The annual Truth & Life Conference is always a special time for the TMU community. Campus, so quiet over winter break, suddenly lit up last Wednesday with the sound of friends reunifying—and, in the evening, with a gymnasium full of voices singing praises to God. Alumni travel back to Santa Clarita to worship and learn alongside current students.

For people who haven’t experienced it, the routine may seem strange; students show up on Wednesday, but classes don’t start until the following Tuesday, nearly a week later! However, for the students and other community members who have experienced it, it is enjoyed as a unique time of fellowship and recentering.

Before the students ever get their syllabi—before the first lecture, reading assignment, or quiz—they all gather to worship the Lord and remember what he has done. This year, the community was reminded of the entire story that God has written: Creation, New Creation, and everything in-between.

This grand story puts all the smaller stories of the coming semester in their proper context. Without a clear understanding of redemptive history, our pursuit of academic excellence would be no different than at any other institution. But our Truth & Life Conference is one of the ways we foster our students’ spiritual growth, preparing them for the semester by focusing on the Lord we seek to serve in everything we do at TMU.