Dear Prospective Student -

As I reflect on my year at CIU, I have many wonderful memories of fun times and things that I learned through God’s word, my professors, and the girls on my hall. The friendships that I made last year are precious things to me that God has used to deeply impact me. I feel strongly that the community dimension that living in dorms affords people is the most important component to life on campus. We have a fantastic opportunity to experience what living life in a Christian community truly means. Living in close quarters with people, experiencing every day activities with them is only the beginning of what living in community really means.

We are called in the scriptures to truly live in Christian community. We are commanded to serve one another, caring for each other in times of difficulty, holding each other accountable, and loving each other for who we are.  God doesn’t suggest that living in a community is a good option… No, we are commanded to do so! Being believers we are a part of a much larger family that we are to embrace whole-heartedly.

Living in community is hard work. It isn’t always pleasant and we often have to love people that we don’t normally get along with. While that is true we are not given the option to opt out of our responsibility. CIU offers us as believers an incredible chance to discover what a Christian community really can be. From this point forward it is only going to become more and more difficult for us to retain community in this dark world we are a part of. As we get older, start families, and leap out into what God has called us to we will have distractions and stressors thrown at us at every turn. At this point in our lives, it should be easy for us to learn what it means to truly serve others instead of ourselves, and that is what I am most excited about going into this year! I desperately desire that our hall experience what true community is about and enjoy each other for who we are. God has made us each unique and through His strength we are capable of coming together and truly becoming a family!

I’m excited to walk through life with the girls on my hall. God will be doing incredible things in our lives and we can walk those journeys together! How much greater is it to go through trials and joys with a group of people who love you, support you, and rejoice with you? I can think of few things better!  J

P.S. Living in community isn’t just about the spiritual and emotional dimensions… How ‘bout pillow fights? Coffee? Cookies? Movie Nights? Facials? Beach days? Hall Dates? Dumpster diving? Petty 1 girls have fun!     J

Marie Fain