to be materialized and recreated ideally. But adaptations are common enough that book readers are accustomed to the movie versions taking some creative differences from the source material through added or omitted scenes,…
Greater Imitation: The Character of a Creator
Picture a toddler in the kitchen, wooden spoon in hand, mimicking their parent’s every move as they make dinner. In the exaggerated stirring motions, the child’s dedication to copying each detail is both amusing and profound. This instinctive inclination to imitate, whether in the kitchen, on a playground, or in a classroom, isn’t limited to…
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Songs from the Soul: The Power of Honest Emotional Expression
We all know the feeling of finding a song that seems to perfectly capture an experience or emotion we are going through. Within minutes, that single track makes us feel a little less alone and offers a way to process strong emotions. I have playlists for processing every sort of emotion, whether it be love,…
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All The Days
As the cart progressed, the couple saw a face in the deep world above. A celestial symphony shimmered from the heavens, with planets and stars casting their radiance upon the wandering souls and creatures below. The luminous spectacle of lights danced against the darkness, whose onlookers could merely grasp the image of its glory.
The Creation of a More Perfect Union: An American Christian’s Peaceful Yet Bold Political Life
“The secular depends on virtues that it cannot generate from within itself.” [1]— Charles Chaput Finding the appropriate balance between promoting Christian living and loving their neighbor has been difficult for American Christians in this tumultuous political climate. Living in a republic demands political involvement from each citizen, yet such involvement may tempt the Christian…
A Complete Offering
My hands stayed on the steering wheel of my parked car. I didn’t realize how hard I was gripping it until I saw what I should’ve felt: the inner structure of my hands, the bones and veins protruding out in thick creases. It was the third Monday in February, nothing worth gripping hands over—not the…
When Work Lost Joy: A Reflection on Rest and Hope
A poem by Hafiz, a 14th century Persian poet: I sometimes forgetthat I was created for Joy.My mind is too busy.My Heart is too heavyfor me to rememberthat I have beencalled to dancethe Sacred dance of life [1]. I grew up believing that I would flourish as I got older. My teachers encouraged me to…
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I Definitely Have Friends: A Reflection on Cultivating Connections
I have a reputation for introducing people to a wildly eclectic playlist of outlandish songs—the kind that either become road trip anthems or make me the laughingstock of the whole car, depending on who controls the aux. Songs like “The Duck Song,” “Flamingo” by Kero Kero Bonito, or “Humpty Dumpty” by Gracie’s Corner have all…
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From Clay to Creation
I started as dirt bound to earth, unaware of my lowliness–I yearned for more but complacency was comfortable.My beauty stayed hidden, stuck in the safety of loneliness,Until hands surrounded soil desiring to save my soul. I look down– the sediment clings to my hands,Wet and temperamental, it resists me. Cold and coarse. With a tender touch,…
Worship in the Dark: A Parallel Between Secular Music and the Psalms
The 2010s were an era filled with wildly differing genres of popular music, ranging from dance pop to slower alternative songs. The decade began with upbeat, danceable pop music from artists like Kesha and Pitbull and later became defined by more melancholic vocalists like Post Malone and Billie Eilish. Artists such as Tyler the Creator,…
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Letter From The Editor, Issue XVII – “Creator, Created, Creating”
Dear Reader, There is such beauty in the rhythm of the seasons, a rhythm that is echoed in the routine of each college year. Excitement fills the start of the semester as our campus welcomes a new class and upperclassmen return, eager to reunite with friends and colleagues. The lawns are pristine, and campus is…
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