Mitt Romney

for the graduat __PUNCT__ thi moment mark a clear end and a clear begin __PUNCT__

the task set befor you four year_ago is now complet in full __PUNCT__

to the class of __NUM__ __PUNCT__ well done __PUNCT__ and congratul __PUNCT__

some of you mai have taken a littl longer than four year to complet your studi __PUNCT__

on graduat ha said that he complet hi degre in onli two term __PUNCT__ clinton and bush __PUNCT__

in some wai __PUNCT__ it is fit that i share thi distinct with truett cathi __PUNCT__

the romnei_campaign come to a sudden stop when we spot a chick __PUNCT__ fil __PUNCT__ a __PUNCT__

your chicken sandwich were our comfort food through the primari_season __PUNCT__ and there were dai that we need a lot of comfort __PUNCT__

so __PUNCT__ truett __PUNCT__ thank you and congratul on your well __PUNCT__ deserv honor todai __PUNCT__

there ar some peopl here who ar even more pleas than the graduat __PUNCT__

those would be the parent __PUNCT__

their year of prayer __PUNCT__ devot __PUNCT__ and invest have ad up to thi joy achiev __PUNCT__

and with credit to congressman dick armei __PUNCT__ the american_dream is not own your own home __PUNCT__ it is get your kid out of the home you own __PUNCT__

late __PUNCT__ i found myself think about life in four __PUNCT__ year stretch __PUNCT__

and let just sai that not everybodi ha achiev as much in these last four year as you have __PUNCT__

that a theme for anoth dai __PUNCT__

but two observ __PUNCT__

first __PUNCT__ even though job_opportun ar scarc in thi economi __PUNCT__ it is not for noth that you have spent thi time prepar __PUNCT__

jerri_falwel __PUNCT__ senior __PUNCT__ long_ago observ that __PUNCT__ you do not determin a man great by hi talent or wealth __PUNCT__ as the world doe __PUNCT__ but rather by what it take to discourag him __PUNCT__ america need your skill and talent __PUNCT__

if we take the right cours __PUNCT__ we will see a resurg in the american_economi that will surpris the world __PUNCT__ and that will open new door of opportun for those who ar prepar as you ar __PUNCT__

of cours __PUNCT__ what the next four year might hold for me is yet to be determin __PUNCT__

but i will sai that thing ar look up __PUNCT__ and i take your kind hospit todai as a sign of good_thing to come __PUNCT__

i consid it a great life honor to address you todai __PUNCT__

your generos of spirit humbl me __PUNCT__

the welcom spirit of liberti is a tribut to the graciou christian exampl of your founder __PUNCT__

in hi __NUM___year of life __PUNCT__ dr __PUNCT__ falwel left a big mark __PUNCT__

for nearli five decad he share that walk with hi good wife macel __PUNCT__

it wonder to see her todai __PUNCT__

the call jerri answer wa not an easi on __PUNCT__

todai we rememb him as a courag and big __PUNCT__ heart minist of the gospel who never fear an argument __PUNCT__ and never hate an adversari __PUNCT__

jerri deserv the tribut he would have treasur most __PUNCT__ as a cheer __PUNCT__ confid champion for christ __PUNCT__

i will alwai rememb hi cheer good humor and selfless __PUNCT__

sever year_ago __PUNCT__ in my home __PUNCT__ my wife and i were pose for a pictur togeth with him __PUNCT__

we want him to be in the center of the photo __PUNCT__ but he insist that ann be in the middl __PUNCT__ with he and i on the side __PUNCT__

he explain __PUNCT__ by point to me and himself __PUNCT__ you see __PUNCT__ christ di between two thiev __PUNCT__

mayb the most confid step jerri ever took wa to open the door of thi school __NUM___year_ago __PUNCT__

he believ that liberti might becom on of the most respect christian univers anywher on earth __PUNCT__

and so it is todai __PUNCT__

he believ __PUNCT__ even when the first graduat class consist of __NUM___student __PUNCT__ that year after year young christian would be drawn to such a univers in ever __PUNCT__ greater_number __PUNCT__

and here you ar __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ thank to what you have gain here __PUNCT__ you leav liberti with convict and confid as your armor __PUNCT__

you know what you believ __PUNCT__

you know who you ar __PUNCT__

and you know whom you will serv __PUNCT__

not all colleg instil that kind of confid __PUNCT__ but it will be among the most prize qualiti from your educ here __PUNCT__

moral certainti __PUNCT__ clear standard __PUNCT__ and a commit to spiritu ideal will set you apart in a world that search for mean __PUNCT__

that said __PUNCT__ your valu will not alwai be the object of public admir __PUNCT__

in fact __PUNCT__ the more you live by your belief __PUNCT__ the more you will endur the censur of the world __PUNCT__

christian is not the faith of the complac __PUNCT__ the comfort or of the timid __PUNCT__

it demand and creat heroic soul like weslei __PUNCT__ wilberforc __PUNCT__ bonhoeff __PUNCT__ john_paul the second __PUNCT__ and billi_graham __PUNCT__

each show __PUNCT__ in their own wai __PUNCT__ the relentless and power influenc of the messag of jesu_christ __PUNCT__

mai that be your guid __PUNCT__

you enter a world with civil and economi that ar far from equal __PUNCT__

harvard historian david land devot hi lifelong studi to understand why some civil rise __PUNCT__ and why other falter __PUNCT__

hi conclus __PUNCT__ cultur make all the differ __PUNCT__

not natur_resourc __PUNCT__ not geographi __PUNCT__ but what peopl believ and valu __PUNCT__

central to america rise to global leadership is our judeo __PUNCT__ christian_tradit __PUNCT__ with it vision of the good and possibl of everi life __PUNCT__

the american_cultur promot person_respons __PUNCT__ the digniti of work __PUNCT__ the valu of educ __PUNCT__ the merit of servic __PUNCT__ devot to a purpos greater than self __PUNCT__ and __PUNCT__ at the foundat __PUNCT__ the pre __PUNCT__ emin of the famili __PUNCT__

the power of these valu is evidenc by a brook_institut studi that senat rick_santorum brought to my attent __PUNCT__

for those who graduat from high_school __PUNCT__ get a full __PUNCT__ time_job __PUNCT__ and marri befor thei have their first child __PUNCT__ the probabl that thei will be poor is __NUM__ __PUNCT__

but __PUNCT__ if those thing ar absent __PUNCT__ __NUM__ __PUNCT__ will be poor __PUNCT__

cultur matter __PUNCT__

as fundament as these principl ar __PUNCT__ thei mai becom topic of democrat debat __PUNCT__

so it is todai with the endur institut of marriag __PUNCT__

marriag is a relationship between on man and on woman __PUNCT__

the protect of religi_freedom ha also becom a matter of debat __PUNCT__

it strike me as odd that the free_exercis of religi_faith is sometim treat as a problem __PUNCT__ someth america is stuck with instead of bless with __PUNCT__

perhap religi conscienc upset the design of those who feel that the highest wisdom and author come from govern __PUNCT__

but from the begin __PUNCT__ thi nation trust in god __PUNCT__ not man __PUNCT__

religi_liberti is the first freedom in our constitut __PUNCT__

and whether the caus is justic for the persecut __PUNCT__ compass for the needi and the sick __PUNCT__ or merci for the child wait to be born __PUNCT__ there is no greater forc for good in the nation than christian conscienc in action __PUNCT__

religi_freedom open a door for american that is close to too mani other around the world __PUNCT__

but whether we walk through that door __PUNCT__ and what we do with our live after we do __PUNCT__ is up to us __PUNCT__

someon onc observ that the great drama of christian is not a crowd shot __PUNCT__ follow the movement of collect or even nation __PUNCT__

the drama is alwai person __PUNCT__ individu __PUNCT__ unfold in on own life __PUNCT__

we not alon in sens thi __PUNCT__

men and women of everi faith __PUNCT__ and good_peopl with none at all __PUNCT__ sincer strive to do right and lead a purpos __PUNCT__ driven life __PUNCT__

and __PUNCT__ in the wai of lesson learn __PUNCT__ by hit the mark or by fall_short __PUNCT__ i can tell you thi much for sure __PUNCT__

all that you have heard here at liberti univers __PUNCT__ about trust in god and in hi purpos for each of us __PUNCT__ make for more than a good sermon __PUNCT__

it make for a good_life __PUNCT__

so mani thing compet for our attent and devot __PUNCT__

that doesn't stop as you get older __PUNCT__

we ar all prone __PUNCT__ at variou turn __PUNCT__ to treat the trivial thing as all __PUNCT__ import __PUNCT__ the all __PUNCT__ import_thing as trivial __PUNCT__ and littl by littl lose_sight of the on thing that endur forev __PUNCT__

no person i have ever met __PUNCT__ not even the most righteou or pure of heart __PUNCT__ ha gone without those time when faith reced in the busi __PUNCT__ ness of life __PUNCT__

it normal __PUNCT__ and sometim even the smallest glimps of the lord work in our live can reawaken our heart __PUNCT__

thei bring us back to ourselv __PUNCT__ and __PUNCT__ better still __PUNCT__ to someth far greater than ourselv __PUNCT__

what we have __PUNCT__ what we wish we had __PUNCT__ ambit fulfil __PUNCT__ ambit disappoint __PUNCT__ invest won __PUNCT__ invest lost __PUNCT__ elect won __PUNCT__ elect lost __PUNCT__ these thing mai occupi our attent __PUNCT__ but thei do not defin us __PUNCT__

and each of them is subject to the vagari and serendip of life __PUNCT__

our relationship with our maker __PUNCT__ howev __PUNCT__ depend on none of thi __PUNCT__

it is entir in our control __PUNCT__ for he is alwai at the door __PUNCT__ and knock for us __PUNCT__

our worldli success cannot be guarante __PUNCT__ but our abil to achiev spiritu success is entir up to us __PUNCT__ thank to the grace of god __PUNCT__

the best advic i know is to give those worldli thing your best but never your all __PUNCT__ reserv the ultim hope for the onli on who can grant it __PUNCT__

mani a preacher ha advis the same __PUNCT__ but few as memor as martin_luther_king __PUNCT__ jr __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ as a young_man __PUNCT__ he said __PUNCT__ with most of my life ahead of me __PUNCT__ i decid earli to give my life to someth etern and absolut __PUNCT__

not to these littl god that ar here todai and gone tomorrow __PUNCT__

but to god who is the same yesterdai __PUNCT__ todai __PUNCT__ and forev __PUNCT__

in thi life __PUNCT__ the commit that come closest to forev ar those of famili __PUNCT__

my dad __PUNCT__ georg_romnei __PUNCT__ wa a ceo __PUNCT__ a governor __PUNCT__ and a member of the presid cabinet __PUNCT__

my wife ann ask him onc __PUNCT__ what wa your greatest accomplish __PUNCT__ without a moment paus __PUNCT__ he said __PUNCT__ rais our four kid __PUNCT__

ann and i feel the same wai about our famili __PUNCT__

i have never onc regret miss a busi opportun so that i could be with my children and grandchildren __PUNCT__

among the thing in life that can be put off __PUNCT__ be there when it matter most isn't on of them __PUNCT__

as c. __PUNCT__ lewi is said to have remark __PUNCT__ the home is the ultim career __PUNCT__

all other career exist for on purpos __PUNCT__ and that is to support the ultim career __PUNCT__

promot often mark the high_point in a career __PUNCT__ and i hope i haven't seen my last __PUNCT__

but sometim the high point come in unexpect wai __PUNCT__

i wa ask to help rescu the __NUM__ olymp in salt_lake_citi __PUNCT__

i embarrass now to recal that when thi opportun wa first present to me __PUNCT__ i dismiss it out of hand __PUNCT__

i wa busi __PUNCT__ i wa do well __PUNCT__ and __PUNCT__ by the wai __PUNCT__ my lack of athlet prowess did not make the olymp a logic step __PUNCT__

in fact __PUNCT__ after i had accept the posit __PUNCT__ my oldest son call me and said __PUNCT__ dad __PUNCT__ i spoken to the brother __PUNCT__

we saw the paper thi morn __PUNCT__

we want you to know there not a circumst we could have conceiv of that would put you on the front_page of the sport section __PUNCT__

the olymp were not a logic choic __PUNCT__ but it wa on of the best and most fulfil choic of my life __PUNCT__

opportun for you to serv in meaning wai mai come at inconveni time __PUNCT__ but that will make them all the more preciou __PUNCT__

peopl of differ faith __PUNCT__ like your and mine __PUNCT__ sometim wonder where we can meet in common_purpos __PUNCT__ when there ar so mani differ in creed and theologi __PUNCT__

sure the answer is that we can meet in servic __PUNCT__ in share moral_convict about our nation stem from a common worldview __PUNCT__

the best case for thi is alwai the exampl of christian men and women work and wit to carri god_love into everi life __PUNCT__ peopl like the late chuck colson __PUNCT__

not long_ago __PUNCT__ chuck recount a stori from hi dai just after leav prison __PUNCT__

he wa assur by peopl of influenc that __PUNCT__ even with a prison record __PUNCT__ a man with hi connect and experi could still live veri comfort __PUNCT__

thei would make some call __PUNCT__ get chuck situat __PUNCT__ and set him up onc again as an import man __PUNCT__

hi choic at that crossroad would make him __PUNCT__ instead __PUNCT__ a great_man __PUNCT__

the call to servic is on of the fundament element of our nation_charact __PUNCT__

it ha motiv everi great movement of conscienc that thi hope __PUNCT__ fair __PUNCT__ mind countri of our ha ever seen __PUNCT__

sometim __PUNCT__ as dr __PUNCT__ viktor frankl observ in a book for the ag __PUNCT__ it is not a matter of what we ar ask of life __PUNCT__ but rather what life is ask of us __PUNCT__

how often the answer to our own troubl is to help other with their __PUNCT__

in all of these thing __PUNCT__ faith __PUNCT__ famili __PUNCT__ work __PUNCT__ and servic __PUNCT__ the choic we make as american ar __PUNCT__ in other place __PUNCT__ not choic at all __PUNCT__

for so mani on thi earth __PUNCT__ life is fill with order __PUNCT__ not option __PUNCT__ right down to where thei live __PUNCT__ the work thei do __PUNCT__ and how mani children the state will permit them to have __PUNCT__

all the more reason to be grate __PUNCT__ thi and everi dai __PUNCT__ that we live in america __PUNCT__ where the talent god_gave us mai be us in freedom __PUNCT__

at thi great christian institut __PUNCT__ you have all learn a thing or two about these gift and the good purpos thei can serv __PUNCT__

thei ar your to have and your to share __PUNCT__

sometim __PUNCT__ your liberti educ will set you apart __PUNCT__ and alwai it will help direct your path __PUNCT__

and as you now leav __PUNCT__ and make for new place near and far __PUNCT__ i hope for each on of you that your path will be long and life will be kind __PUNCT__

the ideal that brought you here __PUNCT__ the wisdom you gain here __PUNCT__ and the friend you found here __PUNCT__ mai these bless be with you alwai __PUNCT__ wherev you go __PUNCT__

thank you all __PUNCT__ and god_bless you __PUNCT__