(OPINION) The Asbury University Christian revival may be winding down. Still, students continue to express their love of God, praying, worshiping and telling stories about how the outpouring forever changed the lives of many on the small Kentucky campus.
One such story was told on Thursday, during the university’s Collegiate Day of Prayer, an evening service mainly composed of those 25 and younger. The event served as a fitting bookend to two weeks of travelers coming from across the world to participate in the prayer services occurring within Hughes Auditorium in Wilmore.
One senior, Gracie Turner, admitted that she did not initially partake in prayer services like other students. In fact, Turner had not been a practicing Christian for years. Growing up, she recalled attending church with her family in the countryside. She liked going to church, and she was passionate about it. Sometimes she would get up and share testimonies or scripture with the room.
But then her faith was rocked when her beloved great-grandmother died of cancer in 2019. Something had broken in the family unit, and fighting and turmoil ensued with her death. “I had to witness my great grandma, who I love dearly, I witnessed just her being taken away from us,” Turner said. That happened one month before Turner came to Asbury.
“I was always so excited to come, but everything here dealt with religion. And at that time, the only person I could think of who to blame for my anxiety, depression, sadness, was God,” she said solemnly. “I really resented Him.”
She cried every day and was homesick. Asbury would frequently throw around the word “community,” but Turner truly believed she was never going to find a community of her own.
“I came to Asbury and the only time I would pray to Him, I would just say, ‘God, it would be really nice if you just didn’t wake me up in the morning,’” Turner said.
For three years she wanted nothing to do with religion. When others prayed during Chapel, she simply sat with her head up. There was no singing from Turner, no worship or really sound at all.
On the first day of the revival this month, Turner recalled the Chapel felt different, but it also felt kind of like the mandatory Chapel students do every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. She noticed some people staying after and considered staying herself, but she had classes and physical therapy.
At the therapy, Turner began to cry and told her trainer about her worsening mental health. She had recently sustained an injury and felt she was at her breaking point. At that moment, she received a text from her friend.
“Come to Hughes…something is happening,” it read. She thought nothing of it but walked into the auditorium to see people crying, laying across one another, worshiping and praying en masse.