Sunday, May 12, 2013

Praying for Freshmen

I'm involved with a Christian organization at my university.  We have the opportunity to love on incoming freshmen and pray for them over the year before they come to our school.

Today I'd like to remind you to pray for the class of 2017.  A bunch of high school seniors are graduating around this time, and if they are feeling anything like I was, they're utterly terrified.  College can seem like a vast unknown that holds so many fears and temptations.

I started college feeling so very frustrated with the church.  I planned to get involved with a Bible study and not bother to find a church home.  My jaded heart felt like the church was broken beyond repair.  On top of this, I was extremely anxious about finding any kind of Christian community at a secular college.  I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to handle living nine hours away from everyone I loved.  The summer before college was a time of anxiety and wondering.  

There were people praying for me long before they ever knew my name.  And the Lord was faithful.  He led me to become part of a church community that is focused on Christ.  He brought sweet friends and a wonderful community to my life.  He showed me that I could have two homes nine hours away from each other and be loved in both places.  College has been a blessing for me and a powerful time of growth in my relationship with the Lord.

So many incoming freshmen are uninterested in pursuing the Lord in college.  Perhaps they're burned out on religion and the church like I was, perhaps they are more interested in partying than in worship, perhaps they have never known Jesus.  And as they prepare to enter into the three months of anxious waiting before college begins, what we can do is blanket them in prayer.

Pray for the incoming freshmen, that they will hear the Gospel and open their hearts, that they will rise up as leaders for their community, and that they will be shining lights for Christ at their universities.

If you're a member of the incoming class of 2017, let me know.  I'm praying for you already, but I would love to pray for you by name.

Also, my friend Jack wrote an awesome blog post about loving homosexual people.  It's super powerful and Biblical.  Check it out.

Two years ago: Why I Wear a Purity Ring

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