“Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21 As an educator of 20+ years, I have experienced the impact of words on both myself and my students. Although I may not have always been cognizant of this impact, I was aware enough […]
In 2018, a dear colleague and I accompanied a group of nine students on a three-week visit to N’Zérékoré in the West African country of Guinea. This unforgettable experience, which included a week’s prior preparation and a final week of debriefing on campus, was part of a program that my university calls Mercer on Mission […]
Many of us on campus feel the push and pull of how to engage with this generation of students. As followers of Christ, it is not always clear how to position ourselves within a campus culture that is prone to demonizing us. We are trying to figure out what it means to share our […]
This past year I’ve been reminded that Christ is the vine, and I am just a branch. I can do nothing apart from him. So, as I make it my focus to be a Christian professor, God is teaching me that only if I stay connected to him—really hidden in him—will I be able to […]
Some years ago, I was laser-focused on two things: raising my young children and getting promoted to the next rung on the academic ladder. Although I was a believer, I had never considered the university as my mission field. Fortunately, God pulled back the curtain and let me see what He was doing, despite me. […]
Academic conferences. Man… I hate those things. I’ve been told that conferences are places for networking to advance my career. I never could bring myself to network with this intent – it felt disingenuous and exhausting. Time after time, I felt that I failed with every attempt. However, an academic conference I attended this summer […]
Life was good: two kids, a career in academia, and a decade of walking with Jesus. Then a decision from my early teens threatened to ruin it all. It was disorienting to realize that being a “new creation” did not entirely erase the consequences of bad decisions from the past. Reality was forcing me to […]
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34-35 God shows us great compassion. And in my transformed identity as a Christian, God has put in […]
“Mom!” he yelled, bursting into the room. “Cutie has a hole in her bottom!” “Son! That is completely inappropriate!” I snapped. “Plus, I asked not to be interrupted while taking this timed online quiz.” “It’s not like that, Mom! Something else!” He left the room and promptly returned with the cat, who had, in fact, […]
“Dr. Ken, can I talk to you for a minute? I know that you are a Christian….” It was the first week of classes for the spring semester, and a student I will call Alice stopped me after class. She had struggled in a previous math class of mine, and I knew her slightly. I […]
