NAVIGATE
spring twenty five
vol 5 no 1
NAVIGATE
spring 2025
vol 5 no 1
for inquiries
emoryinvia@gmail.com
website www.emoryinvia.wixsite.com/my-site
instagram @emoryinvia
podcast
“On the Way”
our mission
Meaning “the way” in Latin, In Via is a journal of Christian thought at Emory University. Through the publication of creative and intellectual expressions inspired by the gospel, we hope to contribute a clear, relevant, and compassionate Christian worldview to campus conversations.
Our name comes from John 14:6, where Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
acknowledgements
Emory In Via gratefully acknowledges the support of the staff and members of the Augustine Collective, a network of Christian thought journals on college campuses throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. We are thankful for the support of our faculty advisor, Dr. Joseph Crespino, and staff members from Emory’s Office of Spiritual and Religious Life. All images are from the Library of Congress and U.S. National Archives, found through Flickr Commons, unless stated otherwise.
OUR STAFF
editors-in-chief
design
managing editor associate editors
staff writers
treasurer
events & outreach
Hannah Im
Emma Lee
Christine Nam
Hera Oh
Kiylah Smoot
Lauren Yee
Samuel Salameh
Sam Chao
Elena Vallis
Emma Rose Ceklosky
Joseph Cho
Emily Choi
Richard Hermanto
Olivier Jawornicki
Caleb Kim
Noah Kwon
Faith Om
Wesley Um
Sharon Hwang
my rest
Samuel Chao broken roads lead to you
Richard Hermanto freedom as children
Wesley Um when words were my compass
Emma Lee a boy and a butterfly
Joshua Kofler Vasquez
1 peter 3:15
Emma Rose Ceklosky
more like Jesus
Emily Choi shrimpy
Noah Kwon recentering
Caleb Kim navigating competition as a source of growth, together
Faith Om above below
Olivier Jawornicki re: my guide
Joseph Cho
trusting God’s winding path
Hera Oh
LETTER FROM THE EDITORS
DEAR READERS,
Before the GPS, humans used the stars, wind, flora, and fauna to navigate. This act required us to stop, look around, and rely on something other than ourselves. As students, it can be a challenge to know where to turn to for guidance when we feel as though we are on the open waters without a map or compass. As our campus grapples with the uncertainties of life in a variety of ways, God calls on us to rely on Him for navigation through it all.
When Hagar, the Egyptian slave of Abraham and Sarah, fled into the desert with her son Ishmael, God asked her, “Where have you come from, and where are you going?” (Genesis 16:8). With this issue, we sought to answer these same questions as we contemplate the ways in which we uniquely navigate our lives through the lens of the Christian faith.
We hope the bold and vulnerable pieces in this issue serve as a reminder that in whatever uncertainties you face, you are not alone.
Best,
Hannah Im Emma Lee
Co-Editors-in-Chief
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 11:28-29 (ESV)
MY REST
“Come
to me, all who labor and are heavy laden...” (28a)
In this life, there is no shortage of difficulties. Highs and lows abound. After braving an exhausting struggle, there may be a brief respite, but don’t get comfortable, for another trial is surely around the corner. This verse almost guarantees as much. To beckon all laboring and heavy laden is, to me, God’s acknowledgment that all are indeed laboring and heavy laden. This is no different for me.
A little bit about me—at my core, there is a deep insecurity that manifests in a desire to be wanted, to be needed. As a result, there is no problem I cannot or will not try to fix. To be useful is to be desirable, and as this verse dictates, life is profuse with problems for me to fix. Particularly in high school, I stood at the ready when someone expressed to me an issue they were facing. Mhm, and how does that make you feel? And so we were off, embarking on a deeply emotional, time-consuming journey that often ended in success. I felt useful, wanted, needed—they had the solution to their problem.
But what happened when I couldn’t fix their problem? Perhaps I felt helpful for a time, but soon I would feel frustrated, useless, unnecessary and maybe even unneeded. It was in these moments that the physical and emotional toll weighed heaviest. I was indeed heavy laden. Without solutions to alleviate the burden that I had brought upon my shoulders, I was slowly being weighed down, threatened to be crushed by carrying the emotions of those around me. What was I to do?
All who labor and are heavy laden. Indeed, we are laboring, but consider what precedes that phrase. Come to me—God. This is what I had forgotten in the midst of bearing others’ burdens. One, that it was about God. It is only ever about Him, not me. As I tried to fill the hole in my own heart by filling others’, I had lost sight of loving people for God rather than for myself. I had sought to fill myself with the attention and desire of others when God had been standing there all along. He has invited me, the laboring and heavy laden, to go to Him for rest, peace, and comfort.
Fotograf ukjent
“...and I will give you rest.” (28b)
Okay, so I’ve come to God—what does that mean? As I’ve transitioned into a new stage in my life (college), the complications of life have only multiplied—being away from my communities at home, health concerns for my grandma and aunt, questioning career and future, regretting time unspent, being insufficiently grateful for my aunts and grandparents, political changes and threatened job security for my dad. Regardless of these issues, however, I found that I always ultimately center it on myself—what can I do to help, to change my situation, to be needed? How can I find new communities in an unfamiliar space? What will I do in the future and how do I get there? Why do we never truly appreciate those who love us until they’re no longer always by our side? How can I support my family if our financial circumstances are more limited by job insecurity? How can I…? Can I do enough? Am I enough?
Growing up in church, many promises about God have been made about His goodness, faithfulness, graciousness, mercifulness, and on and on. Yet in my deepest struggles, I struggled to see and feel how God’s presence is liberating. There was so much weight I have placed upon myself that there felt like no way out. So what was it that God provided for me?
Rest. This can mean many things and it indeed means all of these things. Rest may simply mean a pause. A respite from the trials and uncertainties I’m
navigating. I used to think this meant that my problems would cease, which is not the case. Furthermore, it may initially seem to be an insufficient answer. However, God’s rest remains deeply therapeutic. I’ve discovered that finding rest in God means taking a step back from my reality and remembering He holds all in His hands. I need not place all these burdens upon myself. In all the trials I face, in all the struggles I take upon myself to fix, I am reminded that the battles always ultimately belong to God. He goes before me, He is my Champion, and there is nothing He hasn’t conquered for me.
Rest could also mean, perhaps in a natural progression from a ‘pause,’ a certain rejuvenation and refreshment. In many ways, it was also a reset for me. Wandering aimlessly in a valley of stress and exhaustion, God reminded me to lean into Him. In that presence I’ve felt but was unsure of what to do with, He invited me to just sit in it, rather than actively concerning myself with how it was helping. It is in that state of pure inaction that rest and rejuvenation truly comes.
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart…” (29a-b)
Looking back on this verse, the question of what God’s “yoke” exactly has always confused me. The way I see it now, it is the way of life that comes with following God. To follow Him is to learn from Him and emulate the life of Jesus Christ. Objectively, His was a radical life—traveling nomadically, relying on the kindness of others for food and shelter, spending His time teaching, meditating, conversing about God. Today, a person whose life looks like this may seem selfish, over-reliant on others, and out of touch with society.
However, in my feeling of being overwhelmed by the worries of this world, this verse has been a desirable vision for rest—to live a life worrying less about its daily trials and focusing more on the wellness of one’s soul. A life that entrusts worldly things—the yearnings, trials, needs—all to God and instead pursues the otherworldly. How healing, refreshing, and freeing might that be? Nevertheless, I also recognized that it would be unrealistic and irresponsible to think I could simply ignore the very real trials of daily life.
NAVIGATE
For I am gentle and lowly in heart inspires Dane C. Ortlund’s Gentle and Lowly, a seminal piece in my life on the true heart of God. Reading this book, I have come to see God as a deeply intimate and relational figure. Despite being a holy and righteous being far beyond our imagination or conception, far more worthy than anything I could ever give Him, God nevertheless stoops to my level, becomes a friend of the sinners and tax collectors (Matthew 11:19), and walks alongside me. In my imagination, we are in an endless field of green, strolling side-by-side, hands clasped behind our backs. The Lord turns to me with a smile and in this instance,
this snapshot, there is peace. This image represents His gentleness and lowliness—He is deeply involved in my life and helps me navigate the meadow. Ultimately, to me it is a reminder that while troubles may ceaselessly arise in my walk with God, that He never leaves my side. Where there is my pride in needing to be the one that fixes things, there is His lowliness that willingly serves and loves me, His creation. When my limited, human capacities inevitably fail me and I fall broken to the ground, He picks up the pieces and puts me back together. For me, this is what it means to follow God.
“...and you will find rest for your souls.” (29c)
We return to rest again. Commonly, the divine is thought of as powerful, distant (physically, mentally, etc.), potentially dangerous among many others. However, a God that advocates for rest is surprising, perhaps mystifying, and certainly struck me. In all that I encounter, in all the struggles, trials, highs and lows of life, God doesn’t push me to brave them on my own or prove my strength by persevering. Instead, His instinct is to invite me to turn to Him and rest. To escape the things that plague me. This is the God I know, the One that sees people in their affliction and provides them with a space to simply be.
For me, Matthew 11:28-29 culminates in one name for God. El-Roi. He is God who sees. He sees my tribulations. He sees my suffering. He sees my pride. He sees my inadequacies. He sees my desperation for rest. And so, He invites me, one who is laboring, to enter into relationship with Him. He implores me to cast my burdens onto Him, to place my heavy and miserable yoke onto Him. In turn, He urges me to take on His yoke, light and easy. Let Me, He says. And I say, More of You, God, less of me.
Fotograf ukjent
ARTIST STATEMENT
Fotograf ukjent - Sørøyvågen
Fotograf ukjent - Kvassneset
The quiet landscapes and open fields reflect the heart of this piece: the deep yearning for peace in the midst of burdens and the quiet invitation from God to lay them down. Just as the land stretches wide beneath an open sky, God offers a space where rest and renewal can be found in His gentle presence.
BROKEN
LEAD TO ROADS YOU
as Your voice whispers through soft wisps of wind, carrying aphorisms of wisdom on sweet zephyrs grazing the air of my ear,
it collects my soul’s pieces from the willowing dust enveloping my spirit in efforts to reconstruct in reflectance of Yours—
where Your light acts as northern stars to my heart, where even through guises of shifting skies, they guide me on Your way, and when my own sins have felt like attempts to escape the voids suffocating my thoughts, your hands extend to offer me Yours—
if my own desires were not written in Your stars, crossed and bound for the walls of my own perception to be crumbled, in lieu of rebuilding under a new ownership i can only wish where my will is to be rediscovered in view of You,
Toni Frissell
then i can only hope the fabric of my own expectations may be torn in revelation of Your designed certainties—
for Your presence alone has forged a kingdom in my heart that You held reign over from the moment our eyes met,
and at times, i wish there could be a world where all else ceases to move, as if suspended, caught in the palms of infinity where i’m granted to follow only my soul’s most desperate proclivity: to love to live in You and live to love in You
ARTIST STATEMENT
Alfred Stieglitz - Equivalent
Keystone View Company - Morehouse’s Comet
Toni Frissell - Waterfowl Hunting
The accompanying images reflect the journey of gathering onself in the presence of God to be remade by His love. The winds whisper like divine breath, with the sun shining through and the comet blazing a path towards God. Each visual element echoes a line from the poem, where the author yearns for God.
Alfred Stieglitz
Keystone View Company
FREEDOM AS CHILDREN
Usually, when a rogue, squealing seven-year-old sprints past me, I just think it’s cute and move on. Sometimes, however, when I’m stressed or exhausted, the child affects me—quite substantially. The feeling is similar to if we stopped tensing our faces or our shoulders at this very moment and observed through our exhale how much deeper we sink into our bodies. Leaving our troubles behind, we’re reminded of childhood’s untroubled mirth: the adventures through the woods with foraged sticks, the swings that could take us to the moon, the world that filled us with wonder at every corner. I’m sure all of us are well familiar with childhood’s allure.
Yet, strangely, this almost mystical freedom that we once experienced as children is only desirable when we’re discontent with life. The idealistic childhood that loosens our jaw and lightens the weight on our shoulders is so casually abandoned when life appears to be going according to plan. But that’s completely understandable. When there’s already so much to look at, so much to look forward to, there’s no reason to look back. Besides, we can’t be children again, nor can we act like one anymore. We’ve been disillusioned to the true nature of the world we inhabit. People are suffering, things aren’t right, and the world desperately needs our help more and more each day. It’s not right to live as a kid solely for our own happiness when real people are depending on us. I’m still my mother’s son, but now I’ve realized I also have the responsibility to be a good son. The truly “child” status of our early years is over. But if an all-powerful, perfect God declared us His children, we’d have nothing to offer Him, and we’d be back to being six years old, completely reliant on our parents, and free! The real question is, do we even want that?
WhatdoWeWant?
As we grow older, our desires change. Much like how we now chase the thrill of roller coasters over swings, what
we believe will make us happy has changed dramatically through the years. Not only have they become more complicated and perilous to obtain, but the certainty of their reward has also been obscured—uncertain as to whether or not this is truly what we desire. Usually, we waver between two sides: one part of us thinks the simple pleasures of life are enough, and the other hopes for a grand reward at the end of a grueling pursuit. Working all summer to get that glorious purse or golf set is intensely gratifying, but pure happiness also radiates from a simple Saturday afternoon spent playing Mario Party or Catan with friends. What’s frustrating is that we can’t keep wasting away idly, nor can we be confident that our concentrated efforts towards success will bring about more happiness. We want more, but who knows if more exists? Children are so easy to please: throw them up in the air a few times, feed them chicken nuggets, and turn on the TV. Yet for adults, for all we’ve learned about ourselves, it’s so hard to find what we really want. It’s not like we don’t have
fun anymore; 2023 was the best year of my life—2024’s right behind. I’m only saying that after our hearty laughs and epic excursions, when we finally get back in bed, we don’t always fall asleep as soundly as we once did.
CanWeReallyGetWhatWeWant?
Now, I could end this message on a high note, entreating all of us to persevere through the dense fog that separates us from our desires, but allow me to be a little pessimistic. Life may appear pretty balanced, but if I were to be completely honest, I often feel like I’m navigating a constricting channel with no opening in sight. Not only that, but I am not a sailor! I was not made to handle all that life tosses to me. The further I go into the channel, the narrower it gets, rocks scraping the sides of the ship and water seeping through the cracks. The deeper I get into college, into adulthood, the more decisions I see that need to be made and fewer right decisions available. I make many mistakes with my family, friends, and school, and whether or not I’m at fault, I must live with the effects. I’m sure, even though I’m a thoroughly inept sailor, that I could get through the channel intact. I probably could do it—get the job, partner, and house I want. But what about the familial ties I severed, the friendships I walked over, the sleepless nights that won’t leave me even in my success? I’m not afraid to keep sailing forward. I’m only afraid to look back and see all the debris floating behind me, all the scars etched into my ship.
DoYouTrustYourself?
When I was a little kid, I would get really scared if I angered my mom at night. She would scold me, send me to my bedroom, and I would be terrified that when I woke up and walked downstairs, she would greet me with the same piercing look of condemnation. But, each morning, I walked down and was met with a sweet voice and a big hug, my cheeks squished and heart very warm. The problems we now face, however, won’t be dreamt away. Each one we ignore only grows larger. If we’re one step too slow, our fragile ecosystems collapse. When the world punctures our ships on all sides, what do we do? Maybe we aren’t defeated yet; we still plug those holes, encouraged that time will fix them all, that twigs and branches will form natural dams. But there’s only so much we can endure on our own, so long we can keep going, so tight we can hold onto ourselves. Asking for help is only a sign of weakness if we’re strong, but if we’re not, it’s a sign of honesty.
CanWeRiskLettingGo?
To start, I’ll clarify what I mean by holding onto ourselves. We all want to lead our own lives to the future we envisioned for ourselves. Even if we don’t know exactly what we’re living for, what our life purpose is, that’s fine! We have a career plan, strong friendships, and a solid head on our shoulders. But, as I have written in abundance, I don’t actually think we’re fine. Most of us believe we have a good balance between working and playing. Only, that balance is so hard to achieve, an impossible ideal that is ever in sight but ever distant. Good job for getting an A on the chem exam! Our friend has been depressed for months and we, knowing this, have willingly abandoned them, closed the door to their room, locking them in with the one person they most wish to escape from: themself. Good job helping our campus flourish! We are now suffocating under the waves of exams crashing on us, and nobody, nothing can placate our constant irritation with everyone, everything. Underneath the act of appearing purposeful and in steady progress towards our goals, I think many of us are waiting, in quiet hope, for someone to pick us up and transport us to our goals. How sure are we that we’re doing life the right way? Could it not be possible that we are caught in an awkward conversation with life, whom we are desperately trying to please but to no avail? As we ramble on, telling jokes and spilling secrets, life stares at us blankly, its judgments obscured from us. In these moments of despair—we don’t always feel like this—we wish someone who understood life, whose life respected, would come to our rescue. Yes we could try to brush aside this disconnect and cherish the few moments that make life’s eyes faintly shimmer, but then how much of the relationship is a lie? We don’t understand life. Stop pretending we do. I think we want to be children not only as an escape from reality but also because we are still just kids. No doubt we could create a great life for ourselves, but I don’t think any of us were made to tackle the world—we just get lucky, or we don’t. We don’t know how to live the right way, and with every wrong turn,
our wounds get deeper and wider. I believe that we, as big babies, may act as if we are independent and put-together, but still need a good parent—a parent who knows what we need, who can woo our pain away. When things get bad, we want to run back into the safety of our moms’ embrace—knowing that she won’t be the first to let go. Is that so embarrassing to us, so offensive to our pride?
AChildofGod?
God calls us His children, and for most of my life, although I appreciated the gesture, I didn’t really think much of it. When the Apostle John passionately declared, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God,” (1 John 3:1, ESV) I was unfazed. Maybe it was because I thought God was too powerful to be my Father, but it’s more likely because I already had parents. Now that I’m away from my parents, however, the dynamics have changed. I’ve realized I’m much more incompetent than I thought. I’ve hurt my friends far too many times because of my senseless ego, and when I’m not messing up, I’m hiding from the world. Even when I want to help, everything I do seems to make things worse. I hide because I have no clue what to do. Yet, I find myself clinging to my autonomy, trying with all my might to find my own way, even though I know God’s waiting for me—waiting for me to let go. I’m still a child, and so are we all. I’m tired of acting like I’m not. What love God must have to forgive me for ignoring Him while He patiently waited right next to me, for staring into His eyes and then turning away, over and over. What love God must have that He sacrificed His only Son for a hopeless child like me. But God didn’t just forgive me—our earthly parents can do the same. God provides what our parents can no longer: freedom. God mends our ship’s holes, allowing us to enjoy the blue skies and invigorating sea breeze. If we allow it, God will form an opening in the channel for us.
God, “You have made known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hands are pleasures forevermore” (Psalms 16:11).
ARTIST STATEMENT
ChildinthesurfatDelray|ToniFrissell
DrawingofEmoryUniversityQuad|CarissaPark
The child explores the tides alone, gripping the wooden stick to lead her way. Like the girl, we try to navigate this world as adults with makeshift wooden sticks as a guide, when in reality, we are just children in need of a Heavenly Father.
WHEN WORDS WERE MY COMPASS
“And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell” (Matthew 5:30, NIV)
When I heard God tell me to quit my addiction to ASMR, I made a vow to never listen again. Then I had thoughts of cutting myself for the first time in my life, and I thought of this Bible verse. Would it be better for me to cut myself than to break a vow I made with God?
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
I’m a pastor’s kid. If anyone knows the right Bible verse for every situation, it’s me. But even my knowledge was not enough to guide me on the right path.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5)
As I held a manicure tool in my hand and stared at my open forearm, I knew that self-harm was a sin.
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;” (1 Corinthians 6:19)
My body was not my own, but I desired so desperately to assert it as my own. This was my body; why could I not do with it as I wished? Could I not have even this one thing? So I broke my vow and listened to ASMR again. I created a hierarchy of sin in my mind, although no such thing existed in my Bible. Wouldn’t it be better for me to listen to ASMR
than to cut myself? I believed my heavenly Father, who loved me, would understand.
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” (Hebrews 3:15)
God told me to renew my vow. I had tried to quit ASMR for years. I could not reject the call to quit now. I had to obey when it felt impossible. How could I keep myself from listening to ASMR and doing self-harm? Both were sins, but it felt impossible to refrain from both.
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
I felt trapped by these Bible verses that kept me from sinning. Above all else, I did not want to sin.
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)
God’s Word surrounded me on all sides. God surrounded me. But instead of feeling comforted, I felt trapped. I wanted to be free of everything. There must be something I could do to get relief from my emotions. Wasn’t there anything I could do that was not sinful that would make me feel better?
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)
I read the Bible. I prayed. I went to church. I served the church. But every night, it was the same temptation I had to resist. I lay in bed for hours listening to music. I waited for the day to pass by. Eventually, this temptation would go away, I told myself. All I had to focus on was not sinning, and God would rescue me. He would reward me.
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’”
(2 Corinthians 12:9)
I did not ask for help, knowing that all I needed was God. But when my pastor recommended therapy, I went to therapy. I told my roommate. I called a TalkNow hotline. I texted a friend. I cried and cried.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)
Crying was exhausting. The dehydrated fatigue, the wrenching release, and the numbness after. Yet, I believed crying was worth it if God said so. I told myself I was blessed,
and I believed it.
“Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the Lord, his wonderful deeds in the deep.”
(Psalm 107:23-24)
People ask me why I wanted to cut. While I still don’t have the answer, I remember how it felt. I was sea-sick and wanted to throw up, but I couldn’t. It felt like it was the only way to get this nausea out of me. Something bad was stuck inside me, dizzying me, and all I could do was lie down.
“For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away.”
(Psalm 107:25-26)
When would this voyage be over? Even when the waves of nausea kept coming, it was like someone was telling me repeatedly, “You can’t throw up.” I felt like I wouldn’t make it.
“They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end.” (Psalm 107:27)
I asked God why He wouldn’t heal me in a single moment. I knew He could. I begged him to heal me.
“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.”
(Psalm 107:28)
In a few months, the thoughts went away. I could sleep in peace. I stared at myself in the mirror in quiet awe. I was still here.
“He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.”
(Psalm 107:29-30)
But this was just the beginning. Questions rose, and revelations began. How did I get addicted to ASMR in the first place? Why was I so lonely, even when I had loving family and friends? Waves of depression came back, though they were more tame. Were the waters rising again, the flood returning? Why did this sadness never seem to go away?
“The Lord sits enthroned over the flood.”
(Psalm 29:10)
I recalled Bible stories. Noah’s ark was on the waters for a hundred days even after it stopped raining. I told myself that the waters were not rising, but receding slowly.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.” (Isaiah 43:2)
God was not going to let me drown. I had to be patient. The old world was gone, but I was safe on the ark. When I got out of the storm, I would step onto new land and look at a newly born world. Indeed, I have felt the boat stop rocking from underneath me. After my long voyage, I returned to the routine of my normal life. But it’s becoming clearer to me that nothing will ever be the same.
“Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry. Then God said to Noah, ‘Come out of the ark’” (Genesis 8:14-16)
Sometimes I wonder if the bravest thing Noah did was not building the ark or surviving the flood, but opening the door when it was over. Perhaps I’m still standing on the ark, one foot hesitant over the edge.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19)
I step off.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Ship|MaryL.Cushing
Ship|LibraryofCongressArchives
Old ships remind us of the often tumultuous journey one might take. Rough and rocky waves wash over us, but God calms the storm and guides us through with His peace, mercy, and forgiveness.
A BOY BUTTERFLY AND A
Look!
It’s a butterfly sailing through the breeze. It flaps its wings elegantly while dancing from flower to flower. Look at the boy atop the hill, glancing at the butterfly floating through the air. The boy has come to rest atop the hill to clear his mind from his life filled with struggle and uncertainty. Though his heart guides him in the right direction, his mind always leaks constant worry.
This boy had been struggling for some time with responsibilities and commitments catching up to him. Whenever his life felt overwhelming, he would rest in the comfort of his family. Yet as time passed, his family began to tangle in their own struggles, and the sense of stability he once found in them succumbed. This is why the boy isolated himself out on the fields: to escape everything causing his distress.
On that grassy hill, he saw several monarch butterflies come and go, all in the same pattern, as if they had a clear path in their lives. The boy wished he could be as carefree as the butterfly and roam the fields, the hills, and the forests of the earth. He ever so wished he could float throughout paradises without a worry in the world.
The boy came to learn that monarchs don’t live as free of a life as he first thought. These butterflies were always on a mission, a migration, from the moment they emerge from their cocoons to the moment right before they perish. He learned that the butterflies he’s been watching all summer long were soon to come to the end of their lives, laying eggs for the next generation to follow, then succumbing to the earth. The boy felt he resembled the butterflies, knowing they too held purpose beyond themselves, beyond their worryfree lives. As each butterfly flew hundreds of miles in their life, the boy faced hundreds of adversities in his. At times, the boy felt suffocated by the uncertainty of how deep his burdens would bury him. Still, he remembered the butterflies and how they behaved so gracefully despite their desperate lifelong migration.
The boy questioned how butterflies could navigate their
migration, through their life, in such a perfect way. Soon, he came to understand that each butterfly had a compass built inside them telling them which direction to go every day, so they didn’t ever need to worry about getting lost. At first, the boy became saddened because he couldn’t navigate his life like the monarchs. Then, he remembered that he had God guiding him.
Everywhere the boy began to look was a sign of God’s presence in his life. The boy looked over the glowing rays of sunset God had given him. He saw the fish in the stream and heard the birds sing melodies that the butterflies danced to.
That boy is me. For so long, I felt lost, burdened by uncertainty, and unsure of where my path would lead. I longed for the freedom of the butterflies, unaware that, like them, I had been guided all along. I had spent so much time trying to navigate my life on my own, believing that every struggle, every uncertainty, was mine alone to carry, but as I sat on that hill, watching the world move with such harmony, I realized that I had never truly been alone. The peace I found in the sunset, the steady rhythm of the stream, and the gentle dance of the butterflies were not just moments of beauty; they were indicators of God’s presence, guiding me in ways I hadn’t yet understood.
I had been lost, carrying on all my burdens alone. In my attempts to find my own solutions, God guided me to His creations. Though I had not realized it yet, I had been guided by the Almighty Father my entire life. The instances in which I returned to calmness were from observing the creations of the Lord atop the hills. I noticed the wonders of creation and uncovered the love God has always had for me. Like butterflies navigate their lives with an internal compass, I navigate my life on the path God guides me through. The worries I had been storing in my heart were taken care of by the Lord. I knew the struggles I faced weren’t mine to bear anymore. By surrendering to my loving Father in the heavens are my struggles to become infinitesimal compared to the unbounded love of the Lord.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Kiylah Smoot | 2004
A lone figure walks through a forest, and a lone butterfly guides them through, showing the way. The burden of uncertainty is lifted by the hope of that butterfly.
1 PETER 3:15
characters
THE BODY
THE ANALYST
THE SHADOW
THE CHILD
THE SPIRIT
setting
clothes befitting the setting; paces; questioning
a white lab coat; a clip board; remains to the left
a heavy blanket; in fetal position; in a corner
mismatching clothes; pacing and stomping; stage right
resembling THE BODY, but bearing visual elements of each character
Maybe a child’s bedroom, maybe a scientific laboratory, Maybe a crowded city street, maybe a round coffee shop, And maybe nothing at all.
The person with whom THE BODY spoke to may be present and silent, drinking coffee or on their phone, and sitting in a dim spotlight, or not there at all.
note
THE BODY is the mouthpiece, and all others reside inside THE BODY’s consciousness. Their conversation is genuine; a nod to Plato’s tripartite soul.
THE CHILD
THE BODY
THE SPIRIT
THE SHADOW
THE ANALYST
Emma Lee
Emma Rose Ceklosky
Jennifer Lee
Sean Kang
Hepzibah Srithas
TRUSTING GOD’S WINDING PATH
Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Romans 12:12 (NRSV)
Iused to think that my life would follow a straight path. As a Type A, hyper-organized person, I planned everything in my life. Planning was my way to control what happened. I thought that if I made a plan and worked hard, everything would work out. But I’ve learned that life doesn’t really work that way.
I started my freshman year at UC Irvine, entering with a hopeful spirit and a two-page document titled “My Life Plan.” I’d major in Political Science, go to law school, become a lawyer, get married, have kids, and live happily ever after. I believed that if I just worked hard and stuck to my plan, everything would go accordingly.
However, I only realized after losing things I cherished an (abusive) relationship, friends, my mental health, and my relationship with Go–that nothing was under my control. These events weren’t on the “My Life Plan” document. Yet, they happened, leading me to a long wrestle with the question: Why does God lead us down winding paths filled with obstacles?
During my moments of uncertainty, I cried out to God, why couldn’t you just put everything back together? Why did God send me to UC Irvine if such bad things were going to happen? Why did I have to endure pain and uncertainty for so long?
These questions made me doubt God, ultimately making me turn away from Him. I stopped going to church. I felt betrayed by God in some way, because as a Christian, I wondered, how could He let that happen to me? I wanted clear answers, but instead, I was met with silence.
These questions made me doubt God, ultimately making me turn away from Him.
It also felt impossible to stay at UC Irvine, so I decided to transfer. I wasn’t expecting to come to Emory, and it wasn’t part of my plan. I had to throw away the life I had built at UC Irvine.
My child, be attentive to my words; incline your ears to my sayings… Keep straight the paths of your feet, and all your ways will be sure. Proverbs 4:20, 26 (ESV)
When I got to Emory, I kept resenting God. I was new, and it felt like I was starting from scratch again. I asked God why He brought me here and continually felt so lonely and hopeless.
Even so, I kept feeling the urge to reconnect with God, since I had no one else to lean on. I decided to go back to church and started taking my faith more seriously. I continued to become more honest with God and laid down my burdens to Him. I knew that I couldn’t overcome my struggles alone, so I asked God to heal me from my trauma.
By Spring 2024, I had really settled down at Emory. I made new friends, found a community, and rebuilt my relationship with God. Through church, I started sharing more about my past struggles, and I was met with kindness and comfort. I wondered if this was what God’s love looked like.
Yet, I still had a lingering question: if I was meant to end up at Emory, why didn’t God place me here from the beginning? Instead, He led me through a detour. It felt like God had taken me the long way around.
Looking back, I realize God was speaking I just wasn’t listening. I was too focused on what I thought my path should look like, rather than being attentive to God’s voice. My time at UC Irvine, though difficult, had a purpose in my life. It led me to grow, teaching me patience and preparing me for what was ahead. Ultimately, it was the path for me to run back to God.
Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
Psalms 55:22 (NLT)
Transferring to Emory didn’t mean that all my struggles suddenly disappeared. Instead, I grew to rely on God in moments of isolation.
It’s now clear that faith is about trusting God even when I don’t have all the answers. It’s about trusting that our Father loves us so deeply that He has great plans for us that we can’t even imagine.
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Psalms 4:8 (NIV)
To navigate life as a believer means embracing the unknown. It means walking with God even when the destination is unclear. I’m still learning to rely on God as my guiding force. I’m trusting that God is leading me exactly where I need to be.
And in that trust, I find peace. So even though I don’t know what tomorrow holds, I will surrender–I will trust. I know that wherever God leads, He is with me.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Footsteps | Justin Grandfield, 2006
Personal Collection | Hera Oh
These images capture moments of reflection along a journey of growing closer with God. From Irvine to Emory, the piece reminds us that God meets us in uncertainty. Together, they reflect growth and the quiet assurance that even winding paths are guided by God’s hands.
MORE LIKE JESUS
I’mWhen they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
1 Peter 2:23 (NIV)
with a bunch of people. They start talking about their life situations. Right off the bat, I know what to say. And…
SHUT DOWN
My brain stops thinking, and my mouth is frozen. I don’t say anything, I feel nothing, and I start dissociating. I don’t relate to their stories and even find them irrelevant. Without knowing, the conversation has moved onto a different topic. I didn’t end up saying whatever I was going to say. This began to happen more frequently and more consistently.
Ever since I was young, people have complimented me on being a good “adaptor.” They told me that I can quickly adapt to different social environments and easily make new friends. I didn’t know what they meant, but as I got older, I prided myself on being an empathetic person, one who can quickly read the room and generate reactions people want or need to hear–honestly, people-pleasing.
Nowadays, however, I can’t do it anymore. I notice that it’s not just my brain that suddenly stops functioning. I’m the one choosing to shut it down whenever I feel the pressure to make a reaction that people want a forced reaction. I find myself asking, “Why are these people telling me this? What do they want from me? Do I want to be here?”
This is very unusual. This is not like me. I’m always very empathetic and present in those social contexts. Thinking about this, I felt very distant from myself. “Why am I so awkward in a large group setting? Does this mean that I just don’t like these people? But why would I? Why can’t I also be friends with them like everyone else here?” I felt like I was going through something with a constant feeling of emptiness, but I could never pinpoint exactly what that was. Whenever my close friends noticed this change in me and asked if I was doing okay, I struggled to describe my feelings. This inclarity irritated me because I felt unheard and unseen by my friends and myself. When I tried to sit down for reflection and fully grasp my feelings, I felt a heavy
JESUS
weight pressing down on my shoulders and eyelids. To avoid having those thoughts and feeling those weights, I sought an escape by forcing myself to sleep. The more I avoided it, the more I found myself having a harder time empathizing and holding long conversations with people, which I used to excel in.
One day, I grabbed a meal with my church acquaintance. Since I had already given up on trying to make others understand my emotions, I digressed from my emotions and talked about my hesitation about getting baptized this semester. My friend asked, “Have you thought about reading the Bible to get your answer?” I had been avoiding this question because I simply have not been reading the Bible. At this moment, I knew that God was telling me to resort to the Bible, to His words, not only for baptism but also for my confusion. Then, of course, I got hit by my life and forgot about it. A month later, I went on the college cabin trip, during which we had to share our definitions of being a Christian. The person sitting next to me answered, “Having more of His qualities and becoming more like Him.” When I heard this, everything clicked to me: I figured that the only way to know what was going on with me was by learning who I really am, and to understand myself means to understand God. To do so, I finally directed my attention to the Bible.
From 1 Peter 2:23:
mouth.”
Jesus was perfectly good and sinless. When receiving undeserved insults, He firmly held His compassion for people and remained non-judgmental. So who am I to be discontent with other people who are also my sisters and brothers of in Christ?
Pondering on this question, I noticed that whenever I felt the need to please people for a sense of belonging, I’d unknowingly start judging them. Vexed, I became bothered by the trivial acts they do and the casual words they say, leading me to dislike myself for disliking being with them. I withdrew from the large group hangouts because I’d rather be alone than blame myself for being so irritated and uncomfortable when I’m supposed to love them and get along with anyone.
“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate.” Jesus underwent unjust suffering. Despite that, he didn’t fight back.
“When he suffered, he made no threats.”
Even when he suffered an unbearable amount of agony, he didn’t seek revenge.
“Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” Instead, he placed his trust in God, who is the one and only righteous Judge.
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his
Reading this Bible passage reaffirmed that to become myself means to become more like Jesus. Knowing this helped me navigate my relationships, although it’s still a work in progress. I try to be more in tune with my thoughts and emotions and say things from my heart–not from my desire to satisfy other people. I don’t need to appear a certain way to meet other people’s expectations of me, as God is the only righteous judge. I think more when I voice my opinions to ensure that I’m not treating my thoughts and emotions lightly because God doesn’t treat my thoughts and emotions lightly. He loves me and cares about what I have to say. I used to feel pressured to react quickly in conversations and fill silences to avoid awkwardness; however, I learned that silence is necessary for deeper thoughts and that it’s not something to fear. Words followed by silence often hold more weight that many people also appreciate. Jesus’ trust in God made Him strong, letting Him maintain His compassion. Becoming more like Jesus will also make me stronger and feel more comfortable, the feeling that I hope to share with everyone I interact with.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Marshland and migratory birds | Charles O’Rear
Hibiscus flowers thrive | Charles O’Rear
The warm colors of a sunset and a hibiscus flower show the excitement of finding oneself in God’s presence and grace.
SHRIMPY
The blue whale is the largest animal to ever live on Earth and one of many migratory species that journey thousands of miles across the globe every year in search of more suitable living conditions. These migration patterns are the result of a combination of environmental cues and genetic predispositions, enabling these animals to live long and comfortable lives. As human beings, we carry similar traits intended to help us in the same way. Yet, they often work against us in today’s day and age. Why do humans, graced with rational thought, find it so much harder to make the right decisions? And how can Christian values be used to guide us in our journeys toward the right path?
What is considered a “right” decision can be highly subjective. As children, it is one that our parents would approve of. As students, it is one that might lead to academic success. And as individuals, it is one that would lead to the greatest happiness. But pursuing Christ transcends these worldly roles. As Christians, we should always seek to make choices that glorify God. Throughout our lives, we are naturally driven toward all of these goals, and we are likely to discover that they will conflict with each other at some point or another. Finding an ideal balance of our desires across multiple different identities and reflecting this balance through our actions can be a lifelong struggle.
Amidst our busy lives, we often fail to pause and think about the choices we make or how we make them. So, we live each day feeling like our lives are leading us, instead of
ARTIST STATEMENT
Living exhibit at the Georgia Aquarium | Carol M. Highsmith
An iconic aspect of Atlanta, people look on at the whale shark. It’s a reminder that God provides the way.
the other way around. Maybe we’re content being dragged along by our worldly matters. Or maybe we do want to regain control, but just don’t know how. In this era of search engines and instant answers, we are anxious, we are impatient, we are lost in a sea of endless “distractions”. “I’ll be free after I submit this assignment” or, “I’ll make time after that exam.” Always managing to find excuses to keep putting off what is most important to us.
It is true that no problem we encounter in our lives will have only one solution. And no one solution will guarantee an end to all problems. Unlike whales, whose bodies tell them exactly where to go and what to do, ours will not. But what we do have is scripture, which tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all [our] heart, and do not lean on [our] own understanding[s]. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (ESV, Proverbs 3:5-6). This is not to say that we should sit around and wait for a miracle, but if we speak to the Lord with an open heart, He will surely listen. We all have something to gain from prayer, regardless of our beliefs. It is a great way to organize our thoughts and feel heard in times of uncertainty. But I have found that what I value the most about prayer is hope. Because praying is proof that I have not yet given up on myself and that God has not given up on me. So it might help the next time that we feel lost to rely not solely on ourselves but on the Lord. And trust that He will open our eyes, guiding our path with every step we take.
Blount, Sarah, and Sarah Blount. “Blue Whale Migration.” The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), www.neefusa.org/story/ climate-change/blue-whale-migration. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.
RECENTERING
Ithinkwe can all agree that we were naive at our young ages. At that time, we hadn’t developed a sufficient amount of knowledge about how the world around us functioned. Growing up, I was raised in a Christian family, going to church every Sunday and being heavily involved in its community. Because of this, I had a lot of knowledge about God and had always believed him to be my savior. However, I didn’t understand how God directly affected me. I was living a carefree life with very few problems to think about. I thought of God as some distant figure that was watching me from afar.
As I grew older, obstacles and conflicts started to emerge. I realized that the world around me wasn’t just sunshine and rainbows. Jealousy, envy, and deceit were constantly surrounding me. Believing in God was against the culture of society. Instead, everyone seemed to want to prioritize their own worth and the passions they wanted to pursue. Slowly, I started turning away from my devotion to God, choosing to prioritize my satisfaction in worldly desires instead of prayer or worship. I wanted to fit in with my surrounding culture, focusing on how other people view me and imitating the same lifestyle others had. I thought that this would bring me true fulfillment in life, not worshipping a distant figure I’d never seen before. But what I
found out was that this life would never fully alleviate my problems. It always left me desiring more, leading me to live an unstable life without much guidance or support.
After living this lifestyle for a while, I slowly began to understand that turning to God was the proper way to navigate through my life. As I had encountered, there are so many roadblocks in this world that are easy to get caught up in and distracted by. They bring false satisfaction, creating only short-term benefits but never giving complete salvation in your heart. This can only be achieved, I realized, through Jesus Christ, who is the only way to the truth and the life. The difference between Jesus and everything else is that Jesus will always stay by your side, no matter what you do. He will always love you through thick and thin. This is why He is the perfect navigator; He will always help us discern the good in this world. If we devote ourselves to Him and trust in His guidance, He will ultimately lead us to eternal life in heaven.
Obviously, devoting oneself completely to God is hard. I still become distracted by temptations and diverge from His teachings. But the great gift of God is that He is forgiving of all our sins. He will always be a vessel that we can hang onto and find comfort in.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Interior view of the long air return passage | William P. Taub
The circular nature of the wind tunnel reminds us of the recentering journey we embark on every day. God walks alongside us as we aim for an eternal seat in His house.
28
NAVIGATING COMPETITION AS A SOURCE OF GROWTH, TOGETHER
To my right, my friend aggressively swiped across her iPad, slicing countless fruits on Fruit Ninja. To my left, another friend colored in the word “SENIORS” in bubble letters. We briefly met eyes and had to hold back our laughs to try to be respectful to our usually strict AP Physics teacher, although I doubted we had to; he was retiring that year and started audibly counting his last days of teaching. Like our other teachers, his stern and boring personality started shifting to a more laid-back and lively one.
It was hard to believe that six months prior, the classes were silent, as we sat up straight in our chairs, stressed about exams and waiting dreadfully for college decisions, leaving a mixed air of cold competition and best wishes for our friends. Even the carefree “class clown” had blended in with the quiet stillness of the classrooms. As acceptances came in, the quiet kids who had never shown any interest in anyone before suddenly became invested in information and updates about everyone.
This was arguably one of the best experiences in my life: the shared habits of skipping class, eating out, going for random drives, and the formal celebrations that gave us reasons to get dressed up. It felt like a long exhale of relief, an approval for rest. My favorite part of it was that everyone relaxed and had fun, despite any ongoing social tensions or the normal drama. Why wasn’t it like this six months ago?
This time of having no responsibilities was short-lived: it was time to get serious again. Preparing for move-in, figuring out the map of our schools, registering for classes, and searching on Rate My Professor became the new rhythm. I was being thrown into a completely new environment
with new people, new rules, and new expectations. I was overwhelmed and distressed. Immediately, meeting new people was synonymous with finding out how many credits they were taking, what clubs they were interested in, and what their intended major was. Deep down, this is what I expected, but I was convinced college was going to be completely different from high school.
Quickly, I began to feel the familiar, cold, competitive air that was present a year ago. We all made it to college. Why do I feel like I’m competing with everyone again? “Senioritis” spiraled into “imposter syndrome,” the psychological phenomenon of feeling inadequate and ignoring evidence proving otherwise. I’ve heard many say “I have imposter syndrome.” But I’ve yet to witness us being vulnerable or receiving support from each other. And I don’t blame us. We were never taught how. I’d even argue that we learned to avoid doing so.
Personally, I have been quite used to finding my own way, not having to ask others for help or guidance on anything. Don’t ask for any help. How else could I have made it this far if not for my own ability? If I can’t do it on my own, I don’t deserve to be here. The constant feelings of self-doubt, anxiety, and isolation were ignored–until they devoured my mind. Sometimes I know many others have shared these thoughts and feelings. But if it was so, then why is it never truly talked about? Why aren’t we comforting and supporting each other?
Navigating this issue will be different for everyone, but I've found fundamental, universal practices that anyone can apply in their own way. First, we must distinguish our
uniqueness from isolation. Learning to grow together will be the most impactful to practice. Second, we must recognize natural thinking processes that, when uncontrolled, hinder our ability to grow. Third, actively redirecting our default thoughts to promote growth by dismantling these fallacies will strengthen our minds, emotions, and actions.
Imposter syndrome is rooted in a fixed mindset: perceiving abilties, intelligence, and talents as static, unchangeable. Things are just the way they are. Being independently capable is often praised and strived for—the gold standard of success. College was meant to be a place for self-growth. Self-growth. I thought achieving this was an individual burden. This distortion was reinforced by herd mentality: adopting beliefs and behaviors influenced by the majority. I saw others thriving on their own, not needing anyone’s help. Self-growth must require struggling in silence. My confusion changed to conviction after reading this Bible verse:
“If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 2:1-5 (KJV)
Don’t confuse “being like-minded” with herd mentality. Being like-minded means approaching others with the same love and care we desire. We’re not called to blindly follow the crowd but to support each other through encouragement. In a competitive environment, I strive to serve others with humility because I believe sacrificing our own ambitions to uplift those around us benefits everyone. By taking the first initiative to offer help, we open doors to conversations, normalizing vulnerability, and fostering a community centered on motivation. Helping others grow helps us grow. Recognizing our biological tendencies that reflect a fixed mindset is our first step toward growth. Developing a growth mindset (perceiving abilities, intelligence, and talents as improvable and learned with effort and perseverance) is not an individual process. It requires practicing awareness,
“When You’re Overwhelmed with Self-Doubt.” HuffPost, 2 Sept. 2016, https://www.huffpost.com/en try/when-youre-overwhelmed-with-self-doubt_b_57c9749ce4b06c750dd99552.
Nour, David. “When the Imposter Syndrome Stunts Your Growth.” Forbes, 27 Jan. 2024,https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidnour/2024/01/27/when-the-imposter-syndrome-stuntsyour-growth/.
“Living the Golden Rule: How Growth Mindset and Self-Compassion Can Improve Your Mental Health.” University of Rochester Medical Center, Feb. 2022, https://www.urmc. rochester.edu/behavioral-health-partners/bhp-blog/february-2022/living-the-goldenrule-how-growth-mindset-and-self.
Sakulku, Jaruwan, and James Alexander. “The Impostor Phenomenon.” International Journal of Behav ioral Science, vol. 6, no. 1, 2011, pp. 73–92. PubMed Central, https://pmc.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3652533/.
compassion, and patience with ourselves and others.
Having prepared all of my academics, extracurriculars, and achievements by my own means is what it took to get to here. Thus, the new challenges, setbacks, and failures I faced felt like an isolated experience. I only paid attention to the disappointing grades, the underwhelming performances, and the awkward social interactions. This was an example of negative bias: the tendency to focus more on the negative thoughts, experiences, and emotions, overshadowing the positive ones. I saw other first-years around me already forming close friendships, showing no signs of academic struggles, and keeping up with their new schedules, all while enjoying it too. I was jealous. Just me. Alone. This was an example of confirmation bias: the tendency to “cherry pick” information that reaffirms initial beliefs while unconsciously ignoring the contrary evidence.
To overcome our negative bias, we must start by shifting our view of failures and setbacks: rather than a reflection of our inabilities, they are challenges to grow, motivations to learn. How can I do better next time? To overcome our confirmation bias, we must practice open-mindedness, recognizing that we aren’t always rational and fair in what we believe to be true. Am I actually considering the other point of view? The beauty of this process is that it’s difficult for everyone, even to admit. This is unnatural. Training our minds to resist what has evolutionarily protected us from threats and information overload requires support.
As I said before, most of us never learned to ask for help. This has its benefits, pushing us to be better without having to rely on anyone else. However, this simultaneously increases the fear of judgment, being seen as incapable or inferior. It’s a paradox. We think this mindset fosters self-growth and breakthroughs. In reality, it limits us. True growth develops from supporting, learning from, and collaborating with others. Whether it is to offer or ask for help, I believe this intentional action will naturally have a “domino effect” on those around us.
From my experience, I am unable to do things all on my own. Staying silent about my struggles limits my ability to learn and grow. Persevering past these hardships together doesn’t change the environment being competitive. Together, we can navigate through this environment by establishing a supportive community, which allows all of us to flourish.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Jet roars over bicycle path | Erik Calonius
Onlookers leave what they were doing to shift their gaze to the airplane flying directly overhead. God calls us to set our eyes on what is pleasing to Him, which includes all the mindset shifts Faith discusses.
ABOVE BELOW
We are all students. More specifically, we are students of truth. Whether studying the equations behind the motions of the universe, the equilibrium of chemical reactions, or the socioeconomic forces governing stock markets, each of us is studying a system of perceived truth. For some of us, truth can be rooted in scientific theory, and for others, the ideal governing system for all people. Even if we think that the human experience is simply a reaction of chemicals in the brain, those chemical reactions exist and are undeniable according to modern scientific understanding. If they exist, they cooperate and belong to an idea of truth. Each of these disciplines focuses on a way of understanding the true nature of all that has ever existed; each is a derivative of the truth of all theories, systems, and objects. But how can we study the truth governing all things? According to Aristotle, philosophy triumphs over all other forms of study as the study of “being qua being” or simply being itself (Aristotle 1004b15). The goal is to discover how wisdom (sophia) reveals the beginnings, the comings-to-be, and the nature of all, or in other words, truth. If truth exists and we all aspire to lesser versions of it, why is truth itself forgotten as the triumphing principle of all?
Oftentimes, the focus of our studies seems to be the most important of all. We tirelessly study for numerous exams, grind to submit assignments due at midnight, and devote our whole lives to understanding what professors teach us. For the last 12 to 30 years of school, learning has been our whole life! Many of us succeed at it too. We have finely mastered our craft through practice and perseverance. Through our studies, we have each become like an artist in our own right, ready to paint, sculpt, or express the world in our own ways. Instead of focusing on the object of study, we focus on the perfection of our crafts, obsessively trying to get the highest GPA and awards. We are like painters sitting atop a grassy hill overlooking a valley of colorful lilies, roses, and poppies illuminated by the bright shine of the sun. Focusing on our canvas, we attempt to capture the pure essence of the hills, flowers, and light ahead. We sketch for hours, then gently stroke the bright colors ideally into place, and devote our whole selves to expressing the beauty beyond. The flowery smells, the sun’s warmth, and the gentle wind tickling our hairs cannot rouse us from our concentration. Our canvas becomes our life. So much so that we miss the beauty beyond: the beauty that is life itself. Our studies mimic the
shortcomings of the painter with blinkers covering the full view of his eyes. We fail to see the application, purpose, and realness of life beyond. Living the illusory life that we ourselves have created, we fail to see the real. So, let us now cast our proudly held crafts aside and see the world through the colorful lens of a philosopher: the lover of wisdom.
The truth may seem incomprehensibly far from us. How can we, mere humans, understand the greatest secret veiled behind the universe? We must remember that the truth is always here. We may be used to seeing it in science books or mathematical equations, but truth is everywhere: in the cells, in the stars, in the minds, in the hearts, in the souls (psychí). From the smallest insects to the brightest stars, truth permeates all. Books and theories simply reflect the reality that we all experience. Thus, all that exists below belongs to truth, which is above. Hermes Trismegistus summarizes in his Emerald Tablet: “That which is above is like to that which is below, and that which is below is like to that which is above to accomplish the miracle of the one thing” (Tomberg 22). This “method of analogy,” comparing that which is below to that which is above, is the foundation of mystical religious understanding. The Kabbala, or Jewish mystic teaching, uses cardinal directions, numbers (Gematria), and human senses to connect students to the world above. The Upanishads present each creature’s body (ātman) as a microcosm of the universe. For example, the head of a sacrificial horse is “the dawn – its sight is the sun; its breath the wind” and so on until all is accounted for (Upanishads). The Gospel of Matthew explicitly reveals how God would not deceive us by creating a world in which we could not know the truth:
“Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
Matthew 7:9-11 (NKJV)
Acknowledging the existence of a truth that is present, accessible, and real, we must necessarily live our lives in search of it. Our quest for wisdom is a necessity because through it, we discover true purpose, true beauty, and the essence of who we are and what we will become. For Socrates,
living closely attached to bodily “wants, desires, fears, all sorts of illusions, and much nonsense” makes “us too busy to practice philosophy” and fills us with “confusion and fear,” preventing us from “seeing the truth” (Phaedo 66c-d). Every philosopher and religious tradition will provide a different answer to the unending mystery of what this truth is and how we can experience it. So, let us bravely live in search
ARTIST STATEMENT
American egret roosting | Charles O’Rear for Documerica
Countryside Outskirts | Alice S. Kandell
Stained Glass Window | Patricia D. Duncan
These are images to meditate on as we remember the world around us and above us. Reminders of the truth God reveals when we walk closely alongside Him.
of the unity between the above and below, chasing the truth enveloping every second of life around us. Let us begin to see the truth in all—in each smile, each stranger, each beam of light. God does not reveal Himself in mysterious ways, but rather, He always reveals His truth through all creation in every time period at once. Truth permeates and lives. So, let us be with it and let our attempt to see it become our lives.
Plato. Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo. Translated by G. M. A. Grube, revised by John M. Cooper, 2nd ed., Hackett Publishing, 2002.
The Holy Bible, King James Version. BibleGateway, www.biblegateway.com, Accessed March 2025. The Upanishads. Translated by Patrick Olivelle. Oxford University Press, 2008. Tomberg, Valentin. Meditations on the Tarot: A Journey into Christian Hermeticism. Translated by
Aristotle. Metaphysics. Translated by C. D. C. Reeve. Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy: From Thales to Aristotle, edited by S. Marc Cohen, Patricia Curd, and C. D. C. Reeve, 5th ed., Hackett Publishing, 2016.
Robert A. Powell, Tarcher/Penguin, 2002.
RE: MY GUIDE
To the God who leads me,
Thank You for everything You are. You deserve all the praise I could ever offer and more. Tell me what moves You, and I will offer it because I am amazed that anything I do can delight the One whom neither heaven nor earth can contain. I simply hope my life is one that is pleasing to You in the end. At least, that is what I tell my soul to want.
But God…
Sometimes I feel lost, and sometimes I feel tired. I heard I can find rest in You (Matthew 11:28-30), and I heard that You establish my every step (Proverbs 16:9). And sometimes, I have felt it—when you lift my eyes to Your beautiful being and I find rest, or when Your Spirit feels
so real, I have confidence that every step I take is one pleasing to You. But I cannot recreate these moments. It is up to You whether these moments come or not. But sometimes, having these moments again would be nice. And right now, I feel like I need it.
“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
Psalm 73:23-26 (NIV)
So just like this psalmist, I have confidence that You hold me by my hand and that I can soon distinguish Your fingerprints in my life—and it seems there is not a place where You do not leave Your mark (Psalms 139: 8-9). It seems like You guide me with Your counsel, and there must not be any counsel wiser than You. And when my flesh and heart grow weary, You are my strength.
But God…
Help my unbelief and unfaithfulness. Because too often, I forget. I forget the ridges and grooves of Your hand upon mine when I let go of You and chase the world. I blind my eyes and cover my ears to Your presence when You are quite literally everywhere. I cover my ears to wisdom crying out to me (Proverbs 1:25) because I delight in the temporary joys of this passing world. I am scared that my sin is ever before me (Psalm 51:3), and I will not be able to escape it.
“Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’”
Mark 9:24 (NIV)
And then You helped his unbelief and healed his son. So I know you can help me as well and that you even want the best for me (Romans 8:28). I just need to ask (Matthew 7:7). I hear of Your goodness, and how Your love is better than life (Psalm 63:3). I told You already that my life is filled with a soul that is tired and lost. But Your love, not the idea of it but the supernatural impartation of Your Spirit inside of my crammed soul (Acts 2:4), gives me purpose. And I need to feel it every single day. So, God, I ask You again and again: Help me overcome my unbelief.
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness”
Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)
And let me hear it again and again. Over and over, until the walls around my soul come crashing down. Just like
how the Israelites walked around and around until the walls of Jericho fell. Love me. And love me again. So that it can receive this everlasting love in my innermost being—a love better than life itself. A love that I have tasted and seen, yet have forgotten and lost (Revelation 2:4).
“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning”
Psalm 30:5 (ESV)
So let me weep and weep until the sun comes up in the morning and Your love fills me again. Let me cry out to You about how my soul is tired and lost because You will listen to the prayers of the righteous (Psalm 66:19). Yet, there is no one righteous unless through Your Son’s blood (Romans 3:23-24), so cleanse me and I will be clean. I want to be holy and righteous so I can talk to You like this as long as I live.
“Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away”
Genesis 5:24 (NIV)
So is this also possible with me: that I can walk with You every day, until You call me to Your heavenly home? That my soul can feel tired and lost, yet I can count them as all as joy (James 1:2), knowing I have a Lover and Friend who will walk next to me, all the days of my life, and for all the days in my life to come.
So help me thank You and thank You again. Even when joy does not seem to come in the morning or when the fig tree does not blossom (Habakkuk 3:17). Even when my soul is tired and when it does not seem to know how to find rest in You, help me to praise You. And only by Your strength and grace will I then be able to say to the God who leads me—who makes my paths straight (Proverbs 3:6): Thank You for everything You are. You deserve all the praise I could ever offer and more.
— a beloved child
ARTIST STATEMENT
Fig Tree | Hannah Im
Even when the fig tree does not blossom (Habakkuk 3:17), and even when our souls are tired, God leads us and provides the ultimate rest. He prunes, grows, and cares for us. He offers us rest in the shade of His wing.
SENIOR FAREWELLS
sharon hwang outreach & events
Looking back on my past four years at Emory, I’ve spent a good chunk of my time with the In Via team attending writing and art workshops, planning release parties, going to Boston, and so on. In Via was one of the first places where I was challenged to think about the intersectionality of my faith and my mind, and how intellectual discussions about the Christian faith can take place with anyone anywhere, not just among ‘theologians’. I remember going to a Veritas Weekend conference about loving the Lord with our minds (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), and it struck me how most of my life, I had been living without considering that part of my faith. I am so grateful for the ways I’ve been able to engage in deep and thoughtful conversations within the Veritas Forum network, and I’m also so blessed by the community I’ve experienced within our Emory journal. Thank you God for leading me here and opening my eyes to another aspect of Your character and love that I had not known before. I’ll miss you dearly In Via and I’ll be praying for the journal always!
- Love, Sharon
hannah im
co-editor-in-chief
My guiding verse throughout college was Psalm 8:3-4, one that I shared with staff members before art and design workshops:
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?
What a privilege it was to worship God through creativity during my time with In Via. I firmly came to believe that it is our responsibility to create with our hands and put out goodness and beauty into this world. It is fitting that Navigate is my last issue with In Via. As a senior, I ask, “What am I that You are mindful of me?” and “What am I that You would provide a path forward?” Yet, we can be assured that as children of God with inheritances in heaven, we have dominion over the works of His hands. To worship Him, create, and remind ourselves of the ultimate treasure is to navigate into the unknown. May God continue to help In Via navigate all the challenges, conversations, and celebrations that come with being young Christians!
FAREWELLS
emma lee co-editor-in-chief
I first saw the name “In Via” when I was researching the extracurriculars at colleges as a senior in high school. It was another reason to come to Emory.
From first glance, the mission statement caught my heart. Uniting my passion for writing with Christ was my greatest desire entering Emory as a Creative Writing Major. Since freshman year, In Via has been a place where I could freely explore and express the questions deepest to my heart. While I explored faith in my writing in my creative writing workshops, In Via was a unique place where I felt like I did not have to defend or explain the place of Christ in my work. Rather, faith-filled writing was the very end our community was striving towards. Here, I felt free to express myself as I was in my writing, and naturally, my faith had a rightful place in it every time.
Beyond a place to write, I am grateful for the community and resources In Via has offered me. I’ve received comfort from faithful and brilliant brothers and sisters in Christ, both at Emory and beyond. As a new and niche club, I have also been humbled to serve in executive positions, clumsily navigating the bumps as God continued to guide the club to be what it is today. I am so grateful to have spent nearly four years with this journal. May God bless In Via’s future!
emoryinvia.wixsite.com/my-site