Archive for March, 2011

Alone

Kevin Mannoia Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

There are moments in life when you feel absolutely alone.  Your thoughts are so complex and deep that you cannot even imagine how to invite another person into them with you – even if there were someone.  At that precise moment you may feel tempted to abandon your faith, lose hope, give up and give in to the path of least resistance.  I can assure you that you are not the first to walk this path.  Jesus did it – “…and He went into the wilderness where He was alone, and was tempted…”

But being alone does NOT mean you need to be lonely!  In the wilderness, angels ministered to Him.  Though you may be alone with your thoughts, circumstances, and temptations, know that the Holy Spirit is with you; angels surround you; God embraces you.  Loneliness is not your destiny on the path of walking with God.

If you are in class tonight in Azusa, encourage your prof to take a break to allow you to go to the Chapel Service – 7-7:30pm in the VIP Room at the Event Center.

Feel free to send any prayer requests to me.  Our Prayer Partners will pray for you.

Grace with you,
Kevin

I love APU because…

Megan Friday, March 11th, 2011
  • The other day I walked into my Psychology class a little early, finding the previous professor that was teaching in that class talking to a student about personal issues it seemed. She was venting about a broken friendship and he gave her advice like a friend, or even a dad would. It made me smile because professors here truly and honestly care for us as people, not just as students that need a grade and a diploma.
  • Today (Thursday), the band Jars of Clay played in the Amphitheater in the afternoon. Finishing a midterm and then sitting and watching a wonderful band play next to great friends of mine was awesome and a great end to my school week.
  • Today I was walking to class and a guy was opening the door to class and didn’t realize I was behind him, therefore not opening the door for me. He turned around and apologized. It made my day. How many guys care enough about something as small as opening a door that they apologize when they forget to? Makes me love going to a school surrounded by people that care about their faith and being Christ-like.
  • It is in Southern California. And being born and raised only an hour away I will never lose my love for clear skies, warm weather, and being able to sit outside in the grass outside my dorm and do homework. It was the most beautiful day today.
  • Sunday I found out that I got the position as Alpha Leader for next year and I could not be any more excited to be able to share my love of people, APU, and more then anything, Jesus. I love that we have so many opportunities to use the gifts we have to benefit others and glorify God.
  • I get to worship God through music at Chapel alongside people I go to class with, serve with, eat with, and live with 3+ times a week.
  • People here are genuine. I have never met such passionate, God-fearing individuals in my life. But at the same time I love that you don’t have to profess to believe in Jesus to be educated here. We learn from people at all walks in their life, with all backgrounds, and with various beliefs. We have opportunities to reach out, show the love of Christ, and simultaneously look up to others.
  • I walk around campus and see our president (John Wallace) socializing, teachers having lunch with students, and students praying. Call me crazy but this would have NEVER happened in high school.
  • I love APU because it seems that everyone that goes here loves APU. There is almost a general consensus that our school rules, and it makes it rule that much more.

Alpha!

Renna Nightingale Wednesday, March 9th, 2011

And now…

I am super excited to announce…

I am going to be an ALPHA LEADER! Hurrah!!!

I can’t wait for God’s awesome plans! This is so great!

I feel like God is truly going to use me and grow me. I am incandescently happy! If there are any freshman out there… Maybe I’ll get to be your leader for the fall 2011 semester!

Alpha is an amazing program that gives incoming students a family right as they enter APU. This program is definitely something to be excited about!

I realized that this life I’m living, the one where I go to APU, was an Ambassador, found amazing friends, am studying abroad in SOUTH AFRICA, am growing and learning every day, and am now an alpha leader, has nothing to do with the life that I had planned for myself.

But you know what? This is so much better. This is my Hallelujah song. This is one very happy Renna. But I am not only excited for myself, which is the beautiful part!

Seven people from the South Africa semester are going to be Resident Advisors (RA’s)! If you live in Trinity (freshman), Engstrom (freshman), University Park (sophomores and transfers), or University Village (upperclassmen) next year, chances are, you will have an incredible RA!

I am completely excited.

Congratulations, other RA’s and Alpha Leaders!

APU Dictionary

Megan Wednesday, March 9th, 2011

Alpha: A group you will be placed in the day you move in that includes a sophomore (sometimes a junior) alpha leader and about 8-12 other freshmen. You will all be in the same beginnings class (its a 350 person class that usually just has people speak about current issues) and you will meet one other time during the week to get to know each other and have fun. Its a great way to meet people and as awkward as it may feel as first everyone really does end up loving the program.

Biola: ……..

Communiversity: Community + Diversity, a program that plans events and makes the school fun (simply said).

Cookie Mill: One of our popular off-campus food options. They have amazing ice cream sandwiches with your choice of ice cream and cookies for cheap. It is right by the Mods (next to Stater Brothers), so it is in easy walking distance.

Crazy 8: A team of 8 extremely school spirited students that hype up the crowd and the athletes at sporting events.

Donut Man: A donut shop down the street (a car ride away, not really walk-able distance) that has the GREATEST donuts on the planet. It is basically legendary here at APU. Its open 24/7 and usually anytime you go there you will see other APU students.

D-Group “Discipleship Group:” A group that you can choose to be placed in that meets one time per week for 1-2 hours and talks about life. Some have Bible studies, some just hang out, some read a book together, it all depends on the group. Usually its 4-6ish people and they always have an upperclassman as a leader. It’s always same-sex groups. I am in one currently (I just started it this semester) and it is an amazing way to feel connected to the community here and feel as if you always have people to go to if you need anything. I always look forward to hanging out with my girls.

“Freddy” Cougar: The lovely school mascot!

GYRAD: “Get your roommate a date.” Self explanatory?

High Sierra: A “study abroad” opportunity in Yosemite for all majors that is mainly done by freshmen and sophomores (but juniors still do it sometimes!). It creates a very tight knit family and provides so many opportunities to do anything and everything in nature you could ever desire! I have many friends that have done it or are there now and they ALL claim it to be one of the greatest experiences of their lives.

Intermurals: Sports teams set up by us students! Currently, a lot of the girls on my hall are on a soccer team together and they love it.

Kaleo: A Wednesday night option for Chapel that is LOVED on this campus. It is a more intimate setting, less people, and the sermons usually relate and build off each other. I would highly recommend going when you start attending APU because if not when you do end up going to Kaleo you will wish you went from the very beginning (my roommate made that mistake haha).

Liturgical: Another Chapel option some Thursday nights that provides a service similar to Mass (lots of hymns) where it is very personal. I have never been, but many of my friends go and LOVE it.

Mods: A (mainly) sophomore living area that looks like little houses all around the area behind Trinity and Engstrom and the Baseball field.

My Tie: Often done in Freshmen living areas, all the guys will put a tie in a hat and the girls will pick one. Whatever tie you pick is your date for the night.

Resident Advisor: An upperclassman that lives on each hall (and mod or apartment complex) and regulates all their residents and plans events to bond the living communities. They also have a roommate (the RAR, Resident Advisor Roommate).

Sacrifice

Kevin Mannoia Monday, March 7th, 2011

I hope your week is going well. Wednesday is Ash Wednesday — which is the beginning of Lent. It may just be a small blip on the radar screen, but I hope you’ll think a bit more about it. It represents the beginning of a period of time leading to Easter when we celebrate new life through Christ. We use ashes to symbolize sacrifice and surrender. Anything you do that has merit usually has a price attached and you have to decide whether to pay it. If you do, it usually means you will sacrifice something else. By entering the graduate program at APU you’ve had to sacrifice something — time, money, family time, a hobby, a vacation, or something else. You decided that this was important enough to you to pay the price, sacrifice, and surrender that for the sake of a graduate degree. Jesus decided that his love for you and your wholeness and eternal forgiveness was important enough to pay the price, sacrifice, and surrender to death. And new life – Easter – followed that sacrifice. And new life is available to you because of it. Following that model, think about what is really important in your spiritual life and consider the sacrifice and surrender required. Then Wednesday will mean more than just another day.

Please feel free to email me with a prayer request if you would like. Our Prayer Partners are committed to you in praying for you.

Blessings,
Kevin

A Birthday and A Roadtrip

Megan Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

Last month, a couple friends and I decided that a road trip was much needed with all the craziness of school. So often we are so busy with homework and all the activities at school that we don’t get to actually GET AWAY much. We took a free day and drove about three hours to Salvation Mountain, a beautiful man-made mountain of art created by a guy that’s crazy about Jesus and Jesus’ love. I have to say, it blew my mind, and as an artist myself it was a huge inspiration of how our faith and our art can go hand in hand. All of my friends that went absolutely loved it as well. Pictures don’t do it justice, but all you prospective students- when you get a chance to attend APU it is a must see work of art that can end up being an amazing road trip with friends. It’s pretty liberating just being able to jump into your car with four friends and drive off for a day’s adventure.

DSC_0126

DSC_0140

DSC_0341

Then, earlier this month as a little celebration for my birthday I went out to dinner with a couple of my closest friends at school to Bucca Di Beppo. I don’t know how its possible for dinner to be that much fun but it was either the amazing Italian food or the great company, its a toss up.

Later that night I rang in my birthday with driving half way to San Diego to pick up a hall mate with some of my friends blasting the song by 50 Cent that says “we gonna party like its your birthday.”

Then I woke up to my roommate carrying in a chocolate cake singing Happy Birthday. As simple as this whole birthday sounds, it was wonderful. I came to the conclusion that good company is all you need to have an amazing birthday. Here’s to my 19th year of life!

DSCN1138

DSCN1151