Waxahachie, Texas – April 14, 2017 – Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) encouraged students to avoid distractions and engage with the world around them through the ” Be Present ” challenge.
The “Be Present” challenge is an initiative of SAGU’s Residential Life department. Lance Meche, Dean of Students, says, “The idea has been to just be more aware of how much time we spend on technology versus people and the Lord.”
“Be Present” began on March 1, coinciding with the start of Lent and ends today. The challenge adheres to the theme of Lent, setting aside distractions to focus on God.
The challenge was enacted in several different ways. Students were encouraged to “Be Present” in chapel, class and social situations. Purple baskets, bearing the motto “Be Present,” were placed in the cafeteria as a reminder to take every opportunity to interact with others.
Students were also provided the opportunity to receive a “Real Life Journal” by Charity Reeb, a Christian thought leader and public speaker. Reeb created the journal based on several years of research. It is intended to be a tool to encourage students to have more conversations with God on a consistent basis. Almost 500 journals were distributed at no cost to students.
The trend of the millennial generation is one of heightened media consumption rates. The “Be Present” challenge sought to counteract this trend and re-align students’ focus on God.
While the challenge may have ended, we hope the principles introduced by the “Be Present” challenge will spill over into student’s everyday lives. Meche says that the benefits proposed by the challenge are unlimited. “Being present can help us focus on relationships, meeting needs and helping others.”
A video of student testimonials from the challenge will be played during Friendship Chapel on Tuesday, April 18.
To learn more about Charity Reeb and her unique ministry, click here .
About SAGU:
Southwestern Assemblies of God University is a private, Christian university located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas. The university was established in 1927, and now offers more than 70 associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees on campus or online. More information is available at www.sagu.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-SAGU.
