Cedarville Magazine, Winter 2016

IT’S NOT US— IT’S GOD Emily Weindorf ’17 spent the summer of 2013 preparing for freshman year at Cedarville in the fall. Her sister, Gretta Weindorf ’15, was looking forward to beginning her junior year at a college in Wisconsin. Then, tragedy struck their family, changing everything. The girls’ mother, Tonya, was one of four people killed when a church bus returning to Indiana from a camp in Michigan overturned. “Our mother was an incredible woman,” Emily shared. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of her or miss her very deeply,” Gretta added. Despite the tragedy, Emily chose to start her freshman year at Cedarville as planned, and Gretta decided to transfer to Cedarville. “After the accident I just really felt it was important for me to be close to home,” Gretta said at the time. “We’ve always been close, but now I think we really need each other.” “Our mother valued education, especially Christian education,” Emily said. “I know this is where Mom would want us.” The girls’ faith carried them through painful times that followed. “It’s not us,” Gretta said then. “It’s God. He’s given us so much strength and just the ability to move on.” For Emily, love made the difference. “I prayed for strength,” she explained, and God showed her 1 Corinthians 13:13: “ … but the greatest of these is love.” “Love is what carriedme through,” she said. “Strength is what I prayed for, but love is what I was shown and what gave me hope.” “Knowing that my mom loved me and was excited for my future gave me hope. Being surrounded by the most loving family, neighbors, and new friends at Cedarville enabled me to continue on,” Emily added. Gretta sawGod work through other Christians in amazing ways. “Our family experienced the love and support of fellow believers like we never had before,” she said. “We thank God for those who supported and encouraged us during that time.” The accident made national news, and the sisters were interviewed by local media on several occasions. They saw it as a way to encourage others and spread God’s Word. “It was something we were asked to do, but it was never about us,” Emily explained. “We hoped Mom’s story would touch lives around the world.” “We did the interviews because they were an opportunity to tell others about God,” Gretta echoed. “I remember praying before one interview that every sentence I said would directly point to God.” Both are quick to point out that any glory coming from their story belongs to the Lord. Gretta graduated from Cedarville last May with a degree in nursing. She is now a registered nurse working in a hospital neuro unit and enjoys sharing God’s love with her patients. Emily is a premed student at Cedarville, majoring in molecular and cellular biology. She looks forward to attending medical school and doing what she loves. “Even through it all, God has been really good to us,” Gretta shared. “This is God’s plan for us, and we’re going to trust Him through it,” Emily added. FOR MY GOOD AND HIS GLORY George Huff ’s life was forever changed on July 21, 2014. His testimony since that day may change countless others’ lives for eternity. On that day, Huff, Professor of Social Work at Cedarville, was riding his bicycle home from a meeting on campus when he was struck from behind by a flatbed truck, catapulting him into a ditch. Lying in that ditch, unable to move or cry out and going in and out of consciousness, five thoughts came to Huff ’s mind that he still clearly recalls to this day: This is my appointed time; You chose me before the foundations of the earth; You have loved me with an everlasting love; You even died in my place; You have prepared a place for me. He never expected to make it out of that ditch alive. INSPIRING AND AMAZING Cedarville Stories Shine the Light of Christ by Michele (Cummings) Solomon ’91 An unimaginable tragedy. An unexpected crisis. An undeniable limitation. Three Cedarville stories that found their way in the public eye.Three stories of faith that touched others with the message of hope found only in the Gospel and reminded everyone that Cedarville is a place where students and faculty find their strength in that hope. Cedarville Magazine | 15