Podcasts about senior chapel

Come join us at 11:00 am in the B.J. Haan auditorium for chapel. As our campus Pastor Aaron Bart will finish our "Made To Belong" series.

On the April 26, 2023 episode of the Sterling College Chapel Podcast, Taya Wilson—Senior at Sterling College—shares a testimonial devotional as part of a larger Chapel service honoring the Sterling College graduating class of 2023. Sterling College is a private, Christian, four-year liberal arts college located in Sterling, Kansas, with a mission "to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith." For more information, please visit us at www.sterling.edu.

On this episode of the Sterling College Chapel Podcast, the senior undergraduate class of 2022 at Sterling college—including Modene Watie, Ethan Richardson, Nicole Marin, Braydon Jackson, Emmiley Hendrixson, Justin Holland, Antonio Aguilera, Gonzalo Serrano and Paige Sherraden—give a variety of messages, testimonies and other additions for the final chapel service of the 2021-2022 academic year at Sterling College. It also marks the final chapel service Paul Brandes serves as Chaplain at Sterling College. Sterling College is a private, Christian, four-year liberal arts college located in Sterling, Kansas, with a mission "to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith." For more information, please visit us at www.sterling.edu.

Today, three FBCI seniors will preach during chapel. Join us to hear Michael Tremblay, Jonathan Johnson, and Evans Wanyama preach!

Today, three FBCI seniors will preach during chapel. Join us to hear Sasha Neary, Naomi Phillips, and Elizabeth Siciliano preach! March 29

Today, three FBCI seniors will preach during chapel. Join us to hear Eden Kepler, Julia Libby, and Ken Moses preach

Today, three FBCI seniors will preach during chapel. Join us to hear Luke Churchill, Emily Clement, and Wesley Ganglfinger preach.

This week features the Senior Chapel of the Class of 2022: Dane Smith '22 Davionne Garrett '22 Kody Witham '22 Andrew Boyer '22 Episode 163 – Original Speech Date: April 28, 2022

Today's final chapel of the academic year honors Cedarville University's Senior Class. Dr. Dan Estes, Distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Cedarville University, gives a charge to the graduating seniors from Psalm 121.

This week features the Senior Chapel of the Class of 2021: Drew Buttrum ’21 Jeffrey Inman ’21 Jacob Page ’21 Justin Kopp ’21 Episode 132 – Original Speech Date: April 22, 2021

Today's final chapel of the academic year is led by Cedarville University's Senior Class. Dr. Kevin Jones, Dean and Assistant Professor of Education at Cedarville University, delivers a charge to the graduating seniors from 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5.

Speaking in Pioneer Chapel are members of the senior class of 2020: Owen Doster, Waleed Elrefai, Matt Fajt, and Ben Kiesel. Episode 106 - Original Speech Date: April 30, 2020

In his #SeniorChapelTalk, Kyle Nevitt reflected on the many accomplishments of his grandfather–his hero–ranging from pole vaulting to becoming a Navy Seal, and shared the wisdom he passed down. “The real heroes,” his grandfather told him, “are those who spend time getting an education and use that education to make the world a better place.” Education is a platform for making a long and lasting impact. Help one or help many, but leave the world better than you found it. “Use your education,” Kyle encouraged his peers, “and be a hero.” In her #SeniorChapelTalk, Annie Notzon spoke about how iron sharpens iron…how members of a community–family–can strengthen one another. Through childhood memories, she painted the picture of her own family and how they work together as a team. But, outside of that, she was afraid to open up and be vulnerable. It wasn’t until a close friend needed her that she realized friends always see the best in you. Letting people help you is what makes you strong, she said. “Our community, constantly sharpening each other, is our strength…open up when you are hurting and be there for someone that is.” In the final #SeniorChapelTalk of the year, Manaal Salman spoke about the power of the brain and the importance of learning–how we are constantly learning, everywhere and every day. She shared why we must never take an opportunity to learn for granted and why we need to share the knowledge we have; teaching others and leading by example. “The great power that you possess is the ability to learn,” she said. “Use it to it’s full potential…Live as if you were to die tomorrow, but learn as if you were to live forever.”

HCA Seniors bring the latest

This week’s episode features the Senior Chapel of the class of 2019: Ben Stachowski Joe House Ian Finley Ahad Khan Episode 79 - Original Speech Date: Apr. 25, 2019

The wall of Jerusalem that Nehemiah was commissioned to rebuild is representative of God to the children of Israel. The wall provided perfect protection, potentiating power, and perpetual provocation or prompting. As believers we are to represent God in the same way to others, by representing His protection, power, and prompting to be part of the Kingdom

In her #SeniorChapelTalk, Annie Masterson shared her competitive drive with the TMI community. But, unlike others who could simply shake off not winning, she would spiral downward–viewing defeat as complete failure. Over time, she began to view this combination differently; her competitiveness was really a passion without fear. Though she still struggles to reign in her emotions at times, she’s learned that failures do not define her. “I will always have my friends, my family, and God to embrace me and my imperfections.” In his #SeniorChapelTalk, Will Oliver spoke about the love he has for his family–not just blood relatives, but the friends and communities who have come into his life and become his extended family. From his coaches here at TMI and his teammates to his teachers and classmates (old and new), family is made up of the people who are always there; through good times and bad, play after play. “I’ve been able to find my family, make sure you find yours.” During his #SeniorChapelTalk, Colby Guillory spoke about his guiding forces from deep within. He shared a few humorous stories of what was clearly destined to be–from winning a bet playing rock, paper, scissors to being chosen for the Punt, Pass, and Kick contest at a football game…and losing. In a moment of clarity, he realized that everything up to this point had happened for a reason…even if the purpose was still yet unknown, “and I can only pray that for whatever moment I was put on this earth to participate in, I have the eyes to recognize it.” Viewing his entire life as a competition, Eric Lull shared in his #SeniorChapelTalk how this mindset, paired with a crippling fear of failure, created a war-like environment in his head. He tried to achieve balance by setting attainable goals, but still found he felt like a failure. But the summer before his junior year at Camp Capers, one message resonated with him–when we do things out of love, we find happiness, meaning, and success. He realized his previous struggles were because he had fallen out of love with the process of perfection. Discovering this, he created three rules to live his life by: love yourself, love others and the world around you, and live for love. In his #SeniorChapelTalk, Sucheng "Sam" Shi spoke about option bias. From choosing to accept a ride from an unsafe driver because it is the only transportation available to telling ourselves we can get by with less work when we succeed on a test we didn’t prepare for, our subconscious uses overly-optimistic thoughts to guide many of our decisions. But, no matter what actions we take, we are responsible for the consequences and “by being responsible for our own actions, we’re also keeping possible dangers and unforeseen accidents from people around us–especially for those who we love and care.”

In his #SeniorChapelTalk, Jake Flinn shared the story of his younger brother being born with a rare, life-threatening condition. After many months, surgeries, and medications, Jake's little brother Matt was able to come home from the hospital. There were many challenges and Matt's medical journey wasn't finished, but every time Jake looked at his little brother, he was smiling and happy. Fast forward 16 years later and Matt is 6' tall and in perfect health. "There is no one else in this world I'd rather call my brother," Jake said. "I hope all of you value and are thankful for your siblings and relatives...Matt, you're an amazing friend and brother...you were, and are, a huge blessing to the Flinn family." In her #SeniorChapelTalk, Shufan "Victoria" Yin shared the struggles of her grandfather who, at the age of 16 and the oldest child, took on the responsibility of supporting his family. He lived the history that she only read about in textbooks, Victoria said. In learning to understand his perspective and experiences in life, she began to also understand the differences in opinions between them. "Don't rush to a conclusion and confine others to a category," she told the community, "there are always stories behind their actions." In his #SeniorChapelTalk, Zi Wen "Owen" Guo shared how his pursuit of perfection over the years often prevented him from starting or finishing a project. It was only when he joined the robotics team, that he learned the importance of sometimes implementing an imperfect solution in order to reach the goal. Duck tape and zip ties may not make for a perfect and elegant robot, but they are suitable tools that can serve a purpose to keep a robot functioning during competition or meet a deadline. "Whenever your hard work doesn't translate into your dreamed results," Owen said, "take a step backward, let go of what you have imagined and adapt. That way, you might actually get closer to your goal."  In his #SeniorChapelTalk, Jiyang "John" Chen introduced systems thinking to the community to guide us in looking at the entire world through this lens. From small actions to major events, all things are part of the system. He spoke of the human nature to search for meaning, explaining that meaning itself relies on information. So when you have inefficient systems, they lose information–lose meaning. Circling back to the community, he encouraged everyone to keep an open mind, be courageous in expressing oneself, and be open to information.

In her #SeniorChapelTalk, Yiling "Elaine" Qiu spoke about her experience volunteering to teach English in a remote village to students who only spoke Tibetan and couldn't understand her Mandarin. She quickly had to adjust her well-prepared plans and began teaching by cultivating their interest in the language. What she learned in the end, is that it's important to understand where other people are coming from–their situations and experiences in life–and to put yourself in their shoes. Having this understanding gives us empathy; and though it may be hard, it matters. In his #SeniorChapelTalk, Ruiming "Clinton" Ma showed his mind palace to the TMI community–a star-filled night sky. In it, every person and memory in his life is represented by a shining star. These stars remind him that he is loved, that he should give love, and that everyone of us should look upon our own stars and recall the lucky, joyful, and precious moments of our lives.

In her #SeniorChapelTalk, Inaara Bhayani shared the ups and downs of living with someone who has bipolar disorder. She spoke about how it affected her own confidence and self-worth, sharing how hard it was to both admit and accept that she needed the help of others to overcome the emotional toll it took. “We all have something we’re struggling with,” she said. Remember that “no problem is too small to talk about.” In her #SeniorChapelTalk, Isabella Castano spoke about how she has grown up to depend upon her friends and family and the critical role they play in her life. While she is grateful that TMI has helped build her independence, she has learned to accept and appreciate the fact that she depends upon the people who are closest to her to be a part of what makes life fulfilling. In her #SeniorChapelTalk, Madeline Miller shared her great grandfather’s journey and the story of how he started Bill Miller Bar-B-Q restaurant. But the road to success wasn’t easy, she said, and told of the struggles the restaurant faced in it’s early days. To keep the restaurant in business, her family began “working together to support one another” and over the years it grew to become the famous chain we know today. Last summer she joined in the tradition and chose to make her first job at the restaurant. Its “success and growth is due to family,” she said, and no matter what the question is, “family is the answer.” During the summer of his junior year, John “Jack” Torpey tore his ACL and was devastated to learn it meant no sports for at least six months. The course of his senior year was radically changed. His recovery was painful, difficult, and frustrating, but the injury taught him that we are not invincible, we are human. This new perspective gave him the mindset to push forward. He reminded the community that the people who support you the most are all around you, and they want you to succeed. We all face challenges, he said, “pain is inevitable, but suffering, that's a choice.”

During his #SeniorChapelTalk, Shangzhi "David" Jiang described a chance meeting of a younger boy while he was home one summer and lifting weights at the gym. Curious at the boy’s excitement in learning that he attended school in the United States, David soon realized this boy didn’t have the opportunity to attend any high school because he had to work full time to help support his family; his dream of becoming a professional soccer player, long forgotten. The stark contrast to his own situation taught David the importance of holding onto his dreams and not letting life strip them away, “protect and cherish your dream…and hold it tight without losing it like the boy.” Silence is awkward, but it can also be stronger than you think, said Wyatt Seal during his #SeniorChapelTalk. He shared how his bond with his mom was strengthened as a young child from all the time she helped him with his homework; while the bond with his dad was strengthened from hours of silence, sitting in a deer blind. “It’s really quite funny how well you get to know someone even when no words are spoken,” he said. He explained how the enjoyment of hunting for him, is not in killing a deer, but rather, “I hunt because I like to sit in a 4x4 box for hours of silence with my dad.” “You have the ability to create and decide your own path,” said Briana Quintanilla in her #SeniorChapelTalk. She talked about the pressure to follow her peers on their paths; realizing the hard way that her path to success was in a different direction. When she learned to embrace her own passions and identify her strengths, she experienced a new kind of stress that motivated her to push through knowing the final result would be rewarding. “You are your own person…have your own judgement and follow it.”

Throughout her life, Jordan Bell always tried to blend in. In her #SeniorChapelTalk, she spoke of how she struggled with being shy and was always concerned about what others would think. During her sophomore year, she was determined to break out of her shell and joined the softball team. This opened up her world and slowly, she let her true self shine through. Becoming more confident every day, she told the community to remember that, “You are beautiful and amazing, just the way YOU are.” During his #SeniorChapelTalk, Caleb Braha described in humorous detail the awkwardness of life as a Middle School student. Looking back, he laughed at his forced attempts at trying to make friends as a child. But, it wasn’t until high school that he realized he had spent all his time trying to live for others and not himself. He stopped caring what others thought and embraced the activities he enjoyed and things that made him laugh. Through discovering himself, he also found others who shared his same interests…and along with that, he found true friendship. “Whatever you do,” he told the community, “do it for you…have friends and enjoy your life.” Yiyang “Louis” Liu smiled as he shared a story about joining the baseball team–a sport he knew nothing about–and how excited he was when he ran past second base…exactly as he had done on first. But, he turned around to discover his team upset…learning after, he was supposed to run to it and not past it. Afterward, he felt great disappointment and failure. Louis shared a few more humorous stories and explained that while our emotions may help us to make quick decisions and life more colorful, if they are not kept in check, they can also lead to poor decisions and unnecessary pain. “Just as there is an optimal workload for machines,” he said, “there is a prime range for the intensity of emotions that make your life the most sensible and stable.” So the next time you’re in a situation facing extreme emotions, remember to “keep calm and carry on.” During her #SeniorChapelTalk, Lorelei McDowell shared the deep and lasting impact that her faith has had on her life. Both TMI and her church have given her knowledge and a strong moral compass that has prepared her for the next phase in life. “Thank you to the school teachers and coaches [who] have helped me become stronger mentally, physically and spiritually.” She said, “Lastly, to the Corps, thank you for keeping the traditions at TMI alive.”  

Oluwatomike “Tomike” Falebita described herself as a people pleaser during her #SeniorChapelTalk. She would do anything to help other people feel better and felt tremendous guilt if she let anyone down. When she came to TMI in the 9th grade as a boarding student, she felt alone and desperate to avoid the challenges of a new school and new environment. But, one comment from her parents during that freshman year, gave her a new perspective. They told her that she had to live her own life, for herself. This one statement allowed her to look at things differently and face her challenges head on; she was ready to seize the opportunities right in front of her. Pay attention to yourself and your own needs, she said to the community, “you are worth it.” During his freshman year at TMI, Cody Trevino’s older brother signed to play football with Trinity University. That is when, he told the TMI community during his #SeniorChapelTalk, he set his goal to play one more year of football with his brother in college. For the past three years, he’s been preparing for this goal by working harder on his grades and training more on the field, knowing that his competition might be bigger, stronger, or faster. Then, during this past summer, he received a call from one of the Trinity University coaches who told him he’d been asked to make an early commitment decision and sign on as a Tiger. “Picture your dream,” he said, “work hard to accomplish it, and don’t let setbacks keep you down. My brother is still currently a running back at Trinity and I realize I may not get much playing time my first year, but I will finally have achieved my dream of playing on the same team as my best friend.”

In her #SeniorChapelTalk, Bridget Lynch spoke about being truly reckless–finding uninhibited creation. Her reckless moment happened while daydreaming under a tree in the southwest one summer. As humans, we tend to want to be comfortable, content and satisfied...we stray away from walking along the edge of life, experiencing new adventures and taking risks. We gravitate toward the center and stay there, tethered. But we become accustomed to the beauty when we're in the center, it becomes mundane and dull. "I thought that I wasn't enough," she said in describing herself before that moment of recklessness, her life dulled by remaining in the center. Part of being reckless is realizing that part of life is attaining satisfaction for yourself; knowing that you are enough. In that moment, she learned to let go of self doubt and self-imposed barriers and found genuine happiness. She found spontaneity and the ability to walk along the edge again, and encouraged the community to "explore the limits of this limitless universe." In her #SeniorChapelTalk, Entong “Jessica” Zhou shared some of her struggles as an awkward teenager. She laughed about being confused when she arrived in America from China for 8th grade and discovered everyone was asking her the same question, “Hey what’s up?” All she could think was, ‘the sky’ and what an odd question it was. The awkward moments made her miss and appreciate home, but she told herself things would get better and that it just needed time. Over the next year, however, an old childhood friend passed away and her grandmother was starting to lose her memory. What time taught her was that every moment in life is precious. When it’s hard to keep going, she said, “stop for a while and look back at those best memories…they will keep you moving forward.”  

Life is unpredictable. In his #SeniorChapelTalk, Nathan Tran described the period of his life when his father was hospitalized and the responsibility of caring for his younger brother fell to him, while his mother divided her time between the hospital and work. But through the difficulties and challenges, he found support and encouragement from another family–the TMI community. His coaches helped fill the gaps in his life as mentors, teachers, and parent figures; encouraging him to work harder and face his challenges. Family is more than just blood relatives, “it can be the people who carry you through difficult times…I hope that through the kindness of others, you too, will be able to find the family you need most when you least expect it.” In her #SeniorChapelTalk, Juliana Martinez described the various ways in which she wastes her time…reading books, browsing through a library, absorbing mass amounts of information in a museum, and accumulating random facts of knowledge or useless pieces of information every chance she gets. But what exactly determines whether a piece of information is useful, when great discoveries in life often come from accidents and random observations? “Be curious about this weird and wonderful world we live in,” she said. Though she might describe many of her activities as “time wasted,” that doesn’t mean it’s time ill spent. Because “learning is never a waste of time.”

Leaving the audience wondering whether it was Michael or “Jimmy” who gave his #SeniorChapelTalk, Michael “Jimmy” LeJune shared the story of his nickname. A childhood friend’s dare led him to trick his teacher into calling him Jimmy and from then on, that’s how his friends knew him. But in more formal settings, where he had to behave–usually around family or strangers–he remained Michael. Though “Jimmy” started as a joke, it illustrates the multiple sides to ourselves that we all have; our relationships with people, complex and different. “We all have multiple identities…[that] allow us to express the correct personality that correlates to the situation that we are in.” Though he doesn’t recommend naming your second identity, he encourages everyone to embrace it. By doing so, we “understand ourselves better as a whole.” “Such wasted potential,” were the words that changed Santiago Martinez’ outlook on life. In his #SeniorChapelTalk, he described how hearing those words spoken about him made him look at every aspect of his life and realize that they were true...and that he needed to change. He urged the audience to not wait for second chance to take advantage of their own potential; share your potential–your gifts–with the world. Though there will always be more success to be had, be proud of what you have achieved at every step along the way. Be a better athlete, student, friend…“Be a better person, you can. We control how we see and use our potential…work hard and never ever stop chasing it.”  

“I’ve always seen people as people,” said Karina Samuel during her #SeniorChapelTalk. She shared the story of her family and the unconditional love they have for each other. With her mother from the Ukraine and her father from India, she described her family as a beautiful compilation of people from all different backgrounds, cultures, and opinions. It's something she's also experienced here at TMI where, "unconditional love is a cornerstone for an open minded and diverse community belonging to each other and respecting one another...So when you leave this place," she said, "take some love from this community and make it your own." Finding himself with two broken arms after a bicycle crash one summer, Eddie Garcia shared how his determination to take on any challenge changed the way he looks at life. During his #SeniorChapelTalk, he shared that initially he allowed himself to feel sorry for himself. But after three days of wallowing in his own misery, he realized he was bored and that if things were going to be different, he needed to change his attitude. Rather than feeling that his summer was ruined, he started to look at everything as a challenge to overcome. He learned to adapt, improvise, and even lean on those who supported him. He soon found himself–with two broken arms–snorkeling, kayaking, and making the most of life. By the end of the summer, he learned “no matter how hard a problem is, and no matter how impossible it may seem, I can and I will overcome the problem.” Commenting that he didn’t have just one single life-changing event to share with the community, Evan Will stressed the importance of learning from all your mistakes–small and large–during his #SeniorChapelTalk. He shared one example, in elaborate detail, how a bad idea led him to jump an iron fence and resulted in him impaling his leg. Knowing he had been doing something he shouldn’t have, he proceeded to lie about it as the ambulance came and took him to the hospital. After he healed and the truth finally came out, he realized how not telling the truth had forced his doctors to work with limited information. “Maturity comes from making little mistakes, learning from them, and living your life…so, take risks, and make mistakes while you’re young…just make sure you actually learn from your mistakes.”

In his #SeniorChapelTalk, Michael Blaess spoke about mistakes. Although we all try to avoid making them, if we didn’t have them, we would miss valuable learning experiences. He shared that the important thing is to not avoid making mistakes, but to realize that they will happen and knowing how to deal with them. “No matter what happens in life, always remember to be honest, to learn from your past, and to turn your knowledge into actions.” Reflecting on his love for baseball as he began his #SeniorChapelTalk, Nicolas Planchet said, “My life is very much, in essence, reflected by the baseball.” He compared the baseball’s outer layer to his own skin–gleaming and shiny when new, but becoming scuffed and worn over time. Just beneath that lies a chaotic bundle of string, representing his journey in life–the path and choices he’s made along the way and the people who have helped him navigate it. Finally, the baseball’s core–that makes it strong and complete–represents faith, family, and friends. It is the most important part, the heart. With the last name of Zgardowski, Audrey has heard nearly every possible interpretation of her name as people have failingly tried to pronounce it over the years. In her #SeniorChapelTalk, she talked about the countless suggestions to drop the “g” or change the spelling entirely and listed off the numerous nicknames her friends have created in trying to say it correctly. “But it’s part of my heritage and something to be proud of,” she said. “My name came over from Poland around 1900. It has been worn by a NYC fireman, a tugboat captain, a few generations of Navy men, a baseball player and now a TMI student…even though my name might be mispronounced, misspelled, or even downright made fun of, I am proud because of it’s history and story.”

“It’s easy for us to see the world in one, individually personalized way,” said Caroline Vassar in her #SeniorChapelTalk yesterday. But, when we fail to see situations and the world from other points of view, we miss understanding the whole truth–the positives and negatives of all sides–and fail to understand each other. Sharing a simple example of misunderstanding cultural norms while traveling abroad, she realized the importance of viewing every situation, no matter how small or large, from multiple perspectives. “There is a whole world of people and perspectives out there, all of them coming from different starting points. Accept the complexity of this world and you will thrive. Have compassion, be informed and strive for the whole truth.” “What is your passion?” asked Grant Kahl during his #SeniorChapelTalk yesterday. For him, it is robotics. Since the age of seven, he spent his childhood soaking up information about engineering and programming, eventually becoming known as “the robotics kid.” He learned, competed, and grew more confident in his abilities. His experiences and engineering mindset shaped the way he looks at all aspects of life, analyzing everything with the same methodical thought process. “Engineering is my life…it makes me the person that you see before you.” No matter what your own goals are, Grant urged the community, find your passion. “Try new things…you never know if that one thing will lead to a lifetime of passion and happiness.” “Learn from your mistakes,” said George Sealy Wray in his #SeniorChapelTalk. Although the phrase is one that most of us have heard many times throughout our lives, he wanted to stress how important those words truly are. Through humorous anecdotes, he shared how one mistake that he never learned from–extreme procrastination–cost him more than just a few bad grades. Realizing that his friends didn’t trust him to follow through and his relationships with his family and teachers had become complicated, he knew it was time to change. “I would like to thank all of my teachers, my parents and TMI,” he said, “for having faith that I could fix my mistakes and never giving up on me.” #WeBelongToEachOther! 

As a child, William Elms thought a community was just a group of people. In his #SeniorChapelTalk, he explained that it wasn’t until his sophomore year here at TMI that he realized it is much more. This community, he said, was part of his family. But what is family? He read the dictionary’s basic description and went on to say that for him, family is “a group of people who have a strong bond or connection between them.” Explaining his four families–blood, football, lacrosse, and friend–he reflected on the love, memories, and lessons that each family has taught him and given him. Not all families are related through blood, “TMI is about community and community to me is family…cherish your families, have fun with your families, respect your families, but most of all, love your families.” We are all puppets, Rui “Raymond” Fu said at the beginning of his #SeniorChapelTalk. He explained how technology has changed the way we receive information, while at the same time made it increasingly more difficult to think independently. The Internet is a host of voices, ready to tell people how to think and where to stand on any given topic, and the media often shapes stories and sometimes hides the truth. “Many people fear rejection, so we do not speak up,” he said. But, it’s the “people with independent thoughts and the the courage to speak up [who] are the ones that shape and mold our society today.” Do not take the easy way out by letting others do the thinking for you. “Take advice from others, with rationality, instead of taking the advice without independence,” he said. And you will know that, “you are making the right decision.” Painting the picture of sitting in the back of a police car while her family’s vehicle was being towed out of a snowbank, Payton Down told the story of how three angels came to save them after they slid off the road one snowy night in Colorado. The road was mostly abandoned, due to the storm, and was supposed to be a shortcut to Aspen. As they wondered how they could get help, three vehicles soon arrived on the empty, closed road. The first was a pickup truck and the driver had everything necessary to tow them out. The next vehicle was a police officer who offered to call for additional help. The final car was a calm couple who asked if there was anything they could do. The simple acts of kindness by these strangers–who were referred to as angels by her mother–inspired her to be there for others. “One day I hope to be that angel for someone else. What about you?”      

In her #SeniorChapelTalk, Kelly Housley shared the memories of her childhood, remembering what it was like to spend time with her family and go on outdoor adventures together. But as many teenagers do, when she got older, she longed to spend more time with her friends and less with her parents and sister. In July 2017, however, she faced the unexpected reality that there would be no more adventures as a family when her parents split. Struggling with her emotions, she began pushing everyone away. It’s taken time, but through the challenges, she's learned how to rethink every moment with her family, find true friends, and appreciate everything she has. “Everything changes,” she said, “and I’m slowly adapting as I go.” “We seem to never be pleased with what we have in our lives,” said Lydia Saucedo in her #SeniorChapelTalk. From body image to our way of living, she shared how she fell into this trap when she lost 50 lbs. and still felt unsatisfied. Realizing that trying to reach a “perfect” goal set by others is like trying to run a marathon with no finish line, she knew she had to change her way of thinking. But it wasn’t until she went on a mission trip in Mexico—when she saw the people she was helping, being content with and grateful for what they had—that she recognized “there’s no such thing as perfect best…there’s only the life you make of it and the happiness you have every step of the way.” Set goals you believe in and don’t seek approval from anyone other than yourself, “only when we run the race for ourselves, can we find the finish line.”

Describing what it was like to grow up in various places around the world during her #SeniorChapelTalk, Hannah Allen spoke about the phases she went through in her attempts to fit in. Looking back and trying to understand her behavior, she reflected on the words of Science Department Chair Rob Friedrich who told her to never settle for a simple answer. She explained the human nature to conform, noting that we are often not even aware when we are conforming. “Don’t let your identity be controlled by people who you think the world would rather see, let your influences be who can better you as an individual,” she said. “Don’t copy people or things you don’t approve of…and…put yourself first, you’d be surprised what some simple self love can do for the complex human mind.” “Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us.” Reece Traylor quoted Carl Sagan in his #SeniorChapelTalk as he emphasized how small we are and how short and fleeting life is in comparison to the universe. But, we must realize that “we are the universe…a component part of a much bigger, much more amazing whole.” Pay attention to the world around you, he urged the community, “live with grace, be happy and…enjoy the time you have with each other and never let a single moment go to waste.” As a young child, Javier Ramos struggled with trying to figure out his self worth. In his #SeniorChapelTalk, he told the story of a boy who asked his father what the value of life is–the moral was that what matters in life is who you surround yourself with and how you choose to carry yourself. Before moving to San Antonio, he came to the tough realization in middle school that his friends were laughing at him, not with him. He knew he had to make a change. “Life can and will be challenging,” he said, “I’ve always failed at many things and I’ve always come back stronger.” Don’t be afraid to try and always keep moving forward.

In his #SeniorChapelTalk, Daniel Espey shared the internal struggle he faced as a child when answering the simple question ‘Where are you from?’ Born in South Korea and brought to the U.S. when he was adopted at just 8 months old, he found himself answering both South Korea and America to the question. But he faced his biggest struggle at just 11 years old when another child told him to go back to where he belonged. Never expecting such a comment and not knowing how to respond, he whispered, “I can’t.” He realized in that moment that life would not be a breeze as he thought it would. But what he shared with the community is that everyone faces difficulty in their lives in their own way. Prove your doubters wrong, he stressed, “you are a unique individual and you have a place in this world…your story, your background is something nobody else can possess, so use your experiences as a way to better yourself and prove yourself.” “I never stop talking,” Jessica Cox said in her #SeniorChapelTalk. But when she started to get bullied at her old school for being part of something she loved–swimming–she reached out for help and ended up hearing versions of ‘boys will be boys’ and was left feeling like it was her fault for speaking up; she retreated and fell quiet. Feeling defeated and let down by those who were supposed to help, she came to TMI a reserved and closed-off sophomore. As time passed, however, she found her voice again. Back to talking people’s ears off, she told the community to never be afraid to speak up. “Share your voice without being afraid nobody is listening,” she said, “and if no one listens to you, speak louder.”

In his #SeniorChapelTalk, Andrew Hieger described life as a child with his best friend Ellie–a stuffed elephant he got when he was just one year old. She went everywhere with him and though she became worn, for seven years he didn’t let go. But when she disappeared one day, he focused on his friends and family, slowly becoming less dependent on his missing stuffed animal. Looking back, he realized Ellie’s disappearance taught him that just because you haven’t done something before doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Speaking to his senior classmates, he reminded them they would all be leaving for college soon, but that doesn’t mean going away will be impossible. In the end, “If you love something, let it go and if it loves you, it will come back...or you just might find it stored away in a box in grandma’s house.” In his #SeniorChapelTalk, Michael Robinson spoke about anxiety–specifically, chapel talk anxiety. He joked about procrastination and denial being great methods for coping, until he reached the halfway point of junior year. Facing what he couldn’t put off any longer, he chose a topic and soon realized he would be “giving advice about how to write advice so that you can later give that advice without panicking because you’ve never given advice before.” In the end, he encouraged the community to accept anxiety they may face in the future, but to only do it at a specific time so that you spend less time worrying overall. For the students who haven’t given their talk yet, he reminded them that there’s no better place to give it than at TMI, because, “jokes aside, this is an amazing community.”

As the youngest child, Julia Humphrey was know for her temper tantrums, she told the community in her #SeniorChapelTalk yesterday. It wasn’t until she attended camp in the summer of 2015 that she realized how much her attitude could change everything around her and she was finally able to see how much good she had in her life. “Don’t take for granted what is right in front of us,” she said. Focus on your own happiness, take a step back, and see the good in your own life. In his #SeniorChapelTalk, Jack Whittemore talked about sibling love…and rivalry. He recounted the times he spent arguing with his younger twin sisters, only occasionally getting along when they found common ground to complain about. But, after moving from Chicago to San Antonio to attend TMI as a boarding student, he realized he missed his sisters and his family. Trying to keep it inside, he eventually opened up to friends who held him up and kept him strong. His message to the community: be kind to your siblings, respect each other, and enjoy the time you have with them. Painting the details of his own death in his #SeniorChapelTalk, Chase Blackwell described the events of this past December and what could have been a fatal accident with an 18-wheeler on the highway while driving home. But the close call also served as a wake-up call. Realizing at that moment that the only memories he had before the near miss on the highway were of depression and boredom, “I was filled with regret,” he said. He hadn’t truly lived. Forcing himself to take risks and put himself out there in a way he had never done before, changed his life. He made friends, served on student council, and participated–for the first time in almost five years, he discovered that his only memories were happy ones. “TMI isn’t just a school, it never was,” he said. “We’re a family, TMI…We belong to each other and all of you guys belong forever in my heart.”

“Focus on the good, especially the great people,” Luke Terry said in his #SeniorChapelTalk on Tuesday. Reflecting on his life, while searching for a topic for his talk, he realized he was focusing on the negative and that a general lack of awareness made him overlook all the great things that had happened in his life. Like others, he had his own stories of hardships that he could share–but when he stopped focusing on those, he could see the sacrifices others had made for him and the opportunities he had available. “We will face hardships in our lives…but there is too much good happening every day in this community to let these hardships cloud our vision. Find the silver linings,” he said to the students, “and take advantage of everything TMI has to offer.” “Wherever you are, it’s OK to be there,” said Jolie Heerema in her #SeniorChapelTalk on Thursday. She opened up to the community and shared her struggles with depression and an eating disorder, allowing the TMI community to become a part of her journey toward healing. Through her challenges, she learned that it’s OK to ask for help and–more importantly–it’s OK to receive it. Encouraging others who are facing their own challenges and reflecting on how far she’s come with her own, she said, “no matter where you are, you might look back one day and be glad that you kept going–I know I am.” “I know I have won, no matter what the score,” said Trent Wisian in his #SeniorChapelTalk on Tuesday. He described aiming and shooting at his rifle target during a competition where the wind gusts were so strong, targets were ripped from their stands and blown away. It was the worst he had ever shot. But he didn’t let that keep him down. Accepting the fact that there were circumstances he couldn’t control, he was proud of making it to that point and satisfied in knowing he did everything possible to prepare and set himself up for success. “Mistakes teach us to do better,” he explained, and “a lot more things will go right in life than wrong…celebrate your successes.”

“What is it that sets me apart?” Brandon Rubsamen asked in his Senior Chapel Talk. He was determined to pick a topic that hadn’t already been covered and so he shared his story of being part deaf–or how he used to be. At a young age, doctors discovered he was missing his stapes bone, which is located in the middle ear and is the smallest bone in the body. Without it, he could only hear muffled sounds. Sporting a new hearing aid when he reached kindergarten, he viewed it as something unique that made him who he was. As he grew older, he realized the silver lining that he could turn it off when he was annoyed. In 2011, he had surgery to replace the missing bone with a titanium implant, thus becoming a bonafide cyborg. Discovering new sounds and what he had been missing, he told the community that we often don’t realize how good things can be until we get there–listen for the small things in life, the hidden joys, and always look for the silver lining.

This podcast features our first two Senior Chapel Talks of the 2018-2019 school year by Hasan Ehsan and Warren Gignac, TMI Class of 2019. In the first #SeniorChapelTalk of the school year, Cadet Battalion Commander Hasan Ehsan asked the community to look beyond the numbers and words that characterize people and discover the narratives that show our complexities and similarities. A simple phrase–such as refugee or special needs–is not enough to define the human experience. When we recognize that others have been where we are, have faced the same emotions, and struggled with their own challenges, we become more connected and compassionate toward each other. “Every single human being–like you–is a conglomeration of diverse experiences, emotions, and decisions who deserves your respect, support, and understanding.” In his #SeniorChapelTalk, Warren Gignac spoke about moments of transcendence. He shared his ultimate moment of transcendence when he and his partner won the prestigious LDZ Attorney Trials after a week at the youth legislative session of the National Hispanic Institute. He used this moment to describe the feeling of being on top of the word, overjoyed and unable to stop smiling. These are the moments, he said, that lift us above the hustle and bustle of everyday life and they can be as simple as listening to music or playing a sport. It is anything that makes you forget your stress and lets you live in the moment. He encouraged everyone to find their own ways of creating transcendent moments to increase quality of life, improve mental health and feel more fulfilled. When life was difficult, Warren was always told to, “stop, take a deep breath, and collect myself so that I could keep going.” Speaking directly to the TMI community, he said, “For us, moments of transcendence offer that same deep breath from the toughest assignment of all–life.”

An excerpt from Senior Chapel. Three seniors shared personal testimonies of what they learned in high school and how AACS helped them along their journey. Seniors Jay Jenkins, Hannah Hoelzer, and Mark Wiley share.

Junior/ Senior Chapel

This week’s episode features the Senior Chapel of the class of 2018: Satchel Burton Jonathan Alcala Torres Jade Doty Hank Horner Episode 54 - Original Speech Date: Apr. 26, 2018

Living in community provides opportunity for the good, the bad and the ugly. As followers of Christ we do life together. The community at Olivet, with our family, and with our church is worth fighting for and forgiving for. We are all flawed, but we really do need each other.

This week’s Chapel Talk episode features the Senior Chapel of the class of 2017: Tu Nguyen’s “Xin Chao Wabash” Riley Lefever’s “The 4-Step Guide to Greatness” Boyd Haley’s “Wabash Is Not and Should Not Be a Safe Space” Rodrigo Porras’s “Juventud, Divino Tesoro” Episode 25 - Original Speech Date: Apr. 27, 2017

For the Senior Chapel, a few of the graduating seniors share and reflect on what God has been doing in their lives over the past several years.

The Servant Leadership Award was given by the Elwood foundation. Following the presentation the senior class chaplain of 2017 shared a compelling message on the power of a name, articulating that God changed individual’s names when their destiny was about to be radically changed. Today being defined by the name Christian, when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, is the ultimate name and vision for our lives, because it communicates that we are capable of becoming like Jesus. In closing, Dr. Bowling decreed the moniker of Enduring to the Class of 2017.

Chapel was hosted by the senior class of 2016 under the leadership of class president, Joe Mantarian. Four seniors were selected to share their Olivet story. They encouraged students to say yes to God’s plan, to not under estimate what can happen when you say yes to God’s plan, and to not be bound by fear because when God calls you He will provide everything you need to accomplish His plan. The collective wisdom and spiritual insight these four seniors shared was very telling that Olivet’s mission is on target.

Chapel was hosted by the senior class of 2016 under the leadership of class president, Joe Mantarian. Four seniors were selected to share their Olivet story. They encouraged students to say yes to God’s plan, to not under estimate what can happen when you say yes to God’s plan, and to not be bound by fear because when God calls you He will provide everything you need to accomplish His plan. The collective wisdom and spiritual insight these four seniors shared was very telling that Olivet’s mission is on target.

Chapel audio recordings from Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy Massachusetts.

As Simpson University prepares for graduation, we give several of our seniors the chance to reflect on what they have learned and how they have grown.

The entire chapel service was planned and managed by members of the senior class under the leadership of senior class president – Madison Leeseberg. Five seniors shared about their Olivet experience and spiritual journey. They offered advice, based on four years of college experience, to the underclassmen.

The entire chapel service was planned and managed by members of the senior class under the leadership of senior class president – Madison Leeseberg. Five seniors shared about their Olivet experience and spiritual journey. They offered advice, based on four years of college experience, to the underclassmen.

Senior Chapel

David Peterka speaks on why miracles are biblical and still exist today at a school that is cessationist (no longer believes miracles exist).

Senior Chapel

Graduating Seniors give their testimonies

Description: Various seniors give their thanks and testimonies.