CARI STRATE | STAFF WRITER
Weekends at APU are never ordinary, as I have found my first few months here. These late nights spent on campus with others abandoned here like myself have lead to some of the best times of my life, and one Saturday night in particular I will never forget.
Many of my friends at APU are involved in the music program, so, when they told me they were playing a show in Hollywood, I wasn’t surprised at all. We arrived at Room 5 around 10:30 p.m. and were all nervous excited. As we waited, I was glad to see all of the familiar faces from school pack into the cozy but small, dark room. The love APU students have for each other astounds me, and it brought a joyful smile to my face to see this show of support.
As the two APU groups of performers played their sets, I sat in awe. Yes, they were amazing, but it was more than that. It was God working through them. In this public hotspot, above a bar, where the band before had just taken advantage of the easy in with the ladies and alcohol, individuals from our school stood up for what they believed in, used their God given talents, and gave all the glory to God.
It could have been easy for them to just go through their music and a few covers, censoring any God-centered content, and simply mixing in with the crowd. A shot at popularity, and maybe even fame, was given up by a respectable young man, who shared his time slot with another APU musician and turned his focus and commentary on God.
Never before have I been so encouraged. To be able to see God working in and through these people, I feel so blessed to just be a part of their lives. While some looked at us that night like crazy college kids at a local nightlife venue, I saw a spark of hope for the future in a dim lit world. I am so inspired, not only to use the gifts God has given to me, but also to abandon all cares of what the world might think. We are all so young, with so much potential. Big decisions are ahead on this winding, twisted road of college, but with the support of fellow APU students, I know God will be at the center of my decisions instead of myself. I am now left with a heavy heart, yearning to be all God wants me to be and to encourage my friends to strive for God’s plan for their lives as well. I wish I could take back all of the wrong turns I’ve made along the way, and only through God’s grace, I am given a second chance every single day. APU has changed my life and got me thinking: When all is said and done, who are we singing for?