by Brent Looyenga, looyengaphotography.com

Dear Readers,

To trust means to become dependent by investing love towards something or someone. This means you are also vulnerable. And no matter who you are and who you associate with, trust is huge.

To get your degree at a university means mutual exchanges of trust has been shown. You entrust your money, and they trust you to learn and become more responsible.

If someone tells you something private, then they trust you to keep that confidential in order to protect their vulnerability against those who may use that for abuse. If not, then trust is lost.

Every time we buy something, we are, in a sense, investing love towards whatever it is. On our money it says “In God We Trust” for a reason. So when it comes to Hollywood, when it comes to who we look up to or who we admire, at the end of the day, we can look back and see how much trust (or lack of trust) we put towards something or someone.

Here at Multnomah, I’m sure you’ve experienced grace from your professors. When they give you take home exams and trust you not to cheat, it’s a big deal. It’s like they are telling us, “We are trusting you to keep your word and to be in love with God.

For God hates liars.” When I went to a junior college, I never had that level of grace. Perhaps, because it’s Bible we want, and to go against the Word of God would make cheating on a Bible exam pretty bleak.

We chose “The Hollywood Edition” because we wanted to look at identity. Too often we see the things of this world and we seek to contextualize ourselves rather than stand apart. Sometimes we “celebratize” others that are far away instead of looking to those who are near. At least, I’ve been known to do that often. My eyes wander to the imagery and symbolism and can “worship the creature rather than the Creator.” I hope that in these articles, you can get a glimpse
of the world around us.

Behind all our busy schedules in this final stretch here at Multnomah, know what really matters. Think back in your life to all the times you worried, and now look at what lasted. As we are in the present, my friend, cast your cares upon the Lord, and He will sustain you. He will not permit the righteous to stumble.

–Aaron Esparza is a senior Communication Studies major.