In March of 2020, I was over halfway through my final semester of coursework for a full-time, in-person doctoral program when COVID-19 changed everything. As the wife of an essential worker and mother of two kids in 1st and 4th grades, I suddenly found myself homeschooling while completing my own courses virtually and drafting my dissertation proposal. […]
The longer I have navigated the classroom, the more I’ve come to embrace the old saying “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Throughout Scripture we also see that God looks at the heart—our motives and thought life—as more important than our behaviors. I have found it helpful […]
Early in my time as a professor, I quickly learned that some colleagues dedicated a lot of time to service, and others dedicated, well, not so much. One of my colleagues simplified it this way: “If you want something done, find someone who is busy.” I became one of those busy people, serving on various […]
As I started my academic career as a young assistant professor, I wanted to make an impact. I was not, however, very open about my faith in academic settings due to fear of what people would think of me. All this changed when a colleague invited me to attend A Common Call virtual conference on October 17, […]
Recently I stumbled upon Max Lucado’s enchanting children’s story, “You Are Mine.” It’s a tale of little wooden people who obsess over collecting the biggest empty boxes and balls, and the madness that ensues. One wooden person, however, finds solace and identity in the embrace of his wood-maker. I recall the early days of my […]
My daughter’s name, Alaina, means “bright shining light.” It fits her. Consequently, when she was little, I spent my time at many church music shows. As she grew, she went from being on the floor in front to being further back, and finally on the last row on the riser. I could celebrate the journey, […]
Let me start by admitting that I was once that lost student, pursuing all the worldliness of college life and running from true freedom and joy found in Christ. I doubt my professors then would have guessed that their sleepy, always-forgetting-something student would be in their position one day. I was an adjunct lecturer teaching […]
After reading A Grander Story: An Invitation to Christian Professors by Rick Hove and Heather Holleman in a Faculty Commons small group Bible study, I was inspired to integrate my research with my faith rather than keeping my work and faith neatly compartmentalized into separate boxes.. As a music professor, I recorded an album entitled Solace specifically focused […]
God inspired me to enter teaching before I knew Him. Initially, I decided to follow my father’s footsteps and enter corporate America. However, halfway through my MBA program, I realized I could get paid for doing what I loved: learning, teaching what I’d learned, and writing. Even though I may not be as bright as most professors, […]
Have you ever questioned why you work in academia? I have. In a particularly challenging part of the 2023-2024 academic year, I questioned my place in academia. I confided in a sister in Christ and shared that ‘endless emails and zoom calls’ certainly couldn’t be my calling. Her simple response gave me pause. She said, […]
