Ashley Bollinger “All lovely things will have an ending, all lovely things will fade and die; and youth, that’s now so bravely spending, will beg a penny by and by,” Conrad Aiken wrote in his poem “All Lovely Things.” As I end this chapter in my life, I can see the reality and truth of Aiken’s words. Sitting in this […]
Read more
As I wove my little SUV into a parking spot a good hike away from my office, I instantly regretted the decision to wear heels. Yet, as I made the trek toward DeMos,s I realized I might actually miss this. In 26 days, I will be a college graduate. It seems crazy that three years ago when I transferred to […]
Read more
Journalism is all about controversy — especially when we are talking about opinion articles. Our job as journalists is to present the news and, in some cases, present our opinions on current events. This past issue of the Champion featured an opinion article, written by a student, regarding a very controversial topic — voting. You may say that voting is […]
Read more
As I rolled out of bed, only an hour after my alarm initially went off, I thought about how fast this week had gone, how fast every week had gone. Seems like just yesterday that I was walking across the stage to receive my high school diploma. Now here I am, editor in chief of the Liberty Champion — and […]
Read more
Just when you think life can’t get any crazier — it does. I guess, in retrospect, this may be the reason I have been so pressed to not take time for granted and to leave my anxiety at the door — but, we never do know quite why we learn the lessons we learn until we are faced with situations […]
Read more
In Matthew 9:58, Jesus said, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” I am beginning to empathize with Jesus on this one. After weeks of fruitless searching online and driving through the outskirts of downtown Lynchburg, I am beginning to think that my future husband […]
Read more
“Don’t blink. Just like that, you’re six years old and you take a nap and you wake up and you’re twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife.” Yes, those are the words of a country song. Kenny Chesney to be exact. No, I am not a country fan, but the words he offered have me thinking. One month. […]
Read moreThe Christmas season is here. That’s right, even though Thanksgiving has just barely graced us with its presence, Christmas seems to have thrown up all over our local department stores and radio stations. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas. I love giving gifts and drinking coffee by the fire under the lights of a tree decorated in a haphazardous […]
Read moreTurkey day, also commonly known as Thanksgiving — or, as I have come to call it this year, possibly a complete disaster. Thanksgiving is a time of celebration for families across the US. Too many people gathered around too much food serves as the icon for a great day. In my family, Thanksgiving has never really been a day full […]
Read more“Be still and know that I am God,” Psalm 46:10. This semester has been crazy. Parking dilemmas, politics, wedding arrangements and post graduation plans have dominated my agenda. And, of course, just when I think life can’t get any crazier, a 15-page paper strategically places itself on top of it all. College is hard. Life is hard — but no […]
Read moreIt’s not about me. Usually, races are about runners – who is fastest, who can win. They revolve around selfish ideals and competitive natures, but not Run For Their Lives. Waking up at 7:30 a.m. on a Saturday to run 3.1 miles in freezing rain is not usually my idea of a great weekend, but this Saturday I did just […]
Read moreCandy, costumes and corruption. That is what Halloween is known for in the Christian church today, isn’t it? Growing up, I trick-or-treated. That’s right, start throwing your judgment stones — but it looks like I wasn’t the only American child participating in the seemingly harmless events. In 2006, the National Retail Federation conducted a survey in regards to the celebration […]
Read more
Ring by spring. At Liberty, we all know the phrase. Well, last Thursday I got my ring — and along with it I got three days in NYC, 59 Facebook notifications, 20 hours in an airport, two unfinished articles on a deadline and finally, six hours of sleep last night. Talk about a Fall Break. With Liberty’s notorious talk of […]
Read more
I love fall. Fall at the Champion office is comprised of hectic schedules, hurried emails, political banter, athletics, cupcakes and hot coffee. So, like my scattered profession, this article is going to cover two things which many would never mix but I find certainly fitting under the context of fall. Think of this as a box of chocolates — there’s […]
Read more
As I rounded the last corner, everything hurt. Putting one foot in front of the other was more laborious than it has ever been in my life — but I had to run across the finish line. Last weekend, on my “week off,” I ran the Philadelphia Rock and Roll Marathon — all 13.1 glorious miles of it. For all […]
Read more