Off to College

For parents who, for the first time, are taking a child to college, life can be filled with unnecessary tension. The wonderment, “Did I do, give, supply or provide enough for my child as he/she takes their next step?” It is a natural question to ask yourself and should be filled with the confidence of trusting in the Lord.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

─    Philippians 4:7 ESV

Preparing your “to do” list as you get your child ready for their first collegiate year and checking off these items is an excellent personal task. The top of the list, and one item that should never be checked off, is Pray for [child’s name]. As you develop your list and begin checking things off, remember to pray for your child and yourself as you relinquish any anxiety to the Lord. 

College is a new adventure filled with inquiry, discovery, negotiating and prioritizing. Professors will teach topics and open doors to new ideas and broader ways of thinking, while new friends and acquaintances may introduce different expressions to life. New ideas and perspectives should not be feared but recognized as a unique learning opportunity. 

Relinquish all anxiety over to the Lord and trust Him as a new journey begins.

Attending college broadens the mind to learning and helps to develop leadership. According to James Garlow (2002), “Leaders change the world. They touch hearts.  They inspire and invigorate; they sway history’s course and the course of everyone who meets them.” Leaders must learn to envision and create the future. An academically challenging community, but safe and fun, are experiences that can be used for the Lord’s work and for helping others. 

Be excited for your child as they enter a new journey, and always pray that their relationship with the Lord flourishes. Pray that your child will broaden their research skills, understand the power of gathering new facts and rely upon the Holy Spirit’s guidance. 

Today’s One Thing

Pray for your child that:

• They will find new friends who share many of the same Christian values you have cultivated within them. 
• Their new friends will make them think beyond their ideas and cause them to search for answers to further questions. 
• They draw nearer to the Lord as they discover and learn. 

Trust in the Lord and accept the peace God promises. 

Go Deeper

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