Evangel's Faculty Blog

Be A Gift

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:45:00 CST

Shonna Crawford: Finals are almost over. Everyone is so ready for our much anticipated Christmas Break! You might be most excited about traveling home to see friends and family, eating more Christmas Cookies than you can count, watching your favorite football teams or Christmas movies or waking up Christmas morning to find just the gift you wanted under the tree. But before all the festivities begin, think about what you have to give during this Christmas break.

So often during this holiday season people will ask my children over and over again what they hope to GET for Christmas. Now, I really don't mind them asking, but it's gotten me thinking this season... what if we all focused on what we can GIVE? What if each time someone approached my children during the holidays they asked, "What are you excited about giving this Christmas?" How much would this impact their mindset when it comes to Christmas?

After all, the first Christmas was definitely all about giving, right? Jesus wasn't born hoping that the wise men would hurry up and arrive so he could get something. He was born to give! He came into the world and left the world as the most amazing gift we could ever hope for, a gift we could never deserve or earn. What an unbelievable impact this has had on all of us...on all humankind!

So, whether you travel near or far this Christmas, be thinking about how you can be a gift! No matter if you feel too young or too old, no matter if you feel rich or poor, no matter if you feel loved by those in your life or wronged by those in your life, and no matter how good or bad you think you've been this year - you have so much to give this holiday season! And when you are a giver, you are a blessing to be around! Think of how relaxed and refreshed you'll feel when you return to school next semester having been blessed abundantly by being a blessing to your family and friends! You've already been given the best gift of all, so what are you waiting for? Try it! Be a gift!

"And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord...'" Luke 2:10-11

A Dream About God's Promises

Wed, 9 Nov 2011 10:01:00 CST

Shonna Crawford:

A Dream About God's Promises

Last week I had a dream (which is not unusual at all). I dream very vivid dreams all the time, so much so that I was captivated by the movie "Inception" because my dreams seem so intensely real to me. Any person in the psychology field would probably love to analyze all the crazy dreams I have. While some dreams I have are far-fetched or scary or nonsensical (or all of the above), the dream I had last week was saturated with the truth of God's word! The dream ended with someone I respect and admire telling me that I needed to hold on to the promise that God had given me.

This dream really got me dwelling on the promises of God. Lots of questions came to mind: How do you know when something is a promise from God? How do we stay focused on God's promises for us without getting distracted? How do we keep from becoming so wrapped up in our own promise from God that we forget about those in need around us? This led me to do some digging around in the Bible for some TRUTH about what God says about his promises...

Hebrews 10:23-24 - "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Isaiah 38:7 -- "This shall be a sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he has promised."

These are just a couple of verses that really spoke to me because they seemed to answer the questions I had raised about the promises of God. We can know something in our lives is a promise from God because he is faithful and he will do the thing that he has promised! We stay focused on God's promise by confessing our hope or speaking positively and in faith about our circumstances. It's also our responsibility to meet together to encourage others in love, and to do good works! I got so excited thinking about how much God loves each one of us, because not only will he be faithful to his promise, but he will also use each of us in a powerful way to encourage those around us!

If God has given you a promise, I pray this is a challenge to you as it was to 29 beautiful girls in one of my classes earlier this week! God has given you a promise. Don't spend time coveting the promises God has given to others around you...encourage them and stir them up to the good works God has for them! Don't take your promise for granted, but be sure to encourage those around you, speak positively about your circumstances, and believe God will do what he says he will do! And be sure to surround yourself with others that will do the same.

Future Crusaders

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:40:00 CST

Peggy Reed: Homecoming 2011 is now a happy memory. Not only was it my 35-year reunion (gasp!), but I enjoyed a visit from my two little grandsons, Jarrett (age 2�) and Cooper (10 months). Their parents were in town for Homecoming and we all went to several activities.

I think the boys liked the football game best. Did they ever love the new marching band! They enthusiastically bounced and clapped to the music the way toddlers often do. Later, during an exciting point in the game, Jarrett was shouting "Go! Go! Go!" with one of his little friends. We quenched our thirst with smoothies from the concessions stand and were happy that the home team won.

At our class reunion dinner, I thought about how quickly the years have passed since I was a student at Evangel College. We didn't have football back then, nor could we have imagined the beautiful campus as it is today, but the essence of Evangel was the same-a place to grow and learn in an atmosphere of excellence. In the blink of an eye, Jarrett, Cooper, and all the other little ones at Homecoming will be grown up and enrolled at EU. My prayer for them is that they, like countless Evangel students over the years, will find this to be a place where they can freely respond to God's call on their lives.

Time of the Season

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:28:00 CST

Shonna Crawford: Fall Break is almost here! For EU students, that means just one thing - it's midterms week. I can see stress on some of my students' faces and I have found that this week has stretched me in many ways as well. Completing my own course work for my PhD program while giving midterm exams and collecting midterm papers from my Evangel students has led to challenges in managing my time to meet deadlines and give timely feedback.

In chapel a couple days ago, we heard a wonderful message from our Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Dr. George Wood. He used a word that has become a theme for me this week - "habitudes!" In his sermon on the beatitudes and what they look like for a college student, Dr. Wood talked about the importance of making things a habit by having the right attitude; together these words become "habitudes!" I have been reflecting on habitudes that I need to have, both personally and professionally.

So, one of the habitudes that God has laid on my heart lately is in dealing with my time. We all tend to feel like we never have enough time. We tend to wish we had more time to hang out with friends and family, more time to work on assignments, more time before a deadline, more time to rest, more time...more time...more time. But time, like money, is a resource that is all God's.

God gives us specific guidelines for managing our money and He also gives us direction on managing our time. With our finances, God's design is that we tithe the first 10% of everything and when we test Him in this, his promise is to pour out a blessing on us! He multiplies back to us what we give to him and he is faithful in doing so! Over the past several months God has shown me again and again that this same thing is true with our time! When we trust God with our time by giving him the "first" of our time, committing time to serve him, being generous with our time, and serving others with our time, it seems that God multiplies that time back to us over and over again! He is so faithful!

The most exciting thing is that, as God has shown me He is the God of our time much in the same way that He is the God of our finances, it has built my faith and in turn is helping me develop the habitude of trusting God with my time. Now, instead of freaking out about whether I will get it all done and panicking about not being able to stick with my planned schedule, I can know confidently that, in God's perfect timing, He will provide all the time that I need to do what He has intended for me to do! Every time. Why? Because He is so faithful! When we trust Him with our time, He is faithful to give it back to us! You can never outgive God, whether it's with your finances, your time, your talents or your relationships. Whatever it is, just give it to Him and he will provide everything you need! What are you waiting for? Let God help you develop the habitudes He has for you!

All Things New

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:59:00 CST

Shonna Crawford: "You make all things new..." These lyrics have been running through my head just about every day for the past several weeks. I've spent all but the first five years of my life in education. I can't help but get excited when the school supplies appear on the store shelves each summer! It's a sign...God is about to do a new thing! Once again, students and teachers begin to gear up for the start of something new! This fall, I returned to school once again, but in a new position. All at once, my son started second grade and a new program at school, my daughter started all-day kindergarten (a HUGE first for her and our family), and I transitioned to teaching some of the most amazing college students I could ever imagine here at Evangel!

The beginning of each new school year holds unlimited potential...I think that's what I love most about it! Each year is a brand new chance to do something you've never done before...to work harder, to dream bigger, to learn more, to seek after God in a way you never have. One of my classes began with my students sharing their career goals and the aspirations they have for how they will use the degree they are currently working so hard to earn. I was overwhelmed with the goals and dreams God has placed on each one of their hearts! It's so exciting to be a small part of the work God is doing in their lives. I'm thrilled to get behind all this potential and watch to see what God will do in this new school year!

One of my favorite moments of this semester so far happened in my language development class. This class meets at a local elementary school to facilitate an after school program for kindergarteners. This program is aimed at building oral language skills to support reading and writing development. On our first day, I saw potential revealed as my students worked to build a relationship with the kindergarteners they are assigned to work with this semester! Watching my students' faces light up with excitement as they began to teach the kindergarteners reminded me yet again that God is doing a new thing! What new thing is God doing in your life? Isaiah 43:19 says, "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" God wants you to see that He makes all things new! Put yourself in a place to start unlocking the potential God has placed in you!

Springfield weather

Fri, 9 Sep 2011 09:47:00 CST

Brandon Schmidly: Labor Day-Week: In Missouri we live with crazy weather patterns. While living in another city, I saw a report that listed the top cities for drastic weather change. It was in the paper because the city I was living in made the top 10. However #1 was Springfield! It makes things exciting. It also makes me love weekends like this all the more. For the last several days, the sky between the new buildings at Evangel has been a brilliant blue, and the temperature is perfectly conducive for standing in thick green grass and throwing a Frisbee by someone reading a book under a tree. Actually, I haven't been doing that, but the students seem to think it's the perfect temperature for that. I suppose there is a spiritual illustration in these ramblings somewhere. It's probably something about the ups and downs of life and the calm that God can bring. But I'll let you make those connections. Today, I'm just going to let my face take in the sky and the breeze and enjoy what seems to be a perfect day at Evangel.