Challenge to College Students

My Dearest College Students,
If there were one bit of wisdom I could impart to you as you start this journey of college it would be to keep your focus on the Lord, letting nothing sway you or distract you from Him. I’ve been to college and lost my focus on the Lord. Freshman year of college was new and exciting to me, I was the shy girl, just observing everyone around me. By my second semester I had warmed up to my surroundings, loving every part of college, even learning. But seemingly without my notice my eyes slipped and the Lord wasn’t my main focus. The more I became friends with those around me the more I cared about them and their lives. By my second year of college other things came into my life that were not right at the time and further distracted me from the Lord. Oh, I still read my Bible and prayed and served in my ministries but not with my whole heart. After my second year I didn’t expect my plans to change, I would be back in the fall to finish my schooling. Little did I know that God had other plans. A ministry opportunity arose, teaching three missionary children while their parents attended language school. Someone volunteered my name, so I said I’d pray about it but I had no intention of giving up my plans. I fought it, I did not want to go across the ocean and teach, I didn’t even have my degree! I heard college horror stories of how people that drop out for a year most times don’t return. I didn’t want that, I loved college. But during a camp service where I was a counselor that summer the Lord got a hold of my heart and I surrendered. Two months later I was across the ocean teaching children without a college degree, but I was right where God wanted me. It was there that He revealed to me that my focus was not on Him and Him only. My God became so real to me, my Bible, my greatest comfort. The Lord had to take me across the world to get my attention, but it worked and college now is so different. You see He knew how much I love college and He has allowed me to come back and finish what I started but I came into this year with a new focus. “I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” Ps. 16:8. Don’t learn this lesson the hard way, start your college years with the right focus, so you can end your years of college with the right focus.