Reflections on Psalm 46: There is a river

Last time we talked about how Martin Luther’s famous hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is our God,” draws from Psalm 46. Did you also know that when the bubonic plague hit Luther’s city (Wittenberg, Germany) in 1527, that he and his wife Katharina (pregnant at the time) chose to stay and minister to the sick and dying?

Reflections on Psalm 46: God, our refuge and strength

It’s the middle of March 2020, and the coronavirus is beginning to hit the U.S. in a big way. We’ve never seen anything like this in my lifetime. As followers of Jesus Christ, we know that our hope doesn’t depend on this world, especially when trials ambush us. But we need to be reminded and comforted. We need to hear from the Lord.

Coronavirus news related anxiety

If you’re among those who’ve recognized that you’re feeling more stressed, anxious or on edge with the uptick in Coronavirus/COVID-19 news and precautions announcements, here are a few things that might be helpful to remember and put into practice to find calm, and to manage your mental health.

The beauty of light: Christmas chapel 2019

I remember when I was a kid looking forward to something we did once almost every year. We would get in the car and drive around the city to the blocks or houses that were known to have the best light displays. There’s something special about getting in a warm car on a cold night and admiring beautiful, creative displays of light. If you’ve had that experience, you know that it’s a feeling that’s hard to describe: comfort, safety and a sense of wonder – all at the same time.

Why Read C. S. Lewis?: Literature both sweet and useful

Like so many readers, I first encountered C. S. Lewis’ books as a child: one summer, I stashed a copy of The Chronicles of Narnia in my suitcase before a family vacation and, after staying up far later than I should’ve to discover how Shasta and Bree, Aravis and Hwin would end their adventures in The Horse and His Boy, I devoured the rest of the series in days.

How dare Homer!

In the fall semester of 2018, Dr. Wink and I taught again a seminar for the Honors Program that we had first offered some fifteen years before: Banned Books. Just a few weeks before the semester was to begin, The New York Times published a story that let us know how deeply vital the subject remained, that it was a far more pressing issue for the current age than it had been when we had offered the seminar years before.

Behind the names: Cone-Bottoms Hall

Sitting squarely behind a carpet of grass that some call “Ouachita’s front lawn” and shaded by oaks and loblolly pine trees is historic Cone-Bottoms Hall, a landmark of campus since it was built in 1923.

Resting well: 6 ways you can choose rest this summer

Summer and Christmas breaks are often seasons when college students have lots of free time. After a busy semester or school year, it can be full of sleep, friends, family, Netflix and home-cooked meals. True rest, reflection and growth can also be a part of the break.

Remembering Bill Downs

Bill Downs didn’t always tell the truth. I have proof of it. In 2004, Downs wrote a book called “The Fighting Tigers: The Untold Stories Behind the Names on the Ouachita Baptist University World War II Memorial." I asked him to autograph the book for me in December of that year, and this is what he wrote: “To Rex Nelson, the only OBU student I have ever had who wrote so beautifully that I never found anything to correct.”

Celebrate Black History Month: 28 books for 28 days

Celebrate Black History Month by exploring one or more of these 28 classic and award-winning must-reads that honor the lives of black Americans, authors, artists, political figures and characters that have changed our world.

Reflections on Psalm 46: Though the earth trembles

I like to be in control. I’ll admit it. But there are some things I simply cannot control no matter how hard I try. I can’t control the weather. I can’t control what other people do. I can’t control the bad things that sometimes happen to those I love. I can’t control viral pandemics. When it hits us that we really cannot control every circumstance, sometimes we start to fear.

From the "Ouachitonian": Ryan Lewis

Dr. Ryan Lewis is the associate professor of percussion at Ouachita Baptist University. Percussion is Lewis’ primary instrument. He has performed in many different professional symphony orchestras and made appearances with various music groups. Originally from South Carolina, Lewis started his music career at a very early age.

Why you should choose a college that supports your dreams

“You’ll never find a job. You’ll have to forge your own connections, which are hard to make in that world.” As a young senior in high school in search of where I would spend the next four years of my life, these weren’t the words I was expecting to hear from my potential professors and deans about my wanting to study English.

From the "Ouachitonian": Tracey Knight

When Tracey Knight moved into Cone-Bottoms dormitory in 1981, she never dreamed that 36 years later she would be walking up its front steps to work every day. For her, Ouachita was a good life. It was home.

What threatens me

I recently read “The Coddling of the American Mind,” a book as dismaying as it is excellent. It was a painful reminder to me of just how alive and well and ubiquitous is the censorious mind these days.

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic and Latino Americans have positively shaped our society, so it is only right to celebrate their accomplishments and contributions during Hispanic Heritage Month, held from September 15 to October 15.

The struggle is real: How students facing hardship can find hope in Christian community

College at a small, residential school in the South is an experience that can live up to all the hype: days filled with your friends, studying subjects you are passionate about, new friendships, figuring out who you are and who you want to be. It can also be filled with hard seasons that don’t make it on the promo card.

How to make the most of the summer after your junior year: The college search begins

It’s the summer after your junior year, and you cannot wait for senior year to get here! However, it’s easy in all that excitement to pass by what can be the most powerful tool in your belt for securing your top college choice: THE SUMMER!

Conger's grave: The story behind the resting place of Ouachita's founding president

Perhaps you’ve paused long enough by the river overlook on Ouachita’s campus to notice a small burial site. It is the final resting place of Ouachita’s founding and longest-serving president, Dr. John “Jack” William Conger, who died on April 7, 1924.

Do you want grass or mud?

“Do you want grass or mud?” It was a simple question with an obvious answer. And we knew what we were being asked when Dr. Ben Elrod, president of Ouachita during my time as a student, said, “Do you want grass or mud?” I was sitting in Jones Performing Arts Center.