Fields of Faith is an event run by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). It is a time for students across campus to come together and celebrate their shared faith, and to hear from fellow student athletes, as well as a main speaker. This year's keynote speaker was Coach Sim Heard. Coach Heard based his talk on Acts 27, speaking about the many storms in life that we will face as Christians. His message touched the hearts of many students, including mine. This year, the student speakers were junior Brad Cantrell and senior Morgan Burnett. They both shared their stories of how God has been working in their lives.

Q: How are you involved with FCA? 

Morgan: I’m the President of FCA, so I help coordinate events we’re doing this year and also manage the Instagram.

Brad: I’m the Vice President of FCA. I help lead huddles [small group meetings] and do pretty much whatever is needed.

Q: Can you give a brief recap of what you spoke about at Fields of Faith? 

Morgan: In high school, I put a lot of value in my sports performance and the attention I got. Now, living life in pursuit of Jesus has given me confidence that my identity isn't in sports but is in God!

Brad: My biological mom was an addict, she was out of my life by the time I was six. That really affected me, and Jesus saved my life. I went from doing everything for the world to wanting to live for Jesus and serve him.

Q: How has FCA influenced you? 

Morgan: At Roberts, FCA was the first small group of Christians I was around. When I saw how the people there were sharing Jesus with their sports teams, I realized they were people I wanted to be like. FCA is an international organization, and this summer I did an internship with them. That was really big for me. Being able to share the Gospel with kids was a really cool experience. The constant encouragement and community that I’ve gained through FCA is still just as important now as it was when I was a freshman.

Brad: It was one of my first experiences in a Bible study, and I decided to go all in for God after I went to a Huddle. I met some of my really good friends through FCA.

Q: What are your thoughts on Fields of Faith, and how do you think it might have impacted the student athletes who attended? 

Morgan: It was amazing! There was a really good turnout; that was really encouraging to see. It was a cool way for other students to connect with us. I hope that students who feel like their identity is rooted in something unfulfilling would know that Jesus will give them the joy that they’re looking for!

Brad: Everything went so great, and all of the people running it were great! It was cool to see the event bridging the gap between people who wouldn't usually interact. Sometimes sports divide people, but it’s awesome to see people come together when the common aspect of why they're there is Jesus.

Q: Do you have any advice for students, specifically student athletes, here on campus? 

Morgan: Get involved in a Bible study if you're not already. Read your word, open the Bible everyday and meditate on it. Come to FCA!

Brad: If you are struggling with finding your identity, cry out to Jesus. Talk to God and give Him an opportunity to work in your heart. Ask God to help you. You might not know what you need help with, but He will. Find your identity in Jesus because everything else is temporary.

When my brother wrote for the Beacon, he often had unusual article ideas; the Beacon team gave him freedom to write them, and it usually went well. In this spirit, they gave me a “Magaw slot” to fill.

Because it’s Fall, here are my reflections on falling.

Falling Leaves  

Multicolored leaves are one of my favorite things about autumn. It’s fun when they fly off the trees, and even more fun when they crunch under my feet. Unfortunately, everything is a little sad once the leaves have left.

Falling Water

I enjoy rain! It’s interesting and refreshing– until too much of it falls too often. Waterfalls are also intriguing. I visited Niagara Falls this summer, which was beautiful, awe-inspiring, and misty. I also visited Fallingwater, which is a house built on top of a waterfall– woah!

Falling Down

I haven’t fallen down lately, but many things have fallen from my hands: fish food, dipping sauce, clean laundry, half of a Late Night wrap, etc. But the important part isn’t falling down, it's getting back up.

Falling In Love

……

Falling Behind

It’s easy to feel left behind, wondering what I’m doing wrong or how I’ll ever catch up. However, everyone has their own pace, and comparison really is the thief of joy. If needed, there are also many formal and informal support systems available to help you maintain your pace; asking for help is always worth it.

Falling Apart

Sometimes, life comes crashing down. Sometimes, it helps to let yourself momentarily fall apart and release your emotions. Sometimes, you have to fall apart before you can put yourself back together.

Falling Into Place

Life comes undone, but it can come back together in such unexpectedly beautiful ways. I personally love to see how God picks up the pieces and turns them into something greater. This might be the best kind of falling.

As you’ve walked around campus, chances are that you’ve seen several students wearing headphones or earbuds, bopping to beats as they make their way to class. This is especially common in the library and the GCEC, with students using music as their motivation to study. Curious piqued, I decided to ask around and find out some of what people like to listen to.

One of the first answers I received was worship music. The student said that it brought her a lot of peace. This sentiment was echoed by others, who added that it helps them feel closer to Jesus. In a similar vein, there were a few responses for Christian Hip-Hop, Christian Contemporary, and Gospel.

Pop, Hip-Hop, and R&B were listed due to their upbeat, popular nature. Interestingly enough, they were also paired directly with Rap, Jazz, what is technically defined as Emo, and Heavy Metal. Oldies, Mixtape, and the early 2000s had a fair amount of support, as did soundtracks, scores, and instrumentals from various media forms.

The combination of the Indie, Folk, Alternative, and Rock genres had the most popular responses. Some appreciate the emotions behind the lyrics. Others like how it gets their brain working, for both studying and creating stories. It’s been described as a combination of new and old, and praised for how addictive they can be. One student mentioned how their music taste changes with the seasons, but these genres are perfect for all four. Another took it a step further, specifying Irish Punk Rock. “I think it does the best at blending traditional Irish instruments with modern music structures,” they said.

What sparked the most debate was Country. Many criticized it heavily, while its enjoyers claimed that its mellow and consistent nature was part of the charm. But even they had differing opinions. Some claimed that only “old” Country music was good, while others argued that a few modern Country artists were on an equal level. I also witnessed an argument over whether or not it was proper to include Blues as a part of this, or consider it as a separate genre.

Much to my delight, international influence was very present in people’s music choices. Songs in French popped up frequently, as did Afrobeat. Several different people also told me they listen to songs in Japanese, Czech, Korean, Ukrainian, German, Finnish, and Hispanic music respectively. A professor even contributed to the list, mentioning he specifically enjoys Italian Grunge from the 80s.

All of this is just a small snippet of what the campus listens to. I hope this satisfied your interest, and maybe even encouraged you to try genres outside your normal playlists! Before I go, I will leave you with some of my stranger but no less valid responses:

• Just Dance Music

• Nothing, except for A Duck Walked Up To The Lemonade Stand and K-Pop Demon Hunters

• “Yes.”