Gideon Logan As a graduating International Rescue and Relief and Biomedical Science double major, Gideon Logan’s time at Union offered him countless adventures. When first starting college, Logan planned on becoming an ecologist. Around the time he realized a career in habitat restoration would actually keep him in an office, he started taking IRR’s EMT class. While in the class, Logan recalls being left with a lot of questions. He was learning how to treat a variety of issues, but he wasn’t learning the root causes. His curiosity drew him to rethinking his path and deciding to become a doctor. During the IRR expedition in Malawi last year, he gained valuable first-hand experiences that confirmed his calling as a physician. “I did more than 100 hours of shadowing in clinical rotations,” Logan said. “I got to scrub in to assist with surgery. I had my first experience doing CPR on someone. I got to suture. I even delivered a couple babies … there’s a little boy in Mozambique named ‘Gideon’ after me. It was a really good experience.” Logan’s desire to be a compassionate person is very apparent. Whether it’s to be a listening ear or someone who offers wisdom-filled advice, Gideon’s primary goal is to be authentic and build real connections with people. Savannah Fortney, Logan’s fiancé, said, “When he worked as an EMT, he was known for not just getting the patient from point A to point B, but taking the time to hear their story and to get to know them even in a short ambulance ride. One thing that is pushing him to pursue this career path is the continued opportunity to get to know people who are hurting. He wants to be able to form relationships and trust with those that he interacts with.” Yann Birasa From his confident walk across campus, there is no indication in Yann Birasa’s relaxed stride that he hasn’t lived in the Midwest his whole life. Having grown up in Belgium and Rwanda, Nebraska wasn’t a place Birasa had ever intended to go. This changed, however, when his cousin told him about Maxwell Adventist Academy in Kenya. By attending an Adventist high school, Birasa’s life was turned around. Through God moments, he was baptized, and with a little help from Union’s own Pastor Rich Carlson, he made the decision to seek education across the ocean at Union.  Before ever making it on campus, Birasa had been messaging his soon-to-be teammates on the men’s basketball team. Pastor Rich had connected him with men’s basketball coach Drew Mekelburg and students on the men’s team. Birasa said, “It felt like I was already on campus without even being on US territory. It was insane.” So when he showed up as a wide-eyed international student, he was able to settle in with a ready-made circle of friends. Now, everybody knows Birasa. From being a freshman on the basketball bench, to being voted SA president and even receiving a campus celebrity award at this year’s spring banquet, Yann has become an important leader on campus. He’s everywhere. Whether it’s up front giving speeches or exploring Lincoln with his friends, Birasa is always offering a hello and a smile.  Graduating with a degree in business finance with a minor in psychology, Birasa is ready to take the next step of his life to Florida where he’ll be working for AdventHealth. He’s bringing with him a newfound love of golf, a mindset of curiosity and discovery, and an eagerness to explore the restaurants of Orlando.  Birasa’s memories — the days spent with friends, the long hours on the bus with the basketball team, and the time enjoying every homemade chocolate chip cookie he could get his hands on — will stick with him for the rest of his life. While reflecting on his years spent on Nebraska soil, Birasa said, “The best part of Union is the people. The people let you come as you are. You can come from far, you can come with a different culture, you can come different, and the Union community welcomes you and understands you. Even though we are different, at the end of the day, we are all God’s children.” Kylie Wehling In seventh grade, Nebraska native Kylie Wehling sat with her dad at Union’s Friday night vespers. The chords of the song “Oceans” drifted across the sanctuary as the pianist’s hands glided along the piano keys. Her dad turned to whisper to her, “One day, you’re going to play like that up there.” Wehling remembers thinking how unbelievable that seemed, but at the same time praying that what her dad said would turn out to be true. Not long before that night, Wehling had suffered a massive hand and wrist injury. Shattered glass had severed nerves, tendons and arteries in her left hand, taking away her ability to play the instruments she loved. Creating music with the piano, cello and French horn now seemed impossible, and Wehling wondered how this was a part of God’s plan. Now a graduate from Union Adventist University, Wehling’s life has been filled with challenges, and with each one, her perspective grows. “I always go back to Scripture and have a solid, honest prayer with God,” she said. “Like, ‘hey, this kind of stinks. I failed, I hit a wall. I don’t know what You want me to do next. Lead me.’ And it kind of reframes my mindset that this is not necessarily a closed door, but an opportunity to go somewhere else until we walk into a different area that God has called us into.” Union ties run deep in the Wehling family, as does a commitment to the ministry of health care. Both of her parents, Dr. Merlin Wehling and Chere (Ray) Wehling, graduated from Union in 1997, and her brother, Caleb Wehling, graduated in 2024. While her brother followed in their mother’s footsteps to a career in nursing, Kylie is finishing her degree in biomedical science to follow her Read more…

Jesus spoke often, and candidly, about money—not because wealth itself is evil, but because of its unique power to shape the human heart. Again and again, He pointed beyond coins and possessions to a deeper spiritual reality: what we treasure ultimately determines who we become. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives a clear and sobering warning: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21). Money, more than almost anything else, has a way of quietly capturing our loyalty. It promises security, comfort and control—things we naturally crave. Yet Jesus urges us to recognize that these promises are temporary at best, and deceptive at worst. Earthly wealth fades, breaks and slips away, but a heart anchored in God endures forever. Perhaps the most direct statement comes when Jesus says, “You cannot serve both God and money” (Matt. 6:24). This is not presented as a mild caution but as a spiritual reality. Money makes a poor master. It demands attention, breeds anxiety, and often pulls our focus away from trusting God. When our lives revolve around accumulating or protecting wealth, we may find that our faith slowly weakens, replaced by self-reliance and fear. Jesus illustrated this danger in the story of the rich fool (Luke 12:16–21). This man had been blessed with abundance, yet instead of seeing his wealth as a gift to be shared, he hoarded it for himself. His plans were practical by worldly standards (build bigger barns, secure the future) but he failed to consider eternity. God’s response is striking: “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.” The tragedy was not his wealth, but his misplaced trust. He was rich in possessions but poor toward God. The power of generosity And yet, alongside these warnings, Jesus offers a beautiful and liberating vision of generosity. “Give, and it will be given to you,” He says (Luke 6:38). This is not a transactional promise, but an invitation into a different way of living, a life marked by open hands rather than clenched fists. Generosity breaks the grip of materialism and reorients our hearts toward God and others. We see this vividly in the story of the widow’s offering (Mark 12:41–44). While others gave large sums out of their abundance, she gave two small coins—everything she had. Jesus honored her gift above all others, not because of its size, but because of its spirit. Her generosity reflected deep trust in God. She held nothing back, and in doing so, revealed a heart fully surrendered. Generosity is not about the amount we give, but the posture of our hearts. It is an act of worship, a declaration that God, not money, is our provider. Each time we give, whether to support ministry, help a neighbor, or meet a need, we participate in God’s work and reflect His character. In a world that constantly tells us to accumulate more, Jesus invites us to live differently. He calls us to loosen our grip on earthly wealth and to invest in what truly lasts. When we do, we discover a profound truth: the greatest blessing is not found in what we keep, but in what we give. May we heed His counsel, guarding our hearts against the subtle dangers of wealth, and embracing the joy and freedom that come through a generous life.

In St. Louis, Missouri, Pastor Lusajo Kasyupa is focused on revival. The Tabernacle of Praise Church is full of disciples meeting several times a week. Every Sabbath morning, up to 30 people arrive hours before service to pray. They pray over every seat in the sanctuary, every musical instrument, and every microphone. They show up at 9 am for what Pastor Kasyupa calls “Make Your Voice Heard in Heaven.” Getting to church extra early isn’t easy, especially for families. Before working in St. Louis, Pastor Kasyupa shepherded a flock in the nearby town of Charleston at Grand Avenue Seventh-day Adventist Church. That’s where he first brought up the idea of holding an early-morning prayer meeting before Sabbath school. There were doubts about such a program working. Sabbath school attendance was not great to begin with. Pastor Kasyupa said, “I remember mentioning to my prayer ministry leader, who is my elder, ‘If nobody’s there, four people will be there: that’s me, my wife, and our two sons.’”  But the church family responded. It wasn’t long before the early-morning prayer meetings attracted 10, 20, and even 30 people each week. “We’re not asking for silver or gold or anything,” he said. “We’re just asking for the presence of God to permeate our worship experience.” When he moved to Tabernacle of Praise, Pastor Kasyupa brought the new program with him to great success. As part of the Pentecost 2025 initiative from the North American Division, the church has recently gained a number of new disciples. One of those is Tenshi Shaw, a kindergarten teacher and mother to 7-year-old Dakari.  Tenshi had been looking around, attending different churches for a while. She had attended Baptist churches as a child and found herself searching for a renewed connection with Jesus, so she asked her churchgoing friend, Cherie, if she could come along with her. Cherie could tell that Tenshi was in a place of spiritual need and pushed her to officially become a Seventh-day Adventist. Stepping into faith When she was younger, Tenshi struggled with fears about life after baptism. “For the longest time growing up, you think once you get baptized you can no longer do any wrong,” she shared. “That’s what I’d been told.” It wasn’t until she met Pastor Kasyupa and joined Tabernacle of Praise that she decided baptism was for her, even if she wasn’t perfect. “He told me that was not the case at all. This is about stepping into your faith.” When church members told Tenshi that Dakari expressed a desire to get baptized too, she was amazed. “When I saw my son going in the path that I did when I was younger, finding my faith, finding Jesus, and saying he wanted to get baptized,” she said, “I just had tears falling.” Her son’s journey has been shorter, but just as convicted. “Dakari just jumped in headfirst,” said Tenshi. “He just believed with his whole heart that he was a child of God.” Pastor Kasyupa explained, “I believe in the power and efficacy of prayer. And I’m a living witness of what it has done in my personal life. I wanted to direct the church … [to] avail itself of the privilege of prayer.” Now, bright and early on Sabbath mornings, Dakari and his mom are there. He likes to pray over the drums.   Bio: Luke Morris is a senior English major from St. Louis, Missouri. When he isn’t writing or studying, he enjoys playing folk music. Travel tip: That thing you’re very worried about will be fine. People have an endless ability to adapt to new circumstances. Worst-case scenarios aren’t so bad.  

Loss is never easy and the loss of an infant is among the most heartbreaking experiences a family can endure. According to the CDC, infant loss remains a significant reality in the United States, with approximately 5.6 infant deaths per 1,000 live births and one in four pregnancies ending in loss, including miscarriage and stillbirth. These moments call not only for clinical excellence, but for deep compassion and presence. In 2024, a mother experienced the sudden loss of her 9-day-old infant in the AdventHealth Parker Emergency Department (ED). While she later expressed profound gratitude for the kindness and compassion shown by the ED team during those unimaginable moments, she also shared something important: after leaving the hospital, she felt unsure of what to do next. She lacked resources specific to postpartum care after neonatal loss, such as guidance on lactation suppression and emotional support. Rather than letting this feedback end there, the AdventHealth Parker ED team members chose to listen, learn and respond with love. In early 2025, Jennifer Jones, RN, clinical nurse manager for the ED, received the mother’s feedback through patient advocacy. Jones immediately reached out to leaders and clinical nurses across departments, including obstetrics (OB), to better understand what resources existed and where gaps remained. Through collaboration with Shiri Laufer, RN (OB bereavement champion) and Ashley Albright-Pedigo, RN (ED bereavement champion), it became clear that while OB had strong postpartum loss resources, the ED needed additional tools tailored to grieving mothers. That realization sparked change. Through cross-department collaboration, postpartum and grief resources were shared, expanded and formally integrated into ED processes. A new approach was established: when neonatal loss occurs in the ED, both the OB and ED teams now partner to ensure families receive comprehensive emotional and physical postpartum support. When Jones later sent the mother a condolence card explaining the new support plan, the mother reached out personally to share her appreciation, expressing comfort in knowing that her experience would help future families receive clearer guidance and care. But the work didn’t stop there. In late 2025, Caitlin Curtis, RN, became the new ED bereavement champion, further expanding resources and training. Drawing from partnerships with lactation services, child loss support organizations and neighboring facilities, Curtis helped create a bereavement resource folder for families experiencing loss. These folders include grief support information, lactation guidance after loss, counseling resources, chaplain contacts, funeral and autopsy information, journaling tools and a small memorial item—offering continued support long after families leave the hospital. As Curtis shared, “These people are not just patients but real people who we care for and that is the heart of nursing.” This year, ED nurses and chaplains received training on how to compassionately offer these resources and support families during some of their most vulnerable moments. This work is a powerful example of what it means to live out AdventHealth’s ‘Love Me’ service standard: listening with empathy, responding with intention and transforming even the hardest moments into opportunities to better serve those who trust us with their care.