TIME. Spring 2019 | Page 6

Letter from the Editor A Time for Everything Dear reader, Welcome to the Spring 2019 issue of Cornerstone, and hel- lo from your resident senior citizen! Everyone says this, but seriously, these last semesters go by quickly. As I’m finishing college, I can’t help but remember how I felt as a freshman: energetic, confident, and ambitious in my plans for the next four years. Alright, I had thought to myself. I’ve done it. I’m here. This is my time, and from now on, my life is in my own hands. Now, I laugh at the idea. If there’s anything I’ve learned from college, it’s that much of life is simply out of our control. Of course, our efforts do have some effect on the general direc- tions of our lives. But as for how and when things actually play out, we may never know. Looking back, I wish I could say the events of my college life—my experiences, my relationships, my career outcomes—were the immediate results of my own choices. But in fact, so little happened on my agenda. I waited for things that never came. I made carefully constructed plans to watch them fall apart. I made decisions that led to wildly unexpected outcomes, whether for better or for worse. Sometimes, these experiences made me want to challenge God: Why now? Why not then? When will things actually work out, the way I want them to? But eventually, I came to realize that if my plans became too precious to me, I would lose sight of what gave them meaning at all. In those moments, God had to step in and say, Hey, it’s in My time. Not yours. Time must be an amusing thing for God. To us, it’s every- thing: we’re always looking for ways to save time, to use it well, to schedule and master it. But to God, time doesn’t exist like this. He is the very beginning and the end, a being that rep- resents infinity and eternity. As a Christian, what does it mean to live while knowing that ultimately, our time is His? With this issue’s theme of “Time,” we hope to inspire ques- tions about God’s time, our own, and the picture of faith as it grows through it. In “Embrace the Season You’re In,” Anna Delamerced discusses appreciating the present as an under- 6 Spring 2019 graduate and medical student. In “Circles,” Hope McGovern describes how God’s patience can break the cyclical patterns of our lives. And pieces like “Good Creation” take us all the way back to the beginning, tying it to our present and future. Together, we hope that these pieces paint a powerful picture of God’s power and promise throughout all of time. It’s not always easy to grasp this big picture of the Gospel, especial- ly in seasons of struggle. But those are the times in which it is most crucial to remember it. So no matter your season, whether you are in a time to weep or a time to laugh, we pray that God speaks to you through these pages. And now, it’s time for something much simpler: to close this letter and let you browse the rest of the issue. A part of me feels sentimental ending this, knowing that when I do, I also end four semesters of one of the most engaging, challeng- ing, and rewarding parts of my college life. But rest assured, with the new staff on board, Cornerstone will be around for a while. Our only hope is that our mission—to celebrate the truth and beauty of the Gospel, for the believer and non-be- liever alike—stays as timeless as the God who inspires it. Thank you for four wonderful semesters, and happy reading! Until next time, Kathy Luo is a senior concentrating in English and Sociology.