In Light of Eternity: Pursuing Christ in Community
Growing in Community
Life on Kallah, in Andreas Hall, looks like everything from late-night chats in the hallway, to piling into a car to watch the sunset, to obnoxious karaoke, to spontaneous fast food runs at night (you think of the place, we’ve probably been there). There is never a dull moment with our group of girls.
When I first came to Covenant, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was walking into. I attended a public school that had almost 4000 students and graduated in a class of 900. Coming from an environment that was so separated from Christ's light, I knew I wanted a Christ-centered education, but I didn’t realize how deeply that would shape not just what I was learning in the classroom, but how I would be formed as a person.
Symbols of Eternity
One of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had at Covenant wasn’t in class or at an event. It actually happened late one night with my hall, sitting in a circle, quiet and full of meaning, as we made eternity bracelets together.
The idea came from Francis Chan’s illustration with the rope of eternity. He holds up a long rope and colors in just the first inch of the rope red, explaining that this tiny red section represents our time on earth. While the rest, which stretches out and out, represents eternity. And yet, most people live only for the red part, forgetting what lies beyond. That image stuck with me, and it stuck with our hall too: a commitment to not live just for the “red part,” but to help each other live in light of eternity.
So we made bracelets—thin, simple bands that we fused together as a symbol, a moment where we looked each other in the eye and committed to something bigger than ourselves: to walk in the light of eternity, to live with a Christ-centered commitment not just in word, but in practice. We had all been through a lot that semester. Some of us were walking through doubts, others through grief, and all of us were feeling the pressure of what it means to grow up, be away from home, figure out who we are, and somehow chase after Christ in the middle of it all. So we decided to mark it in a tangible way.
The community around me made this moment even more beautiful. My hall isn’t just a group of people living in the same building. It is a family, intentionally built. Covenant is so good at creating spaces where relationships aren’t accidental, but deliberate, where people invest in each other’s hearts, where conversations go deep, where grace and truth are held in balance.
That night, our commitment wasn’t just to God, but to each other, to live in a community that reflects eternity. We weren’t promising to be perfect. We were promising to keep showing up, to stay, to speak truth, to love well, to serve. To this day, I still have my bracelet on.
Theology and Life
Covenant has encouraged and facilitated moments that bring theology into real life, whether it’s through professors who pray for you after class, roommates who ask how your heart is really doing, or hall events that turn into sacred spaces. There's a culture here that pushes you to see every part of life as touched by Christ.
I’ve learned that spiritual formation doesn’t only happen in chapel or bible classes, but it happens on your hall floor at midnight, with bracelets in hand and eternity on your mind, saying, “Let’s walk this out together.”
If you’re in the middle of your college search, I know how overwhelming it can feel. So many schools, so many expectations, so many unknowns. Someone once gave me this advice: go where your soul will be shaped, not just your resume. Look for a place that helps you live in light of eternity, not just in light of your next exam or internship. Find a place where people care enough to ask hard questions, sit with you in silence, in grief, in laughter, and in prayer.
For me, that place was Covenant. Maybe, it could be that place for you too.