From the Ground Up: Students Speak

This year's Student Week of Prayer brought eight current Pacific Union College students to the platform to share with their fellow students about becoming active Christians. Morning and evening programs (and a change of class schedules) brought the campus together for messages on this year's Student Association theme, "From the Ground Up," emphasizing community, acceptance, and personal ministry. One "active" element of the programs was a daily challenge, such as "Tell someone how you appreciate them for something."

Laura Dominguez, the first speaker, started by reading a quote: "The human soul spends his or her life searching for that one thing that will bring fullness, meaning, and happiness to their life." With help from other students, she acted out a dialogue in which her heart was missing something and people came along with suggestions of how to fill it. Education didn't seem to work. Money didn't fit. Music didn't cover it. Fun and parties weren't quite right. Romance wasn't enough. But when a friend came to tell her about "the Alpha and the Omega," about "something much much better that will give you a love way purer than others," about "Jesus Christ," the fit was perfect.

"The greatest struggle for a young person, for humanity, is that of surrender — of giving your life to God, fully having him come into your life and transform you," said Dominguez.

Manny Gonzales took a completely different approach to a similar topic, saying, "Many of us seem to be risk-takers… But I think there's one risk we're not really willing to take: That risk is surrendering our hearts to God, letting him lead our lives." But, he suggested, it's the best possible risk to take. "It's not about giving up the things we love; it's about what we gain… by surrendering our hearts to God."