Dear Christ Following College Student,

I want you to know that as your brother in Christ I’m praying for you. The season of life you’re in right now is so crucial to the upcoming years of your life. It probably seems that every time you turn the corner there is another decision to be made. It probably also seems there is another temptation knocking at your door. Remember, as a Christ follower the Holy Spirit resides in you. Don’t lose sight of this, lean on this, and fully embrace this. He, being fully God, resides in you to bring about conviction, discernment, and encouragement. He loves you.

You may be thinking right now, “I’m not sure what to do. This all seems like so much at once.” Rest easy in Proverbs 2:6 which teaches that wisdom comes from the LORD. He gives us understanding.  A wise person once told me that sometimes it’s what you don’t do that makes the difference. Share your faith with that classmate that you know is lost. Be the vessel Christ created you to be.

As a college pastor I hear stories from lots of university students. Some of them make me laugh, some of them break my heart. In this season of life it’s so important that you find time to be in the Word every day. Maybe this is a struggle for you with everything else going on right now. In Scripture you find the God that created you and what He is like. You will find exactly who He is and how He dealt with situations and people. You will find how He resisted temptation. You will find stories of other Christ followers. Some that made great decisions and some that made poor decisions. So much clarity can come from these times in the Word. Please don’t replace intimate time with Jesus each and every day. When you are reading Scripture pray this simple prayer, “Speak LORD, your servant is listening.”

My desire is that you will earnestly pray through decisions and worship and serve with a local body of believers. You need to be a part of the local church now, more than ever. Christ instituted the church for a reason. Don’t only be a part of the local church, be the local church.

Remember, you’re not always going to “get it right” but keep on in your pursuit of holiness. Hebrews 13:5 teaches us that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us. I end this letter to you with the words of Proverbs 3:5-6 (HCSB), “{5} Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; {6} think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.”

Your Brother in Christ.