Held one Thursday a month, Spiritual Life puts on PAUSE, a time to be still and come before the Lord. With attendance ranging from anywhere between fifteen to thirty people, the event is a safe space to study your Bible. It is also worth a flex credit. PAUSE’s format varies a lot depending on who is leading, with some sessions being simply quiet time to others having a bit more structure.
PAUSE is led by Grace Goddard, one of the graduate assistants with Spiritual Life. She helps plan and format the event to the most benefit of all who attend. At the last PAUSE, Goddard provided a handout with some helpful Bible study techniques and passages to start with if those attending are unsure of where to start. There is then a quiet time for forty minutes with instrumental music.
This event comes at a time where praying and reading your Bible has become more of a privilege than a necessity. According to an article from Lifeway Research, sixty-five percent of Christians spend time with the Lord each day. PAUSE makes the act of taking time out of your schedule a priority.
The event provides an open area for many different types of worship. “It’s seemingly a very relaxing environment that has the capacity to cultivate spiritual moments, whether that be a word from God, or maybe a holy nap,” said Goddard. Students are able to gather in each other’s presence and worship together in whatever way works for them.
The ultimate goal of the event is to give students time throughout the week to be with the Lord intentionally. “I want to see students feel empowered to embark on seeking the Lord outside of corporate and guided occasions, and so I’d love to provide resources to help them do this,” said Goddard. With the many stresses that college students deal with on a regular basis, it is the desire for Spiritual Life to open doors for all to spend more time with the Lord.
As the semester continues, PAUSE will only continue to grow. “As God inhabits the praises of His people, I find it encouraging that so many students are willing and wanting to seek Him on a random Thursday at 11 a.m.,” said Goddard.
In the craziness of the start of the semester, PAUSE gives students the opportunity to take time to rest. “I would always encourage students to take any opportunity to provide the Lord space within their day, especially when the opportunity is alongside fellow believers with the same intention,” said Goddard.
If one has any questions about PAUSE, they can contact Grace Goddard at grace.goddard@asbury.edu.
