Inspire, Summer 2004

EST ! The rules: 1 At least one CU alumnus wearing a Cedarville shirt must be in the photo. 2 Only CU alumni may enter the contest. 3 Photos must be received no later than August 2, 2004. 4 Only one winner per household. 5 Photos will not be returned and may be printed in Inspire. 6 Photos submitted via e-mail must be high resolution (300 DPI). 7 Photos must be unaltered. 8 The prize will be awarded to the person(s) sending the photo(s). 9 The following information must be included with the photo: name, grad year, address, e-mail, phone, location of photo, names of people in the photo. Inspire 5 Director’s Chair A s we met to discuss this issue of Inspire , the theme of “pain,” and the stories we would include, I bit my tongue. I don’t mean that I restrained myself from speaking ... I mean I literally bit my tongue. (You know that unexpected burst of pain when you think you’re chewing your gum and miss the gum?) We commented on how appropriate it seemed that I would begin our meeting about pain with pain. Pain is all around us — life-changing pain, pain that doesn’t go away in 10 minutes when your tongue begins to heal. Just last week I sat at an alumni event with a woman who’d suddenly lost her husband 15 months ago and felt she was having to begin a whole new life. Next to her was another woman who was out of work and was eager to find a job. She sat across from her husband, who had begun his battle with cancer just a year ago and had gone through major surgery and two rounds of chemotherapy (thankfully he’s now cancer-free). Pain is all around us. However, in the midst of pain is beauty. We don’t always see it, and it may not seem “worth it all” at the time, but it’s there. Beauty as we see God more clearly. Beauty as God’s people minister to us. Beauty as God’s Word soothes our souls. Beauty as we see God’s plan unfold. As Paula Kordic shares, “The tapestry of pain, woven together with the presence and provision of God, makes for very rich days.” As you read these stories of pain shared by Paula and others, may God remind you again of His provision and perfect plan in the midst of your pain. Faith Linn ’83 Director of Alumni Relations he World is Todd ’95 and Dawn Merritt Entner ’96 with son, Josiah, (born in Beijing on October 20, 2002) proudly represent Cedarville on the Great Wall of China. rville ?