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“适应力”是我们在佩珀代因大学经常听到的一个词。

It is a word that, for many years, through both expected and unexpected challenges, has defined who we are. Yet this year, we saw resilience in a new way as our community endured together the challenges of the Franklin, Palisades, and Eaton Fires. I can hardly imagine a more striking picture of resilience than our cross standing firm, even through fire. This powerful image echoes the promise of the gospel: the promise that, at the cross, we find an ever-present, unshakable refuge—a foundation that can withstand the storms of life.

福音从来没有应许一个没有困难的人生。 In fact, difficulty itself is promised. In the 16^th chapter of John, during some of his last moments with his disciples, Jesus warns them of the many trials they can expect to endure. But along with the promise of trials, he also gives them, and us, a powerful promise of hope: “In this world, you will have trouble. 但是振作起来！ 我已经胜了世界。”

因着基督的得胜，我们有坚定的盼望作锚。

As I have pondered the resilience shown by our community, I have noticed a profound connection between this resilient character and the idea that has been at the heart of our collective thinking at Pepperdine this past year— the idea of freedom. I have been struck, in particular, by the book of James, which often employs the phrase “the law of liberty” or “the law that gives freedom.” This expression rings as paradoxical to modern ears; 我们认为法律是剥夺而不是给予自由。

But the freedom that James commends speaks of something deeper than simply unlimited options or lack of external restraints. He has in mind an inner freedom that comes only from the human soul being oriented toward the good. The law of Christ, written on our hearts, liberates us to find our purpose and pursue our calling. True liberty—the freedom found in Jesus—is the ability to become the people we were created to be. And it is this kind of freedom that produces the abundant life resilient enough to flourish in even the most difficult of situations.

今年冬天我们一起走过火堆时，我亲眼看到了这一点。 I saw our campus fulfill the call to service—both to one another and to the larger community—sharing their resources, efforts, and love with those in need. I saw our people live out the true purpose of freedom as defined in Galatians 5:13: “For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.” I saw a living, breathing picture of Pepperdine’s motto: our community freely giving what they have freely received.

This God-given, others-oriented liberty—central to Pepperdine’s core values—frees us to flourish in all circumstances and in all aspects of university life. Our students are free to pursue truth without fear in every discipline, knowing truth has nothing to fear from investigation. They are free to explore the world, learning from the depth and beauty of cultures across the globe. They are free to succeed in their fields of study, inspired by our exceptional faculty who seek to cultivate the whole person—body, mind, and soul. 他们可以自由地在目标、服务和领导的生活中茁壮成长。

真诚地,

吉姆裂缝 总裁兼首席执行官

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