Archives: Audrey Hanson

Money, money, money.

If you are in college, you are dealing with money.  Financial aid, paying for tuition, buying meals, entertainment with friends, the list seems to go on and on.  Sometimes the problem could be having too much money, but more than likely the problem is not having enough!

This week I found out my computer’s hard drive crashed…for the second time in two years.  So unfortunately I have to shell out another $200 to replace that bad boy.  While I have been good about saving money like a miser, I have been trying to buy a car for the past month, so this may be a minor setback.  This whole adventure has started me thinking about simple ways to save money.

If you are anything like me, you like your fair share of fast food, movies, and random adventures.  It is so hard sometimes to live your college life to the fullest when you are low on funds! While there are people who fly by the seat of their pants until they are left with $1 in their bank account, I would advise you to stay far away from that budgeting tactic.  There is almost no food you can really buy for$1, even at McDonald’s.  So, if you are wondering how to best deal with money, here is the blog post for you.

First and foremost, it is important to budget.  Include all the little things you might forget, like putting money on your laundry card or paying for shampoo.  They add up quickly! Oh, especially if you are a girl, and you have to pay for makeup.  Don’t even get me started on how expensive that stuff is.  Know how much you make and make sure that you spend LESS than what you earn.  You do not need to spend your whole paycheck just because you have one.

As a little side note, I would like to mention that it is important to tithe on your earnings.  This is something that is really difficult for me, because I like to hoard every dollar.  But the truth is, the money is not yours to begin with.  Something that I have come to learn this past year is that tithing not only shows that God has priority in your life, but it also is a thank you to God for providing for you.  So make sure you include this in your budget…not as an afterthought, but as a priority!

Secondly, you can share textbooks with your friends.  Many times a professor will require a book but they do not make you read every word in the book.  If the book is not necessary for homework every night, consider borrowing from a friend who has it once in a while.  If they are generous, they may let you borrow it for free, but even sharing it for half-price is better than having to pay for all of it.

Finding small little gigs on the side can also bump up your income.  I personally have done mystery shopping in my spare time, which can get you up to $40 for one hour or so of work.  Not bad at all! It is fun and has good rewards.  You might also consider babysitting, dog walking or housesitting, as well as any number of other things you can do for a few extra dollars.

Above all, be smart and spend wisely! You’re only in college for four years, but now is the time to make wise financial decisions.

This past week I decided to check out the new Recreation Center at CBU.  I did not make any New Year’s resolution this year. Let’s be honest. It is hard to keep those resolutions, but if I had made one, it would be to get fit and in shape this semester.

I bought cute workout clothes to help motivate me to work out, because who wants to look gross when they work out? Not me! The girly girl in me does not want to look sweaty and grungy even if I actually am sweaty and grungy.

I was very impressed when I got inside the Rec Center. Three majestic stories of shiny machines, big screen TVs, and all the equipment have an incredible wow factor. I am pretty sure I will not be venturing into the basketball courts or to the rock wall any time soon, but they definitely looked like a blast for everyone else who is athletically minded. However, I am stoked to play racquetball in the new racquetball courts. I AM a bit wary, after hearing some stories about people (not at CBU) getting teeth knocked out playing racquetball, so you can bet that when I play I will be more decked out in protective gear than a 8 year-old with an overprotective mother.

From the number of people at the Rec Center, it seems like every CBU student has the same ambition to get fit as I do. I just know I am going to be surrounded by buff students everywhere carrying massive textbooks with their mere pinkies. I am rather impressed by the massive number of students I have seen all gung-ho for getting in shape. Next we will be seeing CBU in magazines as one of the “Top Ten Most Fit Universities in the Nation”.

When it comes to working out, I am the biggest wimp in the world. I have to run on the treadmill because if I am going to run, I have to be distracted by a television or watching other people run in order to be motivated. If I ran outside, it would mean, heaven forbid, me realizing how far I have run and then being satisfied with that distance being “good enough”.

While writing this, it occurred to me that sometimes in our walk with the Lord, we get distracted by other things in life and compare ourselves to others and settle for mediocre, thinking I am a “good enough” Christian. This mindset, a lot like the mindset I have when I run, causes many people to stop striving towards a better relationship with God. Francis Chan says that our relationship with God is like an downwards escalator.  If we stop running up the stairs, we are being dragged down.  If you “settle” and just stand still, you will be dragged down. You must constantly be pursuing and engaging a relationship with Christ.

Those are my thoughts for the week. I hope that you all have a healthy week, physically and spiritually!

Love is in the air.

It’s not even spring yet and there are more diamonds floating around campus than the cave in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.  Any CBU student can probably tell you that they know at least five people who have gotten engaged or married within the past two months.  The running joke “Ring by Spring” seems more like a guarantee than a mere likelihood.

Sometimes it is a common question in the midst of Christian college love crazes for single students to wonder, “What am I doing wrong? How could someone let all this awesomeness go to waste?  Does my Prince Charming just have a slow old horse?”

Coming from someone who has been both single and in a relationship (at separate times, of course!), I can tell you I have been there.  Sometimes it seems like the dating scene is so confusing and men and women do not operate on the same level of communication.  Guys are hypnotized by exciting video games and girls are surrounded by hordes of other female friends.  Guys and girls are friends but moving to the next level is ambiguous and miscommunicated.  I understand.

It seems like the whole “dating” and “courtship” scene confusion is a nationwide phenomenon these days.  I read a New York Times article called “The End of Courtship?”  It discusses how there has been a perspective shift in dating terminology, and how mindsets of both men and females have altered in recent history.

In order to formulate a meaningful romantic relationship in a college atmosphere, it is helpful to understand where people are coming from.  The majority of CBU students, I would say, come from a Christian background or have some knowledge of the general workings of Christian environments.  There is lots of confusing terminology floating around the Christian world.  Some people may know dating as “courting” or if you’re old school, “going steady”, but it is hard to know what that means in everyone else’s minds.

According to the article, dating has come to mean in, some situations, a non-exclusive hang out.  A “date” may mean a one-on-one coffee date at Starbucks, or it could mean a movie night with you and him and his friends.  It could mean that you are seeing only him or her, or it could mean that he or she is dating other people they are interested in as well.  I have not completely come up with a working definition of “courting,” so if you ever find yourself in that situation with a person you are interested in, you may want a DTR (Define The Relationship) so you can be on the same page.  In fact, whatever state you are in a “relationship” with someone, whether friends or more than friends, it is best to communicate directly what intentions both parties have.

My advice for all singles in college is:

1. Develop friendships and enjoy the people that surround you.
2. If someone interests you, spend time with them in a group and see them in different environments.  You may notice something that you really like about them, or something that is a dealbreaker.
3. If you are a girl, let the man make the moves.  A good quote from “He’s Just Not That Into You” is “If a man is interested in you, he will do everything he can to make it happen.”   If you are the man, make the move!  If she doesn’t like you, then you know to move on.  If she does like you, then now the fun can begin! Plus, men who have the courage to be direct about their feelings and intentions really impress women.
4. And for all those singles out there, keep in mind that you do not need another person to make you happy! Waiting for the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with can bring about the best results.

So folks, enjoy this season of life, whichever season you are in.

Things I learned over Christmas Break:

• Homemade tamales are the BOMB! I should be an honorary Mexican for my tamale-making skills.
• Being sick on Christmas Day is no fun.
• Chinese food still tastes good for at least a week.  Trust me.
• I am addicted to food.  You would be, too, if you were not allowed to eat real food for almost a week.  If you put me on a restricted diet, I will break it within the day.  Period.   I mean, just look at how the majority of these bullet points are about food.  Point made.
• I am extremely blessed by the people God has surrounded me with.

For the week that I was sick over break, I was pretty much confined to the couch and my bed.  My only human contact was with my boyfriend Daniel and his parents and the occasional people who visited their home.  Now, being an introvert by nature, I could survive with little or no human relations for a good while.  But the people that I was surrounded by over break simply refreshed my soul and taught me.

My boyfriend’s father is a pastor of a local church, the church I attend, and I often get to hear how God is actively working in the church when I spend time with him.  He deals with a lot of people who have sin in their lives (because let’s face it, Christians still sin from time to time) and it affects his life and causes him pain.

Often I think to myself, “How do you still love people when they sin and still treat them like they have not hurt you?”  I have always known that Jesus taught to forgive others and to love them, but sometimes when it gets down to the nitty gritty it’s hard to live it out practically.  There are so many times that people sin in a way that affects my life, and I want to love them in a Christ-like way but my hurt is too great.  From all the stories I heard from Daniel’s dad, I have learned (or maybe even simply reiterated) that everyone has a past and that everyone has sinned and so we must love them and live life with them regardless.  This has been pounded in me from my experiences with people and learned in classes at CBU.

In order to make disciples and live life in harmony with other believers, we must look past our hurts and purposefully invest in people, even if they do us wrong.  The justice-seeking part of me always says, ”But they just sinned last week and hurt me in the process! How can I know that they are truly repenting?” But Daniel’s mom taught me something that was so wise.  She said that when Jesus talked to the woman at the well, He did not say “When was the last time you sinned?”  He said, “From this point on, go and sin no more.”  Whether people hurt us last week or the last minute, we must forgive them and love them past their sin.

It seems like I am constantly learning and relearning these lessons, and God keeps putting wise people like these in my life to teach me.  I am thankful.

If you are around California Baptist University long enough, you will hear the phrase “live your purpose” quite often.

CBU’s slogan inspires satisfaction and confidence. It reminds us that we have a purpose in our lives — one that God created for us.

Since I am in my college phase right now, it is more difficult to look at my life holistically and understand the purpose God has created me for. When I was in high school looking for colleges, I would ask God, “Where is it that you want me to go?” I wanted to make sure that I went to the college that God intended for me to go, because surely that had to aid my purpose in life. Well, it is a good thing I did come to CBU. Not only has it been a great experience and inspiring academic atmosphere, but it has taught me a lot about the purpose for my life.

Dr. Bruce Stokes, professor of anthropology and behavioral sciences and dean of the School of Behavioral Sciences, and Dr. Nathan Lewis, professor of psychology and director of the graduate program in counseling ministry, have instilled in me the way to interpret God’s will for His people. Sometimes these two professors like to modify the school’s slogan to say “live His purpose,” because we as Christians can misunderstand what the phrase means at times.

God created us in order to live holy and righteous lives before Him, loving others and following His law so that we may have satisfaction and joy in our lives.  Sometimes Christians take the “destiny” approach to Christianity and believe that Christians are “destined” to do such and such thing. Then if we do not do that thing we missed out on our purpose. I am glad that it does not exactly work that way. God does bring opportunities and people into our lives, and these things can change our lives in tremendous ways. But God may or may not tell us in plain words “Take the Christian doctrine class this semester” or “Room with Veronica this year.”  Living our purpose is so much more than that.

If we narrowed our purpose to such minute things, we would miss out on the purpose that God has really called us to. God has a great calling for all Christians. His purpose is to make disciples of all nations and be a part of a universal church devoted to making His name great. Christians can do this in so many ways that it is really an adventure.

Coming to CBU and being a part of the community here is a way that you can make disciples and be a part of His church.  But you can live your (His) purpose, wherever and everywhere you go. Friends, live your purpose!

It’s amazing how small your problems seem and how big God is when something changes your perspective.

My boyfriend’s parents just returned from a vacation in South Asia, after visiting their daughter who is a missionary there.  They recounted their experiences there to me, and all that I heard inspired and encouraged me.

In this particular country in South Asia, there is a large population, with the majority of them being Muslim, Hindu or Sikh.  There are millions of poor and few rich people in this society, and according to my boyfriend’s parents, the slums are simply devastating to see.

People in some areas of South Asia are open to hearing the gospel, but the issue is that the culture rejects any person who is baptized in the name of Christ.  Family members who accept Christ have been beaten or cut off from all relationships by their own families.

Kristen White, director of Mobilization at CBU, spoke at my church this past Sunday.  She shared with the church that missionaries baptize a large number of people all over the world.  She said that she gives us the statistics of people baptized, not the number of people converted, because in other cultures, once a person gets baptized in the Christian faith, people take that person’s faith seriously.  In some countries, once a person is baptized, the persecution begins.  As a result, some people who have converted to Christianity avoid being baptized.

This was startling to me, mostly because in America we see baptism as a regular ritual that follows up a person’s conversion to Christianity.  A person gets baptized, we celebrate, life moves on.  However, for so many people in other countries, baptism is a giant step.  One girl my boyfriend’s sister deals with in South Asia who became a Christian and recently was baptized said that once she was baptized, everything in her life went downhill.  Her family abandoned her, her boyfriend abused her, and most aspects of her life have been severely affected.   However, she is growing strong in her faith and in the Lord, and she has willingly given it all up for the sake of Christ.

As a Christian, it is highly inspiring to hear about such commitment to the Christian faith.  It always causes me to question, “Would I be willing to do the same thing if I were in their place?”  As Kristen White said, “You either die for something or live for nothing.”

I sometimes get caught up in my trivial trials and tribulations that I encounter in my life and forget that there is so much more than myself to consider.  I may have hurt feelings or stress in my life, and it could consume my world if I let it.  However, hearing these stories helps me to put into perspective how miniscule these trials are in the grand scheme of things.

Also, it was encouraging to hear how God is moving in South Asia.  My boyfriend’s sister is an alumna of CBU, and she has been a Journeyman in South Asia for nearly two years now.  When my boyfriend’s parents visited there, they said it was remarkable that God was moving in such miraculous ways.  Whether by dreams or “chance” encounters with Christians or deliberate discussions with missionaries, people are being chosen and saved by God.  There is a lot of work to be done, but the gospel is spreading in South Asia.

Be encouraged, Christians.

It’s the little things in life.

This past Friday I went Black Friday shopping like all the other Americans.  I went purely for the adventure, not because I am a fanatic bargain shopper. However, being among all the other people fighting for good prices and elbowing their way around stores caused me to realize how much importance we place on money and material things.

It makes me appreciate all the things in life that don’t cost money (or require harm to other human beings).

First of all, being a college student means I don’t have a lot of money to spend.  However, that means I get to use my creative mind and youthful energy to come up with things to do. Throughout my (almost) four years at CBU I have found many things that cost little or no money and have provided me with entertainment and fulfillment.

Here are some ways to have fun without breaking the bank:

• Look for special deals in your area.  My boyfriend and I found a deal for free movie tickets on the back of cereal boxes.  We were able to go on a fun date for cheap!  Campus Activities at CBU also sells movie and Disneyland tickets for reduced prices. You can rent sports and recreation equipment at the campus Game Room for a low price, as well.
• Take advantage of the events at CBU. It seems like there is always an event going on at CBU, and if you pay attention to the advertisements around campus you can hop from event to event. Sometimes you can even get a full meal and save your meal credits by going to events. Not to mention they are fun and classy.
• Pull together some campus-wide games with friends. My freshman year some friends and I would play Sardines or Hide and Seek all over campus. Also, board games may seem a bit childish, but I always loved having crazy game nights with my friends.
• Go for a walk around Riverside. There are some interesting things around Riverside that you can check out for free. The Christmas Lights at Mission Hall are beautiful this time of year.  There is an art museum in downtown Riverside as well. I personally like to hike Mt. Rubidoux at night to get a good view of the stars. There is a cool place to visit right here on Magnolia Avenue, too — the Heritage House, a Victorian Era house that has been preserved and restored. It is very beautiful on the inside and the tours are very educational.

I always feel more satisfied having fun when I do not have to feel guilty afterwards for spending a ton of money. Plus, you can save your money for Starbucks and 5-hour energy shots, which you most likely will need for the upcoming finals week!

Best wishes to all on their finals, and I hope you all are able to stay free from stress and find some fun in the midst of finals.  Enjoy the simple things in life.

One of the things that really stand out about CBU is the number of amazing professors who teach here.

I have had several good professors over the years, but one of my favorite professors here at CBU is Dr. Nathan Lewis, director of the graduate program in counseling ministry.  He is one of the professors who created my major, Christian behavioral science, and because of that I have had him for most of my major’s classes.  Many of his teachings have revolutionized my understanding of Christianity, and his humble attitude has inspired me for a lifetime.

One of the classes that I took with Dr. Lewis was Biblical Wisdom & Human Behavior, which I would recommend for all believers attending CBU.  This purpose of the class to is to help Christians learn what godly wisdom is, how to get it, and what is not wisdom.  One of the statements he made that was really relevant was that while we college students are in our 20s, we should work on killing our pride and finding wisdom, and if we do this, we will have much more success in life.  This is crucial because humility is a crucial part of Christian living.

In my experience with some Christians and some churches, wisdom and humility is not taught overall.  The main point of Christianity is the benefit of salvation.  However, if that is the only aspect of Christianity that we encourage, then our Christianity is incomplete.  Dr. Lewis taught that making Jesus Lord and fearing God is only the beginning of wisdom, as it says in Proverbs.  There should not be such a thing as an unwise Christian, which is why it says in Ephesians 5:15 to “Be careful, then, how you live—not as unwise, but as wise.”

While this may seem normal and redundant for Christians who have been Christians “all their lives”, it was revolutionary for me when I realized the depth of this and the practicality of it in daily life.  One of the examples Dr. Lewis gave was the use of “Lord willing” in our daily language.  The Bible says that it is prideful to say that we are going to do this thing or another thing, and be confident that we are going to make it happen.  It is prideful because God is the one who sustains us and determines our path, and so we should say, “I am going to do this, Lord willing.”  Not only does saying it sound less prideful, but saying it also changes our attitude.  I have noticed that the more I say it, the more I realize how much God holds my life in His hands and that my life is not my own.

Dr. Lewis helped me to realize how important it is to be aware of how we say things, because sometimes the words we say shape our attitudes.  I have said, “I have done the righteous thing in regards to this situation”, but in reality, it is prideful to say that.  Once I was taught to say, “I desire to do the right thing in regards to this situation”, it changed my attitude from “I am right” to “I want to do what’s right”.

I am still learning about wisdom and how to practically apply it in my life, but I am greatly indebted to professors like Dr. Lewis who have changed my life through their service at CBU.

Throughout life, we deal with relationships with people — especially in college when you meet hordes of people and are put in situations with people that you may have never been in before.

A lot of these experiences can be very rewarding and make memories that last a lifetime.  Most of my favorite experiences have derived from the relationships I have made at CBU.

For example, I have always loved having late-night conversations with my roommates and close friends. I will always remember the silly moments that are inevitable when other high-energy college students surround you — running through the sprinklers on the front lawn, having epic nerf-gun battles and wearing sombreros and mustaches around campus.

But what about those times when relationships are tough, and they aren’t giving you fits of giggles?

These are the times that really shape us and teach us more about our faith. They can be difficult, but they should make us thankful for many reasons. These situations can be used to bring us closer to God and teach us how to love others better. After conflict or misunderstandings are resolved, friends can be drawn closer together with a better understanding of each other.

Another good reason to give thanks is that in my times of relationship difficulties, I have grown to know my Bible better. The Bible talks quite a bit about relationships and has the information, advice, and insights one needs to understand and make them better.

In 1 John 4, it declares that we should love one another, because love comes from God (v. 7).  It says that whoever loves God will love their brother and sister (v. 20).

But what does this love look like? Well, it is a good thing God did not leave us in the dark on that one. In 1 Corinthians 13, it gives a pretty detailed description of what love is.

Now, some people have made 1 Corinthians the anthem of romantic love, but in reality it is not just about romantic love relationships. When I was a Resident Advisor at CBU, I read 1 Corinthians 13 to my residents on the very first day they arrived. I did this because if people learn to love each other like God would have us do, we would be able to live in harmony together.

Verses 4-7 say:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

These verses are very relatable to real-life situations.  Some good tips for maintaining good relationships throughout life are:

• Do not leave things unresolved.  It is easier sometimes to just walk away from the situation and say “I don’t need them,” but God says that if you have something between you and your brother/sister, you need to fix it before you can worship Him rightly.
• Remember to love. We cannot always love perfectly, but God gives us the strength and insights to love people the way we should.
• Do not treat relationships the way the world does. If we Christians follow the Bible as we ought, relationships should thrive. It takes great courage to go against our natural instincts and follow the Biblical precepts, which are not natural to us.

God created us for relationships; we are made for relationships with Him and with others.  If we follow His Word, we can enjoy relationships more fully throughout our lives.

It is starting to get cold and autumn-like at CBU — making me very excited.  I have rummaged through my scarf collection and dusted off my boots for fall. Autumn is not typically one of my favorite times of the year, though. One of the reasons I love CBU is because it is 75 degrees in the winter. However, for some reason, this year the cold is making me very sentimental.

Candles, scarves, pumpkin-flavored things and the cold weather remind me of my family and all of our holiday traditions. I never realized until recently how much scents affected how sentimental I can get. Every time I smell a yummy candle or baked goods straight from the oven, it makes me feel like I am home at Christmas-time.

Just like most other families, we have some traditions. We always start listening to Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving. I always try to convince my dad that Christmas music should not be played in November, but somehow I can never persuade him. Next, the Christmas decorations go up. We always decorate to the tune of some classic Christmas music like Bing Crosby or the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which puts us in the Christmas mood. My family likes to have the wood stove roaring, making my house warm and cozy.

When I was younger, I used to take some of these traditions for granted. However, now that I am on my own at college, I appreciate all the activities and hominess of my family. I have a big craving to bake lots of sweet goodies like my mom would for the holidays, and decorate my apartment so it feels like home. One of my favorite things to come home to at my apartment is my pumpkin-spice scented air-freshener that makes my room smell like Christmas.

I think the reason holidays mean so much more to me now than when I was younger is because I do not get to be with my family as often. My hometown is far away from CBU, so holidays are the main time I get to visit my family. Being away at college makes me more thankful for the things that I would not necessarily be very conscious about otherwise.

As the holidays start to draw near, remember to be thankful for your families and the time you get to spend with them. Being with the people you love is a privilege, and having traditions makes family time really close to your heart.