Building the courage to form and maintain healthy habits   

Liberty University welcomed four speakers to the Vines Center stage for Convocation Sept. 2 and Sept. 4. 

Sports legends Shawn Johnson East and Andrew East came Wednesday. Lawyer and author Justin Whitmel Earley and pastor Brook Mosser spoke on Friday.  

Vice President of Spiritual Development Josh Rutledge conducted a sit-down interview with the Easts. Their message encouraged students to have the courage to commit. 

Andrew East spoke about his successful football career and how it was the result of consistent commitment. He noted that the most fulfilling part of his career was not the achievements earned at the end, but rather the journey itself. 

“It’s the process of commitment that makes any of your ambitious goals possible,” Andrew East said. “But also sets you up in many different ways, in a great way.” 

The Easts commented on the overwhelming number of choices presented every day. Referencing Matthew 7:13, they explained how commitment provides focus and direction.  

Shawn East encouraged students to stay focused on their commitments, warning that losing focus could lead students astray. 

“When you start processing all the opportunities that you get in life, if you don’t stay true to your north star, you’re going to end up somewhere that you don’t want,” Shawn East said. 

Shawn East recalled her past and the commitment required to achieve her success in gymnastics. She said commitment requires sacrifice and admitted that after retirement life was harder because her commitments changed. She encouraged students to go all in on their commitments, stating that it’s better to have a focus than to have no direction. 

“It’s not like you’re constantly looking back,” junior Eleanor Clough said. “Just make the decision and then go forward on it.”  

On Friday, Rutledge sat with Earley and Mosser to speak about the importance of forming intentional habits, and consistency. The overarching theme of their message was that students should surrender their lives for the kingdom of God.

  

Rutledge began the conversation by asking for the Earley’s input on becoming like Jesus by building a life through him. Earley noted that a good start requires finding meaning in one’s life and building habits around it. 

“If you can find meaning in a difficult life, you will thrive,” Earley said.  “But if you can’t, even the most ordinary of circumstances will take you down.” 

Earley discussed building practical habits for a life of meaning and resilience, using the life of Jesus as the blueprint. He said the story of the world is not about what one has accomplished, but about what God has done and the resurrection of Jesus on everyone’s behalf. 

Mosser said habits form from the fact that everyone serves something, and asked students where their attention, affection and allegiance lie. He encouraged students to have prayer form the shape of their lives, using the analogy of pebbles in a pond for how prayer has a building effect. 

“It starts with you praying,” Mosser said. “One-phrase prayers, long prayers, prayer walks, all of the above, all are good, you got to do it.” 

Earley used his personal experiences as a lawyer and father to warn of the distractions that get in the way of forming habits. He emphasized the importance of reading Scripture as a habit, stating that one’s gaze is sacred.  

Earley said where one’s eyes go, so does one’s life, calling on students to let God be the focus of their eyes and shape their life for his plans. 

“By allowing God to help you align your eyes into the correct path, then you’re able to see where to go and where the prosperity is and his plan for your life,” freshman Johan Roberto said. 

This week’s Convocations offered students encouraging messages on forming habits and commitments to shape their lives in a way that glorifies God. These messages motivated students to make lasting decisions that would guide them to becoming more like Jesus during their academic life, presenting a well-timed source of inspiration during the early weeks of the fall semester. 

Bishop is a news reporter for The Liberty Champion.