The End: Reflection on Possibilities for the Future

            After so much preoccupation with daily work and immediate responsibilities, let us pause to reflect on our possibilities for the future. May hope and trust in God inform us as we envision what lies ahead. We pray God will continue to watch over us as we pursue our goals and create the lives we want to live. We pray our futures will be filled with the love of friends and family and the service we can provide to others. We give thanks to God for all the gifts and opportunities we can see waiting for us. We move forward filled with the security and promise of God’s love.

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May 28: Celebration of Endings and Hope for New Beginnings

Commencement: May 28

            Not all endings are dismal occasions. We reflect on this time of endings with a sense of celebration, for all the joy that we have experienced this year. We are giving thanks for another year of learning and progress or perhaps for our undergraduate careers as a whole. Whatever we celebrate, we honor this ending with the hope for new beginnings. We pray we can build upon the gifts and accomplishments of this time as we move into the future. May we learn from the mistakes of the past and transform ourselves for whatever lies ahead. May we reflect on the past with affection and look forward to new beginnings with excitement.

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May 23: Prayers for Academic Fulfillment

            As we take tests and turn in assignments, we pray for the fulfillment of all our efforts. We pray for the grades and accomplishments for which we have worked so hard. May we end the semester proud of what we have accomplished this year. May God also give us the comfort we need to accept whatever disappointments may come. Whatever the end results may be, may we leave campus this year feeling fulfilled by our efforts this semester and this year.

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May 19: Reflections on Sources of Stress

Spring Finals: May 19-23

            Sometimes, the way to manage stress is to deconstruct our anxieties. So we take this time to reflect on the sources of our stress. May we find that some of our stressors are not as threatening as they once seemed. May we discover that other stressors are necessary yet temporary, and we will soon celebrate the rewards of our efforts. We also acknowledge that some stress cannot be reasoned away, so we ask God to give us the strength not to dwell upon these anxieties. We pray our reflection will not become a spiral of worry but an attempt to thrive in times of stress by trusting in God.

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May 17: Thankfulness for Semester’s Accomplishments

Final Day of Spring Classes: May 17

            As we reach the end of yet another semester, we create meaning and purpose by giving thanks for this period’s accomplishments. We begin by giving thanks to God for all the skills and talents created within us. We realize that all our achievements are a result of the life given to us by God. May God bless all we have accomplished this semester and allow these gifts to extend into the future. As always, we give thanks for the community and the collaborators who have made our work possible. As we look ahead to other goals and responsibilities, let us pause to celebrate what God has helped us accomplish during this time.

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